Kiwi Flavour

A lot of the homes that I feature in my blog are international - Scandinavian, European, Australian... so I was stoked to come across this gorgeous home on Design Sponge that belongs to Auckland couple Kate Alexander and Matt Kardos, and their kids, Molly and Harry. Kate is the managing director of the design company Studio Alexander, and also the fabulous print store Endemic World.

Kate's creativity is evident when you look around their home, she obviously shares my love of colour, black & white, and graphic patterns and prints. Lots of Kiwi touches throughout confirm that you are definitely in a New Zealand home, a very cool one at that!

A print by New Zealand artist, Pat Hanly, sits above a red kiwi and a black tiki - definitely a kiwi home!

More NZ art, this time by Dick Frizell. Also on display, a simple mobile and Kate's growing bottle collection.

I bet this chair could tell a few stories! It once belonged to Matt's parents.

A gorgeous Citta Design cushion and the Mau print make an impact in the living room.

More cushion love, and a Botanical Assembly print available from Endemic World.

The black feature wall looks amazing in the light, bright kitchen, and the perfect backdrop for Kate and Matt's 'tools' artwork.

More Kiwi flavour in the bedroom - the light is by David Trubridge and the throw is from Wallace Cotton.

Kate sits at the desk made by Matt and his dad. If you look carefully you can see a cool 'Foundry' print featured on the computer.

Harry's room is sporting dinosaurs and a 'Kiss' light by NZ designer, Catherine David.

Kate's studio looks like a totally fun place to get creative.

Super organised, Kate made mood boards for each room in their house. Photography by Kristian Frires.

A Little Piece of Scandinavia in Scotland

You would be forgiven for thinking that the home I'm about to show you is in Sweden or Norway. While it most definitely has the feel and aesthetics of a Scandinavian home, it is actually a tenement flat in Glasgow, Scotland. It is the home of Deborah Moir, her husband, and two young sons. Deborah is soon to have her own blog, but you can find her guest posting on A Merry Mishap, and also on Instagram and Pinterest.

Deborah's love for Scandinavian design has taught her to declutter her home and achieve a happy, relaxed family environment through her clean, neutral colour palette. She has so many of my favourite pieces ie: the Karlsson clock, an Eames hang-it-all, that striped Ikea rug, and I love the spots on the bedroom wall.

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The House of Lucy Fenton

One of the simple pleasures in my life is curling up with a really good book, or an inspirational magazine. I'm in between books at the moment (any recommendations welcome),
but I've been lapping up the latest Inside Out magazine, I think it might be my favourite issue. Bianca and Ryan, the artists/designers behind design label Page Thirty Three, take us through their delicious home (because it truly is), and their favourite weekend haunts.

But it was the article on the home of Lucy Fenton and her husband, Josh Markey, that got me really excited. The couple own my favourite shop ever, Fenton & Fenton, and their home is a one bedroom apartment above the store. As you can imagine, stock from the shop often finds it way into their home, which is a rhapsody of colourful textiles and eclectic collections. A-maz-ing!!!

Lucy loves animals, and you'll find them throughout her home, either as taxidermy, artwork, homewares, or Cooper, her very much alive staffy dog.

This rug pulls the room together, and draws your eye over to the amazing cupboard built from Coca-Cola packaging.

Framed tribal necklaces live in harmony with colourful paintings and a rustic, salvaged door.

The Orangina poster was an engagement present, and is the colour-hit hero in the dining room.

Industrial lights, a spotted blind and colourful tins help to create a happy corner in the kitchen.

A rustic dresser and row of hooks are perfect for storage as well as display.

Gorgeous French chairs covered in suzani fabric sit below Lucy's collection of cards & clippings in the office.

In the bedroom colorful bedding, including a sari-covered bedhead, are off-set by a beautiful white French chest of drawers (below).

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