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Kitchen Trends

On March 16, 2013   /   Interior Design, Kitchens, Trends   /   2 Comments

Kitchen Trends

While I’m not a fan of trends and prefer my own taste be reflected when decorating, it’s difficult not to be influenced as these are the products that are on the market and available to buy.

 Going Green is definitely a consideration as we look at how we can contribute to being environmentally conscious.  Choices for consumers is increasing and there is a wide variety of options to choose from.  Bamboo flooring is just one example of a beautiful and sustainable product worth considering.

bamboo floor

Completely white kitchens were all you saw for quite some time, yet now people are taking a less safe approach with their kitchen choices.

kit col

4 gel

 Hardware in a satin finished brass is beginning to trend and looks more expensive than brushed nickel.  New taps are a simple and inexpensive way to take a room from dated to updated & on trend.

Marble, Quartz or Granite – which to choose?

marble

Marble is a rock resulting from metamorphism of sedimentary carbonate rocks, most commonly limestone or dolomite rock.
Metamorphism causes variable recrystallization of the original carbonate mineral grains.

Examples of historically notable marble varieties and locations:
MARBLE COLOUR LOCATION COUNTRY
CARRARA WHITE OR BLUE GREY CARRARA ITALY
CONNEMARA GREEN CONNEMARA IRELAND
CREOLE WHITE & BLUE BLACK GEORGIA U.S.A.
ETOWAH PINK, SALMON, ROSE GEORGIA U.S.A.
MURPHY WHITE GEORGIA U.S.A.
ARIBAN PURE WHITE, FINE GRAINED PAROS GREECE
PENTELIC PURE WHITE, FINE GRAINED SEMI-TRANSLUCENT ATHENS GREECE
PURBECK GREY/BROWN ISLE OF PURBECK UNITED KINGDOM
RUSKEALA WHITE KARELIA RUSSIA
SIENNA YELLOW WITH VIOLET, RED, BLUE OR WHITE VEINS TUSCANY ITALY
BIANCO SIVEC WHITE PRILEP MACEDONIA
SWEDISH GREEN GREEN SODERMANLAND SWEDEN
SYLACAUGA WHITE ALABAMA U.S.A.
VERMONT WHITE VERMONT U.S.A.
YULE UNIFORM PURE WHITE COLORADO U.S.A.
WUNSIEDEL WHITE BAVARIA GERMANY

 

Granite is a natural material with flaws.
Time & care needs to be taken when selecting your slab to ensure you have exactly the piece you think will best suit your needs.
You will also need to seal your granite every few months, so maintenance is required.

Quartz is uniform with only small variations in colour and generally what you select is what you receive. Quartz requires no maintenance and seams can be a little tighter than granite. Another benefit of quartz over granite is that it comes in colours, while natural stone doesn’t.

I hope you have a fabulous week

 Yours in Style - Kim x

Thank you for following The Style Project Blog
If you have not subscribed & would like to receive future blogs email @ kkt@thestyleproject.com.au
Images all available to view on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/thestyleproject/

 

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A collection of chairs

On March 6, 2013   /   Chairs, Design, Interior Design   /   Leave a comment

A collection of chairs

When asked what my passion is, the answer is Interior Design and of that passion my love is Chairs!

I’m unable to drive past a council pick up on the side of the road and leave a chair there all by itself.

I have a garage filled with chairs collected over time and have previously blogged about my favourite chairs in my home that I rescued from a local dumpster.

This blog is dedicated to chairs!

These chairs and many more are available to see on Pinterest
http://pinterest.com/thestyleproject/

  col 3

col 2

col 4

 col 5

Yours in Style – Kim x

Thank you for following my blog
If you would like to receive blogs from The Style Project email  kkt@thestyleproject.com.au & I’ll be sure you receive any future blogs

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Black Design

On March 2, 2013   /   Interior Design Trade Fairs   /   1 Comment

Black Design

Have you noticed that black is to 2013 what orange was to 1971?

Be bold, take a leap of faith and add some black to your next design project.

To compliment black walls, paint all window & door frames white for the perfect balance.

Black wallpaper will really make a room pop as long as the other colours in the wallpaper are a stand out, such as the Nina Campbell black wallpaper shown below.

Add some sparkle with chrome, mirrors & lighting.  This will add life to your room & while it will never be a light & bright room, it will definitely be sexy & gorgeous!

Nina Campbell 10

PicCollage

black collage

BLACK NEON SIGN

Yours in Style – Kim x

Thank you for following my blog
If you would like to receive blogs from The Style Project email me @ kkt@thestyleproject.com.au & I’ll be sure that you receive any future blogs

Images all available to view on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/thestyleproject/

 

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Before & After Family Room

On February 25, 2013   /   Family Room, Interior Design   /   2 Comments

Family Room

 As the years go by and a family grows and expands, their needs change.

This family room evolved over 8 years, from a family of four including two young children with lots of drawing, games & the need for everything to be in one room.

Fast forward 8 years and those children are now teenagers and the family’s needs are now for a room to watch tv in and enjoy casual meals.

While a lot of storage had to be removed from the room, it now has ample seating for the family of four, is streamlined & modern, yet comfortable & very open.

Storage was addressed by moving some of the items into the teenagers rooms & adding more storage into the dining room (more on that in a later blog).

HERE IS THE BEFORE PICTURE

Cabinet and bookcases new

& HERE IS THE AFTER
finished room

PicCollage after images

If you’re unsure how to transform a room to incorporate your needs, start with a list.

1.  What purpose do you want the room to have?

2.  What do you want to keep in the room & what can you move elsewhere?

3.  What new items do you need to purchase?

4.  If you remove items, where are you going to store them?

5.  Does the new room design suit all of your needs?

6.  Set yourself a budget and stick to it

7.  Set yourself a start & end date for the project (otherwise it may never start or end!)

If you need any advice on your project, feel free to drop me an email & I’ll be only too happy to point you in the right direction.

Yours in Style – Kim x

Thank you for following my blog
If you would like to receive blogs from The Style Project email me @ kkt@thestyleproject.com.au & I’ll be sure that you receive any future blogs

All images copyright of The Style Project

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Black & White Stripes

On February 16, 2013   /   Bedrooms, Chairs, Interior Design, Living Rooms, Stripes   /   2 Comments

Black & White Stripes

Add some drama to any room with black & white stripes.  They are timeless, classic & scream Style!
If you’re not overly fond of a lot of colour but are looking for a way to add impact, then why not consider stripes.
Some of these images are custom while others are homewares store purchases for quick & simple decorating.
I love Ikea  for it’s proximity to my house (5 minutes!) & ever evolving stock.  They’re a brilliant source for instant & affordable updates.
Alternatively, you can have a custom piece of furniture made ensuring your requirements are met exactly.

Whichever way you choose to go be sure to mix and match high & low end products giving you a room that looks collected, as opposed to designed & impersonal.

striped drapes

 Instant drama!

striped sofa

 I love this sofa, particularly the gold legs & the siamese cats are the icing on the cake!

striped ottoman

 Neutrals while calming can also been a little bland at times.  By adding the striped ottoman to this room, it adds some punch to a neutral palette.

striped chair

  Simple, yet elegant

striped cushions

 These cushions add instant style to this sofa & tie in perfectly with the rest of the decor

striped bed

 Bedding is such a simple way of changing the look & feel of a bedroom

striped blind

 These roman blinds draw the eye up & really finish off this space

striped shower curtain

 While glass shower screens are far more popular than shower curtains, if you have a shower curtain this bold stripe is a stylish addition to any bathroom.

Yours in Style – Kim x

Thank you so much for following my blog
If you don’t already subscribe to this blog you can either complete the subscribe box at the top of this page
or email me @ kkt@thestyleproject.com.au & I’ll be sure that you get any future blogs

Images all available to view on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/thestyleproject/

 

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Valentines Day

On February 13, 2013   /   Closets, Dining Rooms, Doors, Interior Decorating, Kitchens   /   Leave a comment

Valentines Day

Who doesn’t love - love?
14th February is dedicated to all thing romantic, so show some love today!
This Valentines Day blog was inspired by images on my Pinterest page “PINK PERFECTION”.
While red is a popular colour for Valentines Day I’m more drawn to pink.

Wishing you love and happiness on this VALENTINES DAY.

V Day - pink bedroom

Imagine waking up in a bed this beautiful

V Day - pink smeg fridge

No one will call your kitchen boring with a pink SMEG refrigerator?

V Day - pink bookcase

 Dress up a bookcase by painting or adding wallpaper to the back & shelves combined or individually

V Day - pink chandelier and chair in shoe closet

 Pastel pink in the chandelier & chair add to the glamour in this dressing room & the little dog reminds me of my little Izzey x 

V Day - pink ottoman

How inviting is this ottoman?  Doubt I’d ever get up!

pink door

Add the WOW factor by painting a door & ensuring an entrance people will remember

pink deer head

Once you tire of the faux deer’s head you thought you would love forever – give it a new lease on life with a can of spray paint

pink and a little zebra

The perfect combination of my favourites – animal print & pink

I love the romance of this movie “VALENTINES DAY“, it’s a great way to add a smile to your face on this loved up day of the year!

Yours in Style – Kim X

 

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Things I Love

On February 4, 2013   /   Beauty, Dance, Exercise, Fashion, Interior Design   /   Leave a comment

Things I Love

 This blog is dedicated purely and simply to things that I love.  I’m talking about things not people, needless to say I love my family and friends and give thanks every day for having such amazing people in my life.
I was on a train recently and a grandfather was with his two small grandchildren and they were going out for the day.  We talked for around 10 minutes and the interaction with a 2, 4 & 80 year old made my day!  People are the most imporant, and things are the icing on the cake.
Here are some of my favourite things and I’d love for you to add a comment and tell me about yours.

books collage

I have worn Chanel No. 5 for the past 30 years.  I sometimes stray from it but always go back to the stunning fragrance and beautiful bottles.

I bought my Michael Kors watch just over a year ago and wear it every day.  It brings a smile to my face.

 I love to visit is Melbourne which was my home until I moved to Sydney 20 years ago.  I go back at least twice a year to visit family and old friends. 
The food and shopping are second to none and it’s only an hour by plane.

tv collage

I have been crazy about Zara ever since I walked into one of their stores in Hong Kong. They opened up in Sydney over a year ago and my wardrobe is now filled with lots of wonderful outfits from them. $45 for jeans that fit amazingly well is my idea of a bargain!
Now all we need is Zara Home to complete the picture.

Pilates has been my passion for coming up to 10 years and Elixr have the most fabulous instructors in Sydney.

 One of my 2012 New Years Resolutions was to go back to classical ballet.
I’m pleased to say that over a year later that you’ll find me at the Sydney Dance Company most Sunday mornings.

I would love to hear back from you to know what you love

Yours in Style – Kim 

Image Sources:  Pinterest/Chanel/

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Queenslander Homes

On January 28, 2013   /   Architecture   /   Leave a comment

Queenslander Homes

While on a recent family holiday to Hervey Bay, Queensland, we drove to Maryborough specifically to look at the stunning Queenslander architecture and were not disappointed.

These homes are raised from the ground to allow the breeze to blow through and cool the house down on hot summers days.  The height also protects the home should there be a flood.  The wrap around verandahs provide protection from the sun and allow for outdoor entertaining.
All of the windows open right out allowing the breeze to blow through house.

Who needs air conditioning when you have a cleverly designed home?

I have longed for one of these homes ever since seeing one, but doubt if they would fit on my small inner city block of land!

Here are a few examples of this style of architecture.

with turret

Who wouldn’t want this stunning home with wrap around verandah and your very own turret?

grey with palm trees

The palm trees add to overall appeal of this home

wide shot with white door

Love, love, love the entrance to the verandah before the front door

Yours in Style – Kim

Images all available to view on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/thestyleproject/

 

 

 

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Metallics Concept

On January 18, 2013   /   Interior Design, Metallics   /   Leave a comment

Metallics Concept

I’m having a relaxing break in Queensland and between dips in the pool and sight seeing,
I’m spending time blogging and pinteresting.
I put this metallics concept board together this afternoon.

There’s something very luxe about adding metallics to any room.

If you’re not ready for a giant leap, why not start with a cushion, lamp or mirror.

Metallics

Yours in Style – Kim

Images all sourced from Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/thestyleproject/

 

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New Year’s Home Organising

On January 8, 2013   /   Home Staging, Lifestyle, Organising your Home   /   3 Comments

New Year’s Home Organising

 

Organised wardrobe

 I’m a huge fan of starting off the New Year with a clean house.
My Spring Cleaning is always done in the late December/early January break.

If you do this each year (not necessarily when I do, just pick a time) then your home will always be organised, deep cleaned and you’ll know where everything is.

This is a great time to donate to a charity of your choice and it’s good knowing that things you have no need for will go to a worthy home.

If you spent a crazy amount of money on something, or it was a gift that you really no longer need, then I find Gumtree to be an excellent way to sell unwanted goods and with the money you make you can save for another item (hopefully it won’t be sold the next year!).

This is also an excellent start to staging your home if you’re getting ready to sell.

My Top 10 Tips

1.  Break it down.
So many people are daunted by large tasks and so they never start.
If you look at small sections of a room or just a cupboard then make a start there.
You’ll be so impressed with one cupboard that you’ll  move onto the next and then the next.

2.  Clear the room to start with a blank canvas, then clean and you’re ready to start sorting items into the following groups:
*  Keep -  put them straight into their new home
*  Throw Away - contact your local council to arrange a collection
*  Give to Charity – some charities will collect from your home
*  Sell – Gumtree is free & a great way to sell items

Organised labelled boxes

3.  Keep your cleaning products in a plastic caddy in the cupboard and that way they’re ready to take from room to room.

Organised cleaning caddy

4.  Put everything back where you got it from.
Everything has a home and if it goes back there you’ll know where to find it next time.
This will save you hours of searching.

5.  Do you really need all of those plastic containers?  They take up so much room in your cupboards.
Take away containers are always coming into the house so only keep what you need.

6.  Use Martha Stewart’s “Six Things to Do Every Day” to keep on top of everything.

7. Keep your sheets in sets in a cupboard or drawer near the bedrooms, so much easier when making up the bed.

Organised sheet sets

8.  Go digital – photograph or scan documents to your ipad and store there (be sure to back up).

9.  Use the “one in, two out” rule
The rule is that whenever you bring in an item, you have to remove two others from the house.
(my husband’s favourite – his attempt to stop me from bringing home furniture – not always successful!).
This one definitely makes you think before bringing something home.

10.   For over 100 different organisational tips have a look at our Pinterest page

Organised laundry door for four pic

Yours in Style – Kim

Images all sourced from Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/thestyleproject/

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