Interiors

We were hot and bothered in Berlin as the days went by with little change in the heat and with two fans struggling to move the air. Even the cats were flat out on the floorboards. On the other side of the world, friends were complaining about the cold. It is then you realise that Northern European housing is built to keep the heat in and Australian housing is built to keep the heat out. Our key focus was how to stay cool and comfortable when it is hot in the city and we didn't have air conditioning. There

No matter what space we have lived in, there is an element of Asian style included, especially when we lived in Penang. As a Feng Shui practitioner, it matches with natural elements and form to create a sense of balance and harmony. At one stage, we bought as much as we could down to candles, place mats and cushions. I had soft, billowing sequinned curtains which suited the hot, humid Malaysian climate. Dark, wooden slatted furniture was popular on the hard white tiles. We have less of this look as we have bought pieces in Switzerland, France and New

Cushions or throw pillows as they are often called, can offer a cheap and instant change to a room. They can make such a difference seasonally adding light and shade in the summer and warmth in the winter. A sofa can be transformed with a touch of colour and a chair can make a statement without breaking the bank. Personally, I say go for the best you can afford and ideally, use down inserts for a touch of luxury. Don't add too many and go for groups of two or four otherwise it can look fussy and you end

Will Rogers stated that "too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like". We have been guilty of this and our biggest lesson from the pandemic lockdown is that we don't need as much as we thought we did. Over the years, our living space has become smaller and we are happy with that choice. We started out with a two-bedroom cottage, moved to a three-bedroom house with two lounges and we now wonder what we did with all of that space! During our travels, large apartments in

We are ready to go! The European borders re-open tomorrow and we will be on our way to our real home in a few days. These moments often teach us so much, what do we really want in life, where should we be and who do we want by our sides?     We will be taking a bit of current Berlin furniture to our French apartment - furniture that has traveled the world with us and holds many memories. To some, it is a couple of arm chairs, some paintings and kitchen glasses. For us, it is about

Let's clarify what that means. For me, it is not the floral Art Nouveau or the brutal end of Art Deco. It is all about the rounded curves, geometric silver, mirrored glamourous bedrooms and small parties with of course, a cocktail glass in my hand! However; the whole look can be a bit over the top unless you have the space and house to go with it. Our apartment is small and we are going to mixed it up with a bit of modern decor and use a hint of the 30s to add some style. To do this

I am really excited to have a fellow blogger in the world of achieving a balance - Eva Lu. Face Yoga with Eva is a perfect blend of rejuvenating face exercises combined with Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques. Together, we encourage your inner being to age gracefully and look younger naturally — without injections, fillers or surgery. Face Yoga offers long-term rejuvenation and nurturing for those who are searching for a natural way to embrace and work with the body’s natural process of aging. Does your outward appearance reflect your inner being? Whether you’ve accepted the lines and the natural

Cherry blossom is out, the cafes are re-opening and we are cautiously meeting friends at a distance. Coming out of the Covid lockdown is not unlike the first hints of spring. Tentative steps are taken and appreciation of small tokens such as meeting for a coffee are considered. Choices that were taken away are now a possibility again. While I normally focus on Feng Shui and our interior space, it is at this moment that the exterior holds much more attraction. So, throw open the windows and look out in to the world again and embrace the air. We

When I think of floral decor, immediately visions of dated Laura Ashley or 1960s yellow daisies come to mind. Hints of rural living and vases of roses, cakes and scones. Not my cup of tea! However; there is a modern take on floral patterns and if used carefully, you can avoid your space looking like grandma's kitchen or a little girl's bedroom. Floral patterns can add a sense of freshness and nature especially if the flowers are dramatic and set against dark, strong colour or lots of white or cream. And even the 1970s daisies have been reinvented. Of

So here we are in week whatever and in Berlin the shops have re-opened and France re-opens their retail next week. It is interesting to ask ourselves what has helped us get through these past few bizarre weeks. Our homes have hopefully helped with giving us some internal harmony through at least having a haven to escape to. I am so grateful to my interior place as it has all the things and people I love, including two cats. I am also aware that others don't have this and have found themselves in difficult and sometimes life threatening situations.