Happy New Year!

Hello darlings and 'Happy New Year'!

This year we will tango to zesty Tangerine decor tones, and I couldn't be happier. I adore the spectrum of piquant & vibrant deep oranges and feel very inspired by the colour direction for 2012.

For our wardrobe there will be more than 'Tangerine Tango' to keep us dancing into Spring. Try 'Cabaret', 'Solar Power', 'Margarita', 'Sodalite Blue', 'Cockatoo' and 'Starfish' to mention a few (for full fashion colour trend report click HERE).

I feel inspired to soak up this zesty and bright colour energy and focus on getting our home on right keel after the holidays. 
Though I will leave the tree up for another few days (Oscar & Isabella will force me to resign as mother if I don't..!), I am very keen to stow away Christmas and allow the house to breathe again!

The kids will do their bit to clear away the holiday decor by eating one of our ginger biscuit houses tonight.. Something they have planned vocally & excitedly (!) since we planted the last 'Smartie' on the roof in the days before Christmas Eve..! :)

I will also find some time sit down with my brand new wall planner & diary and carefully mark key dates for the year ahead. I love this ritual and get all tingly by the thought of all the exciting and fun things we will embark on in the months to come!

I'll be back here in a few days but please do hop across to my dear friend Louise of 'Lou Boos and Shoes' to read my 'January Diaries guest post' that will go live tomorrow (Tuesday 3rd January).

Last but not least I wish to send all of you - my dear friends, followers and fellow bloggers - big warm hugs and wishes of a great January!  May 2012 will be a splendid year for everyone!

xx Charlotta

Image credits: 

01. Google image, 02. Toonpool, 03.  Pantone, 04. We Connect Fashion, 
05. Sköna Hem, 06. Private photo, 07. Papier d'Amour

Dark beauties..

via ABCD Design Sketch Book

via Room Seventeen

Pinterest

via Lolita

via Linnman Galleri blog

via Folder of Ideas

via Mochatini

via Snakk Klikk

Have a lovely rest of the weekend all.

xx Charlotta

Big blue beasts..

Sydney is amazing at the moment. Despite us being well

and truly into Autumn now, it is unusually warm & pleasant.

Though the nights are chilly we are still enjoying beach life

during the day, and this weekend was no exception. In between

a somewhat hectic parade of kids' birthday parties (not our own

this time.. phew!), a visit to a really fun local 'village fair' and lunch

with good friends, we spent a few heavenly hours on the beach.

Marshall (huz) and Oscar (son) went snorkeling in a place called

Clovelly, where they spotted some 'Blue Groper fish' in the protected

waters inside a natural rock lagoon. These were just under a meter

long (I'd sink like a rock if I saw one.. ) and apparently so tame you

can feed them. Having grown up on a lake I am pathetically scared

of anything beyond the size of my foot, hence I was totally impressed

with Oscar (who is only 7 years old) and his courage to swim out to

see these big blue beasts close up. Very proud mamma (me) splashing

around safely in a rock pool nearby with cute water-loon Isabella.. :)

We are so utterly spoiled with such an amazing life-style here in Sydney!

In celebration of this splendid fish (oh you know it's just an excuse..)
I would like to declare my genuine love for the clolour BLUE/BLEU/BLÅ.

 via 'Lorus Maver' Flickr stream

From 'cobolt', 'indigo','ultra-marine', and 'thunder', to 'duck egg', 'royal'
'french', and 'denim' blue, I simply don't seem to be able to get enough
of the lovely blues right now. So in tribute to the shade of mascara that
should never have been worn by me in the 80s, the insane colour blue of
Oscar's eyes, the corn flowers I picked as a child and my addiction for
fresh blueberries, here is a 'smörgåsbord' of blues for you my dears.

Sandra Lane, Flickr and Sweet Paul.

Lonny no 4, Chesse Lee in London, Brabourne Farm

Unknown, unknown and Splendid Willow guest post at Mochatini.

Lumo, Lonny and The Find (book).

Miro, Endless Inspiration and House and Home (I think..).

 Polly Eltes ,Martin Lof and Foxahem.

x Charlotta

A splash in every sense..

via 

Living Etc.

xCharlotta

Green..

There are many reasons to love 'green' and I have for long

been very fond of this particular colour (and lifestyle for 

that matter!). So in celebration of the upcoming green 

events of 'Earth Hour 2010' ( 8.30-9.30pm, 27th March)

and 'St Patrick's Day' (17th March), I give you a parade of 

green inspiration - from Havana, to Jade, Aqua & soft Sage..
Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 Please don't forget to sign up for Earth Hour people!

HERE

xCharlotta

White, light and soft..

Mixed goodness of lighter rooms..

Nice and simple does it every time! 

By stylist Lucyinda Moodie

I love poured concrete floors and the simple brightness

of this room would suit Sydney life perfectly.

By Mark Scott

 

Five beautifully paired pieces that create such a

nice statement. Less is more!! By Mark Scott.

This room grabbed me not so much for it's high design

impact, but for the liveability (word?) - you see I love

kitchens like this - a little rustic, warm and spacious. 

Via Fotobloo(g) blog

Though I am not a soap-bar-kinda-girl I do love the look 

(and smell) of a good soap bar like this.. 

Tulip dining nicely paired with fabulous rustic shutters..

By Lucyinda Moodie

 

If only my bathroom looked t his organized..

 

If in doubt. Just add flowers and a glam little mirror.. 

 

Love the black/white with the untreated wood.. The 40s chairs too!

Via Manahatta

 

Yes please to a bigger studio like this one..

Via House Beautiful

Would perhaps update the bed (too white and grown-up for me)

and window treatment, but love the general simplicity in this room.

Via Simply Seductive

Yes yes yes! Perhaps a tad too white but never the less, Yes please!

Via House and Home

I could spend an afternoon prepping food here.. Makes me think of summer.
By Peter Carlsson

 

Again, this feels very simple and fit for a warmer climate like Sydney.

By John Granen

 

Would be great for a country house where the family & friends could

gather on weekends and holidays. Aaah the dream to have everyone I

love in one and the same part of the world.. Via Veranda

 

That burst of red really adds a nice punch to the room. Via Living Etc.

I love this room - the mix of soft woods with edgier pieces - and of course

that amazing window.. Via the gorgeous 'Solid Frog' blog.

Like a Swedish summer cottage.. Memories.

Via Cabbage and Roses

Ok my dearies. Are just back from the doc's with Isabella and we

are on stand-by to go to the hospital as my little darling can't cope

without large doses of Ventolin for more than a couple of hours..

If I am not back here soon, you'll know why.

xCharlotta