The Big SALE!

In My House, the extended pop-up shop, is sadly coming to the end of its lease in Berry.

The good news is that we have lots of amazing bargains for designers and home decorators. From big decorator statements like this amazing coral mirror, to gorgeous quilts and garden accessories. I have great new season map cushions plus plenty of beachy striped cushions - all at sale prices.

I even have shells and coral as well as french soaps and hand creams - there are lots of gorgeous things.

We can deliver to most parts of Sydney, the Southern Highlands, Illawarra and South Coast. We can also post to other parts of Australia.

There are also some lovely vintage pieces and furniture we have restored. Come and see us in Berry or give us a call or email!

Brands on sale include:

Ruby Star

Cath Kidston

Meizai

Savon de Marseilles

Styletto French stationery

Un Esprit En Plus

Pip Duck gumboots (50% off!)

In My House

Email: inmyhouse@bigpond.com

ph: 02 4464 1855

open 10am -4.30pm (every day except Tuesday)

The Screened Porch

I had never heard of screened porches until saw Grace Coddington's in a magazine many years ago. I have wanted one ever since. A friend of mine who lives in a mozzie-prone area near the beach has one and she lives out there most of the year.

We are planning such a porch at the end of our school house which will look out across the fields to the mountains. Here are some inspiring examples I thought I'd share.

Before and After

This is a great contrast between before and after in a renovation in upstate New York (from Country Living). The magazines don't seem to show the before shots much anymore, probably because they look so unattractive!

Anyway, I do love a before shot. I can relate...

Freelancing For Magazines

My good friend Allison over at Pink Fibro is what I would call a serious wordsmith. She is also a freelancer and did a post on breaking into this business which generated quite a bit of interest this week. Here is my two cents worth on the subject.

I am the first to admit that for the two of us, who have worked in glossies for many years, it is somewhat easier to crack this market as we already have the contacts and a "feel" for different publications.

If you have ambitions to contribute to magazines or newspapers, I would offer the following advice:

- try to write about what you are passionate about and the enthusiasm will shine through.

-what kind of writer do you want to be? are you a stylist as well? Do you write about houses or about general features as well? Have a focus. Know what area you wish to pursue.

- have a good look at the sort of stories the magazine/newspaper publishes and anticipate what THEY might be looking for, not what YOU think they should run.

-just pick the phone up and call the features editor or the homes editor. Who knows, you just might get through.

-always send in clean copy. If your copy is riddled with typos and spelling mistakes they will bin it.

-I usually put a suggested heading and introduction and sometimes breakout boxes if that is their style.

I have always been a writer of sorts although I spent most of my early magazine career on the visual side. Now I do both producing and styling as well as writing. And although I'm not as skilled a wordsmith as dedicated writers like Allison who writes on serious topics like finance and parenting, I do quite well in my niche of design and lifestyle because I am passionate about it and combining the visual with the words works well for me.

Room for A Dressing Room

Carrie Bradshaw's new old dressing room in SATC2.

Jenna Lyon's dressing room in a Brooklyn townhouse.

Carrie's bachelorette dressing room again.

The matrimonial dressing room in SATC2- fabulous but a bit precious for me.

My husband cannot understand why I have so many pairs of shoes, no matter how many times I have tried to explain it to him. I have stressed the practicality issue of having the right heel and colour for every occasion. How you have to keep a supply of dressy thongs (flipflops) and beach thongs for summer and boots for winter. Then there's high heels, kitten heels and cork platforms and wedges - all important to have on stand-by.

Then there's the archive. I have even kept a few pairs of fabulous designer favourites that don't really fit me since going up a size after becoming a mother. (Isn't that another strange motherhood mystery?).

So I am pondering the possibilites of having a dressing room which may have to share space with my home office. Jenna Lyons (J.Crew style maven) has converted a whole room in her townhouse to hers. Even gals in tight New York apartments find room for them. And then there is Carrie Bradshaw's in SATC.

I would settle for something like the closet in her bachelorette flat. In fact I would prefer it to the one she shares with Mr Big in the new digs. (I am not keen on men who have tie collections.)

What is your dressing room dream?

People in Rue

I don't know what it is but I love seeing real people in design magazines. Some design magazines avoid people at all cost and in some mags, the people are so "private" they couldn't possibly appear in print. How vulgar!

When I go along to other peoples' houses to shoot a story, meeting the owners is usually the biggest pleasure. Guilt over the frantic cleaning and tidying frenzy that has preceded our arrival aside, seeing the person behind the ideas and style is great fun and including them adds another level of interest to the pictures.

A great example of this is the launch issue of online magazine, RUE, which has a fabulous line up of personalities from all over the USA. Put together by a group of four design bloggers - two from Chicago and two from San Francisco - it embodies the spirit of blogging in a magazine format.

Go girls!

Cath does Watermelon

Just when I thought I had found the only shots in the world of watermelon rooms, up comes Cath Kidston's house in Lonny mag. I don't even think I have to get my paint brush out - this does it for me!

Back On Board

Day bed in a garden bure at LikuLiku

The Malolo bures above, have a "plantation" feel to them.

View from the hammock at Malolo.

Infinity pool at Likliku.

The lagoon at Likuliku with over-water bures.

I have just returned from just over a week away photographing houses and holidaying in beautiful Fiji.

The houses belonged to some very talented Brisbane girls and they will hopefully be appearing in some of your favourite lifestyle magazines soon.

I did get to stay at the Malolo Island resort in Fiji which has just been redecorated by Gold Coast designer Vanessa Wood. She has done a great job with the bures and the resort has a lovely restful, tradtional vibe.

We also got to pop over to the couples only resort next door, LikuLiku, which is just stunning. The over water bures are the only ones in Fiji and they even have glass floor panels so you can look down into the water.

I can recommend both these resorts - Malolo if you have kids and Likuliku if its just you and a special someone!