Blue & White at The Bach

I absolutely love the combination of blue and white - it's fresh, it's classic, and it's timeless. It's also a great colour choice for a bach, and if done right will give a chic, relaxed look. Team it with white panelled walls, warm wood and natural textures and materials.

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This home in Sweden is a great example of how to use blue and white to create an airy, comfortable and inviting space. My favourite spot is the back bedroom with bunk beds covered in classic checked linen, and a little curtain for privacy.

Another Swedish home, I absolutely love this one with it's shots of pink to warm up the blue and white. The use of old pieces of furniture, flea market finds, and fabrics picked up on travels tells a great story about this home.

If you have a holiday home, or you want this relaxed feel in your own home, try using blue and white ticking fabric, plaid and checks, paisley and ikats. Lots of white panelling, touches of wood and leather, and blue and white ceramics.

One Fine Stay

Have you seen the movie "The Holiday" where Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslett swap homes - one luxurious pad in California, and one quaint little cottage in Surrey, England? The two women not only swap homes, they swap lifestyles and leave their own behind for a few weeks. Well, I stumbled across this great website, One Fine Stay, where you can have a similar experience (although I can't guarantee that Jude Law will knock on your door!).

It's not a house swap, but you do get the opportunity to stay in someone else's place while they're out of town. Rather than visit the same landmarks and attraction as every other tourist, you get to experience the 'real' city, with recommendations of shops, restaurants and more from the home owners themselves. I love that! When we were on holiday last we asked some locals where to eat out, and we had the most fantastic meals in places we would never have found otherwise.

The website is based in London but it features homes in London, Los Angeles, New York, and Paris. All incredible cities, who wouldn't want to get off the beaten track and experience them in this way?!

The photos I've featured in this post are from a young family's home in Cobble Hill, New York. I picked it because it's the only city out of the four that I haven't been to, and would dearly love to. And when I do I would be more than happy to stay here with it's beautiful parquet floorboards and backyard oasis.

Isn't it a wonderful concept?! To find out more about One Fine Stay visit their website, and check out all the fabulous homes on offer. All are quite different so there's sure to be one that you'll fall in love with.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Well, the last few weeks have been a whirlwind, as I imagine they have been for you as well. It's been a wonderful and action-packed year for me, both with the blog, my interior business, Bibby + Brady, and our online shop. Everything is growing and so exciting, especially with the imminent opening of our Bibby + Brady showroom. This will be happening early next year, so watch this space. I'm now ready to put my feet up and hang out with my beautiful family. This is pretty much what we will be doing...

Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Enjoy the holidays and I will be back feeling refreshed in early January. Thanks for all your support, I love having you here xxx

Instagram | Cush & Nooks

As the school holidays and my beautiful kids encroach into my working day, I hope you forgive me for a simple post today. I wanted to show you a few recent images from my Instagram. This is where I post mostly images 'behind the scenes' of my home, life & work.

If you want to get a really good feel for person's style, check out their Instagram account, especially on your computer rather than in the actual app. My love of colour and pattern, and the sea is quite evident. What does your Instagram say about you?

A Warm GC Welcome

I know I've been missing in action - last week was spent with my family in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast in Australia. It was an amazing holiday in a spectacular part of the world. It was all about the kids, so we did the theme parks, cuddled koalas, patted the kangaroos, and hit the beaches.

I left everything but my phone at home, and any internet access was few and far between. But you know you have the best job when you miss work while on holiday! It was brilliant quality family time, but I was craving some interior goodness. I did find inspiration in our tropical surroundings, in the tiles at Chocolateria San Churro (that place was dangerous!), and even managed to squeeze in a quick shopping trip to Black & Spiro - heaven! It's nice to come home though, even when the temperature's a good 10 degrees colder. I look forward to bringing you some great posts this week and catching up on all things interior.

Cute DIY Projects

It's that time again... school holidays seem to roll around so quickly! If you're of the crafty nature, I've got a few super cute DIY projects that will keep your little ones happy.

Make a little dolls house with a simple cube shelf (you can find similar here), decorate back walls with wrapping paper, and create a roofline with washi tape - so adorable!

Download this free printable for watermelon ice cream cone wrappers. Top the cone with a scoop of ice cream and let the kids add their own toppings, you'll be very popular.

For a whole raft of clever ideas check out Mr Printables, a great site that offers creative and educational free printable your kids will love. Here are some of my favourites...

Happy crafting, and enjoy the holidays.

Canopy Camping Escapes

As a kid I did a lot of tramping with my family - and I'm talking five or six day tramps! My parents loved the outdoors, the nature, the exercise. I remember as a teenager complaining about how my friends were going on skiing trips, as I was packing my red and black bush shirt and my freeze dried food. But, in actual fact, we had some great times on those tramps. Beautiful scenery, playing yuca in the cabins at night, that cute boy, whose path we crossed, that took me eeling.

I still love the beauty and the adventure of being in the outdoors, but these days I prefer a few comforts - a soft bed and a glass of wine at the end of the day, rather than a skinny bedroll on the ground and some scroggin. And so do Liz Henderson and Sonia Minnaar, the founders of Canopy Camping Escapes. After a few too many of their own camping mishaps, the pair decided 'glamping' was the way forward.

Glamping, or glamorous camping, has become extremely popular worldwide. And why wouldn't it!?... all the upsides of camping, but with a luxury tent, comfy beds, hot water, and decent loos. And no extra equipment to purchase and lug around.

Liz and Sonia have created the most brilliant business and website. They have partnered with landowners all over New Zealand to bring you a selection of luxury campsites in the most beautiful locations. Each will offer you something different and unique. So whether you're a family, a group of mates, or a couple looking for a romantic escape, explore the different campsites available to find the one just right for you.

Don't let the cooler weather of Autumn and Winter put you off. Many of the sites are open year round and offer lovely wood burning stoves in your tent to keep you snug and warm. Enjoy the view in a hot bath in the evening and toast marshmallows over the fire. This is definitely stuff that memories are made of.

If you have a beautiful piece of private land that you think might make the perfect Canopy Campsite, get in touch with Liz and Sonia. People, both local and visitors from abroad, are looking to escape their busy lives, if just for a moment. They want that meaningful experience, but being time-poor they want something that's easy and convenient. Canopy Camping have developed their own NZ made luxury tent, with an optional wood burning stove. These are available to purchase, and they can recommend campsite products to suit a range of properties and budgets. Read more about it here.

Welcome 2014!

Hey everyone, I'm back! I hope you all had a brilliant Christmas and New Year, and a well deserved break. 2013 was a big year for me, with the introduction of my interior business, Bibby + Brady, and my little family getting busier every day. I really needed some R&R, and the beautiful Kuratau, in Taupo, is always the perfect place to relax and unwind.

As sad as it was to leave Kuratau, I love coming home. Home is my sanctuary, and this homecoming, in particular, reinforced to me how important it is to create a beautiful haven for you and your family. I was reading an excerpt from Kelly Hoppen's 'Design Masterclass' in the latest YH&G magazine which really touched me... 

The whole experience of 'coming home' is one we value more and more in a world that is fast, noisy and, at times, threatening. The moment we cross our threshold, we feel the cares slip from our shoulders and we are cocooned in comfort, safety and warmth. Our homes are our greatest asset, not just financially but also for our sense of wellbeing and happiness.

I know you feel the same way, and I'm really excited about the chance to bring you even more interior inspiration this year. I really thrive on your feedback, so I'd love you to think about the features you most like to read on the Cush & Nooks blog, and what you'd like to see more of. I'll be putting together a short survey, and I'd be most appreciative if you could take a few minutes to fill it in. By taking part in the survey you'll go into the draw to win a little something - watch this space!

all photos of my precious family and home

One of the awesome new features on the blog is the MONTHLY SPECIAL, which features on the top right hand panel. For the month of January there is 20% off all artwork in the Cush & Nooks shop. There are only one or two of each piece, so if you have your eye on one, snap it up.

Every month there will be a new special from either Cush & Nooks or one of my other favourite online shops (if you have an online shop and you're interested in taking part, contact me for details). I hope 2014 is off to a cracking start for you. Please bear with me over the next few weeks as I balance work and three lively children.