Design Boards | Bibby + Brady

I remember when I used to blog five days a week. Heck, when I first started this blog I used to post seven days a week! A blog is a huge commitment and takes hours and hours of work and planning. I love blogging, but as my interior design business, Bibby + Brady, has grown, the amount of time I've had to dedicate to blogging has diminished.

I thought you guys might like to see just a tiny bit of what I've been doing that has left me less time to write posts. One of the things we do at Bibby + Brady is to create design concept boards for our clients that are tailor made for their wants, needs, and budget. We spend a lot of time finding out what they are hoping to achieve, who will use the space and what it will be used for. We include paint colours, fabric for curtains, blinds, and cushions, flooring, furniture, wallpaper, art, accessories, as well as inspirational imagery. Other than the inspirational images, we can supply everything we put on our boards, and pass on discounts wherever possible.

We love working on the exteriors of homes as well as the interiors. It's great to make an impression right from the start.

These are just a few of our boards, and I've chosen ones that give a bit of a cross section of our work.

If you would like to hire Bibby + Brady to help with your home or workplace, don't hesitate to get in touch. Dael and I work with clients from all around New Zealand with our e-design service, as well as local Hawke's Bay clients. We can help you with jobs as small as making a roman blind for your bedroom, and as big as designing every room in your house. Our aim is to create beautiful, unique spaces that reflect their owners.

Monday Inspiration

Let's kick this week off with a super cool house tour to inspire you, and hopefully encourage you to push the boundaries a bit. If you've been thinking about a new paint colour in your home, maybe this post will spur you on to embrace the dark side, and/or make a statement with some amazing art.

It's the holiday retreat of designer and entrepreneur, Terry Kaljo, situated in Sydney's Darling Point. I love the drama and the elegance she has created in this home.

The downstairs floor was designed for guests and has quite a different, more contemporary, Pacifica feel.

To read more about this amazing home, pop over to Vogue Living. (Photos by Prue Ruscoe)

Portrait of a Lady

I am often drawn to portraits of women, and I love seeing them used in interiors. It doesn't have to be (and more often is not) someone you know, just an image that "speaks" to you. A vintage painting is always nice, I think, to contrast the more modern elements that a lot of us have in our homes.

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Although he is a contemporary artist, David Bromley's "Nudes" series is a favourite of mine.

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And Tretchikoff is another favourite, especially Miss Wong.

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Anna Spiro created one of her famous picture walls, featuring mostly women, at the Halcyon House restaurant. I sometimes think I should do that with my collection.

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Photographs can also be really striking, especially if they're larger than life.

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Do you share my love of lady portraits? Which is your fave from the selection above?

Home Tour | Stefanie Cove

A mix of Bohemian influences and preppy details is the perfect representation of designer, Stefanie Cove. The Palm Beach preppy comes from her childhood in Florida, while the eclectic Californian style is a result of her adult years in LA.

I love this entranceway. A simple floating shelf big enough for some flowers, a bowl for your keys, and a mirror is all you really need, and is perfect when space is tight. Many homes open up straight into a living room, but it's nice to create a sense of an entrance, even if it's small.

As an event designer Stefanie has developed a knack for finding those unexpected touches to highlight her clients' personalities. This translates so well into her home which is filled with pieces picked up on her travels over the years.

To tie the open plan spaces together, Stefanie repeats the use of natural textures, colourful woven textiles and shots of metallic. What drew me to her home was her fabulous attention to detail and the collection of little vignettes dotted throughout.

An awkward space at the back of the living room has been successfully filled with a custom made bench seat and a large book shelf.

Have you ever seen a more gorgeous home bar?! We've just been working with a local client on a home bar, but it's very masculine with a "shaken not stirred" vibe. I love it, but I must say this beautiful wallpaper, gold mirror and turquoise glasses are pretty divine too.

A simple bowl of lemons and a single flower is enough of a centrepiece in the cute dining room. Three is such a nice number to work with for a grouping - the bowl, the vase, and the little board are simple items, but it's a lovely mix of colour and texture.

The bedroom continues the layering of textiles, and hits of copper and brass add a touch of sophistication. Books and trays are a stylists main tool - they're a great way to encompass and ground a series of objects. I love books so using them in my vignettes is also a brilliant way to have them on display.

To see more of Stefanie's home pop over to MyDomaine.

Nina Dobrev's Home Tour

Definitely the coolest home I've come across on the net this year is the California bungalow belonging to Nina Dobrev. I have a hard time putting a label on my interior style, and I don't necessarily think that we should have to label everything. But if I did, "relaxed-boho-glam" would be an apt description, and I think Nina has the same aesthetic.

After following Mat Sanders (Consort Design and creative director for Domaine Home) on Instagram for some time, Nina knew and loved his style. He, along with partner Brandon Quattrone, worked with Nina to help transform the Spanish-style, four bedroom house into the glamorous, laid back home you see here.

Mat used the strong contrast of black and white throughout the home and softened it with warm tones such as natural wood, brass and gold.

Artwork, books and accessories collected by Nina over the years help bring through her personality and tell a beautiful story about who lives here.

A powder blue kitchen is a bold choice, and it works so well with the brass fittings and black and white tiles. They've even included an all-time favourite of mine - the breakfast nook - yay! The tiled herringbone floor is gorgeous.

Nina has just enough layers to create a warm, comfy and interesting home without being OTT. Beautiful natural materials and texture for the relaxed, cosy vibe, and a touch of glam in the artwork and accessories.

Usually a peach bathroom is not so favourable with me (I've seen too many bad ones left over from the eighties), but teamed with chic panelling and simple black and white styling, Nina's is super cute.

Finish the tour off with a gorgeous blue walled pool area complete with festoon lights and a Buddha head - yes, I totally love Nina Dobrev's new digs! Check out more at MyDomaine.

Photos by Chris Patey