Marshmallows on the fire...anyone?

As we come to the end of Summer, I am sitting here with my thoughts turning to cooler nights sitting around an outdoor fire. Yes, it’s time to think about fire pits and what better time to get ready as the days turn cooler and Bunnings begins to stock fire pits for the season.

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DESIGN IDEAS

If you have read my previous blog, you will know we are in the process of designing and building a new place and I am wanting to include a fire pit – so I have been surfing Pinterest and have found some of the most amazing ideas. Fire pits that aren’t just fire pits but grills and ice buckets! Quick tip: I did turn our current fire pit into an ice bucket for my son, Harry’s 18th. Just line it with a large garbage bag, fill it with ice and presto a great place for beers and refreshing drinks and also an area to sit and chat.

This fire pit below by Mororo is just beautiful, if I have the area and the budget I would get one! Check them out at mororo.be/en/collection/rocco

But there is no need to go this far as you could put in a simple paved or crushed stone area and add a fire pit like the Jumbuck Rustic Iron Fire Bowl with stand from Bunnings pictured below. Bunnings have a huge range of fire pits to suit a range of styles and areas. https://www.bunnings.com.au/search/products?page=1&pageSize=60&q=FIre%20pits&sort=BoostOrder

Make sure you think about seating, you could make it a bigger project and integrate seating like in the first image of this blog, or this fire pit and seating design I found on ‘Posh Pennies’.

https://poshpennies.com/11-budget-ways-to-update-your-patio-this-summer/

Another idea is to keep seating moveable so you can position yourself out of the way of any smoke. These images taken from ‘A Piece of Rainbow’.  See the link below for many more ideas:

https://www.apieceofrainbow.com/best-fire-pit-ideas/?outdoorkitchenplanning=1624959507

So, now is the time to plan and execute a fire pit project! Before you know it you’ll be on your way to that girl guide badge, toasting marshmallows on a stick, and enjoying time around an open fire with family & friends.

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3 THINGS I’VE LOVED RECENTLY

I am loving the new wooden handle range from Kethy. I was on the lookout for black handles and came across these beauties. The Ribe handle by Kethy.

This one is gorgeous too, the Kethy Bowl Knob. Got to try to get them into a design.

I’m also on the lookout for a rug for a client and I came across this divine texture Pearle Blue Willow Rug from Tribe Home in Melbourne. I can just feel this under my feet just by looking at it. Click the link for more information. 

It definitely must be getting a bit cooler as I’m thinking snuggly texture!

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PROJECT UPDATE

A sneak peak at a project that I’m working on in Pymble, it’s a new build and we are at the very exciting stage of tiling being finalised, cabinetry going in and now selecting window furnishing for the place.  

You can see from these images we are keeping a warm, sandy palette with crisp white and black going through the home. Knowing your colour concept upfront keeps everything harmonious.

That’s it for this month. With the cold creeping closer its time to move your thoughts to preparing for those chilly times.  

Take care
Jules xx

Step into an organised and inspired 2021

I hope you have had a lovely Christmas and Summer holiday break, I certainly did! We managed to get away during the very wet time to the Central Coast and were also very lucky to pick up a cancellation in Byron Bay last week where we lapped up some sun. 

I also managed to clean out a few cupboards and my wardrobe so I feel a little more organised stepping into the new year. So, let’s kick off 2021 with some organisational tips for yourself and getting the kids back to school.

DESIGN IDEAS

Is it just my house or does this happen in all homes?

It’s Monday morning and I’m about to walk out the door for school drop off and I ask number two son if he has his PE gear or his trumpet for music in the afternoon and there is a panic as he runs back to his room to get his gear. Why is it that I can remember his timetable but he can’t? Well, here is the answer to making sure this scene doesn’t play out in your home.

A simple blackboard where you can put up the timetable so he can check it the night before and just as he picks up his bag to leave each day. Chalk boards are simple to make! I framed up an area on the wall in our mud room (there is one on either side of the seat) with beading and painted the internal space with chalk board paint and the frame with the same colour paint as the walls. Each year we put the kids’ timetables up so they know what they need to pack for their extra-curricular activities.

I am so pleased that I put a mud room in our home, it’s a room that I try to squeeze into a lot of my designs as it provides a place for you to put all those bags, shoes and sporting gear that end up at your from door or dropped in the kitchen when everyone walks in the door.

TIPS FOR CREATING A GREAT MUD ROOM… 

1. Make sure there that each person has two hooks available, one for bags and one for coats.

2. I always have an area for shoes under the bags. I like to have a drawer for these with a breathable gauze front or lower front or keep it open so the shoes can breathe. 

3. Shelves above at a height that you can comfortably sit under. I was lucky enough to be able to put a seat on the opposite side of this room so you can sit and put shoes on but as you can see in the designs below that I have done I incorporate seats into the locker areas so you can sit and put your shoes on. 

4. Storage, storage, storage. You can never have too much storage. Incorporate adjustable shelves and then you can get even the biggest piece of sports equipment away between seasons.

5. Mud rooms can come is all shapes and sizes, even just an area for hooks to hang bags and basket for shoes under these hooks. That way the front door can stay clear of the shoe clutter.

I hope this gives you some food for thought! For now, let’s get into 2021 and look out for my next post soon where I have to some tips and tricks to creating homes with classic charm and relaxed appeal.

Take care
Jules xx