little by little loves

beautiful homes, fashion, beauty, interior design and all things beautiful


Brighton Office complete!

I love a challenge.

I really do... So here is the challenge, fit 2 work spaces, a reception area and a meeting space in a little office and of course storage!

And I mean little office.  Tiny little!

The space is now the satellite office for a conveyancing company I am doing a bit of work with.




In this tiny space, I thought long and hard how to fit everything in make it interesting and functional.  A few drafts were drawn and I had to make a few trips to the site to sit and envision how it could all work.

First things first, I arrange for some built in cabinetry (with sliding doors) to house stationary, files and the great big photocopier/printer/scanner.  I knew I couldn't fit both a reception desk and a meeting table in the space, so I created a multi-purpose desk that could be used for meetings as well as a work space.  I went for the same look for the work desk which was long to comfortably allow 2 staff members to work there.  Both bespoke pieces were ordered.

The walls were painted white to make the room brighter  and I ordered a beautiful large scale print to make the room appear bigger.

The carpet had to stay so I ordered a rug to cover the area and also to define the space of the meeting/reception desk.  A rattan pendant, some chairs, grids on the walls above the work desk, some styling pieces and office was complete.













I am so happy as how this room has turned out.  It's bright and has a unique look, making it such an enjoyable work space.

Chat soon!

Hxx


Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
No comments


A few years ago whilst working with Mermaid Bay, I got the opportunity to work on my friend Meg and Brads home.

They were more or less building a brand new home, apart from 2 wall at the front of the house.  There was me, Laura, the architect and Marcus their builder.

The brief from Meg was modern, clean lines and minimal but rich in textures, fabrics and depth.  More importantly she wanted a home for her family and not a showroom.  The brief from the architect was white!  White everything... walls, floors, tiles, furniture... Lets just say we had a few interesting meetings where I had to be the voice for my client.

After a great many months, long meetings, lots of sourcing and subsequent shopping trips (including an amazing trip to India to source rugs), their beautiful home in Black Rock was completed.

What was accomplish is an amazing home with an abundance of natural light, amazing spaces for both parents and kids, a spectacular kitchen that actually meets the needs of a growing family.  Bathrooms that are spacious, practical yet magnificent to look at... playrooms, study... the list goes on...

such a fun boys room

the amazing Togo sofas 

we renamed this wallpaper "linen suit"

the apaiser bath taking centre stage

so much to love in this room and so many iconic pieces

this room...

the kids bathroom with its wet room


I had many clashes with the architect about this bathroom... he called it the "disco room"

the kitchen with its contrasting island!


this amazing piece from Michael Peck was a special commission by the clients

the living room

much discussion about this staircase and entry... its very impressive
Hope you enjoyed looking at this beautiful home as much as I have enjoyed working on it!

Chat soon!

Hx

Works completed whilst working at Mermaid Bay Interiors
Photography Chris Groenhout
Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
No comments
Do you have a product you can't live without?

Well that's a bit extreme but seriously do you have a product that you always make sure you never run out?

Well I do.  I have 4 to be exact!

No 1 on my list...

Dior Iconic Mascara

Dior - Diorshow Iconic Mascara... (Black) without a doubt THE best mascara!  I look like an alien without having mascara on, you see unlike most Greeks, I have fair lashes and they are very fine.  This product defines my lashes and gives me an actual lash line.  I love it and always make sure that I never run out.

image dior.com


MAC Lip Pencil 

MAC Lip Pencil... (Spice) is the perfect allrounder, especially for my natural lip colour.  It actually looks like an extension of my lips.  Having been a teenager in the 80s, I have a fear of a darker lip liner and lighter lipstick and thats a reason I truly like this colour.  I actually trace around my lip line and then I fill in my lips.  You see I am not one to constantly be putting lippy on and filling in my lips allows me to get away with it!

image davidjones.com.au



Stila Liquid Eyeliner

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner... (Intense Black) is my must have.  Again like the mascara, I need all the help I can get around the lash line.  This does the trick and some.  Easy to apply and most importantly stays all day.  I finish it off with a dark eyeshadow and I am ready for the day (or night!).




image mecca.com.au


BYREDO Gypsy Water EDP

BYREDO Gypsy Water EDP ... I actually don't leave home with putting some on. All the time! This smells so so good.  It's woody, citrusy and sweet all mixed in so beautifully... Boho in a bottle!  It's hubbies/kids go to pressies for Mothers Day!

image mecca.com.au

I would have liked to have added a concealer here but I am still on the look out for a good one.

Having spent a small fortune in skin care for the past 35 years, I am lucky to have relatively good skin and I don't always wear coverage like CC creme or foundation, although I always use concealer.  Will keep you posted once I find a really good one!

So there you have it, let me know your favourites.

Chat soon!


Hx

Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
No comments

A few months ago I started working on this little 2 bed, 1 bath unit in Beaumaris. It had great bones but needed THE WORKS!  Kitchen, bathroom, floors, walls... the work.

I have a great team of tradies and an ever patient husband and we began working on it.  The budget was tight but the results were truly amazing.

The Kitchen was the original kitchen from the late 60s.  It had a wall dividing it from the living room,  and that my friends was the first thing to go... the space instantly opened up, making both the living room and the kitchen appear larger!

the original kitchen
The kitchen cupboards were not deep at all, barely able to fit a large set of dinner plates, so there was no chance of actually keeping the carcass and just changing the doors and drawer fronts. It all had to go.  In saying that, it had the most beautiful vinyl wallpaper in lieu of a splash back.

Luckily the floors were the original hardwood and they were in superb condition.

For the kitchen I chose an all white palette with a hint of grey in the grout that is all.  White laminate cupboards with a Caesar Stone Pure White bench top.  I was in need of counter space so I chose to have a large (900mm) under mount single bowl sink as I had a dishwasher installed right next to it!



The tiles are a favourite of mine and I have used them on a number of project.  A subway tile in a brick formation with an uneven surface for more interesting finish.  Bosch appliances and the kitchen was complete.

Next was the bathroom.  That too was original and in desperate need of an overhaul but unlike the kitchen where nothing remained, there was an iron bath in really good condition and size.  The toilet which was separate from the bathroom had to go as well!

the original bathroom

Here I chose to have a bit of fun.  For the toilet as well as a new toilet suite, I decided to use one of my favourite tiles.  The Artisan Oxford tile in Black has the encaustic look but not the encaustic maintenance, no sealing or anything!  Perfect to make the toilet interesting.




For the actual bathroom I chose not to move any of the plumbing around as it would add to the cost but we needed to replace pipes as they were quite old.  For the vanity I went with a Likewood oak finish and the fixtures were all in black.  I added a black penny round for the floor with a light grey grout.  For the walls I chose a subway tile this time with a matt smooth finish and here I chose a grid formation.  I was so happy with how the bathroom come to be.  My favourite room of the house!




A very important element for any house is storage.  There was an existing wardrobe which took up a whole wall but it was in the second bedroom.  The two rooms shared a wall. We chose to reverse two thirds of the wardrobe into the master and leave the smaller section of wardrobe to the second bedroom.  As so we don't want to infringe on the space in the master, we decided on sliding doors.  Also in the master we hung 2 white marble pendants on either side of the bed.  I really love the flexibility of space that creates on the side tables.  Both bedrooms were painted in a pastel grey with white trim.




The floorboards were sanded and we created a custom colour in the varnish by adding a measured amount of black and walnut.  They came up a treat!




Other modifications along with all the plumbing was a new reverse cycle air conditioner, new hot water system, total electrical rewiring and down lights.

By this stage our budget was gone... well it was gone a while prior to this stage but lets just roll with it... And we still had to do the little yard at the back... Here is where hero husband steps in!  The trusty Dulux Monument on the fence, I swear most bayside fences are painted in this colour... a nice array of subtropical plants from Diacos and my hubby had it covered in 2 weekends!


the before



the after


During the whole process we felt that we took 1 step forward and 2 steps back but we got there and I couldn't have been happier with the result!
Chat soon!

Hx


Photography by Bianca Lamont & Buxton Real Estate











Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
No comments


How do I start... and where do I start!

Lets start with little bit about me and what I love.

I am a married Greek/Australian mother of 2, living in the bayside suburbs of Melbourne.  Pretty meh so far.  I also love cooking, travelling, fashion, interiors and renovating old homes. A LOT.  Really, I love all those things a lot.  It is starting to make me a little more interesting.

I am an  interior designer working for my own company.  My home very much a reflection of what I love about interiors, coastal/beach shack is one way of describing it. I love nothing better than crisp white linen sheets, lots of cushion and a good old gallery wall. My husband and I have a passion for real estate and transforming old homes.

I love clothes! I love black, white, grey clothes to be precise... okay a bit of navy as well.  Up until recently, I was overweight and fashion took a back step for me but not anymore.  So it's safe to say watch this space...

I love my food.  I was raised by amazing cooks, my mum, my aunts and grandma... all amazing cooks and I learned to cook from a very young age.  My food is mainly Greek home cooking or Mediterranean inspired.  And like most Greek families food is everything! Also, I am an avid collector of cookbooks.   I have hundreds of them, mainly from my favourite chefs or even some of my favourite authors ( I will post Marian Keyes chocolate mousse, you will see what I mean!).

Last but not least is my love for travel... Ahhh... I live and work to travel.  I can't contain my excitement the moment we decide the next holiday.  I do have quite strict criteria and  I will let you know these and many of my travel tips in future posts.  Suffice to say Europe is my destination of choice,  Mykonos is my happy place and Paris has my heart.

So thats me in a few paragraphs...

Hxx
Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
No comments


I personally don't think there has been any  house from a movie that has been as copied and talked about as this gorgeous Hamptons house in the movie "Somethings gotta give".  I love everything about it!  From its stripped dhurri rug in the living room to the Mora Sweddish clock to the kitchen to Erica's (Diane Keaton's character) bedroom... everything!

What is it about Nancy Meyers?  My 3 favourite movie houses are all her movies, "Something's Gotta Give", "The Holiday" and "It's Complicated".  Set Decorator in all these movies has been Beth Rubino, who somehow makes the homes as an additional character in the movies...

The exterior used is an actual house in Southhampton NY, and now for the heartbreaking part... the interior is a stage set and not a real house... it broke my heart when I first read that as it feels so real, so full of life and character!



Little trivia here, the actual house sold a couple of years ago for a cool $10 million!

So here is the interior of the house...

 My eyes keep going to the beautiful stripe dhurri on the floor.  Beth Rubino has said in an interview that it's an antique and had to cut it to fit the layout of the room!  Another heartbreak... cutting an antique rug!  But she had to do what she had to do because the rug ties the whole room together.  The slipcovers on the couch give this room a comfortable beach feel and more collected than decorated!  And of course the Mora wall clock!  it takes such a centre piece to the whole room.

The artwork throughout the movie is by LA artist Kenton Nelson.  Nelson's painting of figures, landscapes and buildings is bright and bathed in sunlight, adding a splash of colour to the otherwise beige, grey, pale blue colour palette. 









 The ceiling to floor french doors are amazing...







Throughout the house there are lots of built in bookcases.






What a clever use of the corner, to make it a reading area! Love the rattan chairs.






Here is a look at the kitchen with the little sitting area right next to...






The kitchen is all white with what appears to be soapstone counter!  Another spoiler here, the counter is actually painted plywood!  How good do they make it look!  

Love the subway tiles, plain classic and elegant!

The natural light makes this kitchen bright and cheerful.  The glass top cabinet are in fitting with the lived in look as well as the use of the island as storage for books and all things.  I did copy that idea when I was renovating my kitchen and I have my cookbooks, microwave as well and draws in my island bench.









During an interview, Beth Rubino said that she was inspired by a friend of hers that had her plates displayed in her dining area.  She loved that look and sought to replicate it for this movie.  It is subtle yet so elegant.  Also the dining table with the toile slip covered chairs are perfect for this house/room!










I love Erica's study in her bedroom which over looks the ocean!  I would never get anything done if I had that view!

The beautiful bay windows, more built in shelves, the elegant lighting, amazing rugs... I am drooling over this room.












More of Nelson's artwork is in Erica's bedroom, and I also love how nothing is hung on the wall but rather sitting on the mantle.  A subtly casual look!






A beach house would not be complete without a pool and outdoor area.





As you might have gathered I have watched this movie so many times and each time I notice something new in this amazing house!

I hope you enjoyed the tour of one of my most favourite movie houses.

In the coming weeks I will give you tours of my other favourite movie houses.

Chat soon!

Hxx
Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
No comments
Newer Posts
Older Posts

About me

Hey, my name is Helen I am an Interior Designer and Stylist. I own HK Interiors, a boutique Interior Design studio in the Bayside suburbs of Melbourne, Australia.

I love to travel, cook, fashion, interiors and to renovate old period homes.

HK Interiors

HK Interiors

recent posts

Blog Archive

  • ▼  2018 (7)
    • ▼  March (7)
      • The coolest little office in Brighton
      • Black Rock project
      • A few of my Favourite things
      • Beaumaris Unit Reno
      • About me!
      • Dreamy Movie Homes - Something's Gotta Give
      • Dreamy Movie Homes - The Holiday
  • ►  2014 (3)
    • ►  July (1)
    • ►  February (2)
  • ►  2013 (15)
    • ►  August (3)
    • ►  July (1)
    • ►  May (3)
    • ►  April (1)
    • ►  February (2)
    • ►  January (5)
  • ►  2012 (42)
    • ►  December (5)
    • ►  November (2)
    • ►  October (1)
    • ►  September (5)
    • ►  August (6)
    • ►  July (2)
    • ►  June (6)
    • ►  May (1)
    • ►  April (3)
    • ►  March (4)
    • ►  February (6)
    • ►  January (1)
  • ►  2010 (55)
    • ►  December (2)
    • ►  November (2)
    • ►  October (3)
    • ►  September (3)
    • ►  August (3)
    • ►  July (2)
    • ►  June (6)
    • ►  May (6)
    • ►  April (3)
    • ►  March (7)
    • ►  February (10)
    • ►  January (8)
  • ►  2009 (22)
    • ►  December (1)
    • ►  October (3)
    • ►  September (2)
    • ►  August (6)
    • ►  July (5)
    • ►  June (5)