Holiday House Hamptons

I came across the Holiday House Hamptons website in the weekend, and was inspired by it's concept. Founder, Iris Dankner, is passionate about interior design, and decided to combine it with her other passion of fundraising for breast cancer research. She created a fundraising event by inviting talented designers from across the US to transform the historic Academy Mansion on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Now an annual event, the 2014 Holiday House Hamptons is being held at Watchcase in Sag Harbor, showcasing stylish summer living and entertaining.



Each space is designed around a holiday or special moment in life that inspires the designer. These are some of my favourite rooms. Tamara Magel was inspired by European culture and the casual style of Sag Harbor. The clean and sophisticated palette reflects the beach and boating lifestyle of the area.




I love the mix of textures - the brick wall, the wooden floor and ceiling, and the sisal rug contrast the smooth marble and brass side table, and the black wall. Even the clever art piece above the bed features subtle texture. The throw and bedding add softness, and it's styled simply but beautifully to let each piece shine.



Campion Platt designed this master bedroom channeling the "straightforward sensual exuberance of a wealthy Hamptonite". They complemented the industrial nature of the room with soft feminine touches and a bold colour palette.




The floral theme carries on into the bathroom, which I adore. The same colours are used to link the two rooms, but in a much more subtle way.



This study/bedroom is the work of Bjørnen Design, and the theme, Seahorse Country, is a playful reference to the surrounding coastal sea life and equestrian culture of East End farms. The beautiful aquatic tones and patterns are quite stunning, and the rustic wooden coffee tables adds some weight and grounds the space.



The fun continues into the bathroom which is a jungle of plants bringing delicious texture, not to mention life!



This would be such a fun project for a designer - creating a space with no client, only unlimited imagination! I would LOVE it! To see more of the rooms pop over here, where Houzz contributor, and photographer, Rikki Snyder, gives us a rundown.

Birthday Wish List

Today is my birthday! Yay, it's shaping up to be a brilliant day. I decided the perfect post for today would be a selection of items on my wish list.



The Gerard Bar Cart is just a dream, as it would cost too much to ship it from Australia. I haven't been able to find similar in New Zealand, so maybe I'll have to have one made! 

I really need one of these cute Back Me Up Mobile Chargers, as I often chew through my phone's battery life when I'm out & about. 

I've already got the Absolutely Beautiful Things book on order, but it's not due til the end of the month - can't wait.

I love this Vince Camuto gold bangle, and the "V" for Vic is a sure sign it's meant for me.

This Hay chair has been on my wishlist for quite some time, and I really hope to have six of them around my dining table one day. Love, love, love!

I loved the first Roundie towel that was released, but this Moroccan-inspired Majorelle Roundie towel is my favourite, and a must for me this Summer.

I recently bought a MacBook Pro, so I can blog on the go, and now I need to find the perfect laptop bag. I'm a big fan of Clare Vivier, and her Oversize Clutch is a front runner.

Adore Home Magazine | The Spring Edition

I'm sorry about the late blog post today. I'm still on major catch-up mode after a week in Aussie last week, and school holidays just aren't helping! It was a slight shock to arrive back from temperatures of 27°C to a more chilly 16°C last weekend, but today is a beautiful Spring day in Hawke's Bay, and with daylight savings giving us longer days, it makes me excited about what's to come.



I put some time aside this morning to read the latest Spring edition of Adore magazine, and that certainly helped improve my mood. The photos I've chosen from this issue epitomise my idea of Spring and Summer living - gorgeous colour and pattern, lots of global influences, and entertaining, including a fantastic spread on places to visit in Bali.









If you love Adore magazine as much as I do, you should pop over to their Pozible page and pledge to help Loni produce an annual printed copy of the magazine. It will feature favourite homes from all of the 2014 online magazines plus a few new homes photographed specially for the annual edition. As well it will showcase the latest in homewares, product trends and store/designer profiles. I've just pledged my support by pre-ordering one copy, and it only cost $24, including shipping. Your credit card doesn't get charged until they reach their target, and with only a few days to go, Loni needs your support.