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

Inspired by Marrakech

Marrakech is a city that knows how to work colour and pattern! I would love to travel there one day and see for myself what has already inspired me in photographs. Americans, Caitlin and Samuel Dowe-Sandes, and their young daughter, Gigi, loved Marrakech so much they made it their home and filled their Moroccan bungalow with glorious colour and pattern.

The tiled floors throughout are quite spectacular, and the walls are various shades of fresh blue or white.

There's an eclectic mix of furniture and lights - all quite beautiful and sculptural. The artwork is also impressive, and often nature inspired.

Bold stripes lead you down the hallway and into pattern-packed bedrooms. Bursts of vibrant orange contrast the blue beautifully.

The kitchen steps away from the blues and orange, but the geometric tiled splash back links nicely to the rest of the house. Green and white is one of my favourite kitchen colour combos, it's lovely and fresh.

photographer: Richard Powers | designer: Caitlin & Samuel Dowe-Sandes of Popham Design

I love the personality of this home. As with all the homes I feature on my blog, I hope it's inspired you to embrace colour, and push the boundaries to create a home unique to you.