I admit, I am addicted to beauty products - but if there is one thing that I love just as much, and if anything I have actually loved even longer, it is home decor. I am Danish after all, so I think that a love for design runs in my blood, so I simply love collecting special pieces for my home that I know I'll love for a long time.
We have a new large contemporary home, and some very large class that are still bare, looking for the right artworks to fill them… But I’ve now come across the coolest artwork wetsite ever - Photowall...
..Spider-man, Spider-man…Does whatever a spider can…Spins a web, any size…Catches thieves, just like flies…Look out! Here comes the Spider-man….!!!
I am not sure if it is a boy thing, but my two little boys are so into super heroes, including Spider-man and the Marvels. I can understand the older one, who will be turning 4 years old in two months time, but the little one yet to turn 2, would surely be more into the likes of Winnnie the Pooh - but no, he wants to do what big brother does - so when we decorated big brothers room and walls with Spider-man and Marvels Avengers, needless to say that his had to be done too. And thanks to Roommates Wall stickers from Childsmart, you can do pretty anything you like and create any theme your little one likes.
I will never forget that in our old house, we decorated the nursery with some cute wall decals - and when we sold the house, we wanted to remove the decals and take them with us - but quickly gave up when we discovered that removing them would mean damaging the wall!
The Roommates Wall Stickers are very different - they are of a premium quality and unique in that they have been designed using a special adhesive that grip the wall tightly, but without leaving behind residue or damage once removed. This innovative feature allows Roommates wall stickers to be removed easily and repositioned on any smooth surface, including walls, cabinets and doors, without reducing the quality of the design, or damaging the walls in the process. Now how brilliant is that.
That means that you can decorate with one character now, and once the kid grows, you can quickly and easily remove and replace with something else the kid may be into at the time.
We placed the Ultimate Spider-Man Peel & Stick Wall Decal above our big boys bed (see first picture). And now he is huge, measuring over 1.3 meters tall and almost 86 centimetres wide, so he makes such a huge impact when you walk into the room.
The huge decal includes a 7-pieces which makes it easier to put together, than managing one large one. And it also comes with 2 smaller Spider-Man graphics, a Spider-Man head-shot, three spiders, and decals with "Ultimate Spider-Man" in 2 different fonts.
Above little brother's cot, we placed the Spider-Man Webhead, which is equally impressive, measuring 66 centimetres tall and almost 80 centimetres wide. This wall decal is made up of large head in the centre, while the web surrounding it, is made from several parts to make applying it so much easier. The pack also comes with several extra parts including smaller Spider-Men, Spiders, and wording such as "Web Head", "Crime Fighter" and "Spider Man".
We generally mixed and matched the two sets, as we found it best, and also leaving the small spiders off the walls for now, until we know for sure that big black spiders wont be scaring them off.
Finally, around their wardrobe doors, we also applied a pack with some Marvel Avengers. The pack comes with 28 smaller decals, which is a lot, so we did apply the majority onto big brother's, but still made sure to give little brother a few too, so he didn't feel left out. This particular pack includes individual decals of among others Captain America, Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, several 'group decals' as well as their names in writing and symbols too. This is a fantastic pack too, as it will transform a room within minutes Overall we are so impressed with these wall decals from Roommates, as they are really of premium quality, and we really like that we can easily remove them, and even replace them again and again if we like. Not that that is likely to be required for quite some time, as both boys love their 'new' rooms so much, and won't stop talking about how cool the characters are.
We can only highly recommend these, regardless of the theme you are after. And there are so many different characters available including Winnie The Pooh, Buzz, Lightyear, Tinkerbell, Cars, pirates, princesses, flowers, you name it! And the best part is that you can apply them as you like as they are individual stickers, and you can add different sets that can be mixed and matched together too, to fit the room and create a customised space. And when you, or your kid don't like anymore, simply remove them again.
Knowing that there are heaps of the other smaller coordinating packs available with both Spider-Man and the Avengers, I have no doubt that we’ll need to add more to our two boys' rooms in the very near future.
Today I am going to tell you about the coolest little bean bags for babies little toddlers called Chibebe Snuggle Pods..
The Chibebe's products are designed in-house from scratch in Australia (not very far from where I live!!), and are made with the cutest and most adorable covers made from the best quality you can imagine.
A bean bag for babies.. I'm sure you wonder, can that really be safe - but believe me it is. These bean bags are made to the highest of standards and meet the stringent USA and Australian Standards, so you can rest assured that your child will be safe.
One of the clever things about the Chibebe Snuggle Pods is that you can build your own, and have it look just the way you want it, by following these steps;
Choose the seat design
Choose the Seat type
Choose the seat colour
The bean bag comes in a special, almost 'bean shape', which is designed to help the baby sit in a slightly elevated position and hence help prevent reflux. But it also helps flathead symptoms thanks to the soft seat.
When you purchase a Snuggle Pod, it comes with the seat that has a harness for the baby, and hence why it is safe to use - but it also comes with a spare toddler seat (without the harness) for when the child is able to sit unassisted, and this is what my boys are using. It also comes with an inner bag for the beans (it doesn’t automatically come with the beans, but you can order those separately by contacting Chibebe, or you can purchase those cheap in stores such as Kmart and BigW). That the beans are in an inner bag, means that can easily remove the cover when it gets dirty.
My boys are too old, but if you have a baby, you'll love that you can also add a pod rocker to make it work like a kind of rocking chair, as well as you can add a pod warmer, which is a little blanket zipped onto the pod.
These Snuggle Pods were initially intended to go upstairs in our boys bedroom - but they very quickly moved downstairs into our family room where the boys love to use them when they sit and watch TV, read books, or simply have their afternoon snacks. They think it is so cool having something that is theirs, and they are clearly comfortable too, as they keep going back to them during the day. As a parent, I love that I know my boys are safe in these - the youngest is not yet 2 years old, and not big enough to climb onto the couch yet himself, and I always worry when he tries to get down - but when he is sitting in the Snuggle Pod, I know he can easily get in and out of it whenever he wants. As a bonus, I also love that these Snuggle Pods are kind to the house and do not scratch floors, walls and furniture as they are being moved around - and of course the fact that they look stylish at the same time. I also love that this bean bag can grow with my boys, and they'll be able to use it many years to come, tough we may have to remove some of the beans to make it more comfortable for them as they get bigger.
So if you have a little one and want to give them their own little chair in either their own room or to use somewhere else in the house, you really should check out these Snuggle Pods. Personally I just wish that I'd come across then when my boys were babies, as they would without a doubt have loved lying in it - and if you get already when you've got a baby, it just makes it even more value being able to be able to continue using it as the child grows. Chibebe Snuggle Pod - RRP: 99 Chibebe Pod Rocker - RRP: $39 Chibebe Pod Warmer - RRP: $49 Available from Chibebe and select stockists
* Products have been kindly provided for consideration, and have reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.
Last year we moved into our new house. And I cannot begin to say how much I love our new house, that we had designed and built, just the way we want it. I love our monochrome colour scheme with the slightly raw industrial feel with the polished concrete floors.
Apart from, you guess it, beauty products, one of my other passions are home wares, and I am always on the hunt for stylish and simple things that will look great in my home. Not just today and tomorrow, but long-term. So I always look for cleverly designed classic things that I won't get tired of looking at in a hurry.
One of the things I've been loving lately is items made from concrete or cement - the simplistic raw look is so lovely, and needless to say, looks perfect in my house. Including the Haven Reed Lantern, which is an industrial inspired range.
The lantern is made from cement and has a stunning design, that looks just incredible on the table outside, or as I'm using it when we're not in the garden, on display inside.
The lantern has a glass tube insert inside where you can place a candle, (and stop it from both blowing out, or spilling!), and it simply has such a raw minimalistic design, and it is the perfect way to add a touch of raw industrial edge to any indoor or outdoor space.
Just over a year ago we moved into our brand new house, which we had designed and built just how we like it. Throughout the house we've endeavoured to keep simplistic lines, and with a monochrome theme (with a few touches of timer thrown in), along with our polished concrete floors. And even a year after moving in, I wouldn’t change a thing. I realise that at some point I may get over this stage, but then the beauty of the white, grey and black theme is that it will work with just about any colour of texture that you add to it, so the options are endless.
And what's better to put into the Utensil Holder than the Ladelle Classic Utensils. These are super stylish utensils, which are made with beech wood handles, and silicone heads, which are heat resistant and wont melt while cooking. They sit well in the hands, and unlike other utensils, the handles don't heat up during cooking due to being made from timber. Unfortunately there are only four different ones available, personally I would love to see a few more including different sized spoons and a spatula too, but regardless, I'm loving the utensils with the white heads as they look stunning contrasting the black utensil holder and the black subway tiles in my kitchen, but they are also available in red, charcoal and stone.
Finally, what's doing dishes without a tea towel, but again, why do they always have to be so ugly and 'granny-like', doesn't exactly suit my modern house. Not the newest range of Ladelle Microfibre Glass Cloths. They are made from ultra soft microfibre, which are super absorbent, and leave your glasses and dishes streak free and without any fluff or lint left behind by the towel. They are super simple, just how I like it, with the only decoration being the simplistic Ladelle label, that can also serve as a little hook to hang the towel. They are available in several colours, including black, red, stone and white.
Overall, I am really enjoying these Ladelle items in my kitchen as they are both functional and super stylish, and of such high quality too. I highly recommend that you check them out, and personally I will check out the rest of their huge range in the search for other cool items.
Ladelle Oliver Tablet Stand/Utensil Holder – RRP: $24.95 Ladelle Classic Soft Matt Soap Dispenser/Brush – RRP: $29.95 Ladelle Classic Utensils Range – RRP$12.95ea Ladelle Microfibre Kitchen Towel – RRP: $10.95
For more information or for stockists call the Ladelle Customer Service team 03 9751 6700 or visit Ladelle Online
* Products have been kindly provided for consideration, and have reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.
I have mentioned previously, love modern design objects, including in
particular the simplistic Scandinavian designs.
On my recent trip, I went a little crazy....usually I buy heaps of
clothes and shoes, but as the winter clothes was already in the shops, and I
was so over winter, and looking forward to coming back to Melbourne's spring, I
resisted buying things that would just end up in the wardrobe for 6 months.
Instead I went design shopping...
Those who know me, know that I love my two fur-kids to bits, my two
beautiful Labradors - in spite of the huge vet bills, and a constant fight of
keeping the floors free from dog hairs, my two dogs really are beautiful.
And then I saw Oscar...
Oscar was designed by Danish Hans Bølling 1953, and has just earlier this year started being made again by ARCHITECTMADE, which specialises in the production and promotion of products designed by architects from the 1950's and 60's. Oscar's body and head are made out of
beechwood and his ears and tail are made of brown leather, his eyes are part
maple wood and part wenge wood.
Oscar the cocker spaniel is a token of the fun and playfulness found in real pets, and he is a proof that modern design can be humorous and expressive, yet be a harmonious aesthetic and timeless design object.
Sit! Paw! Drop!
Oscar's body can be arranged so that he does everything a normal dog would. He can sit, paw, drop, scrawl, beg, or even sulk in the corner if you have been away from him for too long.
Oscar is a little temperamental, and he can also be very cheeky, but he is always happy and loyal, so
you can’t help but love him unconditionally.
And not having to worry about adding to the vet bills, or the constant dog hairs on the floor, Oscar is the perfect pet...
I love design objects, and in particular modern and quirky design.
Often I fall for the simplistic designs Scandinavian designs, so every year
when I go back to Europe; I usually tend to bring back a few new treasures.
This trip was no different. Well it was. You see, I had one of
these when I was a little girl….over three decades ago! And I loved it, but the
somehow I lost it. So when I saw that they were in fact being made again, I was
very excited, I just had to have one. Well two, as one on its own would get
rather lonely...
The cheerful, sweet Hoptimists were originally designed by Danish Hans Gustav Ehrenreich (1917-1984) in 1968. In keeping with the spirit of the day, his figures were characterised by their bright colours and rounded shapes.The Hoptimists were originally produced from 1968-1974, and in 2009, the world-famous Hoptimists were relaunced, and the fact that they are now available again, to me makes them true design classics.
I cannot believe that I did not see them three years ago! And yes, they are world-famous, because they are sold all over the world (see below), and well, even Australia's very own Kylie Minogue has one:
The Hoptimists were designed to make people smile. Most smiles start with another
smile. Hoptimists smile at you and wait for your response: maybe a smile,
perhaps a teensy nudge to bring the figure to live. They respond by bouncing up
and down, powered by surplus energy.
Bimle is the girl with the squinting eyes, while Bumle is the boy with the big eyes and the little antenna on the top of his head.
My
Hoptimists are on the coffee table, and each time one of the dogs passes
wagging their tails, the Hoptimists start bouncing a little, and they always
manage to make me smile back.
The
Hoptimists are available for purchase online, and yes, they ship to Australia
as well!
Have
you ever seen a Hoptimist before?
Do
you have design favourite in your house that always brings a smile to your
face?
