entertaining

These table settings are so beautiful. I have a thing for coloured and mismatched crockery. Our dinner set is currently a gorgeous brightly patterned one from Whittard (definitely less delicate than these but you need something more robust with small hands around) and it always reminds me of the circus. I'm getting all excited for entertaining at our place in the next week or two.

Making food for friends and hanging out together is one of the very best things in life. We don't do anything fancy, though I'd love an excuse to rock out some of these place settings! Simple, fresh food, a plentiful supply of wine and good company does it every time. I received this cookery book I've had my eye on for ages as a Christmas gift and I'm dying to try some of the recipes out. I'm thinking a big barbecue with some pretty lanterns strung up in the garden and maybe a few jugs of Pimms. Who's in? :)

Images via dustjacket attic.

decorating the abode

After almost four weeks of living in a practically completely empty house and staring at blank walls, my mind has been going into overdrive thinking about where everything will go and how I will make it look pretty when all the furniture that we shipped over finally arrives. What we'll hang on the walls, what we need to buy and what we can refurbish. As we decided to opt for an awesome beachside yet close to the city location, once again we are living in a little home as opposed to a huge mansion (ha, one day!!), clever storage is crucial.

Here are some of my favourite decor ideas of the many I've been collecting over the past few months on my pinterest boards. I am thanking my lucky stars that I have a handy husband who knows what to do with a saw, a drill and some nails as I thrive off generating ideas and finding the inspiration but am completely hopeless at anything involving actually wielding tools.

Curt has promised to make me some of darling wooden boxes pictured above, backed with vintage wallpaper or gift wrap off cuts to hang on the walls for displaying various knick-knacks and collections.

Totally digging the idea of a wall display of various mismatching plates. I got a gorgeous Rob Ryan one off Curt for Christmas to start the collection off.

Painting a little table with chalkboard paint would be great for the kids, a table and a chalkboard in one. Always a winner.

A step up from displaying Lila's latest artworks on the fridge, this is a beautiful idea. Bulldog clips attached to the wall to hang the art from (allowing for the collection to be frequently updated) inside re-sprayed vintage frames in varying sizes and styles.

If I can get my hands on any from flea markets or antique fairs, I'm going to stack a few vintage crates to act as storage boxes.

I'm thinking some big floor cushions and a pretty assortment of smaller ones to make a cosy reading nook in a corner of the girls bedroom.

A pile of stacked magazines or books as a bedside table...I can totally do that! Lord knows I've got enough of them and not enough shelf space to store them all.

A collection of straw or wicker baskets and pretty patterned boxes for under bed storage, a great place to store the out of season clothes as we don't have a huge amount of wardrobe hanging space.

I have a love for and a vast supply of washi tape (Japanese masking tape) this is a great idea of making a little garland out of it to hang on a mirror.

All images from my Interior Styling Details and Inspiring Spaces boards on pinterest. Click the link to see more and for all the sources.