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.

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.

Stormy Seas

I spent many hours and days of my childhood playing in the surf at Wainui Beach. As I grew older I became a little intimidated by the ocean and it's strength, but I've never stopped admiring it's beauty. I am drawn to the colours - the glittering turquoise of a calm sea, and the emerald greens and deep teals of a stormy sea.

It's this rich, dark, and moody palette that I'm really loving right now. I love the drama and the sophistication it brings to a room. I would recommend using these colours in a room with plenty of natural light, because you get the most beautiful effect as the light moves and changes in the room. If the room lacks natural light the colour may just appear a bit flat.

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Despite the fact that my school uniform was green and blue, I still love this combination in an outfit. Choose shades with some depth for maximum impact.

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If you're not sure about using these deeper colours on your wall, start by introducing them in smaller doses. Whenever you're working with colour, whether it's in your home or your wardrobe, make sure it moves you (in a good way). What colours are you drawn to when you enter a shop? What pages stop you in your tracks in a magazine? These are the colours you should be surrounding yourself with.

Girl in Sea Print: Bibby + Brady | Deadly Ponies Handbag: Superette | Resin Bowl: Dinosaur Designs | Monmouth Tumbler: Mekka | Essie Nail Polish: Farmers | Ceramic Whale: Bibby + Brady | Burberry Prorsum Jacket: Sohelee Tahmina | Luxembourg Bar Trolley: Jardin | Blue Velvet Sofa: order via Bibby + Brady

The Block Villa Wars | Entrance, Kitchen & Dining Reveal

Wowza, a lot went down on The Block Villa Wars last week. It was pretty huge with contestants needing to completely finish their interiors, which included their kitchen, dining room, and their entrance. Somewhere in the middle of all that craziness, Sarah's boyfriend arrived looking dapper and got down on one knee to propose - so sweet! Then a bombshell was dropped when not one, but two teams were disqualified from kitchen and dining reveal. More about that later, first to the entrances...

Entrance - Cat and Jeremy: 1st place | 18 points

Cat and Jeremy had the largest entranceway and they created a beautiful first impression with panelling on the walls and a statement art piece by Trent Davis on the far wall, which is framed by the doorway.

I love the panelling, it adds subtle texture, and the shadows cast by the light adds subtle pattern. Each team had to use a rug they'd made in a previous challenge, and although none of them are very nice (sorry guys), a rug is a great addition to an entrance, leading you into the home.

Entrance - Brooke and Mitch: 2nd place | 17.5 points

It's nice to see Brooke and Mitch using a statement piece of art. The trio of lights and the character villa features are beautiful.

Something's not quite working for me with the console table and the art. I love the idea, but they seem to be fighting a bit, and the styling on the table is too small and bitsy. Perhaps a large solid vase picking up one of the colours in the painting would've been better.

Entrance - Sarah and Minanne: 3rd place | 14 points

There's a big jump between the top two teams' scores and the bottom two, and I'm not sure that it's justified. Although a little bare, Sarah and Minanne's hallway was really nice. I would've painted the front door a nice bright colour. That wouldn't have cost them much (and I know money is tight), but would've created a bit of 'wow'.

Once again the villa details are gorgeous, and I like their choice of light. A long Armadillo runner and a huge piece of art would make this hallway look amazing - that's what I would add if I was to buy this house.

Entrance - Jamie and Hayden: 4th place | 13 points

Once again, is that a harsh score? I think Jamie and Hayden's entrance and hallway should've scored higher if you're comparing them to the top teams. I do think those dark floorboards are going to be super hard to keep clean, but the David Trubridge light and the round mirror are great.

I also like the bench seat - they look great and are super handy in an entrance for putting your shoes on and off. They styling on the bench is a bit under whelming though.

Kitchen/Dining - Brooke and Mitch: 1st place | 19.5 points

Brooke and Mitch scored the first perfect 10 of the season for their kitchen/dining, the judges loved it. The wood is a nice contract to the white and adds warmth. I like the open shelves, that's a great place to style some favourite bits and pieces. We have very similar in our own kitchen (see more below).

The dining table is bespoke, built by Brooke and Mitch's builder and gifted to them, but this is what got them disqualified, as it's against the rules. Their builders are allowed to make furniture for them but they must pay for their labour and the materials.

Kitchen/Dining - Cat and Jeremy: 2nd place | 17.5 points

It's lovely to see how the houses all flow now that they're complete. Cat and Jeremy re-did their fireplace from living room week, and it looks so much nicer tiled in a white brick look. They continued the tiles on their kitchen splash back.

Unfortunately the tiles are what caused Cat and Jeremy to also be disqualified. They used a New Plymouth tiler, and to help them out he only charged them $1. I can see why these rules need to be enforced, otherwise all the teams will start to do similar things and what is the point in having a budget. What do you think?

Kitchen/Dining - Sarah and Minanne: 3rd place | 16.5 points

Although they came third on the leaderboard, Sarah and Minanne walked away with the $5,000 this week, which they desperately needed. Of course they would've preferred to have won the money fair and square, but I really like their kitchen and they deserve a win.

I love the choice of pendant lights, and the tiles add some subtle pattern and texture. The bench top ties in with their bathrooms, and there is a lovely flow between the indoor and outdoor cooking areas.

Kitchen/Dining - Jamie and Hayden: 3rd place | 7.5 points

We sort of knew this low scoring was going to happen, even Jamie and Hayden said the judges would hate their kitchen. They haven't backed down from their bold style, and the splash back was certainly controversial.

I think the black cabinetry is pretty cool, and although I love the braveness of the splash back, I don't actually love it myself. I worry that they will have limited buyers on auction day as they are appealing to a younger market who may not be able to afford the house. I hope they prove me wrong as I'd love to see them walk away with some cash at the end of this.

Now this final pic is my own kitchen. Don't you think Brooke and Mitch's open cabinets, Cat and Jeremy's high wooden shelf, and Sarah and Minanne's hexagon splash back could all merge together to look like mine? :)