Nursery Feature – Oli’s Monochrome Big Boy Room

We all have them… those stunning friends with impeccable taste, who’s awesome little one’s could put North West or Cruz Beckham to shame. And the nurseries and playrooms belonging to these lucky offspring are always STUNNING! My beautiful friend Angela, with the help of her handy hubby Ant and little mister Oli, have created this awesome monochrome big boy’s room and been wonderful enough to share it with us!

Read on, enjoy and be inspired. xx

 

Ang, how would you describe your styling choice for Oli’s Room?

It started with me just wanting to create a retreat for Oli…. not just somewhere for sleep but play as well, his own little room. It’s quite fresh, a little edgy and timeless… something he’ll (hopefully) still love for years to come. Although knowing me, I’ll want to change it up before that! Apart from the monochrome trend in the room, we wanted to fill it with encouraging quotes and travel inspiration, something that we’ve loved sharing as a family.

 

What’s your favourite piece in the room?

The bed! We bought it second hand for just $50!!! Was originally bright pink but became a labour of love as Ant and I made it work together. And I just love how it’s all come together style wise. The quilt (made by Oli’s Oona) and lightning bolt cushion (handmade by me) have sentimental value and I’m so happy with the results.

 

What design rule would you swear by when creating a new room?

Timeless! Especially for a kid’s room, stick to things they won’t grow out of in two years.

 

What was your splurge buy for this room?

Table and chairs! They’re replica Eames and I completely went all out on them!

 

Being a beautifully stylish mumma, who do you recommend following on Instagram?

Oh wow, where do I start!? So so many…. this list might be quite long.

Children of the Tribe @childrenofthetribe

FromZION @fromzion_

AURA Home @aurahome

Petite Vintage Interiors @petitevintagebel

Jr. Cooper Australia @jr_cooper_

Beau Hudson @beau_hudson

Zilvi | Interior Decor @_zilvi

Little Urban Apparel @littleurbanapparel

Leo and Bella @leoandbella

Hello Little Birdie @hellolittlebirdie

They’re all great for inspiration (and building that wish list)

 

Thanks Ang for letting us peek into this amazing room update! Maybe you can come and style my house now? 😉

 

Item details

Table and chairs – Replica Furniture

Bed – bought second hand from a friend

Bookshelf – Ikea

Baskets – Ikea spray painted yellow

Yellow Basket Bedside Table – Willow & Bird at Cotton Tree, QLD

Lamp – Home Secret at Kawana

Triangle garland – homemade

Zebra Print – Farrah’s Stone

Quilt – homemade by Oli’s Oona

Lightning Bolt pillow – homemade

#Awesome pillow – Ruckus from Adairs

Black crochet cushion – Ikea

Wall decals – McKnight Signs 

Stag Head – Typo

 

Business Feature – Incy Interiors

Kip Cot

One way to tell that an interview has gone ‘well’ is how many notes you’ve actually made…. And how well the conversation stays on track…. I have never had a more fun, informative and off topic interview with anyone! Kristy Withers of Incy Interiors had every reason at this years Life Instyle/Kids Instyle exhibition to be time poor. Launching Incy’s ridiculously successful collaboration with Kip & Co and coping with the constant, excited enquiries and orders would put anyone out.

So naturally I was thrilled to secure a moment of her precious time to chat about this new range and everything Incy. It was honestly the greatest chat I had with anyone at the exhibition that weekend, we ‘yarned’ for over an hour, constantly rambling off topic, forgetting what the original question was…. and I was given a beautiful glimpse into the mind behind this amazing brand and now love it oh so so much more 🙂

Kristy Withers INCY Interiors

At the end of the day I got in touch because of the recently launched, incredibly fun and refreshingly different Incy Interiors and Kip & Co collaboration. Featuring Kip Beds (one boy, one girl) and a unisex Kip Cot, these are bright, fun and a beautiful balance between stylish and ‘kiddy’. They can be the focal point in a pared back, clean lined room…. or the starting point to go absolutely crazy with colour and fun! My two opposing design sides are at war with each other right now. 🙂 Have a look, you decide, how would you style these beauties? And read on below for our yarn with Kristy (sorry the entire hour long chat remains in my mind.. I’m selfish like that)

 

Kristy, in four words how would you describe this new range?

Colourful! That’s it! Only one word needed!…. Maybe industrial colourful? This is our sixth time at Kids Instyle and has undoubtedly been our most successful. The range has been received so well! People’s ideas and changing and they are embracing new and different looks for kids’ interiors. Some of our oldest, most traditional stockists have even identified this, snapping up the new range.

Incy has really been on a design journey since starting, initially we leant towards being Australia’s answer to Pottery Barn… but now it’s really me! We’ve really started to come into our own. Starting off a new business is so overwhelming, but now I feel we have nothing to prove.

Kip Bed – Girl

How old is Incy Interiors and did you ever imagine it becoming what it is today?

Never, ever imagined it becoming this! We started up three and a half years ago when searching for a ‘big boy bed’ for our boy Oscar. Once I have a goal, I become incredibly focused and obsessed with it. I searched everywhere in Australia for what I wanted, looked at importing from overseas, and the option of having it manufactured myself. I lacked the confidence needed to really start a business on my own, but I luckily have a business minded husband who gave me the push needed.

 

Do you have a favourite product?

The Oscar bed still holds a lot of sentimental value for us. He’s definitely due a bigger bed now but I’m clinging on! It’s really nice actually how attached they are to design and their own rooms. He recently chose the Kip & Co Pizza bedspread for his room, was his favourite! Of course it doesn’t match anything but he loves it. Oscar’s and Polly’s rooms are being redesigned… Bel from Petite Vintage Label and Jacinda from Hide & Sleep have both done design boards for them. The rooms needed a new look, they were all mismatched!

Oscar Bed

Tell us more about your collaboration with Kip & Co?

When Kip & Co launched, we had just released our coloured bed range. We noticed that everyone bought them together. Any images we saw of one product almost always featured the other. We also worked together a lot in shoots, using each others products and so on. We always got along well and had fun, and one day thought ‘we should do something together!’ This range was really a lot of fun, and we have another collaboration coming out in about four weeks. Completely different again!

 

Incy Interiors collaboration range with Kip & Co was a huge hit at Melbourne’s Life Instyle

What trends do you see emerging at this years Kids Instyle?

Colours, I suppose this is always popular with kids wear. Copper is continuing on, in general homewares as well as kids. And monochrome is having another peak… it kind of diminished but is returning again I think. I love monochrome and really wish I had the restrain to be able to pull it off. This is why the house is such a mismatch of styles, I get attached to too many styles and objects.

 

As a mum and business owner, what has been your biggest learning curve?

As a mum it is all about balance. I know everyone says that but it’s true. And just getting through each day.. I probably get it right maybe 50% of the time. The last few weeks I’ve been working evenings and weekends, usually after the kids are sleeping… which is stupid, because then I don’t sleep.

Regarding business I really believe in working hard and being nice to people! And be humble. It’s so hard to work with anyone who isn’t nice. It immediately drags you down.

Kip Bed – Boy

Well you have certainly achieved both Kristy! You have worked crazy hard, deserve all the amazing success you’re having, and stay refreshingly humble and nice to the people around you. Thank you thank you thank you for your precious (and fun) time.

xxx

http://www.incyinteriors.com.au  you can find a local Incy stockist from the website

 @incy_interiors @theincystore

 incy interiors

Business Feature – kupukupu kids

You have probably seen the recent craze for animal cushions… a somewhat cross between a plush animal and a cushion. Ridiculously adorable and popping up in perfectly styled kids’ rooms around the globe. Today’s feature business is ‘kupukupu kids’, run by the lovely (you may have noted that I only like to celebrate business people who stay humble and pleasant amongst the success) and wonderfully talented Laura. She takes incredible joy in each style, pattern and colour and solely uses organic cottons and eco-friendly inks for the beautiful characters below and lovely lines of kids apparel.

Laura – kupukupu kids

Perfect cushion characters

Read on for Laura’s insight into the kupukupu kids world….

1. How did kukupuku start?
I started kupukupu 3 years ago with my women and men’s casual
apparel shop. I actually haven’t studied sewing or pattern making, but have sewn clothes for my dolls growing up and then for me. In fact I studied Philosophy and then Communication and I was working in press departments for a long time. But one day I decided to quit my job and open my first shop on Etsy… I needed a change in my life… to spend more time with family and friends and do things that I really loved. After two and a half years with kupukupuapparel, I decided to open kupukupukids, with a totally different style. My adult collection is all smooth and neutral and with kupukupukids I love to play with colors and forms in the fabric patterns as much as I can. Ii is one of the parts of my job that I like most, to design the fabrics! After six months, I’m so happy to have opened this shop. I really enjoy it!

Confetti organic cotton Baby Blanket

Organic Cotton Duck plush pillow

2. What happens in a day behind the scenes of kupukupu?
As I work at home, I start my work day just after breakfast. The first thing that I do is check my shops, see my messages and renew my items. After that, I sew sold items and package them or take photos of new items, edit them and upload them to my shops. I like to dedicate the morning to do this, and to reserve the office and design tasks for the afternoons. My mind is more creative and communicative in afternoon and nights, ever since I was a child. Before lunch, I love to dedicate one hour to practice yoga. Stretch the body and relax my mind.

The afternoons is the best part: create, design, talk with my customers and attend the social networks, that is a big job, as well. I spend a big part of the day thinking about that. As a journalist I know is an essential part of my bussines and I try to take care of it as much as I can. After that I try to rest, stay with family and see friends, but I have to recognize that my mind is always in kupukupu. It’s like my little baby!

3. How do you stay motivated on a tough day?
I always try to have in mind what all of this means. I started this project with my boyfriend, Jordi. He is a great illustrator and has a shop on Etsy too, suPmön. We needed to be the owners of our time and dedicate our days to make things that we really love and also spend more time together. Now we both work from home and we share a great part of our job with each other. For instance, he’s the drawer of all of my plush collection and also the little duck of my logo. Now we are living the kind of life we want, even though we have had many difficulties and we’ve had some bad times. I’m not going to say this is not hard, because it is, but absolutely worth it.

Greatest First Moments Gift Pack

Dandelions organic cotton T-shirt

4. What is your favourite part of developing your own business and brand?
When you are developing your own business, you’re planting the seeds to your future and you can see how it grows day by day and that’s beautiful! It’s like your baby. All your efforts are directed to make sure it grows well, strong and healthy. And you are happy doing this because the benefits of all this work are yours and nobody else’s. When working for other companies sometimes people don’t feel a project is theirs and sometimes they feel disappointed and frustrated because they work hard and sacrifice so much of their life for this job, but never see all its benefits. I’m not just talking about economic benefits. The benefits of having your own business are more than the money, it’s the freedom to live your own way and freedom to create and make what you feel is better.

5. Who inspires you on Instagram/Pinterest/blogs etc?
I specially like the work of Susan Petersen, from Freshly-Picked. I think what she does in social media is amazing. I try to learn as much as I can from her. And I also admire the work of Mr. Wonderful, a catalan designer that founded a successful online store of optimism products, with their presence on social networks and their blog.

Growing Stripes organic cotton long sleeve onesie

6. What’s your top piece of advice for balancing life with your own business?
Well, it is really difficult to disconnect both things, because if you love your job it is part of your life. I’m spend all day working, but I don’t feel like I’m working, because I’m just making things that I love. I think it’s really important that you love your business a lot, because I think there’s no way to pull the blind down, especially if it’s a young business. Yoga does help though… Anyway, balancing life with your own business is easier than if you work in a company with a fixed schedule. If you work like me at home and sell online, you can adapt that with your other facets of your life perfectly. You just have to reserve some days in the week and hours in the day to turn off the computer and get away from the sewing machines, even your mind is with your job all the time.

7. What is your favourite kupukupu product?
I try to feel satisfied with every product that I made, but there’s no doubt that you always have some of them favorites. I think mine is this…

Mountain Yellow organic cotton hoodie

Thank you so much Laura for giving us a beautiful and open insight into your world! This gift wish list just keeps on growing……

http://www.kupukupu.cat

http://www.etsy.com/au/shop/kupukupukids

 

xx

Thrifty Art

Thrifty options for ‘art’ in your home

I framed all of the above this week for my little Evie’s room makeover (a slow but sure process of probably… hmm…. a year)

As a bargain addict I am constantly looking out for beautiful fabrics, cards, papers etc. that I can frame… everything above was a ridiculous success….  under $20 for the lot!!!

I already had all of the frames, just needed a lick of white paint (which was leftover from renovations). And each of the prints were either beautiful cards from a stunning local store here on the Sunshine Coast QLD ‘The Lovely Bird’ or Manila Folders from Typo… They always have an AH MA ZING selection of Manila Folders in those stores that I can’t bear to hide away in a filing cabinet! 🙂 Some of them were only 35c in the sale!!!!

So when I spend pennies on framing prints like these I can justify big ticket feature artworks in every room. Yayyyyy! 🙂

How do you stay stylish on a budget in your home? Share with me your wisdom 😉

 

 

needing some inspiration……

This is my old doll house from when I was a little’un… my dad made it (or so he claims….) and mum painstakingly made/sewed/painted everything that used to fill it. I LOVED my doll house!

Now it sits in my little girls’ room, usually housing blankets, books and toys.

It’s time for a facelift!

The nursery has fifty shades of timber at the moment and so I’m toying with the idea of painting this one…. but what colour? Or should I re-stain the outside and paint the inside?

Am searching for some inspiration and really like the look of the following…. but still deciding if any of these styles will transfer ok.

Source – http://www.interiorjunkie.com

Source – http://www.pauletpaula.com

Source – http://www.domainehome.com

Source – http://www.vogue.com

Source – http://www.mommo-design.blogspot.it

Source – http://www.frapp.se

first world problems hey? 🙂

Would loooove some input!

p.s. The whole nursery needs a redo… more on that later

Nursery Makeover – Inspiration

Nursery Makeover – Soft Greys, Blues and Pinks

Litte E is 10 months old and every day her cheeky little personality gets stronger and stronger. She’s girly, sneaky, sassy, loves music and dancing, thrives on everyone’s captivated attention and constantly smiles and giggles. Oh gosh, I adore her!

I’m starting on what will probably be a long journey to develop and makeover her ‘nursery’ into a little girl’s room. And I’m starting this creative task within the wonders that are Etsy, Pinterest and Instagram… and there is literally no end to stunning inspiration there.

I’ve collated an Etsy Treasury list of some BEAUTIFUL pieces to inspire me. And am currently planning out the best way to update some existing furniture and items.

Yay! A project! 🙂

Etsy stores I can’t ignore

These beauties take feel good window shopping to a whole new level. Do yourself a favour (although your wallet/partner won’t be too happy) and peruse these incredible, must-have, nursery-lovin Etsy stores……

just click on the images for the link to stores. You’re welcome 😉

KupuKupu Kids – animal cushions

Keepsake Toys – Wooden Shape Sorter

Studio Snowpuppe – Origami Lampshades

The Wandering Workshop – Wooden Toy Houses

and for some brilliant comic relief. .. (Because when you’re sleep deprived with a newborn you deserve to surround yourself with hilarious things)….

Petiti Panda – Grumpy Cat Cushion

 

 

 

 

Nursery Feature – Calming Whimsy

I found it difficult to put my finger on the right words to describe this beautiful feature Nursery today. It belongs to a beautiful baby boy and was created by his adoring and incredibly stylish mum, Sharna. It was warm and inviting with beautiful quirky touches but practical and sentimental as well…. Sharna and I both scratched our chins trying to think of the right term to describe it while I interviewed her, with no results. Was only when I went to write the heading for this post…. ‘Calming Whimsy’. Sharna has done incredibly well to balance stunning pieces with practicality (an often overlooked necessity in Nursery design), a clean base palette and perfect accent pieces.

At the end of the day, a nursery cannot just be a place for the new baby… you will be spending a ridiculous amount of time in there yourself, so style it for you! What colours calm you, what prints, quotes and photos inspire you and what pieces are going to bring you little bits of joy?

Sharna was incredible enough to not only let me go snap-happy in her nursery early one morning, but also answered my questions on creating this beautiful room.

 

Sharna, what did you love about creating this room?

For me, I just loved creating a whole new room that was more fun and colourful.

 

How would you describe the style of the nursery?

Calming was my initial goal, as well as a white and light timber base…. but then it developed into more colours, mainly yellow and aqua accents. Now it has a bit more of a ‘restrained quirkiness’ about it.

 

What is your favourite piece?

The timber and white tripod lamp (from Adairs) and the amazing crochet circle rug (La De Dah)

 

What item in this room was 100% a purchase for you? i.e. A necessary selfish mummy splurge.

The rug! Purely bought it because it was pretty…. it’s not a ‘baby rug’ at all….. no vomit allowed!

 

What practical advice would you give to anyone currently creating their nursery?

Invest into an amazing chair… you will spend ridiculous amounts of time in there! Our vintage refurbished rocking chair is from Moss, Coolum.

 

What style advice would you pass along?

Because we kept our little one’s gender a surprise, we stayed open to continue developing the room’s style after his arrival. And this worked really well! Keep it simple and don’t overdo it or stress about having everything perfected. Let your little one’s personality steer you afterwards and add extra elements.

 

Thank you Sharna for letting me enjoy this perfect room and your company.

Product information below

Cot – Ikea

Drawers – second hand Ebay steal

Quilt – made by the incredibly talented Mother in Law

Prints – From either beautiful wrapping paper or cards The Lovely Bird

Moss Bunny – found in a little store in Melbourne, though similar are available at Adairs and Domayne

Rabbit Night Light – Lark

Blue Side Table – Adairs

Super Rad Print – Willow and Bird

 

 

 

Nursery Inspiration SUNNY SIDE UP

Clockwise from middle
Orange Spot Baby Bean beanbag – http://www.etsy.com/au/shop/BabyBeanAustralia
IKEA Knodd Bin – http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/60218930/
IKEA Gulliver Cot – http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/60257342/
Freedom Retro Armchair – http://www.freedom.com.au/furniture/sofas/fabric-armchairs/23427174
Florence Light Shade – http://www.thefamilylovetree.com.au/_whats-new/florence-light-shade-mint
Bronze cushion – http://www.etsy.com/au/listing/173472042
Orange Cushion – http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/40236850/
Owl Print – http://www.etsy.com/au/listing/183355944
Peter Pan Quote Print – http://www.etsy.com/au/listing/171055184