I just discovered a new blog, Plateful of Love, and I am slightly obsessed with this image of their lounge.  Love the little knitted pillow!!  And the chairs too.

You know I can't resist skulls and horns, and I like the way this table is positioned in the center of the room and used for display.  Would love to see the rest of the space.

Plateful of Love |  Horn vignette | Table display by Steven Gambrel

I just had to include these pretties somewhere.  Not that romance has to be so pink, I like a dark masculine romantic style too.  These will keep me inspired as I tackle my mirror project this weekend.  

I love pink and green together, nature just does it best, so fresh and pretty.  A gorgeous photo of my favourite flower via A Rosy Note, on right a detail by Phoebe Howard. 

Isn't this the prettiest shoe storage you have ever seen?  Would be so pretty in a dressing room, of course you would need to have lots of pretty shoes and somewhere to hide the not so lovely ones.  Detail from Style Me Pretty.

A fabulous centrepiece with simple flowers and spray painted tins in bronzes and copper tones.  I am collecting tins for my own experiment. (This was via Shelterness but the link appears to have disappeared.)

This eclectic gallery (left) was pinned by my sister, it probably reminds us both of our mom who makes wonderful crazy arrangements like this all over her home.  Loving the mix of distressed mirror and that incredible geometric dresser (via Home Polish on right).  If you know where that dresser is from let me know, its incredible and I would love to know more about it.

Have a lovely weekend.

I decided that short of having a super stylist come and play in my home I should try and learn the secrets of styling myself.  This does not mean I will be able to do it, but I will be better prepared to give it a try.  Here is what I learned from these pretty pictures.

Ideas to copy

1 - fresh flowers make a room or photo sing, even just a few stems in a jam jar 

2 - neat piles of pretty books

3 - antlers     I wasn't expecting antlers in the mix but they turned up in a few photos (not just 

these ones).  Not sure where I am going to find antlers in Australia, a lovely piece of driftwood would be a good substitute, will have to go for a walk on the beach.

4 - Candles in a flat bottomed bowl
I love the candles in the flat bottomed silver bowl (above left).  Makes the candles even more of a feature than they would be, easy to move and will catch melted wax.  

5 - Great editing
This is the hard one to live.  My family are forever dropping crayons, paper, socks and toys on the surfaces I am trying to keep clear and pretty.  In these photos all the admin of life is hidden, they are so tranquil, they make us believe that life in these home is just about reading and candles.  

Love the animals in the vignettes above.  I have lots of little creatures around the house.

Images from left to right: top via Gild and Grace, horns via By Gabrielle;  Mint Six & Pretty Stuff; My Design Chic & Phoebe Howard

2013 is going to be about finishing touches at our house.  Its time to edit, time to let go of those pieces of furniture that just aren't working, and time to make what we have work really well.  
We have lovely special things collected over the years, I just wish I had the knack of displaying them.  
These images below are master classes in styling.  Wouldn't that be a great way to start the year, have a stylist come to your home and refresh the decor with your own things.

Love this eclectic collection from a Cape Town home via House & Leisure (on of my favourite home magazines).  Copper, wood, glass, clay with a few floral elements - so lovely.  

My perfect country dining area (above via Greige), huge storage that doubles as display, space for books, and a huge rustic table for feasts with friends and family.
Monochrome with bone via Blood & Champagne.  I love skulls, the way this one has been framed with an empty frame is very clever.  Hmmmm I have some frames I like with nothing in them, need to think about that.

Monochrome with lots of textures via Number-Nineteen (left).  Home of Yvonne Kone via Emma's Design Blog (right).  Part of the problem is that I like very edited spaces, but I am a bit of a magpie in my own home.
from left: Acquired Objects, Rue Mag
Having a toddler on the loose does make it difficult.  These table height vignettes would not look like this for long with Miss J around.
If you have any tips, let me know, I would love to refresh our look for 2013.