Viv of ish & chi's studio before & after!

Before......

And after!

From dark & damp to stunning, light & pretty!

I recently saw on old post on the ish & chi blog which i thought was so inspirational!

http://ishandchi.blogspot.com/

Alot of us have a room under the house (or the garage) which is a dark, damp storage space.

It might be full of old bikes, books, furniture, camping gear etc or it might be where you've put your laundry.

Viv of ish & chi has transformed such a space in her Sydney home into a beautiful studio and was kind enough to let me share it with you all. Have a look at the results above!

She also did it on a budget - coming in at just under $900!
(her biggest splurge was the antique sideboard she picked up on ebay for $400)

Dining dilemas!

Panton chairs (these are the ones my other half likes!)

Robert Plumb Foxy chairs - 'faux bamboo' look and you can get them in any colour you like!

On sale till end of march from $580 to $280

http://www.robertplumb.com.au/

Image: Waterleaf Interiors

um, oh my god - can i have this entire scene please!

Alfesco!
(Our current situation on our balcony is slightly less glam than this!)

Image: Phoebe Howard
Great colours & fabrics

& ill take this chandeleir please!
looks great in such a casual looking room too!

I actually have this mirror & the table we are getting is the non-marble topped version of this tulip table.

ott flowers! Love it!

Image:House Beautiful Image: House Beautiful

Pretty much love everything here - the rug, the table, the colour of the curtains, the style & colour of the chairs, lighting, flowers...wow!

Great chandleier & colours.

Having different seating is a good idea to mix it up too!

Nothing to do with my dining room but lovely anyway!

I like the idea of taking the indoors out - theres no reason not to have a beautiful table setting lighting because your in the garden!

So today i need your help!

Since we bought & moved into our little one bedroom apartment we havent had a dining table or chairs! We have an outdoor set on the balcony, but in winter... not so good & eating on the couch every night is wearing a bit thin! We have a very small area to work with thats inbetween the back of our lounge & the kitchen island. I think i have decided on a white Tulip table (no marble top - apartment purchase = poverty).

Now for the chairs!............

I love the 'faux bamboo' look chairs but they are quite hard to find in Sydney & the ones i have found are around $300 each..a tad pricey! See image above in blue (i can get them powdercoated in any colour i like). They are actually outdoor chairs but i think would look fine indoors.

My other half likes white panton chairs which are only $100 so that could be an option too...decisions decsions!

Id love to hear your opinions & ideas!

If you have any ideas for great chairs you think would go with a white tulip table let me know!

Monday inspiration - Mood Boards..

Image: Jonothan Berger

Image: Marie Claire Maison
Image: Jeltje
Image: Made By Girl
Image: Julie Richard
Image: Diane Bergeron

Image: Canadian House & Home

Once upon a time these were only for interior designers & the walls of teenagers bedrooms!

Now a giant board of images can make a fantastic piece of art for your house & a daily dose of inspiration seeing all the things you love in one place!

Collect things you love; magazine images, photos, postcards, tickets to events, fabric swatches (the list could be endless really), grab a pinboard from the hardare store - spruce it up with some white paint & get pinning!

Become a fan on Facebook!

Ive just made a fan page on Facebook so now you can become a fan to get your daily dose of blog updates & spread the love via facebook :)

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sydney-Australia/OnceDailyChic-Blog/380327282205?ref=nf

Happy Friday!

Sal x

Moroccan side tables...

Image: Apartment Therapy

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/meditating-on-pastels-111504

I have always loved these gorgeous morroccan side tables.

I was thinking of using them for bedside tables, but then the lack of storage got me!

Found this beautiful exapmle on Apartment therapy today.

Then i had this great find on ebay!

Only $145 pickup from Bondi or Neutral bay (Sydney).

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/WHITE-WASH-ROUND-INDIAN-TABLE-BONDI-NEUTRAL-BAY_W0QQitemZ120529152484QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Living_Room_Furniture?hash=item1c1018e9e4

Make An Entrance!

How fantastic is this doorway!

The pink door contrasts so well with the simplicty of the white walls & the stiking size, colour & texture of the succulents either side!

I really think an entrance should say something about you & be a welcoming statment to the home you are about to enter!

Is your style classic? Perhaps a black or a red door!

Do you love ethnic & tropical design? How about having balinese temple doors?

id love to know where this image is from so i can see the rest of the house! Anyone know where this is from?

Beautiful Bedrooms - Part 2...

Perfect example of symmetry

Bedsides, lamps & mirrors, with the central piece of art behind the bed anchoring it all.

Cute idea for a kids bedroom i think! Nautical meets tree house!

A rustic bed-end contrasting with the sleek white & grey
room

Old doors as a beadhead!

More symetry & a painted wall behind the bed replacing a bed head!
I also love a bed end if you have the space for it.
You can find one like this at Freedom at the moment (its a coffee table)

Stunning! Rustic & feminnine - one of my favorites!

For french furniture in Sydney try La Maison

http://shop.lamaison.net.au/

Tiffany Blue, i love you!

How beautiful is this room~

Fantastic chandeleir as the central point of the room.

Another favorite (i see a theme here - rustic brick or stone walls, feminine bed, chandelier...)
The mismatched bedside tables work well here because they are both a 'rustic country' look.

Add some colour to a neutral room with a throw or a rug - that way you can change the colour scheme as you please with little cost!

& My own bed!

Trieste from Domayne!

Bold colours & a stiking rug!

These bedsides are from Ikea by the way (Trollstra range)

The lamps are similar to what i have in my own bedroom.

Very glam - velvet french bed, mirrored bedsides, crystal chandleier & sheer drapes behind the bed.

One for the girls!

Great piece of oversized art, great colours, nice arm chair!

I had 2 freinds both email me for some ideas for bedrooms this week!

Here is my collection of bedrooms i find inspiring...

And a few pointers to help you design a fantastic bedroom space....

1. Symmetry

Creates a balanced and stylish look, try a central item like a pendant light as the centre axis of the room and matching bedside tables & a pair of dramatic lamps, these dont have to be expensive - i picked up my 2 white cane 'beachy' looking bedside tables for $10 on ebay & then splurged on 2 fantastic white lamps from Domayne.

2. An area rug

A rug under the bed or at the end of the bed can bring the focus to that area. There are lots of striking rugs ou there that can really make a room. Try Designer Rugs for a splurge or Ikea on a budget.

3. A Statement Bed

Think of what look you want for your bedroom...modern, classic, french, beachy, hotel style etc and then look for a bed that reflects that! I wanted a french/relaxed beach feel to our room & bought an upholseted bed in linen with antque gold studs from domayne with white cane bedsides, lamps & white shutters for the windows.

4. Lighting

I hate bright lighting in the bedroom! Stick to lamps & if you have downlights invest in dimmers!

5. Linen & Pillows

Invest in some good quality linen - you will be on/in it for approx 7 hrs a day!

Pillows, throws, rugs etc add colour & texture - these can be cheaper as you can interchange colours and textures as your taste changes without blowing the budget!

6. Loose the clutter

Clutter does not make for a restful space - hide it in the bedside tables!

7. Televisions

Hmmmm, i have always thought its nice to not have one in the bedroom, but then saying that we went out & got a little LCD last week.

With only one other TV in the house if the cricket/afl/xbox is on there is no Grays Anatomy or Master Chef for me!

Pay that little bit extra to have it mounted on the wall for a slimline look if you have a small room - or disguise it with photo frames & books on a sideboard!

8. Window Treatments

What you have on your windows can change the mood of the room. I wanted a french/beach look so we went with white timber eco shutters plantation shutters. For a more opulent look you could have heavy drapes in a bold fabric, sheers are a soft look or roller blinds a modern look.

My own bedroom is a work in progress, I've got the dream bed, bedsides from ebay, great oversized lamps...now im toying with the idea of painting the room duck egg blue and getting an antler chandelier.... ill post a pic of it when we moved in & where its at now!

By Popular demand! Bedrooms! Ikeas' best kept secret!

Ikeas Edland Bed

A great beachy look here - a few meteres of sheer fabric can dress up the bed frame.

The simple shelf on the end of the bed is a great look if you have the room.

Good to store & display some favorite books or the winter blankets!

The central pendant light is a nice idea to steal here

Im loving this room - the wallpaper, the footstools, great lamp...and the pool outside!

Exposed brick for a more edgy look.

Check out this modern version of the four poster bed!

And it doesnt cost a bomb - thats right - its from IKEA!

http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/S99871264

The Edland Bed is $629

The top picture is the Ikea bed from the catalouge & the ones below are some great examples of it (or beds that are identical & surely cost way more) styled up with great linen etc!

Make it pop with pink!

Image: The Lennoxx Files

Image: Style Files

Image: Matthew Williamson Rugs

Image: Lennoxx Files

Ok girls....i think we all realise this is never going to happen as long as we are living with the boyfriend or husband!

My current sofa is black...wonder how the significant other would feel if he came home & i had re-upholstered it pink?! lol

I think this look would work with any bold/block colour.