Home Beautiful: Colour Book

Freshly arrived on the news stands is the Home Beautiful "Colour Book", which, as well as featuring my own home (in the Whimsical colour trend chapter), is jam packed full of images which have me drooling for their colour inspiration to die for...

Many thanks to editor Rosanne Peach at HB for keeping me in the loop and for doing such a beautiful job!

If you are stuck for colour in your home, this book is a must to inspire something elegant, bold, fun... or even whimsical! It starts here... go for it!

I'm drinking in every page, Love Nina x

Helloooooooo.... spotted this morning on Canberra's online auction site Allbids, a repeat of multiple offerings of Harry Bertoia side chairs in white. Word is they are the real deal, and I am crying inside because my house cannot possibly fit another chair... or can Nina make room for these?...

So in love, maybe it's time to update my dining room, now with huge extendable table and already earmarked for an enormous painting on the wall, the white chairs would look pretty amazing here... and I would finally have all matching chairs!... hmm...

I think I talked myself into it! Don't outbid me ok?

Love Nina x

Got it: Luft wall decals

Well who could possibly resist???

Luft wall decal set in white, Kikki-K

I'm thinking these WHITE stickers will be perfect for my little boy's room as an addition to the hand painted white tree silhouette (on an adjacent wall though)...

Hugo's room has just been featured on gorgeous baby decore site Spearmint Baby ! He's out of the cot though and now sleeps in a convertible toddler bed (Ikea 'Vikare' - best thing ever).

Casa Ribena: In the begining

So now you've seen the Home Beautiful feature, I thought I'd take it back to the start and invite you to behind the curtains - before renovation! This was our very un blank canvas when we took possession...

Above left: The view just inside the front door, awash with purple candy, possibly indicating the demise of an oompa-loompa.
Above Right: Further down the hall, you just know this person watched too much "Changing Rooms".

Above Left: In the original 1969 kitchen, the splash back tiles had been thoughtfully stenciled

Above Right: and a little splash of sunshine through to the dining room made this a happy place - on pills.

Above: The grand lounge room, complete with attractive louvred doors, is just around the corner from the purple entry... ahh, soothing blue. Rest your eyes my dear, because you are about to cry when you see...

Above Left: The laundry, yes that is a particularly retina burning blood red orange, bordering on flourescent, stylishly teamed with navy blue GLOSS trim - hmmm special.
Above Right: The bathroom, complete with wall paper borders, fluer de lis and the essential lace curtain with PARROT PRINT curtains WTF??? The rest of the bathroom is basic white with and terracotta floor.

Above: Continuing the clever decorating elements into the bedrooms, here's a sampler of my favourites.

Above: And the magnificent built-in wardrobe in the main bedroom, gorgeous!

If you're keen to see the after photo's too, check out the video below (I do hope it works), or check out the pics here, here and here.

Ninaribena's House - Before and After from ninaribena on Vimeo.

Love Nina x

Home Beautiful magazine: Casa Ribena!

It's been the longest, and most agonising wait for me and finally it has arrived! Nearly 8 months ago Home Beautiful stylist Louise Owens and photographer Craig Wall came down to visit our fair city in a small car loaded to the roof with photographic equipment and a bucket full of beautiful flowers, to feature 2 Canberra homes for the magazine, one in Yarralumla, and one in lil' old Higgins.

In the May 2009, special colour issue (which hit the stands yesterday), and still to my husband's disbelief - 8 pages are dedicated to our humble abode (yes it's the one in West Belconnen). I can't tell you how simultaneously excited and nervy I am, but here it is... enjoy...

If you are new to Canberra's Got Style, welcome! And if you are keen to see more of my home, here are a few links to start you off... here... here... here... and here...

And, if I may just note a couple of small corrections: the floor plan incorrectly labels our outdoor deck area as the dining! if only I had that extra luxury of space.
And credit must go to Dylan's Granny for making his fabulous bedspread - she's such a clever thing - check out the secret pocket in it ...cute!

And stay tuned for the full before and after journey of our house, it's a doozy! You'll love it!

For now though, get your copy of the May issue of Australian Home Beautiful magazine, I hope you like it,

Love Nina x

New camera: corners of my home

Here are my first test shots using my replacement camera after my year old snapper died in a suspicious fall from the dining table. I am loving the results from this one, it just can't take a bad picture!!!

The detail it captures has always been beyond the capabilities of my skill/equipment... thank you Canon Powershot, will you marry me?
Love Nina x

Letterhead love

aWhat's new in the Canberra's Got Style office? Just arrived: black and white "Letterhead" fabric panels by talented Aussie textile designer Shannon Lamden of Aunty Cookie. I've made them into a set of divine little feature cushions...

They make a neat reference back to elements in the inspiration boards (a work in progress) above. Gorgeous!

Corners of my home