A time to give to others.....

Yesterday i visited my grandmother who is 97 at her nursing home she is in the Alzheimer's section (defiantly where I'm heading!) as soon as i arrived my heart skipped a beat there was my grandmother and other elderly men and woman singing xmas carols and having a great time, my sister was with me as we also sang the look on all there faces was appreciation that two young girls were singing with them, one older man told the nurse how my sister was a spitting image of his daughter and he couldnt take his eyes off her, i sat there wondering how many grandchildren or children bother to see them, and how desperate they are to be heard and not forgotten! i have told all my kids that on xmas day after pressies we are going to take platters of homemade xmas treats and we are going to visit all the Oma's and Opa's at the dutch village (where my grandmother lives) for just an hour! I think the experience is going to touch there hearts too and make our xmas even more special.

Inspirations....

I have used this gorgeous DG wall-paper in my daughter Lexi's room on two walls and the other walls i painted in a mustard yellow, its such a beautiful colour and her room looks young, fresh and girlie (which was her request, strictly no pink,thankfully i have 3 other daughters to at least use pink) i covered her bed-head in a beautiful aqua linen piped in white, ill post some images soon! but the real reason i posted this photo is the use of scattered vases with hand picked flowers, this is by far my favourite (in-expensive) decorating tool, the fun of raiding granny's cupboard, hitting the markets to find vintage bottles and antique crystal vases is so much fun and looks great on a coffee table, sideboard or in my case my little lily has a collection and we collect flowers together to put in the vases and she just loves it (and she is only 3, okay on the odd occasion she has plucked off every petal!)

Every year i buy a new journal, it may just be to note a great book i've read or my goals for the year, motivational quotes,something funny lily did or simply my ideas and inspirations both personally and in my work, i have just ordered for the store these beautiful Designer guild journals and notecards, they are just so beautiful! (in-store soon)

just some ideas!

I have put together some ideas that i love using for Xmas, buying plain white or silver bon-bons and adding fabric bows or using gorgeous gro-grain ribbons, even adding pretty paper to the centre. This Xmas i have had my family names put on to silver heart decorations as a keepsake that they can re-use every year and hopefully keep for-ever i place one on every place setting in a special box, i love beautiful vintage pieces so i decided this year that would be my theme lots of crystal, silver and white.

A white xmas

Christmas is definitely the best time of year at lily-g our store comes alive with Xmas shoppers buying pressies, decorating there tree and planning there Xmas table even buying a party dress or Xmas day out-fit!This year our decorations were stunning so much so they sold out in the first few weeks, beautiful silver and mercury decorations, mouth blown glass balls were a huge hit! i often tell my customers that if you keep the decorations silver, glass etc..by just changing the ribbon you can create a different colour scheme on your tree every year whether you use aqua and white ribbon or navy and hot pink or simply just white and silver! This year I'm doing a white colour scheme and making Xmas stockings out of left over designer fabrics like the picture above!

the other side of our newsletter

With out a doubt Ralph Lauren made Navy and White fashionable, personally in my opinion its stylish, classy and timeless and i can honestly say i never get tierd of it, so i had to feature it one more time, our ginger jars ,navy and white beach towels and deck chairs have finally arrived (at-last i'm sorry for the delay) I have been asked by so many customers if they can purchase on-line especially our interstate customers, next year we definately will provide our customers that service by logging on to our web-site you will be notified of all up-coming events happening in the new year and there are plenty!

summer essentials at lily-g

Its been over a month since i posted my last blog, with store renovations under way, interior work, my new house and lily-g being busier than ever i haven't had a chance to blog! my first post is our newsletter "essentials this summer at lily-g" lots of natural linen, aqua and white printed tablecloths and linen, glassware and accessories galore to give any home a summer feel!

Alana's Blog

At lily-g we not only have a blog focused on interior decorating we also will be working on a blog for all our loyal fashionista's, whilst i love wearing gorgeous clothes I'm more excited over a chair than a new dress! so because Alana is the fashion Queen this is going to be her blog and I'm focusing on the interiors! We have changed our direction in fashion focusing on fashion labels that are not mass produced, stunning jewellery and accessories!so keep a look out on our web-site www.lily-g.com.au

my new blog.........

I have stumbled over the best blogs in the late hours of the night and found the most gorgeous blogs and sites, this blogging is very addictive i must say or put simply I really need a life!!!!!! so i have decided to put my blogging to good use, so many of our customers ask us advice on what colour to paint a bedroom, how to dress a table? decorating tips etc..or simply what new pieces have arrived in store...

whats ahead...

I'm kind of glad this week has come to an end, I'm in the process of finalising all my interior work for the year to turn my focus back on to lily-g.... for those who know me i am known for taking on way too much and i never can say "no" its just not in my vocab! but today i turned down an incredible business opportunity and to be honest i hated every minute of it! two and a half years ago i started lily-g as a bit of fun and very few people thought i could survive in its location including me! but typical of me no business plan, no staff and just incredible doses of inspiration lily-g opened its doors and has never looked back! but we have out grown our space and we are now doubling in size with lots of changes and a whole new look! our fashion is moving to the front of the store and the existing fashion area will be a new Miss lily section of beautiful home wares and accessories for little girls. Our home wares will be in a much bigger new store and the mezzanine level will be our new interior section of furniture,wall-papers and fabrics. Our store will open in January for trading with our grand opening in February but ill keep you posted. I recently found this picture of a store in Denmark that i love, classic,stylish and homey....not over decorated, the style i love most!

l'plunge

One of the seven treatment rooms at l'plunge Day-spa. This room has a seating area to relax before you start your treatment, the fireplace sits opposite with the treatment room to the side, each room has been decorated differently, i have had problems downloading my photos on to my blog so ill post lots more images as soon as possible.

Adding the final touch

Karen is adding the final touch before the opening of her Day-spa finally its ready to open!

L'plunge

more coral images i love

Coral placed in an all white room just adds the perfect textures to give this home a more coastal feel.

adding texture to white

I recently worked on a clients home where we added clusters of coral and candles on a sideboard, we used mainly white and natural finishes through-out the home and the coral just finished it off beautifully especially when the candles were lit, it looks great under a tall glass dome too!

A more casual chandelier

This is the new chandelier in-store in a few weeks, casual and perfect on your veranda would look great in a beach house too!

Lunch any-one!

I just love this image again from Rachel Ashwell but what female wouldn't love to sit around with a special group of friends for lunch or a high tea in this pretty setting, all white lots of silver and candles and white flowers set the scene!

wooden chandelier

I really am obsessed with slip covers! I want to slip cover everything at the moment!!!!!!!

but I posted this image because I have just purchased for the shop a very similar chandelier its made out of wood, lime washed with little wooden beads perfect for on a veranda!

I'm loving aqua and white at the moment its so fresh and summery this is another image from Rachel Ashwell, I haven't visited her site in quiet awhile but while browsing on my favourite blog www.cotedetexas.blogspot.com I came across some images which inspired me to check out her web-site and it didn't disappoint it was great to see she still has that gorgeous homey feel but less fussy and much easier to live with!

A little bit too pretty for me, but this image from Rachel Ashwell's is just so gorgeous i couldn't resist posting it!

Summer Days

I'm so glad summer is nearly here the days are already warmimg up and at lily-g we are busy un-packing lots of boxes and filling our shelves with our new summer ranges which will be instore in the next few weeks so to help me get into the mood i'm posting some favourite summer images! i just love this setting!

a great weekend

I had every intention on going for a picnic this week-end but instead we spring cleaned cupboards and had a massive throw out, much to my childrens horror! I'm definately not a hoarder and i just got in one of those moods. I must be crazy as I work 6 days a week but they all couldnt understand how i would enjoy doing such a task but i did and it feels great!

simply done!

I have just ordered a similar sofa for my new home but with a slip cover, I so wanted a white lounge but instead I settled for two white slip covers on my chairs and natural coloured linen for my sofa, crazy I must be with my children but I'm making my chairs a no go zone for my kids wish me luck! I love the all white floor and the racked ceilings, simply done it would make the perfect beach house!

l'plunge Day-spa

I haven't blogged for a few weeks because I have been busy doing the final touches to an interior design project i have been working on for some time, one of my best friends had a dream and I was privileged to be part of it, it has been so much fun and we made a great team, some times our ideas were different but it only made it all that much better, Karen had a vision and was unstoppable! but together with lots of friends l'plunge is no longer the dream! I know she will be a huge success I'm so proud of her and all she has achieved!

On a final note....

This image from Day-home collection is a true reflection of my style, Navy and white, touches of silver,candles and lots of coral and shells!

"Day" Birger et Mikkelsen

Day by Birger Et Mikkelsen is our new fashion label in store early next year, the summer 08 range is so stunning i wanted it all! in fact i think i bought it all even shoes and accessories! we were one of a select few chosen to stock Day. Summer 08 seems like such a long way but in the fashion world we are busy buying winter and our international labels a year in advance. I'm often amazed how fashion and interior design seem to follow each other in both fabric,colour and design. One of the most exciting parts of my job is being exposed to both and it has given me lots of insight into the next big thing! a hint lots and lots of white and much to my delight Navy is big! Day home has not hit our shores just yet but there beautiful candles and room sprays are simply devine and arrive at lily-g next month!

Day Birger

Loose natural linen covers look great with navy cushions the mix is beautifully blended to create a coastal feel.

more of my favourite kitchens......

Another fan, had this kitchen modelled from the movie,how great would it be to have a kitchen as big as this!

Love the windows

how amazing are the beautiful doors, one fan of the movie hired a helicopter to fly over the Hamptons to find the house and offered to buy it, but the owners said it wasn't for sale! the actual inside how-ever are only movie sets and were demolished after the movie, wouldn't you love to be at that garage sale!

Somethings gotta give.........

I know!!! I'm a little obsessed by this amazing house in the movie "somethings gotta give" but as it was on TV last night I couldn't help myself to blog about it. i just love the whole house and don't get me started on the kitchen!

my dream beach house

This is definately my dream beach house i love it , i guess i better keep dreaming for now anyway!

inspiration...

Today was the perfect rainy day to "pull a sicky" as I am the boss I found hundreds of reasons why I should go to work and lots of excuses why I didn't go! Dont get me wrong i love what i do but with building my home, extending my shop, interior jobs galore, my six kids, enough is enough, so I spent the day blogging and had lots of laughs as like minded woman blog away in there spare time. (what spare time!) I discovered today so many inspiring mums who have chosen to stay home with there kids but have created hobbies that have turned out to be serious businesses! they are a true inspiration and there creative talents are amazing. Today i bought for our store a bunch of gorgeous raggerty dolls each with there own personalities, handmade out of vintage fabrics each doll being completely unique, in a over commercialised world i hope lots of little girls learn the secret of just using there imagination and simply playing with there dolls!

our new collection

This natural linen slip cover is our new range of slip covered furniture arriving in store, we have beautiful slip cover dining chairs,bar stools and lounges, under the slip cover is a fully upholstered linen chair, so it is so easy to change the fabric on the slip cover to any colour of fabric you want.

slip covers

For our new children's area i have upholstered a wing back chair in gorgeous soft pink linen but i have finished the bottom in a frill in the same fabric to make it girlie and the feet painted white, i have beautiful white linen cushions made with pink french scroll embroidered to the front in the initials LG. I'm having one also made for my daughter lily and i have matched her bed-head in the same pink linen and piped the edges in white, its all very pink but her room is contrasted in lots of white, ill post an image as soon as its finished!

slip covers

slip covers are such a great idea for childrens rooms, a more grown up chair that they can snuggle up on and read a book but can easily be changed as they grow older for a different look.

more of my favourite childrens rooms...

lots of white

As much as i need to venture into more colour every time i find an image i must keep "its white" my closest friends are the same we all love white! what is it? perhaps it just the perfect back-drop to add beautiful textures and subtle colour to any decor, I work with fabrics in both fashion and interiors and at the moment I'm busy buying summer clothes for"2008" crazy but imports you must order a year in advance (not easy when summer 07 is just arriving in store now) the good news is lots of white is the next big thing! i love this image from Elle magazine simple but so easy to live in.

Style Hunter

Today we recieved our copy of STYLE HUNTER...which featured our store Lily-g in there ultimate guide to the best home accessories, furniture and design shops in Australia! What a fantastic idea! I was so excited to see our store listed.

love this wall-paper

Another Designer guild wall-paper we used at the day-spa, we have teamed it back with aqua but this paper would look great with natural linens and white as well! My daughter Jess loves this wall-paper too and we are using it in her new room, she loves all things vintage and we have having so much fun together looking for treasures from all our favourite antique stores!

designer guild wall-paper

I'm finally at the end of a huge interior design project i have been working on for several months, i was asked to help set up a retail gift store and to completely renovate a gorgeous but very old 3 story building for a day-spa and whilst it has been challenging ( busy with other interior jobs as well as my store) i have loved every minute of it especially working with my one of my dearest friends Karen. I will be posting lots of images of our gorgeous day-spa in the next few weeks. The Charcoal wall paper by designer guild (image above) is used in one of the treatment rooms and it looks gorgeous!
the charcoal wall paper above has been used in one of the rooms and looks absolutely amazing at lily-g we have a large
selection of wall-papers from Designer guild, Osborne & little, R&L and so may more

my second choice

Im always trying to achieve something abit different for my clients interiors but still keeping the look classic and stylish blending old with the new. I love the kitchen table in the middle of the kitchen as i child i have great memories of my family sitting around our country style table while mum chatted to us while she was cooking, this kitchen has a warm homely feel yet is still modern in design.

my new kitchen

well! it actually is not my kitchen but i have basically modelled my own kitchen around this design, at the last minute i changed the colour back to white ( i chickened out!) but i love the taupe colour and kind of regret that i played it safe but it will still look great i hope!

simply done

I love how this room is so simply done yet looks gorgeous im using a lot of sisal rugs at the moment with my decorating it creates a relaxed coastal feel

Navy for girls too!

who say's girls cant have navy, i just love the baskets hanging on the wall, simple but looks great!

little lily

Lily-g is about to have a massive change we are doubling in size to include a special area for our little lily's most of our products will be exclusive to lily-g with other items custom designed for us! i am busy finding images that inspire me and i loved how this room was put together!

working mums!

Today lots of new season summer fashion arrived in our store not to mention homewares galore, i was having trouble fitting in all our new stock! Our store was so busy and in the middle of the day a shelf decided to give way and stock went every-where!!! then the courier arrived with so many boxes i wanted to run out and put a closed sign on my door (where am i going to put all this stock????), then my son rang up feeling sick and needed me, yep! it didnt stop there! some time i wonder how us working mum's do it! thank goodness for my bottle of wine and i spent the night blogging away in between showing lily "winne the pooh web-sites", this image i posted for no real reason other than i loved it!

Collecting shells

India's family "scrap wall" is covered in postcards and treasured photographs,hanging on the wall is an old printers tray filled with shells that were found on the beach near her home in the Bahamas.

No more Hanging

What a great idea and definately one i will use, placing photo's and pictures on narrow shelves adds interest and saves lots of holes in the wall!

Old Framed photographs

We often think that we need to place family photo's on the wall, but i love the collection of images of places been, people who we have met and special things that have meaning to us.
The sofa is my favourite style loose covers are so easily changed for a different look!

India Hicks

I cant tell you how excited I was to find in the latest Belle magazine a feature on India Hicks and her home. In her article she quotes "I'm not about making loud statements" I say that often, her style is very similiar to my own. The collection of old framed photographs, the collectables,the bookcase and the loose covered sofa create a calm but homely feel, it speaks volumes about the people with-in.The white walls are the perfect backdrop, and just a touch of colour for added interest makes this my perfect home and truely inspirational!