One of the earliest client emails we received this year was back in January from Anneke Erasmus. She had been given the opportunity to move her business, Deluxe Beauty and Permanent Makeup, into much bigger premises, and although she was super excited, she was also feeling slightly overwhelmed about where to begin.

The space, which was formerly a cafe, was large and open with a high, sloping ceiling and a lot of dark wood. Anneke wanted to turn it into a calm and welcoming space for her clients with individual spaces for her client’s privacy.

After visiting the space and talking to Anneke about her vision and wishes for her new workspace, we got to work putting a design concept together. We worked with the beautiful Deluxe brand and its existing colour palette, pulling in deep blues, dusky pinks and pops of orange (found in the wallpaper).

The first thing we knew had to happen was for the dark wood at the top of the walls to be painted a fresh white. It gave the room a ‘quieter’ feel and accentuated the lovely high ceilings.

The giant existing counter was removed and we designed a new one to sit in the middle of the room to the right. This created a focal point for clients as they walked through the front door, and behind the counter nib walls were added to create private beauty therapy rooms. We wanted the door through to the rooms to be an arch for a softer touch and to frame the gorgeous wallpaper.

Anneke and her assistant manager Vanessa Flessak were very ‘hands on’ throughout the renovation process, doing a lot of the painting themselves. They also had an enormous amount of help from their husbands and other family members and friends, which made the project extra special for them.

On the left side of the space as you enter are a set of beauty therapy beds where Anneke and Vanessa’s clients have their permanent and semi-permanent eye and lip enhancements. We had these stunning semi-sheer curtains made to hang down as dividers between the beds. They’re often hooked back but can be pulled down for more privacy. The curtain at the back is a beautiful velvet fabric which acts as a divider between the work stations and a space for Anneke’s students, where she teaches the art of permanent makeup.

In front of the beauty therapy beds a shelf was installed with large mirrors and stools. This is a spot for makeup application and for clients to view their new eye and lip enhancements.

We were so thrilled to see the space transform into Anneke’s vision, and even more thrilled to know that the business is doing so well in it’s new home. Make sure you check out all the fun ‘before and afters’ on the Deluxe Instagram - Anneke’s and Vanessa’s, and pop in to see them on Te Mata Road, Havelock North (near the cheese factory).

I spent my Sunday morning at a friend's house trying an amazing new skincare range out, World Organic. My friend, Barbara (we all call her Bar) had been raving about it, and her skin was looking radiant, so I knew I'd have to try it for myself. Bar was introduced to it by her sister-n-law when she was staying with her in Auckland. Her lovely sis (n-law) ran her bath, lit candles, poured her a glass of wine, and left Bar with a cleanser and face mask. Well, she was sold, and that was before the soothing toner, the luminous moisturiser, the revival eye cream... Back home in Napier, not only does Bar own her own range, she loved it so much, she has become a consultant.

The founder of World Organic is Megan Douglas, a medical herbalist and naturopath. Megan's great grandfather was a herbalist and naturopath, as was her grandmother, so she grew up in her family's herbal manufacturing lab and shop. After becoming a successful teenage model and then a well-known fashion designer in London, Megan spent time living in India. Returning to New Zealand to start a family, Megan set about on her journey to create organic skincare and internal remedies. It's a fascinating story, and I urge you to read more over on their website.

Like Bar, I'm a convert now too. The products were all beautiful, and I can't wait to receive my supply later this week. The one I look most forward to is what they quietly call 'botox in a bottle' - Wonder Lift Serum. It's designed to replenish and revitalise tired skin, and you just need a couple of drops under your moisturiser for an instant lift - yay, I could definitely do with that!

If you're at all interested in these fabulous products I encourage you to try them by holding or attending a consultation party. This is not an ad, I'm not getting paid to do this feature, I am genuinely blown away by the products, and so thought I'd share them with you. If you're in Hawke's Bay I can put you in touch with Bar, just drop me an email.