Paper napkins

Fresh white linen napkins are always my favorite but my beautiful new paper napkins are handy except I never want anyone to use them...they look to nice...just kidding!!!!

A must visit..

One of my favorite blog's Camilla at home has posted a beautiful American style home, I don't want to spoil it by posting her images but you must go to her blog for a visit, I'm going back for another look too! What a gorgeous staircase....now I know why I love white so much!

pretty as a picture

Such a pretty, relaxed bedroom, I recently read an article about a fashion designer who had a magazine shoot done of her bed-room, she commented how disappointed that the stylist removed her books and photo's from her bed-side table as they preferred a less cluttered look, she quoted "But I though the article was about my style and how I lived!" how true, its the bits and pieces whether it be photo's, books or a trinket box, its these pieces that create personality and interest to a home.

Working on my own home....

When I moved into my home last Xmas you could say it was a little premature, but having 6 children and our lease up on our rental we had no choice but to move in, no power for several days due to a fault in our power lines etc...but we had waited so long to finally finish our home that I decided I didn't care if it wasn't finished the most important part was that we were finally in our home. I live in a coastal town called Manly (Okay, I'm romanticizing it a bit!) but it's a bay area with a mix of old run down houses and new ones appearing on every corner, we decided to built a timber home with french doors etc..and tried to give it a coastal casual feel and to be honest with 5 teenagers and one toddler formal was out of the question! my lounge area is very neutral so i can easily add new cushions and accessories without any major cost. today I was shown the latest fabrics and papers from Anna French, wisteria as featured on this image looks very country/coastal...but I'm really tempted to use the blue below for my bedroom, I need to make some final choices and stop changing my mind I'm driving myself crazy!

Loving Duck egg blue...

I had to show you the latest collection of wallpapers from Anna French, one of my favourites is this duck egg blue and taupe wallpaper, we are using this paper as a display in my shop so when it's finished I'll post some images.

Simply white

I have only been in my new home for 4 months and there is still so much to decorate and to finish off but i have decided to tackle one area at a time, my study is a small space off my bedroom and as a decorator I keep changing my mind on the the look but thanks to "camilla at home" for posting this photo I have finally decided this is very me and i like how i can easily change the look with cushions etc...or buy just adding some colour, I'm off tomorrow to kikki-K to buy folders in natural and white to fill my book-case at least its a start!

Dream house

One of my first blogs I discovered was Dream House, I loved watching her home being built and all the inspiration she sourced. My parents are Dutch and my relatives live in Holland but whilst I know some of the language but struggle to read it, so i just enjoyed her images and the European way of life, I couldn't resist posting these beautiful house images found on Dream house Cammy blog it's definitely worth a visit.

I love the grey exterior

collecting bottles

I just love this collection of 19th century bottles placed on the antique iron console,the tiles are part of a collection Carolyn designed for Italian ceramic company Altaeco.

A modern mix

more images from Carolyn's collection, the paintings are on vintage linen canvas mixed with 19th century antiques perfect for a modern home looking to use antique pieces.

looking through giant lace panels on silk organza is Carolyn's main bedroom, her bed is covered with a blue silk velvet printed with a french abstract pattern in white, the touch of yellow velvet is a striking contrast. The neutral carpet and white walls are the perfect base to add colour.

Carolyn Quartermaine

I am loving this months Vogue Living magazine, especially the article on Carolyn Quartermaine's home and studio in France. Her inspiration of beautiful dreamy fabric's are so gorgeous, fresh and so summery. Aqua, duck egg and navy Blue are my favourite colours but what girl doesn't love pink!

Something special....

These Beautiful charms are all handmade by Cathy Penton who is a mother of two children and has started an amazing home based business selling her charms all over the world, actually I found her in France via a french blog, only to discover she lives in Queensland. I'm so excited to be selling these beautiful charms at lily-g and our first charms are due this week ready for Mothers Day. They are a beautiful gift for a special friend, a mother or a daughter a keepsake that is unique and meaningful...I'm always on the hunt for something special to sell in my store and I found It!

Jennifer Lopez

I just love this entire room, it's hard to believe it's the Nursery of Jennifer & Marc's twin babies, i wish it was my Bed-room! and how gorgeous does she look.

J-Lo at Home

Wow! image having matching prams to go with your car and even your front door! but I suppose if your friend was Eva Longoria then getting amazingly, stunning prams would just be normal for a star like J-Lo!

Happy week-end

Jerry Lauren (RL Brother) country holiday house, wow! wow! love it and the beautiful collection of blue and white, when reading the article all these beautiful pieces have been collected on there travels simple and very cosy! thanks a-m for joining my book club!

book club...

One of the greatest parts of my job is all the great clients and friends I get to meet every-day at my store lily-g. Several weeks ago I had one customer who went to a party at the Hamptons (do you believe it!) and so many more that have just returned from Paris or off to Paris! Our store is always filled with chatter and laughter and we love comparing notes and idea's and i'm amazed at how many of us have such similiar taste and idea's. I hit 41 on the 4th of april and I promised myself this year im going to find alittle me time so i have decided that im going to start a book club focusing on books about interiors and home design and get together like minded friends who simply just love decorating books and chattering about it! so let me know if your interested? email me at lilyg1@optusnet.com.au

A passion for collecting

There is nothing more fun then collecting, I love collecting perfume bottles and some of my collection date back to the early 1900's, recently i bought a box of old vintage buttons from a market for $5 (love those cheap finds) i have no idea what i'm actually going to do with them but for the moment i've put them in a pretty glass jar. I just purchased this book for my shop so I'll post you some of the images. The Olive Jar in the picture is one we have at lily-g from cote Bastide in France, we have it filled with flowers but it also looks gorgeous when we fill it with branches from an olive tree.

Collecting...

I love this collection of vases and pots in all different shapes and sizes,I'm thinking of doing something similiar on my verandah, I plan on white washing some old terracotta pots and adding some favourite old jars and vases, also adding a few candles in between and then i'll need to think of the plants that i won't kill!

A New Look...

I'm using these pieces for a bedroom setting, the wall-paper has a silver grey backdrop and the bedsides and sideboard are washed in a grey french wash with an oak top, I love the combination as the oak is a nice contrast but has a greyish tinge in the grain of the oak, the carpets are natural in colour and we are looking for a beautiful bedhead fabric, i'm going to use old large antique silver mirror (freestanding) to soften the look, we will be adding a stunning old chandelier in the centre of the room, i'll keep you posted on the progress and some of our finds.

I just love old cupboards...

I found this cupboard via "Atelier" i just love how's it painted such a pretty aqua blue. In our modern style homes where built-ins are more practical i miss the beauty of an old amoire filled with pretty dresses or beautiful old linens collected from the past, something so simple can add so much interest and beauty to a room.

At My French Table

Soon to arrive hopefully in time for Mothers Day this beautiful book by Jane Webster, as soon as it arrives i'll post some images to show you...

Ceramic Drum stool

Simply done, lots of white, the chinese ceramic drum stool is a great side table that easily can be moved we have them available in white and also a beautiful soft blue I noticed them in Ralph Lauren store in HK too (still actually in HK shopping and having so much fun and definately spending way too much, my credit card is about to explode!!!)

A Dream home

I just love this home found on E-plans website via camilla at home blog. My husband and i spend many a nights looking for land in Northern NSW looking for the perfect block of land to first build a small holiday shack but later to build our dream home and this is it, thanks to Camilla at home blog I found the website E-plans and this beautiful family home

Vintage Cases

One of my favourite stores in Hong Kong is Ralph Lauren I always find so much inspiration in his window displays, ginger jars filled with flowers, old LV suitcases used as coffee tables etc...
I recently purchased for lily-g the suitcases above for our displays and also for sale, I have used them in my own home they fit perfectly under my sideboard and are great storage for my winter throws and magazines. They have been sourced from markets in France and restored, we have them in white and limewashed a linen colour as above.