For The Love Of Hollywood

I don't know about you but I love the Banana Leaf! Using it in a food arrangement or in a wallpaper design adds a holiday feel to just about any venue. Check out this fantastic wallpaper that was designed for the famous Hollywood Hotel and has been wowing guests for years. I think it has the staying power to continue to keep us feeling a little lighter and a bit happier just looking at the green jungle-like wallpaper and the surrounds. I am ready to lunch here - how about you?

Martinique wallpaper

 The Fountain Room at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Lunch anyone?

 Intimate dining at Nicki Hilton's place. I am sure that this is invitation only. Oh well. Order your own wallpaper and make a space that you can enjoy anytime you want.

Spotted Magpie can help you land this luxurious wallpaper. It doesn't come without a hefty price tag but it will pay for itself by lasting for years to come. If you love this pattern, you will also love the Palm Leaves or the Orchid by Cole and Son. Both patterns are sophisticated and will create a great space too. Maybe you want to create your own paradise. Wallpapers are "IN" - plain white walls are a bit passe.

Check out our website for more wallpaper information. www.spottedmagpiedesignstudio.com

My Favourite Roses For Your Garden

I started my rose garden three years ago and each year I choose one or two of my favourites to add to the collection. I am still a novice and am learning to take care of my plants and make sure that they last from year to year. My garden is full of pests that eat everything! Also, our soil is very poor which doesn't help matters. Enough about that.

Some of my choices for this year are these two beauties. Pope John Paul II (white) and Mary Mackillop (pink). Coming in at third is the Chihuly a colourful rose that would do any garden proud.

 These can be purchased by visiting  www.swanes.com.au where you can order on-line for the new stock or you can visit the gardens at Dural. I go there just to get a view of all the beautiful roses of the season. I might just have to get a few extras this year! Don't tell my husband! Shhhh

You will find great gardening tips when you visit the Swanes website.

The little things mean a lot - Mothers Day is Coming Soon

Treat yourself to a nice new make up bag and fill it with some new goodies. It doesn't need to break the bank to have a few new items to raise your spirits or better yet give your mum a Mothers Day present that will put a smile on her face.

The new collection by Designers Guild could be a welcome inspiration to take the worry out of finding that perfect gift.

 The Franchini Make-up Bag can be filled with some extra goodies like a new lip colour or nail polish.

Or choose the Franchini Wash bag which is a larger travel bag.

Another option is the Palmiere Weekend bag which I absolutely adore.

Why not get all three and have a nice trio that you can mix and match for the occasion.

If you want a larger gift for the home and are stuck for an idea that would make your mum "Queen For A Day" how about considering the beautiful silk reversible black and white Chenevard quilt.

The quilt is available by special order. So hurry if you don't want to miss out as supply is limited.

If you don't know what your mum loves then give her one these books from Tricia Guild and let her see for herself. If she loves colour she will be sure to love these books. Let me share some of my favourites with you and you can order on-line from my store or locate them at your favourite book store.

A Certain Style is the latest book to hit the charts. It is truly beautiful and deserves a place in your library or any good design book collection.

This book is a joy to have on the shelf. I always look at this book when I need a lift to my spirits. Check it out and you will see what I mean.

And who can resist a beautiful book with inspirational floral designs and luscious colours. A visual feast. If you love entertaining, you will love this book.

Visit www.spottedmagpiedesignstudio.com - the on-line Spotted Magpie store.

Reupholster or Buy New ? What to do!

This is a difficult question for many people. It is so much easier and often cheaper to get a new piece of furniture rather than fixing up or rejuvenating that old chair or sofa that you used to love so much. Let's look at the things to consider.
Does the piece have  -good bones or design? If so, can you even replace it if you wanted to?
Can you give the piece new life if you just make a loose cover or completely reupholster it? Most likely the cost of making the cover matches the cost of having a professional reupholster the piece. The amount of work is still in the labour, thus the cost being the same.
Do you love the piece but hanker for a new look. Consider the environment. How many pieces of furniture hit the scrap heap? More often, it is just easier to rock up to the store and purchase NEW and chuck out that old piece. Let's face it. We are a throw-away, buy-new society for the most part.
Here's what I suggest if your piece is worth keeping.
Look for new fabric that you love.
Get a quote for upholstery/recovering from your local Interior Designer and ask for help choosing fabric that will take your piece into the next decade. Be willing to discuss your budget with your designer so you can both look in the right category of fabrics without wasting time. You will need about 8 meters of fabric for a wing back chair and 12-17 for a large sofa. (just use that as a guideline for estimating the cost of fabric and if you work in imperial measure you can convert that number to help you determine what you might need).
The labour portion cost is really varied. You may be able to get everything done through your designer or you can shop around yourself and look for an upholsterer who fits your budget.
You can expect to pay for the pickup/delivery, fabric, repairs and the labour.
Post your questions if you need assistance and Good Luck!