My Colours for 2016

Happy New Year everyone, I hope 2016 is off to a cracker start for you. I spent a week or so over at our family lake house and I really enjoyed the lack of wifi, and just good ole fashion 'chilling out'. But I'm back home now and really excited about what this year will bring. I have exciting plans for my home and for the growth of my business, Bibby + Brady (with Dael Brady), and look forward to sharing it all with you.

In 2016 I continue to (and will always) love white interiors layered with colour, pattern and texture. Shibori, denim and a contemporary take on tartan are favourites of mine. Zhush up your occasional chair by reupholstering the back cushion only in a gorgeous fabric.

This year I will also be embracing lots of dark walls - think glamorous not gloomy. Layer on warm wood tones, peachy pinks, and shots of brass and copper. Blue is definitely the new black. We use it a lot with our clients and I hope to bring you some of our examples in the near future.

Texture will never go out of fashion and I love the use of panelling on walls to add subtle texture and interest. There are so many fabulous examples that I think I'll have to do a whole seperate blog post to showcase my faves.

Mexico, India and Morocco have the most influence on my style and they do colour so well.

In 1956 fashion editor Diana Vreeland declared that "pink is the navy of India". I absolutely adore hot pink teamed with their slightly muddier tones of cobalt and aqua. The patina of those walls is divine!

If you're not ready to embrace that kind of colour into your home, don't feel you have to go black, white or beige. Try soft grey, dusky pinks and lilacs, chalky whites and mustard.

What ever you do in 2016, make sure it's "you"! Forget fads and trends, it's all about creating the best possible home for you. Somewhere you will be happy, somewhere you look forward to returning to, a place you love.

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Madder & Rouge Style

Now and then you find a home that resonates with you and calls out your name. That's what happened when I first saw the home of Erin O'Malley in the Aug/Sept 2014 issue of Homestyle magazine. It's everything I love in a home - fresh white walls, gorgeous colour and pattern, lots of Moroccan and Indian influences.  It looks relaxed and inviting and super cool. I love, love, love it!

Photography by Chris Sisarich

Erin is the owner of Auckland design store, Madder & Rouge, and it too is full of really beautiful and interesting pieces from around the world. I was exploring their website this morning and have my eye on quite a few of them. Pop in to their Newmarket store, or visit them online.

An Exotic Santa Barbara Beach Home

I've found a beautiful beach abode in Santa Barbara, Southern California, that I would happily call home. It's owner, Gina Tolleson (Miss World 1990), has filled it with gorgeous treasure that she's collected on her travels to India, Morocco, South America, Bali and Africa. She shares the home with her three sons - Carter, 16 years old, Luca, 8 years, and Tiago, 7 years.

I love the exotic, relaxed vibe this home exudes. The white walls and floors are the perfect backdrop for the layers of pattern and colour. Now that the boys are a bit older, interior designer Amanda Masters has been helping Gina make a few changes. They successfully mix Gina's global finds with modern and mid century pieces that tie in with the home's architecture.

A bird's-nest tower that's visible from the beach is Gina's special space to meditate, enjoy a glass of wine, and look at the ocean - no kids allowed! I think all parents should have a tower room like that ;)

Luca and Tiago's room is a really fun space that continues the global theme.

Gina's favourite space (and mine) is an outdoor room that open onto the courtyard. A 40th birthday trip to Rajasthan inspired her to paint the wall hot pink. Along with a bamboo lounger laden with cushions, and Balinese umbrellas, the vibrant colour creates a fabulous setting for a dinner party or cocktail evening.

I love the mix of the wooden outdoor table from India with the new wire chairs. To me this home is the perfect blend of beauty and tranquility, that's what I love!

photos by Nancy Neil

New Kantha Quilts

I recently unpacked a new selection of beautiful kantha quilts from India, and have loaded them into the Cush & Nooks shop. I absolutely love these quilts which are made from 100% cotton and lovingly hand-stitched with the traditional kantha running stitch. The lightweight cotton means they're perfect in the summer over a sheet, and in the cooler months just pop them over a quilt.

The sweet little polka dots are a more contemporary version of the quilt. I've also chosen some in a gorgeous ikat print, and the traditional fruit print in vibrant shades of yellow are pure joy! As well as bedspreads, the quilts make fabulous throws and tablecloths.

Thank you so much to the wonderful Florence Charvin of Fotographie by Florence for all the photos. And to my dear friend, and partner in crime, Dael Brady, who helped style and photo direct :)

Crazy About Kantha

Earlier this morning I posted a beautiful image to my Facebook page of a lovely tranquil bedroom all in white apart from a single Kantha cushion. As you well know, I'm crazy about colour and pattern, so it's easy to see why I love Kantha so much. I have a bunch of gorgeous quilts in the Cush & Nooks online store which have all been lovingly handmade in India. That Facebook image reminded of the incredible chair I'd seen recently when flicking through an old copy of Home Beautiful, covered in a multi coloured fruit print Kantha.

It got me thinking... I could take that little ottoman of mine down to my upholsterer and get it recovered using one of my quilts - brilliant! Not just ideal for bedspreads and throws, but the Kantha quilts can be used in so many ways...

Vintage Kantha armchair from EcoChic

Adorable child's chair covered in a bright Kantha from Sotomoto

I love these Kantha covered trunks from Sotomoto

A perfect shot of colour and pattern in these stools

Handmade ottoman beanbags, quilts, cushions - yum!

And even turned into art for the wall - Kantha Wall Plates