The Marvelous Down Under...

As a proud Canadian, I like to share the talents of my fellow Canadians any chance I can. One of the best selling Canadian magazines is House and Home magazine, and I have recently discovered some of the great blogs over on their website, too. One of my favourites, is from Meg Crossley, Senior Editor with the magazine. Meg recently shared the renovation of her basement within the pages of House and Home and on her blog. To say it is a fabulous transformation would be an exercise in restraint. In my opinion, Meg has elevated her basement's status from sub-terrain to go-to haven, worthy of coming up for air...and heaps of praise. See for yourself!

Before:

...and, happily, after:

And her basement laundry area, before:

and after:

Is it not perfection??

To see and read more, pick up House and Home`s fall 2009 Make-overs special issue, and be sure to visit Meg`s blog, here. Thank you for so graciously sharing your photos with us, Meg!

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(all images, courtesy Meg Crossley and used with permission)

Take a Bow Tuesday...

Heaven help me, it's Wednesday, but lucky for you, you're used to my fumbling of the schedule!

Off we go!

I just had to share this talented blogger with you: Liberty Biberty is a delightful blog for those of us who have a lingering love affair with doll houses. She made the most adorable shabby chic bedding for hers recently, and you must check it out. Consider yourself forewarned: you might be there awhile!

It's that time of year..back to school and the usual onslaught of birthdays and invitations. Because we mums tend to have children who have birthdays themselves, sometimes we run out of great party ideas. Check out Tip Junkie's great post featuring a round-up of fun birthday party ideas for little girls. There is a link below it for boy's party ideas, too! With Sophie's birthday just around the corner, I will be pinching a few ideas myself!

Centsational Girl never sleeps. I am quite certain of it. Creating, repurposing, decorating and crafting...there is no end to her energy and inspiration. Check out her fall porch makeover. I am hanging my head in shame over it. Thanksgiving here is in eleven days and there is not a pumpkin to be found on my front porch.

For shame!!

My very favourite blogger - my sister, Wendy - recently proved that the addition of that one great showstopper in a room can make all the difference. Wendy revisited wallpaper and made a beautiful feature wall using it. Be sure to click to enlarge the photos as the paper is gorgeous! Check out her other posts as she chronicles the renovation of her Cape Cod style home. More eclectic and fun than me, Wendy is a fellow vintage lover and bargain hunter!

Manuela, an expert at embellishing pumpkins, has some handy, quick tricks to make those white beauties even more unique! Pop on over and borrow some of her ideas...you can tell her I sent you!

Take a Bow, Ladies!!

Dressing for that Special Sense of Occasion

When I had a cocktail party for a small group of clients & colleagues, it was a perfect opportunity to showcase a selection of table styling themes - classical & traditional, informal & outdoor table styling, magical treasures for children, to the timeless appeal of monochromatic tones.

The two featured were the result of several requests for accents of gold, & black & white. The gold twig was previously old pear vine, the placemats for the next, sheets of music...an interesting alternative to traditional fabric placemats

I am often asked by clients to dress their tables for special occasions...

Christmas

Spring Racing

Winter entertaining

Simply 'something special'

The tables featured have been repeated on many occasions, albeit with signature touches provided by the client

• Garden parties
• Christmas
• New Year
• Milestone events
• Winter
• Summer
• Spring
• Autumn
• Coastal
• Country
• Provincial
• Mixing old with new
• Oak & stone
• Shades of white, linen, latte & more

Haven Interiors is all about creating that perfect sense of occasion for you...

To enquire about what we can create for you email me at: haven.interiors@bigpond.com

Home

What makes your house a home, a place that denotes your personal retreat, the haven that welcomes you day & night? The stone or timber that makes up your home? The paint or render of your walls? The natural light of day that filters through the trees of your garden, & that reflects from the windows? The path to your door, or a favourite wall lantern to welcome you home in the evening? A plaque that identifies your property? The planter boxes that sit either side of your front door? Or the gumboots that have been on the verandah to dry after walking in the rain with the dogs?

In Autumn & winter, we seek our cosy retreat, in Spring & Summer, we throw open the doors & windows to embrace the warmer breezes & lightness of day extended for all to enjoy...

Regardless of whether the road winds to your door, or sits at the street, a townhouse, country or coastal retreat or intimate studio space...your home welcomes you in...nurture your haven to make you happy, you're now 'home'....

OCTOBER designersecrets workshops...

Series 3 of designersecrets workshops begin next week!!Once again, we're offering MORNING & EVENING workshops, with the dates fitting in perfectly between school term beginning, & Melbourne's colourful Spring Racing Carnival! Colour, Window Treatments, Lighting, Art, Bedlinen, Fabrics & Furniture to name just a few interior areas we will be covering, along with other secrets...Our last workshop was a great success, & our attendees were just wonderful braving the stormy, wintery weather! I will soon be posting photos from our last Series on both 'Haven Home' & 'designandstylesecrets' blogsites, & look forward to sharing these updates with you!The dates for designersecrets Series 3 are: Wednesday October 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th. Morning Sessions: 10.00-12.30pmEvening Sessions: 6.30 -9.00pmAnd for those of your who can't make October, Series 4 begins after Cup Week, on Tuesday November 10th, so mark it on your calendars!!For more information on designersecrets workshops & events, please email me at haven.interiors@bigpond.com to find out more!!

Homeward Bound...

(decorations from past holidays)

A bout with some strange virus had me awol for a spell, as you may or may not have noticed. It has left me feeling drained of energy at a time when I could really use a little extra. It is crunch time, with regards to magazine deadlines and such, and little miss Sophie is quite perturbed that nary a fall decoration is up and bidding welcome to the new season. As I visited the pharmacy at my local grocer tonight, I half-heartedly picked up a lone white/gray pumpkin that aims to be my first attempt at ushering in the season. Not as cheery as its orange cousin, that little pumpkin will serve to get me going on my preparations for Thanksgiving. Happily, my turkey is already bought and I am just awaiting a recipe Matthew Mead has promised to send me for carrot casserole, which looks so delicious and hearty. I plan to put more effort and style into this thankful meal, and may even take a little peek into my Halloween/fall bins and surprise my little girl with a decoration or two as she arrives home from school.

That's the plan, anyway.

Anyone have some spare energy they can send me?

(above photo source? I forget...)

Gelati Inspiration

Hello there! After almost 4 weeks, Haven Home returns. I don't know where the past month has gone, suffice to say, another exciting series of designersecrets has finished, school holidays are midway through, the football season is over, cricket has begun, Spring is well and truly upon us, with Melbourne's racing season about to begin. Gardens are bursting with colour & scent, grass is green, & daylight saving is just around the corner.

Energy abounds to redecorate & reorganise interiors to prepare for outdoor living & festive entertaining, & what wonderful inspiration comes from Spring blooms. Whilst going through my library of interior magazines the other day I came across these beautiful images. such stunning combinations of colour - raspberry, fuschia, gelati pink, mango & strawberry shades- what a perfect way to wake up your home from Winter.

All Fall Down...

It's here and I'm ready.

Ready for hearty stews, pumpkin patches, warm sweaters, lighting my fireplace, doing a craft or two with my girlie (seasonal, of course), the odd piece of flannel nightwear, and fall T.V.

Exciting life I lead, isn't it?

What I'm not so keen on is closing up my pool (a dreaded task), seeing the frost claim my flowers, finding room in my just-tidied garage for all the outdoor furniture, flu season, and winter (said like it is a dirty word).

Still, doesn't the image above just make you want to bring it on?? Let's hope it is as solid and upright a season as that stack of pumpkins. No dirty tricks like early snow or swiny flus.

 Pure and simple is always the best way...

(photo source: Country Living)

Style at Home...a contest!

Calling all Canadians! If you love Style at Home and styling your home, check out this great make-over contest sponsored by the magazine.

As seen on the website, here are the details of how to enter (hint: you must be a resident of Canada to enter!):

Do you have a room in your home that's in desperate need of a makeover?

Whether your living room is buried in a sea of clutter or your bedroom design is completely outdated, we want to see a picture of the room in your house that's in need of some TLC.

The Style at Home Makeover Contest 2009 is your chance to realize some of your design dreams at home. Simply submit your photo online and tell us why you're in desperate need of a room makeover and you'll be eligible to win one of two $2,000 gift cards from Home Depot. Plus, we've got 20 $50 Home Depot gift cards up for grabs, just for voting and posting comments!

Enter here for your chance to win, and good luck!

But you had better hurry: the contest ends September 24th!!

(Thanks to Natalie Bahadur, for giving me the heads up. Check out her blog here!)

Left Behind at the Bonanza...

As I wandered around the Bonanza and drank in all of the amazing booths and displays, I was, in a word, overwhelmed. My first thought when I walked into the venue was (obviously) WOW! I don't know if anyone can appreciate the fact that events of that magnitude just don't happen in my neck of the woods, and the new experiences I had meant so very much to me. The next feelings that flooded me were those of wanting/wishing my mum and sister were beside me to enjoy such a special experience and I felt that familiar lump in my throat which always happens when I wish they lived closer to me to share little and big moments with ease. I made a vow to myself that we have to make a trip together to Junk Bonanza 2010 happen...somehow.

Because I was flying to and from the event, I knew I had to make my purchases carefully: no large items and those smalls I did select had to be things that I could get home without breaking. As I methodically made my way through the displays in the first tent -careful not to miss anything - I snapped a few photos of things I knew my family, and you, would enjoy. Here are some of the variety of treasures there for the picking:

Loved these chairs...wouldn't they look great around my table?

Loved this baby buggy:

Have I ever told you how much I want these chairs for my front porch?

This newel post and fence...so beautiful and (I think) a great price!

Love this candlewick bedding...Drat! I meant to go back for one!!

Isn't this pink sideboard amazing? I love how these vendors (J.B. Knacker) added vintage baskets where there were once doors:

I have to say their booth was among my very favourites. Can you guess why?

These lockers had me swooning. There were many great examples of vintage metal lockers but these were my favourite because of the wooden top:

They were $195 from this vendor:

(I will show you more photos from more vendors tomorrow)

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I met some great people along the way. It was so strange but fun to be approached by readers and fellow bloggers who are familiar with my blog. I collected a stack of new business/blog cards to send me to some great new and familiar blogs.

Among the blog-ebrities I met were:

Ki:

Also at the event was Serena from The Farm Chicks (below, right) who was as sweet and kind as she appears in her photos and on her blog and book. She has had such an interesting life and has brought from it a quiet, layered soul which I found so magnetic. I wish I had had more time to sit and really chat with her, though we did have a nice dinner all together in our hosts, Ron and Kathie Case's, lovely home. She also gave me the nicest compliment I have ever received, and I will treasure it always.

I also met Nancy Soriano (above, left), former editor-in-chief of Country Living magazine, who was gracious and elegant and who shared a ride from the airport with me (thanks Kathie!). Nancy is embarking on a very exciting project with the lovely and oh-so-talented Jo Packham (left), of Where Women Create, which will showcase women entrepreneurs and artists. Both Nancy and Jo assured me they are creating blogs of their own soon, so I will let you know when they are up so you can check them out. Sadly, I was too slow on the uptake to ask either women to pose with me...

I also met some wonderful fellow bloggers at the blog party. It was so nice to meet other bloggers and talk "shop". Everyone was so nice and welcoming and I got over my characteristic phobia of walking up to people and introducing myself..well. sort of...!

Ki and Matthew did all the talkin':

Jenny with the charming Red Shed Girls (ladies). They were so friendly and fun to talk to!

Jill, from Forever Cottage, and also known as The Thrifty Mom at the Junk Bonanza, created this beautiful fall tablescape to be won by a lucky Bonanza attendee. She created the entire look for under $100 using pieces found at Arc's Valu-Village. Ki recruited her to so it after meeting her this summer and Ki chose the right woman for the job, if I do say. Jill was sweet, enviably gorgeous and her personality shone through the second I met her. I wish we had taken a photo together because I don't think it will be the last we will all see of her, that's for certain! Here is my place setting at her Thrify Mom table. I got such a thrill when I saw I was a guest at the party...!!

More Bonanza talk later this week!

Show and tell...at the Bonanza.

I had the best time at Ki Nassauer's Junk Bonanza in Minneapolis! I shopped, ate, met other bloggers and readers. I shopped till I dropped and cursed the fact that I was flying with only one suitcase; and I kept my eyes and ears open to absorb as much knowledge as I could and commit all the treasures to memory. Of course the other thing that was "open" was my jaw as I dragged it around the event and marvelled at all of the creative displays and awesome junk that I couldn't afford to ship home.

Because it is late and I still haven't unpacked my wares, I will share a few photos and sound bites and do a better job as the week rolls on about the stories behind the photos.

The Flea Market Style table:

Putting Matthew to work:

Ki emceeing the Blog Party (more on that later):

What I probably should have bought:

Above the clouds...where I've yet to come down from!

More, much more to follow...when I can keep my eyes open!!