A Sense of Space by Zara Home

Zara Home has introduced their Spring Summer ’21 collection A Sense of Space, and the imagery is stunning. Shot at a private residence designed by Belgian architect Benoit Viaene, the artistry, earthy tones and dark wood accents reverberate throughout the home, creating a serene and textural backdrop for the new pieces. An essay in balance, A Sense of Space speaks of warmth, refinement and calm.  

Art Direction: Rosie Seabrook

Styling: Margriet Kok

Photography: Rich Stapleton 

Production: Initials L.A

Styling production: Anne Goossens

Styling assistants: Danique & April

Images via Zara Home 

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Refined Elegance in Sweden

Beautifully renovated, this apartment in Sweden mixes old and new with refined elegance. The preservation of classic architectural detailing including high ceilings, stunning bay windows and herringbone flooring combines with new design elements, perfect for modern-day living. 

An open floor plan provides an easy flow from one area to the next. Soft grey tones layered with warm wood, leather and marble elements create a calming yet nuanced feel. This is further enhanced by the striking gallery wall in the living room, which provides both a focal point and pop of vibrant colour. 

Sculptural foliage frame the kitchen, while simple benchtop details allow the textural marble finishes to take centre stage. Timeless furniture pieces including Thonet dining chairs are in fitting with the home's heritage features.

The neutral palette carries through to the airy bedroom with layers of cosy bedding and beautiful wall to wall wardrobes.  

Photography by Emma Jonsson Dysell / Styling by Josefin Haag

Images via Fantastic Frank 

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Styling and Journal Feature with Wallace Cotton

Last year I began working with family-owned New Zealand bed linen and homeware business Wallace Cotton. With a focus on beautiful designs inspired by nature, the gentle pace of our seasons, and the relaxed lifestyle of living in New Zealand, Wallace Cotton has been in homes worldwide for more than 14 years. Their range of collectable products are made from natural materials with enduring quality and attention to detail, all while being kind to the planet. To coincide with the Mid-summer campaign, I also sat down with Wallace Cotton to answer a few questions for their journal. 

Among other things, I talk about how I got into interior design and what I love about my role, what a typical day on location with Wallace Cotton is like, and my tips for creating a beautiful bedroom. 

Styling Michelle Halford - Studio TDC / Photography by Jae Frew 

You can read the interview here. 

Visit Wallace Cotton to see all the new collection designs, including those featured above. 

Additional pieces in the shoot, with thanks:

Armadillo Malawi rug (first and last image), Serengeti rug (images 3 &4) The Ivy House

Louis Poulsen lamps designed by Arne Jabobsen (images 1 & 3) Cult NZ

Sike Monet chair (image 3), Broste Copenhagen vase (image 4), and Triboa Bay Pena bedside table (last image) May Time 

Flowers (first image) Bloom Social 

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Bedroom Update with Dulux

Painting our bedroom has been on the to-do list for such a long time, but for various reasons, it has kept getting pushed aside. This year’s lockdowns have provided much-needed time and head space to finally get to work, and I am very happy to finally share the results with you. 

When we built around eight years ago, we decided to paint the entire interior of our home white. Over time I’ve been introducing some neutral colours to soften the spaces, and I love how calming and liveable these hues are. I’ve always viewed our bedroom as a place of escape, a quiet sanctuary to retreat to at the end of a busy day. I like to keep the styling simple and pared-back, but I have been wanting to soften the white walls to create an even more tranquil feel.

In 2017 we renovated the ensuite and this involved changing the white walls to a soft beige colour, Dulux Haast Double. A beautiful pairing with the new travertine tiles and contrasting black bathroom cabinetry, I knew when it came time to paint the adjacent bedroom and walk-in wardrobe, this would be a good starting point for choosing the right colour.

As always, I hopped online to use the Dulux Colour Swatch service, choosing a selection of large swatches in soft beige, cream and greige hues that would work well with Haast Double. I also included a couple of the Dulux Design Suede Effects paints, as I was keen to see how a textural wall colour would look.

Through the process of seeing how the swatches looked throughout the space, and at different times of the day, I was able to narrow down my choice. I liked the idea of creating a soft and tonal effect with our natural linen bedhead and bedding, but most importantly, I decided that I wanted to create a seamless effect with the ensuite. My husband was very much on board with this, and while I liked the idea of using Design Suede Effects for texture, his preference was for a clean finish. He's also a big fan of the Dulux Wash & Wear paint due to its durability. And because the Dulux Colours of New Zealand collection has such an extensive range of neutrals to choose from, it meant that we could land on the perfect colour.

The room is compact with little natural light in the walk-in wardrobe, however, the bedroom gets a lot of afternoon sun. I wanted to avoid going too dark, but I still wanted the new colour to be noticeably darker than white when that bright afternoon sun streams in. A fine balance, but one that I feel was achieved with the paint colour I finally decided on Dulux Mangaweka Quarter. A soft neutral that fits seamlessly next to Haast Double in the Ensuite, we are loving the result. The window frame and ceilings have been left white to create contrast, but also to tie in with the wardrobe shelving and for creating a sense of cohesion with the rest of the house. Dulux Okarito, a fresh crisp white, provides a lovely contrast. 

As part of the bedroom update, I have replaced our side tables (the much-loved Menu Androgyne side table has found a new home in the living room) with the Bordeaux Night Stands by BoConcept (kindly gifted). It's great to finally have matching side tables and we love the functional storage, which includes a charging station. Our second-hand Tolomeo wall lamps have served us well, but I am very excited to have purchased the Lumina Lamps that were on my wishlist. 

Styling and photography by Michelle Halford / TDC 

It's amazing what a difference a fresh paint colour makes, and now is a great time to look at tackling new projects around the home. Summer is on its way, and with travel restrictions likely to continue for the foreseeable future, why not get stuck into some painting? From choosing the right colour, helpful apps and services through to visiting a colour expert in your local store, Dulux has everything you need. To find out more, take a look here.

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Gorgeous New Bed Linen Colours from Swedish Brand Midnatt

Swedish brand Midnatt offer crisp organic cotton bed linen for both children and adults. Since launching in 2017 I've admired their fresh take on colour and the way in which they showcase their collections. For Fall, they have released two new colours Bosco and Sorbetto. Gorgeous neutrals, they combine beautifully with fresh white, and also work well together. 

Described by Midnatt as an olive-khaki-greenish hue, Bosco is a warm, earthy colour. I think it would provide a great starting point for a bedroom update, especially for a change of season. The Sorbetto, a pale yellow, has a feminine edge, and brings softness to an all-white space.   

Styling by Josefin Hååg / Photography by Mikael Lundblad

Images via Midnatt 

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