Deck Update with COAST New Zealand | Part Two

I'm thrilled to be sharing this latest update of our deck as the final part of this blog series for 2018. In Part One of our collaboration with COAST, I talked about the process I went through for creating our bespoke Beanbags, from choosing the right size and design, through to the fabric selection. Deciding on the Marine Bean XL and Marine Bean Ottoman, I then chose from an extensive range of  Sunbrella Fabric. Wanting a warm beige to compliment our existing decking and black railing/home exterior, the Tresco Linen has given the exact result I was looking for. Not only does it fit beautifully with our new Outdure seating, the colour and texture compliments the interior of our home, providing a seamless connection between the indoor and outdoor spaces.  

The Beanbags are such a comfy addition to our deck. Designed for indoors and out and easy to move around, I sometimes bring the Ottoman inside at night to pop my feet up on while watching TV! COAST also sell a wide range of throw cushions made from the same marine-grade Sunbrella brand fabric as the Marine Bean. The perfect accessory for both our new Beanbags and seating, we purposely designed the seating with space underneath to store some extra cushions! I popped into the COAST showroom to pick some out and they had a great range of colours on offer. Some of my favourites which are featured here on our deck are Fern, Taupe, Silica Barley and in the small cushions, Hybrid Smoke and Rust. As mentioned in the last deck update, we're also planning on getting some custom squabs made for our Outdure seating with Sunbrella fabric from COAST.

Styling and photography by Michelle Halford for TDC 

As with our indoor living spaces, I love having throws on the deck for added comfort, texture and warmth in the evenings. COAST have a beautiful collection of throws for every season. I featured their Mackenzie Woollen Throw in the last Deck Update, and for today's I've included the Antigua Linen Waffle throw in natural and the Stripe Linen Laguna throw in Mustard. Both lightweight, they are perfect for the warmer months. 

For more information on the COAST products and bespoke services visit coastnewzealand.com.

COAST offer worldwide shipping.

This post was created in collaboration with COAST New Zealand. I only work with products I love and all opinions are my own. For more information please visit my About Page.

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My Outdoor Styling for Viva

I recently styled an outdoor shoot for Viva at a beautiful private residence in Maraetai. Collaborating with local suppliers I had a lot of fun transforming the existing deck - a completely blank canvas - into an outdoor haven designed for Al Fresco dining. 

Though sunny, the clouds were ominous, and we were lucky to finish the shoot before a thunder storm set it! Fellow Kiwi residents will know all about the crazy weather we've been having of late! 

Here's an excerpt from the article where I talk about my approach to styling this space. 

“The way I approach styling an outdoor space is to see it as another room. How will it be used? For dining alfresco and hosting dinner parties? A place to relax with a book and coffee? Whether it will be used for lounging, dining, or both, it's important to consider how you want the space to function.

When it came to styling this outdoor space, I had plenty of room to combine the two. A blank canvas complete with stunning views of the countryside, the shape of the deck lent itself beautifully to modular furniture and for cohesion, I chose a dining table and bench seats in the same finish as the sofas. To define the areas and provide comfort underfoot, I placed an outdoor rug underneath the dining table. Being exposed (we all know the dangers of NZ’s harsh sun) an umbrella was a must. For the finishing touches I added a mix of outdoor plants, some beautiful tableware and a few extra scatter cushions for a touch of graphic fun and added comfort.”

Styling by Michelle Halford / Photography by Babiche Martins / Food Styling by Ashleigh Cometti  

Pop over to Viva to read my top four tips for styling an outdoor space. You'll also find more details on the products, food and wine, along with recipes for the delicious spread we created! 

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Deck Update with Outdure | Part Two

Following on from the first part of my Deck Update series with Outdure, I'm thrilled to be sharing the reveal of our new look deck. In case you missed it, in the first post I talked about wanting to make our outdoor space more livable. To make the most of the compact area while creating a cohesive look, built-in seating has always been high on the wish list. Exterior specialists Outdure came up with the ideal solution, both designing and building our new seating, to fit perfectly around the edge of the deck.

Talking through the design process in my last post, I also shared a look at the concept drawings. The team at Outdure then suggested some further refinements to the design, and these have made a world of difference to the final seat. With clean lines and detailing, one of my favourite elements is the open ended design on one side. I love how the asymmetry creates a more visually interesting aesthetic. Other features include a deep seat pan to allow for outdoor cushions (which I plan to get made), and a lower back rest. Interestingly this provides a more comfortable way to lean back and rest your elbows. Such important details to get right, we couldn't be happier with the result.

Our beautiful seating is made from ResortDeck — an amazing product that combines the natural beauty of hardwood timber decking with the added benefit of being extremely durable. Available in six natural colours and finishes, the Sea Salt colour we chose is perfect for our space, creating a sense of cohesion indoors and out. It feels amazing to be finally using our space as we had envisaged. It's like having a whole new room to enjoy, and the timing couldn't be more perfect with the summer holidays around the corner! 

Styling and photography by Michelle Halford for TDC (with thanks to Kings Plant Barn)  

Outdure are running a fantastic promotion for their NZ/AU customers during the month of December. With every purchase/deposit, they are giving away a free Weber BBQ!

To find out more, visit outdure.com

This post was created in collaboration with Outdure. I only work with products I love and all opinions are my own. For more information please visit my About Page.

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Musings + Moodboards

Dreaming of warmer weather, new projects and an ongoing love affair with beige. That pretty much sums up today's moodboard. I'm recovering from another round of winter bugs, but I'm not surprised given the crazy few months I've had. The good thing is, it has forced me to slow down and catch my breath. I've turned a corner this week and I feel really excited about what's to come on the blog and home front. In keeping with the neutral theme, visit my recently updated Shop page for some more things I'm currently loving. Roll on summer! 

Nicolette Johnson Ceramics 

Santa Clara 1728 Hotel, Lisbon, Portugal 

Flowers via Pinterest (source unknown) 

Gervasoni Ghost Sofa by Paola Navone 

Crossback Swimsuit source unknown but similar here

Sculptures by Kristiina Haataja in the home of Annaleena via Residence magazine 

Cult Gaia Bag (find it here) 

Ocean all day via A Muted Palette

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Spanish Design Tour | Marset

As mentioned earlier this week, I've just returned from a trip to Spain where I took part in the amazing Sunny Design Days tour. Organised by Spanish Design Association RED (Reuniòn Empresas De Diséno), the tour takes a small group of international bloggers to a series of exciting events, with the aim to present the best of Spanish design to the world through visits to showrooms and talks with renowned designers. We also visited architecture studios, workshops and factories, stayed in beautiful design hotels and were treated to delicious Spanish food at top restaurants. Travelling to Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid, it was an honour to be included and I had the most inspiring, fun and memorable time which I'm excited to share with you all. 

As part of the blog series, I will be featuring each of the participating companies who we had the pleasure of visiting, and I'll also be shining a light on a few that really struck a chord with me. The first was a visit to the Marset Showroom in Barcelona. The award-winning lighting company began in the 1940s as a family business and produces refined and innovative lamps. Tucked away in a beautiful indoor/outdoor setting in the neighbourhood of Sant Gervasi, the industrial space designed by Stefano Colli is painted all-white, providing a simple and clean backdrop to showcase the brand's diverse lighting range. A display system inspired by the sawyers' process of stacking and drying planks, the versatile space has a natural look and feel that can be adapted over time to suit new collections.

Over cocktails we viewed the Reflections of Light videos which feature each of the designers talking about their products, not just from a technical point of view, but their personal feelings around light and what inspires them. Beautiful and insightful, I highly recommend taking a look here.

Following on from this we were treated to a delicious Spanish dinner (including our first Paella of the trip!) and wine in the gorgeous outdoor courtyard surrounded by Marset lighting and lush greenery. Such a fun night, I loved meeting the Marset team and having the opportunity to talk to the talented designers in person.

While I have been admiring Marset lamps for some time (you may remember this recent post featuring the Theia collection), talking with the designers has provided a much deeper understanding and appreciation of the brand. I think these words sum it up beautifully: 

Marset is about more than lamps: we take care of light, in its different nuances and effects, to create atmospheres with character and improve our clients’ quality of life. We dedicate all our efforts to creating first-class designs and helping ensure the flawless completion of each product. We seek to produce innovative, clever fixtures, kindling our audience’s senses while taking them on a journey. 

Refined and contemporary, Marset aims to discover new functions and applications for their time-honoured fixtures through technical precision and creativity. This constant quest for new directions, combined with a curiosity and foresight into the shape of things to come, has driven the ethos and design behind their collection. The main characteristics of this collection are its authentic feel, meaningful simplicity and decorative yet restrained visual approach. 

Here's a look at some of the new lighting collections for 2017:

Bicoca 'The Independent Light' by Christophe Mathieu is born with with the optimism of brightening life and accompanying the good times, wherever you go. Available in a wide range of colours to suit any taste and space, this versatile, lightweight portable lamp projects an intimate light that adds warmth to all your personal spaces. These accompanied us in the outdoor courtyard and were a real talking point!

Following on from the success of the award-winning portable FollowMe lamp by Inma Bermúdez, Marset is launching a new version with a with a larger size and greater light output: the FollowMe Plus. Designed to complement its classic predecessor, the Plus reproduces the same warmth and quality of light with greater power. While the original size is perfect for cosy areas, the new version stands out for its ability to create entire atmospheres, and is great as a table lamp, desk lamp, or even on the floor. The FollowMe’s oak handle invites you to carry it with you. Both sizes utilise LED technology and have a tilting polycarbonate screen that offers both cosy atmospheric light and direct reading light, while a three- position dimmer regulates the light intensity. We were very lucky to be given the original FollowMe lamp to take home and I am so in love. Look out for a photo on my Instagram soon! 

With just a touch of the fingertips, you can achieve a feeling of weightlessness with the Copérnica. 'The Weightless Light' by Ramírez i Carrillo establishes an intimate relationship with space, combining functionality with the beauty of pure lines. As if levitating, the lamp moves through space effortlessly, without friction or resistance. The collection, which draws minimalist sculptures in space with carefully selected colours, consists of desktop and standing versions that play with counterweights of mixed materials and density, such as steel and aluminium. This design allows one to move the lamp with great precision, providing a wide range of heights, distances, and adjustments to the beam of light. The upright version, a true statement piece, stands almost two meters in height and directly or indirectly illuminates the environment with its tilting head system. 

Pu-erh 'The Delicate Light' is distinctive in its use of ceramics and delicate, fabric like effect. Designer and ceramist Xavier Mañosa has created a texture that mimics pleated silk, which is then applied to a conical shade, casting a wide and beautiful ray of illumination. Created by way of a simple and truly artisanal process that begins with a rough sketch applied directly to the ceramic mold, the lamp features irregular variations and a raw, natural effect. Available in three sizes and a wide range of muted colours that highlights the texture of the ceramic,  Pu-erh’s light is warm, pleasant, and playful.

Piola 'Wrapping the Light' by Christophe Mathieu is a playful collection about imitating this fluidity of infinite movement, in search of a balance between the diffusion of light and the creation of shadows. The fixture’s spiralling form breaks with the monotony of cleanly ordered lines, offering a different face from every angle. At the same time, the central column provides a symmetry and solidity that supports and reinforces the visual movement of the screen. While the light comes in four colours, the structure and screen is in the same colour to lend the fixture cohesion and unity. In this way, by contrast, the quality of the light takes centre stage.

Djembé 'The Echo of Light' by Joan Gaspar is designed for repetition, creating musical compositions of light on the ceiling. A bell-shaped ceiling fixture with an exposed interior, Djembé is available in a numerous sizes and bright, airy colours that can be used individually or combined to create a brilliant statement piece. Truly unique, I was certainly drawn to its dramatic presence inside the Marset Showroom. 

Jaima 'Wearing the Light' by Joan Gaspar has been designed via the language of textiles. Constructed of flexible, ductile materials that sifts the light as readily as it moves with the wind, the beautiful light is the shade and weaver of emotions. Taking its name from the Bedouin tents of North Africa, this collection is inspired by their varied fabrics and forms. The shade is available in two sizes and four different colours, with a blank interior to optimise the quality of the downward light. They can also be combined with one of three versatile stands to make various sizes of adjustable, rotating floor lamps. Alternatively, the fixture can also be affixed directly to the floor or wall, and the shades can be hung independently as pendants. A standout feature of the Marset outdoor courtyard, I couldn't help but admire its beautiful silhouette and textural quality.  

Images 1,  8-23 courtesy of Marset / 2-7  photography by Michelle Halford for TDC

To find out more about Marset, the full range of products and stockists, take a look here. 

The Sunny Design Days tour was arranged by RED - Reunión de Empresas de Diseño / Spanish Design Association - a nonprofit organisation that promotes Spanish design worldwide.

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10 Easy Styling Tips to Update your Space with CO:HOME

Fashion and lifestyle brand Cotton On have launched CO:HOME, a brand new range of homewares for everyday living. I was lucky to see the range before it started to hit the stores in October and knew immediately that I wanted to share it with you. The collection takes a pared back approach with beautifully designed pieces that are fresh and modern. Offering living, gift and summer entertaining essentials all with quality and value at the heart, CO:HOME provides great ways to inject fun and style into your home, without breaking the bank! For today's post I've put together my top ten styling tips for automatically updating your space with pieces from the CO:HOME collection.

1. One of the easiest and most effective ways of revamping a living room is with new sofa cushions. CO:HOME have a huge range of different textures including prints and knits in all natural fabrics. Personally I love pairing neutrals with a touch of colour and then layering in some texture and graphics.

2. For added warmth, texture and comfort pair your cushions with one of the CO:HOME throws. The cotton varieties on offer are perfect for the the summer months and the throws easily transition from the sofa to the bedroom, or outdoors on cooler evenings. From waffle finishes to gorgeous knits, fun tassels and graphic stripes, there are plenty of options to choose from.

3. Inject a little bit of luxury to your space with one of the beautiful CO:HOME scented candles. Housed in a concrete votive paired with a cork lid, the Astrid Candles have a Scandi-inspired look and textural finish making them one of my favourite products from the range. The hand poured Ellie Candle is packaged in a cute box so it’s ready to gift!

4. Add personality and interest to your home with art and photos framed in one of the CO:HOME picture frames. Mix different sizes in wood and copper to create a fun gallery wall or simply lean them on the shelf as part of a vignette.

5. Stylish storage is an important element for any room update and CO:HOME have some great solutions. The Zoe, a generous storage bag made from soft yet resilient washable paper makes it ideal for use as a laundry bag or planter. Brighten up your space by bringing some of the outdoors in with beautiful foliage housed in the Zoe, or one of the Pia Woven Baskets. Available in three handy sizes, these baskets have a gorgeous metallic detailing and can be used for everything from storing keys and loose change in the hallway, to holding bits and bobs in the office or as a fruit bowl in the kitchen. Storing everyday items into one place will immediately make  your space look more tidy, stylish and pulled together.

6. Create a bright and welcoming feel to your home with fresh flowers displayed in one of the CO:HOME ceramic vases. The Marlon range features beautiful muted tones and a textural glazed finish along with different sizes allowing you to mix and match, while the Liyn Vase creates impact in stylish monochrome. 

7. Instantly revive a tired-looking bathroom with some of the new CO:HOME Turkish Towels. Woven from lightweight cotton blend, they come in a range of gorgeous colours and patterns to really pack a punch. Designed with versatility in mind, the towels can be used for everything from picnics and beach days to outdoor festivals and sitting poolside, making them the must-have summer accessory. What's more, they cost just $14.95NZD and come gift- ready (rolled up). The perfect gift idea! 



8. From kitchen to table, CO:HOME have hit the mark with their range of Aida ceramic serving ware. Featuring a gorgeous dipped glaze pattern the pieces are sure to create a statement for your dining table. They are also easy to look after, making them great for everyday use. For an effortless vibe, pair with the beautiful timber platters and salad servers.

9. As a lover of coffee, I'm particular about the mugs I drink from and the new CO:HOME range ticks all the boxes. The Thea Mugs have a unique speckled glaze finish and come in pretty shades of blush, mint and grey. Packaged in a cute gift box in a set of two, it's all ready to pop under the tree! Hitting stores in January is the Ellis Mug and Serving Board - a clever design for your hot drink and morning or afternoon tea, I predict that these will be a big hit!

10. Summer calls for outdoor entertaining and the CO:HOME Bo Collection provides the perfect array of pieces for relaxed yet stylish alfresco dining. Made from 100% Melamine, the pieces are as durable as they are versatile and come in range of fun colours, as well as a marble-look finish.

The CO:HOME range is now available online and from selected Cotton On stores, with more new pieces due to arrive in January. 

Images courtesy of Cotton On 

This is a sponsored post. I only work with products I love and all opinions are my own. For more information please visit my About Page.

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