Palatial House Snoop...Contemporary Cottage on the Beaches

Nestled in one of my favourite Northern Beaches suburbs of Avalon, you will find this gorgeous Palatial Contemporary Sandstone & Weatherboard Cottage. I loved it for it's successful combination of keeping original integrity and it's newly renovated spaces in keeping with a French Riviera-meets-Hampton's style with an Australian coastal lifestyle flavour.

I am always a 'sucker' for sandstone features particularly when teamed with a fireplace, as well as the comfortable freshness of the undercover verandah sitting & dining area - much like a Queenslander, quintessentially Australian. The simplicity of the neutral, soft colour scheme lends itself to bringing the outdoors in with considered use of stone, natural timber, and loved leather.

Take a look, have a snoop & see what you think.....

Agent's Blurb - Raine & Horne, Palm Beach

18 Dress Cricle Rd Avalon - Classic Avalon Beach Cottage

 

This charming beach house has undergone an immaculate renovation to stylishly capture the tranquillity and sophistication that comes with living in its exclusive enclave. The 784 sqm property has been superbly re-designed maintaining its character and charm with an emphasis on indoor/outdoor entertaining, ambient natural light, neutral hues and a fluid layout while being situated within approx. 200 metres to Avalon village.

 

 The cleverly positioned designer kitchen/dining space is an inviting haven that flows to the distinctly charming lounge with fireplace, formal dining and alfresco covered entertaining area. These rooms are framed by rustic hardwood timber floors, large bi-folding windows and ornate period features decorated in fresh white hues. The lush and private garden vistas from all entertaining areas complete the incredibly peaceful and inviting ambiance of this wonderful family home.

•  Four Bedrooms and 2 Bathrooms
•  4th Bedroom/ Study with designer cabinetry
•  Media room and separate rumpus area
•  Double Carport and huge storage/tool shed
•  Landscaped gardens and level lawn at rear.
•  Solid Sandstone and weatherboard construction.

The home has an approved DA for further improvement for an additional level creating a parents retreat and a pool in the back yard. Immaculately appointed throughout, this inviting home is situated just moments to shops, public transport, schools and equidistant to Avalon and Bilgola beaches.

 

Features

• Close to Schools
• Close to Shops
• Close to Transport
• Garden

Property ID: 2008804925

images via domain.com.au - via Raine & Horne Palm Beach

Colourful Day...

I love this painting the gradation of colour and energy, the post impressionist|modernist style...Well it seems to have been a colourful day that's for sure!

And in more ways than one!

Hope have had some colour in your day too.

image - via tumblr source unknown.

Today, Tomorrow - This Week...

And Why Not! x

image via cynthia susan tumblr

Landscape Palettes...

I love the colour relationship with all of these images [together]...

This shows you that inspiration for colour palettes for interior| exterior projects can be drawn from so many places...  

I have recently had some of my design students finishing their monochromatic palettes and now they are moving into their reduced chroma and landscape palettes... intermixing their mid colours with one another to create these sublime 'Forrest', 'Desert' and 'Metal' palettes... This palette looks like you could intermixed Process Cyan & Mid Orange together then tinting up and shading down.

See what you can do with your intermixed hues...

Enjoy,

images via patterson maker, chloe1952,  sarah is cool, tumblr

Weekend...Summer's End.

 Hope you had a great weekend... Did you get to put your feet up or have time to play?

We had another jam packed weekend of family catch ups & celebrations - my sister has been back in town from her London home visiting us - so naturally there were drinks & dinners organised a overdue catch ups - but sadly she's back on a jet plane tomorrow to return to 'home' in London, '...not sure when we'll see her again'. As well this weekend was my sister-in-law's fabulous fun engagement party where surprises & Congo lines ruled the evening!

The last moments of what felt like summer passed us by this week and Sydney [for now] feels like it's embraced Autumn weather. We have 1 more week of daylight savings here in New South Wales then it really feels like the cooler months are upon us with faster darker evenings. A last hooray for those summer moments....

Hope you had a fun weekend!

image via tumblr - east atlanta

Palatial House Snoop... Beachside Hinterland.

There aren't too many homes that are featured on Palatial Living's House Snoop that I wouldn't want to live in - gosh they are all stunning in their own way, and often when we look for a home they are not only aesthetic drivers such as style, finishes, colours and overall look but we also fit for purpose - is it spacious enough, can we grow in it and with it, is it a great location?

This home featured this week on Palatial Living's House Snoop - has some many of these checked boxes it's hard not to want to keep the floor plans and put it into the 'dream home' folder, well in fact with this home I did just that - I thought the overall space & style  [Australian coastal meets Hampton's style] was phenomenally perfect - for me! I always keep a little folder of images with colours, floor plans and ideas so that one day when I have that 'forever home' to renovate or build I can revisit the folder and see what I still love and what might still be applicable.

Take a little look at this home located in Sydney's Central Coast suburb of Avoca Beach, perched in the hinterland of the beach - the surrounding lush hillside and is approx. 1 1/2hr drive from Sydney [in good traffic!] but I think once you snoop around you'll understand why it would be worth a commute or being able to telecommute and work from home when possible!

Enjoy,

Agent's Blurb... McGrath Real Estate.

A Brand New 750m2 Home on 1894m2 of North Facing Land

Upon inspection you may find yourself overwhelmed by the sheer size and beauty of this gorgeous and secluded Avoca Beach residence. The proportions are as functional as they are generous; the finishes, top shelf and there's just that little bit left for you to personalise the home to suit your own taste. This is a surprising home - for all the right reasons.

- Enormous bedrooms with walk-in robes; large,well appointed bathrooms

- Dream kitchen with walk in pantry, island bench; top of the line appliances

- Spacious undercover entertaining deck flowing from the kitchen and lliving

- Separate music and rumpus room; study that could be another bedroom

- 12 foot ceilings; massive storage plus 30,000L of water harvesting in addition to mains
Property ID: 2008852263

images via domain.com.au - agent mcgrath.com.au



Love to get Lost.

It's Wednesday & I'd love to get lost somewhere beautiful!!



image via tumblr - original source unknown

Easter is Around the Corner...

Easter is just 4 weeks away! Can you believe it... I know I can't it! And Easter this year also marks a big milestone in our home, since this year Good Friday falls on our baby Isabelle's very 1st Birthday! I truly cannot believe where I was this time last year and how very quickly it seems to have flown by! I'm sure many of you feel this way... gee whiz -time - what a precious commodity!

A friend recently emailed me asking me if I was going to share some of my 'Palatial' Easter inspirations here...of course! I love Easter time... So with that in mind I am looking forward to sharing with you some of my Easter inspirations over the next four weeks in the lead up to Easter celebrations & holidays! I thought I had finished decorating my very 'Palatial' Easter Egg Tree over the weekend, but then found some more decorations I wanted to add onto it... So will look to post my photos this week in case you want to get started on your very own Easter tree!

Enjoy,

image via house to home

Wardrobe Love...or Edit.

I'd like a colourfully organised wardrobe like this... especially the clear front drawers, very nifty indeedy! Having working in the fashion industry for many years I have been privy to some substantial discounts and great samples. Needless to say I am wardrobe real-estate poor... but contents rich, and continually edit through various stages & changes in my life!

What do you think of your wardrobe? Love the content - Hate the housing, or Hate the contents - Love the Housing? Or do you just need to de-clutter & edit,edit, edit??

------------------------

Think about the 3 Main Piles When Editing...
1. Keep It - ONLY It Fits you, is flattering and isn't out-of-date - remember that 'old n'daggy' is not vintage! 

2. Sell It on EBay -Clothing Flea Markets, or Give to Charity - well kept clothing without tears or stains donate it to your favourite clothing charity.

3. Toss It - if it doesn't fit - doesn't suit you - out of date - stained or unable to be mended and not worthy of charitable means > Get rid of it!

Et Voila - done!

-----------------------------------

Sometimes easier to write than do... but think of it this way if you're holding onto old stuff that isn't adding anything to your wardrobe life then you're preventing newness and fabulous items that will suit into your life. If the wardrobe is one area this is happening - what other areas in your home or life could this apply to.... Hmmm something to ponder.  

Enjoy,

images via coastal living, mark burstyn, decorpad, house to home, home beautiful, sarah gilbourne design, bh&g, robin bell designs.

La Vie Est Belle, c'est très vrai!

From The Love Shop

'Life is Beautiful ' ~ c'est très vrai [very true] ....

I lurvvve these fabulous prints [esp the one above] by talented JJ of The Love Shop on Etsy, based in Melbourne Australia. Visit HERE for The Love Shop, oh and JJ has a sale on today too be sure to check it out.

Enjoy,

image via the love shop via etsy

2011 Bonds Baby Search... The Polls Are Closing Today at 12noon!

It's your last chance to cast & confirm your very important vote for the 2011 Bonds Baby Search for Miss Isabelle... click here to vote.

Polls Close at 12 noon [Australian Eastern Standard Time] today - 17th March 2011!

Remember if you cast your vote to ensure you check your email InBox or Junk filter for an email from Bonds to confirm your vote. If you don't confirm your vote it won't count!

On that note I I want send a BIG BIG Palatial Thank You to all of you who have kindly voted for Miss Isabelle in this fun competition...

Although we have no expectations of winning it's been a fun thing to do, and allowed me to capture some cute photos of my crawling baby girl and show her off to you - like any good biased mummy!

So if you haven't had chance to vote - jump on this LINK HERE and cast your vote.

Thanks again for having some fun with me!

images by sarah verity, verandah home & garden living solutions

Opening Night... Jodee Knowles is a Friend of Leon.

- Friends of Leon Gallery Window -
by exhibiting artist Jodee Knowles

Are you going to  Friends of Leon Gallery for Jodee Knowles Opening Night 17th March 2011 6-8pm?

Perth Artist Jodee Knowles will showcase her latest works at Friends of Leon Gallery in Surry Hills Sydney. Knowles is one of the hottest emerging artists in Australia today having exhibited all over the world. This is Jodee's second show, 'Independent of Time', at Friends of Leon Gallery, and gallery owner & curator [and also artist] Leon Krasenstein couldn't be more pleased with Knowles second coming - so to speak!

Here's a smidgen of her stunning, surreal pieces... be quick as many of them have been sold already! The exhibition opening is this evening from 6-8pm at the Friends of Leon Gallery located in Sydney's inner city suburb at 82 Marlborough Street Surry Hills 2010. Look out for Jodee's work on Leon's Gallery windows - he always requests exhibiting artists to paint the front & side gallery windows making a real opening statement!

You Have Come to Mean to Me as
Little as Everyone Else. SOLD

Chole

Independent of Time . SOLD

If you're unable to make it this evening the Friends of Leon Gallery is open for public view on  Thursday 11-6pm, Friday 11-6pm and Saturday 11-2pm; or for another time & appointment with Leon please contact him on + 61 2 403 248 978.

Hope you can make it!

Enjoy,

all images courtesy of my friend, Leon - Friends of Leon Gallery