Yellow...are you brave enough?

 Using yellow in your home (or wearing it for that matter) requires a certain amount of bravery mixed with a pretty hefty dose of confidence. These homes use just a drop with great effect. Imagine starting your day in a sunshine-yellow bathroom...almost better than coffee.

I love this sunny yellow highlight in the kitchen.  It's got a little bit of devil-may-care about it.

And I could absolutely live with this kitchen- it's so cheery.

Love the yellow, white and grey combo too.

Perhaps yellow accessories are a good place to start.

Wherever you are, I hope the sun shines, in one form or another, on your home.

pic 1,2,3 and 4 via here

Kitchenaid pic from here

Organic cotton teatowel from here

Favourite Anthropologie finds...

I love these delightful homewares from Anthropologie. I would love to get my hands on some of these science-inspired pieces...

...or perhaps this Midsummer Night's Wallpaper.

And...my conscience can rest easy. Some of these homewares are restored or up-cycled. Good news for the planet and my home.

But if homewares are not your thing, perhaps a new dress or jacket...

So much to see...so little time.

WARNING...visiting this site may cause significant loss of time in your day....

...but worth every moment.

from here,here,here and here

The Outdoor Table

via here

I think I need to lift my game when it comes to outdoor table decorating.

via here

No longer will a candle or two be enough. These fishbowl vases are magnificent and the ribbons add a beautiful finishing touch.

via Martha Stewart (sorry, lost the link to the exact page and couldn't find it again)
Have a beautiful Tuesday.x

Time to make plans for next weekend...

The only way to keep the weekend alive come Monday morning is to make plans for next weekend. How about a garden party?

1,2,3 via Country Living

Complete with magnificent cupcakes.

4,5 via Martha Stewart

Roll on Saturday...

Sunday is a good day to...

Sunday is a great day to bake. There is something so grounding about baking - it says 'home' like nothing else can.

My favourite chocolate cake recipe is from Donna Hay's Simple Essentials - Chocolate. It was given to me as a housewarming present when we first moved here. I just love Donna Hay. Every one of her recipes that I have used has worked brilliantly (and she appears to have a fantastically dry sense of humour - I've heard her speak on the radio a few times).

If you haven't already visited Donna's website take a look, so many lovely things to bake.

Her recipe for this Basic Chocolate Cake is below.

Beat 375g of softened butter and one and a half cups of brown sugar in an electric mixer for 8-10 minutes. Gradually add 3 eggs and beat well. Fold through 2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder and two thirds of a cup of cocoa. (Donna says to sift flour and cocoa - twice for the cocoa). Stir in three quarters of a cup of milk and bake at 160 degrees C in a lined 22cm round cake tin for one hour and ten minutes. Cool in the tin for ten minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack.

I was feeling too lazy to ice the cake, so I asked my lovely daughter to add the finishing touches. I think she did a beautiful job.

Happy Sunday x

The small home office for the small house...

Some interesting and very different small space home offices. They have all used the space efficiently, while still keeping their eye firmly fixed on what looks good. I love them all.

pics via here

To mix or not to mix?

I am a fence-sitter when it comes to dining chairs. Should they match, or should they be mixed? I love these two pictures above, of tables with mismatched chairs. I imagine each chair has its own story to tell, and if sourced from second hand stores and flea markets, they are easy on the planet.

pic 1,2,3 via here

These chairs are mixed, but are so closely related, either by design or materials, that they may as well match. When I say I'm a fence-sitter, it's because in my home 6 of my 8 chairs match, with the ones at either end of the table being different (but matching each other). None of them match the table. Confused? 

I'd love to be brave enough to go for the first look.

What do you think? Where do you stand (or sit) on chairs?

via Country Living

via here