VIGNETTE STYLING WITH KARA ROSENLUND

a couple of weeks i go i signed up last minute to a vignette styling class at the school with the vignette styling queen herself, kara rosenlund.

i first fell in love with kara when i saw the pictures of her place. it is beautiful! you can check it out on the design files. she is a super talented photographer and stylist, and she is so friendly and so willing to share her thoughts. it is so nice to meet such amazing people who are friendly and who are happy to help you out!

the afternoon started with kara taking us through her five steps to create a successful vignette that catches your eye and makes you stop to look deeper, instead of just skimming over it. she then styled a vignette in front of us. it was so refreshing to hear her think out loud, chop and change things as she went - it made it feel achievable. the outcome was the below vignette, did you notice that you stopped on that image instead of just scrolling straight past? she is so good!!

we then had a sneaky afternoon tea (megan morton is always one for putting on a good snack!) and gave it a go ourselves (no pressure, right?). The below ones are some created by others who were there, and i think they all did a really good job.

and then this one is what i came up with. while i could have gone for all things vintage in neutral and muted tones, i know that all of the stuff i have in my house is not that. i am drawn to strong yellows and oranges and pinks and blues so i thought that, to make the best use of the afternoon, i should get some handy hints on using things that are more similar to what is in my house. i think it came up ok, and i definitely learnt some things. kara and megan assure us we will be able to apply these tricks anywhere. so here goes for all my future photos! what do you think?

A CHARMING RENTAL

i know, i know, where have i been? i am one of those people who become really into things for a while and then i kind of come out of the cocoon and back to reality. well here i am, semi back in reality after discovering a new series of books. i am still reading (its currently a 7 book series with each book being about a thousand pages (literally!)). i am, however, determined to get back to reality as much as i would like to live in book land forever!

i started going back through all the blog posts i'd missed from the last few weeks and came across this cute vintage home. i think what captured me the most is that it is a rental. granted, work has been done by those renting it, but they have made it home for them and a charming home it is. and one of the most exciting things about a fantastic rental is that it doesn't seem so far out of reach - imagine what you could do to your place, rental or no!!!!!

image: house nerd via desire to inspire

image: house nerd via desire to inspire

image: house nerd via desire to inspire

image: house nerd via desire to inspire

image: house nerd via desire to inspire

image: house nerd via desire to inspire

image: house nerd via desire to inspire

 this is nelly's home. nelly is an interior designer (twinkle and whistle) who has been renting this cottage and has transformed it, but not by breaking the bank. there is a mix of everything from vintage ebay finds, to ikea finds, to an eames chair! granted, they had some great starting points - floorboards, high ceilings, fireplaces etc., but that on its own has not made for the beautiful home you can see above. vintage and new have been mixed up, the space has been personalised and there are some lovely warm colours throughout.

SHOPS I LOVE: MARKETS

Who doesn't love a good vintage market find? Or a handmade special something? Something preloved or something that can be transformed into something else.

The markets in Sydney that I have spent time at include:

The Finders Keepers

Held twice a year, these art and design markets are lovely... so many beautiful hand crafted goodies. All sellers are independent designers and creators who make all of their own products. Pretty much without fail i will buy several brooches, a print etc. whenever i go. Markets also occur biannually in Melbourne and Brisbane.

http://www.thefinderskeepers.com/sydney_markets.php 

Paddington Markets
Every Saturday from 10am at 395 Oxford Street. A bit more upmarket (ha! a funny!), these markets contain handmade arts, crafts, clothes, jewellery etc. there are some seriously nice things here, but it is more pricey as you are paying for something unique and handmade. A feature piece maybe?
http://www.paddingtonmarkets.com.au/

Rozelle Markets
These markets happen every Saturday and Sunday between 9am and 4pm at Rozelle Public School. Bric a brac, collectables and second hand. There are some jewels among the large volumes of stuff. Like most markets of this nature, sometimes you win, sometimes not so much. Vintage suitcases, old doilies, silverware, letterpress letters, clothes etc.
http://www.rozellemarkets.com.au/

Etsy, Made It and &Able
Online markets. I know, its not the same as a leisurely walk through stores of hand made goodies, but there is soooo much lovely stuff. Etsy is a worldwide option with tonnes of beautifully handcrafted and vintage things, while Made It is like an Australian version of Etsy. &Able is similar again, but it also helps to fund micro loans for people in need.
http://www.etsy.com/
http://www.madeit.com.au/
http://www.andable.com/

SHOPS I LOVE: AFFORDABLE

I am all about mixing it up. There are not many who can afford a home full of expensive designer furniture and homewares, and you can still have a lovely home without breaking the bank 1,000 times over. I find that these stores are great for picking up things that might complement a feature piece. I have purchased from all of these stores and am happy with how they work together with my handmade pieces and the few splurge items I have picked up along the way!

Ikea
Who knew how many looks you could get from an Ikea catalogue! They have so much in so many different styles that there will be something that goes with what you already have! And really, all these products are kind of designer still (it's all designed in Sweden), just without the price tag. Ikea work hard to ensure that they make nice pieces that are affordable.
Unfortunately you can't purchase online, but check out the web to see if there is a store close by.
www.ikea.com

West Elm
A recent discovery with the help of one of my friends from the states. Well made, contemporary, funky and fun furniture and homewares that don't cost a gazillion dollars. If you are lucky enough to live in Sydney, they have just opened a store with Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma (also great stores but a little more pricey) in Bondi. If you are not in Sydney, they ship anywhere in Australia. They don't have all the products you can get in the states, but they are continually expanding the range to include more of what you can get overseas.
www.westelm.com.au or, if you aren't in Australia, www.westelm.com

Target
An unlikely candidate I know, but sometimes you can pick up that something that you are looking for. I bought a nice tall silver lantern from there for $30 or something and you would never know. Try it out from time to time and you might just get lucky! You can now shop online, but there should also be a store near you!
http://www.target.com.au/html/homepage/home_fw.htm

Typo
Trendy paper goods and home decor items, Typo is a goodie! Lots of cute little accent items that can be worked into your setup! i particularly like the strings of 10 lanterns, some of which are patterned. the patters change from time to time. Maybe just also keep in mind to check the quality of the item you are buying prior to purchasing. I've had mostly good things but the occasional item that doesn't last long.
http://shop.cottonon.com/shop/typo/