Annise Design Candle Giveaway

Dael & I have recently been introduced to a range of candles by Annise Designs and our office has been smelling pretty darn good ever since. The candles come in a range of shapes, sizes and scents, and we are thrilled to have one to GIVE AWAY.

With the cooler weather upon us we often spend more time at home, and a beautiful scented candle is always welcoming. To be in to win this Coconut Lime candle (below) simply "like" Annise Designs on Facebook, and for a further entry share this post on Facebook. Once you've done that email me to let me know and I will pop you in the draw.

The winner will be randomly drawn and announced on the Cush & Nooks Facebook page approximately 3pm next Thursday 24th March - what a great start to your Easter!
(Entry only open to New Zealand residents).

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.

Simple Interior Design Tips

When we're working with our Bibby + Brady interior clients, there are some basic tips and tricks that we use again and again. It seems many Kiwis own black leather sofas. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but they can dominate a room with their heaviness. If that is the case, cushions and throws are your best friend.

Layering throws, sheepskins and cushions will help to soften your dark sofa, as well as adding great texture.

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If there was one item of furniture I would recommend you invest in and don't scrimp on, it's your sofa (and your bed). You spend a lot of time on it, so you want it to be comfy, and you want it to last. With a more expensive sofa you're paying for quality - instead of foam cushions, which will wear out more quickly, you get feather and down cushions. A cheap sofa may have a plywood frame stapled together that just won't last as long as one made from hardwood and held together with glue and dowels, or tongue-and-groove joints. Effectively you will have to replace a cheap sofa a lot quicker than a quality sofa, so my argument is that in the end you're saving money.

We often look to use a light neutral coloured sofa in our interiors. If you do invest in a quality sofa, a neutral colour will not date and works with so many different looks. A new selection of cushions will transform it when you're ready for a change.

But, of course, we do love our colour at Bibby + Brady. This stunning soft pink sofa with wooden buttons is a winner. It's still quite a neutral tone, adding lovely warmth, and would work in a quiet Scandi room just as well as a more colourful space. It's also available in grey if you prefer.

If you do want to be a bit more dramatic and sophisticated, you can't go past this divine blue velvet sofa with elegant brass legs. It's a darker colour, but the velvet fabric means it's softer than leather. All four of these sofas are available to purchase through us at Bibby + Brady, contact me for more details.

Another of our favourite tips is to take your curtains right up to the ceiling. It will create the illusion of height, and will add instant sophistication.

Often people will hang their curtains just above the window, but you can see from the pic below what a difference it can make hanging them as high as possible.  It's an optical illusion, the window on the right looks bigger when in fact they are both the same size. As well as the height, make sure your tracks are wide enough so that when you pull the curtains back you're getting maximum light. This also makes your window look larger, and we all love natural light in our homes.

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My final tip for this post has to be about vignettes - my favourite thing in the home. A good vignette will tell a story, as well as make a room look beautifully styled, lived in and loved. The most basic thing to know when you're creating a vignette is to use different heights, shapes and textures.

Lamps, flowers and foliage are great for adding height to your vignette. Books are brilliant for grounding smaller objects. As well as books and vases, use more unusual or quirky pieces to express your personality - a camera, a spool of cotton... whatever makes you happy.

Don't just layer from the base upwards, you should also layer from front to back to add depth. Artwork hung or propped up on the wall behind is the best way to do this. Nature always adds amazing life and texture to a display. Sometimes the most beautiful is the most simple, like some branches in a jar.

Remember the space underneath. If it's a console table you can place a basket or a small stool below it. Some side tables have a lower shelf great for a stack of books topped with a bowl or dish. I love the repetition of orange in this vignette (below), it draws your eye up and down over the entire scene.

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These are just three tips to help create a stylish home, there are many more. If you want help with your home or workspace, we're here for you. You can send us photos of the area/s you want our advice and we can put together individual tips and tricks especially for you. Of course we can also help you source and purchase the perfect pieces for your home too, be it furniture, fabric, art or homewares. Drop us a line, we'd love to hear from you.

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