Papinelle Sleepwear: My Tips for Creating a Dreamy Bedroom

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by sleepwear and lifestyle brand Papinelle. Hailing from Sydney with five signature stores across Australia and New Zealand, it’s easy to see why Papinelle’s beautiful sleepwear resonates with so many — the brand is also available at David Jones, Nordstrom and Dillards department stores throughout the USA. Ethically made from the softest natural fabrics, their pure silk and organic cotton pieces are incredible to wear — all day long.

Photography by Kirsty Dawn 

Visiting me at home to chat about bedroom styling, I share my tips on how to create a dreamy space and how I like to unwind... preferably in my favourite Papinelle PJs! Read the full interview here. 

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Staying In | Working from Home Now and in the Future

Styling and photography by Michelle Halford / TDC

As people adjust to working from home, many are discovering that not only is it doable, there are also added benefits to working remotely. Not only is it better for the environment, we're saving time and money on commutes and avoiding the many distractions that come with working in a busy office environment. Perhaps this will even lead to a new way of working in the future. I for one can highly recommend it, especially once the kids are back at school! I touched on the workspace in my first Staying In blog post, but today I wanted to hone in on the different elements required to make a functional office space at home. Blown away by the response to the image of my little workspace (above) that I recently posted on Instagram, which included loads of shares and people asking me questions (mostly about my desk!) this is clearly still a hot topic right now. 

Kidney Desk by Fred Rigby / Francis Gallery

— Desks —

While I dream of my next desk being a sculptural, curved piece like the one above, I know that my back will appreciate an adjustable standing desk. Two that I've been eyeing up are the Montana HiLow desk and the BoConcept Phoenix Electric office desk. BoConcept also have a great range of minimalist desk designs to suit a home office space. My current desk has evolved over the years but has served me well since I first set up my office. It's now a simple plywood top which was custom made to suit the space, paired with some steel trestle legs that used to belong to our previous dining table. In terms of positioning, I would recommend placing your desk by a window if possible, to let in some natural light and fresh air. 

Cube Office N-VL by Arjaan De Feyter Interior Architects / Photography by Piet-Albert Goethals

For a simple, minimalist solution, built-in desks are a great option. To help keep the desk clutter at bay, go a step further and install some simple floating shelves above. 

For compact spaces, the Menu Rail Desk by Japanese designer Keiji Ashizawa is ideal. The neat, precision-made piece in natural or stained oak offers multiple functions – as a desk, counter or shelf to store books, hung at any height you choose. That way it can be used beyond a temporary workspace and lends itself to almost any setting, fitting neatly into both living areas and bedrooms where space is tight.

If you need to go compact with the desk, and let's face it, many of us do when it comes to our home, look for desks that have built-in storage elements. The Scrivette Desk by Plyroom has a lid that allows for access to the storage space within the desk, rather than losing bits and pieces at the back of a drawer. Beautifully crafted from Baltic birch and Tasmanian oak, the materials exemplify a Japanese aesthetic concept of wabi: simplicity and quietude incorporating rustic beauty.

— Desk Accessories —

A few simple accessories to store papers, pens and other everyday items will help keep your space tidy. The 2x2 Organiser above is by Jamie Wolfond for ferm Living, and the Dania Letter Tray below is by Skagerak. 

I also love the Nomad Pen Holder and Tray by Skagerak, and the Città Oku series of storage boxes and trays, both shown below.

Tool boxes are another great desk accessory for storing pens and stationery and are particularly useful if you don't have a permanent office spot at home. I've rounded up some favourites below.

Koppa Tool Box by Verso Design 

Clockwise from left: Yamazaki Tosca Organiser and  Tower Tool Box both from Father Rabbit, Vitra Toolbox from Città and Hay Tool Box

— Task Lighting —

Good lighting is so important, especially when working in the evenings. You may remember the office above from my last blog post. I can't get enough of this space featuring Dinesen flooring, custom desk, stool, shelving and peg rail. The iconic PH Table Lamp by Louis Poulsen looks right at home here. The Arum table lamp by ferm Living, shown below, is another favourite. 

— Seating —  

When it comes to choosing an office chair, I believe that you can't go past classic Danish design for the right combination of comfort, aesthetics and functionality. Here are two of my top picks. 

Striking the perfect balance between geometric and organic shapes, the contoured curves of the Menu Harbour Chair  offers maximum support, while enveloping the body in its slender shell. Offered in a range of shapes, materials and finishes, allowing for total customisation, it also comes with the option of a swivel base and/or castors making it ideal for the home office.

The Fiber Armchair by Muuto is designed with embracing curves to provide extensive comfort, while taking up little space in the room. The option of swivel base with castors allows for ease of movement.

To see more from the Staying In Series, take a look here. 

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Staying In | Rearranging Areas of Home to Create a Fresh Feel

I’m trying not to count the days we are in lockdown, as I know it’s likely it will extend beyond the four weeks. It did however dawn on me today that it’s been a whole week since I’ve driven anywhere or been outside of my local area. I feel so lucky that we can still get outside and walk or bike down to our beautiful basin reserve - more often than not the sun has been shining and I find the water so cathartic - but feelings of cabin fever are starting to creep in. In my first Staying In post I touched on the subject of decluttering to help with your mental state of mind and keep feelings of anxiety at bay. Of course it’s not always easy with kids at home, and the chaos they create, but what we've found is that we can now invest more time in getting them involved in household chores. With our help, our youngest tidied and rearranged his room yesterday and it’s lovely to see how excited he is by the change. It's true what they say - change is good for the soul - and now is a great time to rearrange furniture to create a fresh feeling. We recently reconfigured our upstairs living room by moving one of the sofas and coffee tables, and it has made such a difference to the feel of the room.

Whether you have an open-plan space or separate living room, there is no set way of configuring furniture. While you will no doubt have fixed pieces, such as a wall-mounted television already wired in, or a shelving unit secured to the wall (like our String System above), work around these and try switching or moving pieces of furniture. For example if you have a sofa and two armchairs, you could switch these around. Move other pieces such as coffee and side side tables and rugs accordingly, and see how much even a simple change can invigorate the space. Other pieces I move quite regularly are our mirror (a change of reflection can be fun), our plinth and floor lamps.

In addition to reconfiguring pieces around home, it's also a good time to be resourceful. As a stylist in NZ (where we are so far from the rest of the world),  this comes with the territory and there has been many times where I've had to think outside the box because I haven't been able to source what I want for home or a shoot. After finally choosing a side table for our downstairs living room and waiting patiently through the long lead time (that has been especially long due to the pandemic), I was excited to hear today that it has arrived in NZ but must be held in the warehouse until couriers are safe to transport non-essential items. In the meantime I've improvised by stacking a couple of my extra-large cushions and I have to say, it's working pretty well. 

On a smaller scale, shelves are a great place to while away the time with some rearranging. Perfect for displaying books, flowers, ceramics and favourite objects, I find the best way to approach restyling of shelves is to take everything off, give them a good clean and then start from scratch. Get creative and display pieces in different ways, such as books facing out to showcase beautiful covers, or arranged according to colour. Change out your dried flowers or forage some simple branches from outside and play around with different groupings to create a nice balance of differing heights, tones and textures. It's also a good way to declutter, and more often than not I end up culling a few things to give to hospice, family or friends. Otherwise they are put in the 'props cupboard' in our garage to bring out when I'm doing another round of rearranging. Collecting pieces slowly, over time, means that you'll want to hold on to them for as long as possible. 

Styling and photography by Michelle Halford/TDC

For more Staying In posts, take a look here and here. 

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Staying In | Simple Ways to Enhance your Home Room by Room

It's been a strange week adjusting to a new normal and navigating our way through this time of uncertainty. I know that many of you will be practising social distancing and working from home if possible, and others will be in full scale lockdown, juggling work with home-schooling of kids. I've been taking it one day at a time, and thinking a lot about my platform and ways I can help, even in some small way. I hope that, despite everything that is happening, TDC can be a place for you to visit, to lighten your load, and feel a sense of calm. If there is something in particular you would like to see more of right now, please do let me know.

In light of the current situation, where many have no choice but to stay home, I wanted to round up some simple ways to make your home as appealing and as comfortable as possible. I've broken it down room by room, with a focus on making the most of your current space. If you are able to treat yourself to some online shopping, be sure to support local businesses, as they need all the help they can get right now. 

— Kitchen —

As the hub of the home, the kitchen is a place we we often congregate as a family. Since I've been staying at home more, I find myself gravitating towards the kitchen, thinking more about meal times, and enjoying my Nespresso coffee making ritual more than ever. Why not try out a new recipe or some baking? Making an extra effort to keep the bench clutter free, I'm planning on using this time to clean out the pantry, cupboards and drawers. Now is a great time to declutter and get organised (in any area of the home). You could start a herb garden or pick some flowers from the garden to bring inside. Nothing brightens up a kitchen more than fresh flowers. If you don't have a garden, think about treating yourself to a bunch from a local delivery company. The flowers on our kitchen benchtop are from Bloom Social, who offer the convenience of bloom delivery subscriptions.

  

— Living Room —

Whether you're working from home with your laptop, watching Netflix or have your nose in a book, it's inevitable that you'll be spending more time on the sofa, so it makes sense to make it as comfy as possible. While you may not be able to invest in a brand new sofa, cushions and throws are an easy way of adding comfort, texture and cosiness. The photo below was from a recent collaboration with Book Depository where I got to choose a couple of beautiful design books that had been on my wish list. Now is a great time to pick up that book you've been meaning to read, or why not treat yourself to a beautiful new coffee table book? You'll find some great ideas here and here. 

You may remember this Home Styling Post on Creating Sensory Spaces - a great one to revisit right now. Scented candles are one of my favourite sensory elements, as are flowers. Instead of throwing away dead flowers, let them dry out. It's fun experimenting with different varieties and you'll be surprised how beautiful they can turn out. My red roses, shown below, transformed into a beautiful deep hue. 

— Dining Room —

Being open plan, our dining room is a casual affair where we sit down for dinner every evening as a family. But it can quickly become a gathering ground for kids activities, work paraphernalia and styling props. From what I hear, this is a common theme for those who work from home. Whether your dining area is similar to ours, or a more formal space, try to keep your space clutter-free and spruce it up with some table top pieces such as a beautiful centre piece, candle holders or flowers. If you have a space that opens to the outside (it could be your kitchen, living room or even bedroom), open the doors - weather permitting - and let the light in as much as possible.

— Bedroom —

A place where we retreat at the end of the day, I recommend creating a tranquil bedroom space. For me, that means pared back simplicity with a neutral palette. Fresh bedlinen can transform the room and as I've said many times before, linen bedding is my go-to. Making the bed everyday is another good habit to get into while being at home so much! Add some personal touches to your bedside such as flowers in a textural ceramic vase, or a scented candle.

— Workspace —

I'm lucky in that I already work from home, so have my own office. However that wasn't always the case, and I remember the days of moving from the sofa to the dining table to the bedroom with my laptop in tow! If you don't have your own dedicated space, you may need to get creative. Is there an unused nook where you can set up a makeshift desk? Or what about something more permanent? Now is a great time to try out a DIY project, and even after you return to work, a home office nook is so handy to have long-term. If that's not possible and you find yourself at the dining table, carve out your own space and make it as functional as possible. My office is compact, but I love keeping the area tidy and surrounding myself with favourite objects and personal touches.

A fantastic local concept that came across my desk today is SheShed, a range of specialised wooden cabins that suit a wide range of uses, including a home office. A great option for those working from home in the coming months, they can be converted into other uses (such as a teenage space) at a later date if the need to work from home changes. Quick to build, without a huge outlay of funds, SheShed offers free freight in NZ and doesn’t require a council permit. Find out more here. 

— Laundry —

I'm not embarrassed to admit that for me, one perk of working from home is being able to keep on top of the washing! While it's not my favourite past time, I do find that having a tidy and functional laundry space makes it feel like much less of a chore. Another great DIY project to tackle right now, you can read more about our laundry makeover here. 

Styling and photography by Michelle Halford/TDC

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Christmas 2018 | At Home + Beyond

Christmas decorating is a fairly pared-back affair at home, with the tree and a few select festive pieces here and there.  Some of my favourite decorations are our dried floral wreath hung above our downstairs shelves, and the paper ornaments on our String shelving. 

As much as I loved our Nordic Spruce tree last year, it was a struggle to keep it looking fresh for the big day in our summer heat. I had in mind to try out a potted tree this year and as luck would have it, Bloom Social kindly gifted one to us. I was worried that the kids wouldn't be happy with the down-size, but I think they're more preoccupied with the presents under the tree! And hopefully I can keep it alive during the year so it will continue to grow. Here's a glimpse of it alongside my incredible Jo Malone London Advent Calendar which has had me counting down is heavenly fragrant style this year. 

For the gift wrapping I had planned on using white Kraft paper but I had trouble finding some. Luckily the brown paper is still a classic, especially paired with black ribbon that I hoard during the year. I've also been enjoying the Nespresso festive coffees, A Taste of Paris, made in the new matte white Creatista Plus Machine. 

All images above: Styling and Photography by Michelle Halford for TDC 

And from far away, I've been admiring the beautiful Christmas inspiration from Danish brand by Lassen. I thought I would leave you with this beautiful imagery as some final inspiration for the big day. 

Images via bylassen.dk

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas break. I'm very much looking forward to recharging the batteries and spending time with family as we head in to 2019, ready for another exciting year ahead! 

Thank you all for your kindness and support this year. Happy holidays!

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A New Picture Wall

The idea of designing a new picture wall has been brewing for sometime, but the catalyst was the arrival of our new sofa. The squarer shape and darker colour was calling out for a bolder backdrop. Having changed the previous picture wall to all-white frames, I wanted to mix things up again by adding in some black ones. With a growing collection of prints to work with, my main goal was to come up with a new configuration that would continue to allow for changing out the prints as the mood takes me. 

The last picture wall had a lovely sense of balance and worked really well with our old sofa. At the time I was quite particular about having equal spacing between the frames and for it to be centred above the sofa. As my taste and style has evolved over the last couple of years, so has my preference for a more irregular layout, so with that in mind I set to work. 

Styling and photography by Michelle Halford for TDC

With the gorgeous Paper Collective print as my starting point, I decided to offset the grouping of pictures to one side. This design also works well with the modularity of the sofa, and the different configurations that I showcased here. Playing around with the prints on the floor first, it didn't take long to come up with one that I thought would translate well to the wall! The increasing height was more accidental, but I really love it. 

What do you think? 

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At Home | Art Love

I really look forward to Fridays, as I'm sure most people do. I have a strict no-work-in-the-evening policy, and I love the anticipation of the weekend ahead. This is the first Friday in several weeks that I haven't had meetings, so being at home, I took the opportunity to take a couple more photos to round off today's art print themed post, adding to those I've already shared on Instagram. You'll find a link to all these gorgeous new art prints at the end of the post. 

If you ever feel the urge to update an area of your home without doing anything too drastic, I highly recommend changing a poster (or two). One of these days I will rearrange the configuration of my living room picture wall, but it's so easy just to change out the posters in the same or similar sizes as the mood takes me. The best part is, the variety of posters available to purchase now is growing, with more and more international brands becoming accessible here and in Australia. I'm lucky to work with some amazing artists and suppliers of art prints, many who have gifted me product, but the prints are all affordable, as is the shipping. And if like me you have built up a collection of frames, it's even easier, especially with the use of removable 3M adhesive strips which I swear by. 

Styling and photography by Michelle Halford for TDC

Hold On by Reuben Ireland - Norsu Interiors 
Flowers Poster (Pink) by About Graphics - Paper Plane
Monstera Delicsiosa Print by (By) Garmi - Paper Plane
Untitled #10 Poster by Vee Speers - Norsu Interiors 
Oui Oui Print by Badlands - Badlands Print Shop

Happy Friday!

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