WHEN PALETTES RETURN

Since getting back from my recent trip, which completely inspired me in all aspects of my work ( Yes you are thinking correctly, there are big changes coming AGAIN to JDZ Designs, including a whole lot more of me... i'll explain closer to reveal date ) I have been in an absolute funk and everything I see reminds me of where I have been and what I was doing. The great thing about this however is that it has really opened my eyes to the emerging pastel palette that is making a come back this spring and summer.

How is it making a come back might you ask? Well, I keep seeing it teamed with lots of metals including the very popular copper. So if you have been seeing these tones around in your favourite homewares shops lately then you are not imagining it. It also makes sense when I was talking about my aqua colour palette merely two weeks ago.

The colours are fresh as well as warm and playful when teamed with copper.

I do have to say you will see some images of my favourite place Santorini as I am still in post holiday funk.

Take a look through my Pinterest for more inspiration, including the images I am sharing today.
These images demonstrate exactly the new season colour trends that are ever emerging and expanding so make sure to keep your eye out.

MEN BEHAVING HANDY

Very exciting Monday morning as I am very pleased to announce that I am a contributor for the Men Behaving Handy, an online website dedicated to being a " one stop shop " for all maintenance, home improvement and repair needs. They are based in Perth, however I am so excited to have this opportunity to reach more readers around Australia and inform them about Interiors and how they can go about improving them. The posts go up every Friday for Friday Funky Furnishings with me! Just because you may not be in Perth does not mean you cannot benefit from expert advice from the interiors and construction industry and gain some really handy hints along the way. It is also assisting me to promote my online design and styling services - E Styling, which allows anyone in Australia to benefit from design knowledge and expertise even though I may not be with them in person.

Here is a sneak peek and make sure to click here to head on over and have a read into how you can "Bring Spring Into Your Home." This month is all about Spring/Summer and how to embrace it in your home, so make sure to stay tuned and keep up to date.

BURNT ORANGE

Hope you all have a very exciting and lovely weekend with the first day of Spring!! It was an exciting weekend for me as it was my birthday yesterday, which is my favourite day of the year and not just because it is my birthday but because it is the end of Winter and we can all begin the rest of the year on a fresh note!

Burnt orange is classified a colour in my books and usually it is a colour that is more associated with warmth as it is a rich tone of orange. Orange, bright or rich can be a fantastic colour to add brightness or warmth/contrast to a space that requires some lifting. This obviously also depends on your current furniture, because orange wont go with everything, but with dark woods, oak and beiges, it can really be a good base for some cushions or rugs that can bring your entire room together to make it feel elegant and warm. It does not need to be over powering, but a pop of the colour, contrasted with a beautiful latte, beige and mustard yellow or even bright yellow can really do the trick! Don't believe me, find yourself a colour wheel and put all those tones together and you will have a winning colour palette. Speaking of palettes, I love a good orange, as in the fruit and I also love a good cafe with great food and it gets even better when it has an amazing unique retail store to go with it! Where can you find such a place? Well look no further than Burnt Orange in Mosman, Sydney.

I was fortunate enough to have my lovely birthday lunch ( successfully organised by Evan! Woohoo ) at this amazing cafe with a great view, good food, good company and a great shopping experience. What more could a girl ask for?

If you have never been, I highly recommend that you make the journey to Burnt Orange and experience it just for the view, or even just for the shopping. If you are into really unique, cute and different bits and pieces for your home, this boutique store is the place to go! Moroccan door knobs, colourful throws, cute shift dresses, Megan Morton's book, lamp shades, floral plates, the works! Sit down upstairs and enjoy your purchases with a great coffee and some delicious chocolate pie, I assure you, it will make for a great afternoon. So, not only does the colour make for a great palette, bright or warm but it makes for a great name of a fabulous Sydney local cafe and retail experience.

You can find out more about Burnt Orange by clicking here and the online shop by clicking here.

Here is a little behind the scenes of my very own birthday lunch with my lovely friends.

Retail images sourced from the Burnt Orange website and the rest were taken by JDZ herself.

Have a great afternoon,

JDZ x

COLOUR SPLASH & COCKTAILS - COUNT DOWN TO SPRING

Where are my Pina Colada's?! Spring is now two full days away and that means we are still counting down and sharing with you all what we think is going to be huge this spring. Apart from those hexagons that are popping up everywhere, florals are going to be huge this summer as well as bright colours, pastels, new take on tribal with lots of pineapples. Well, pineapples are not very new if you ask me because they were huge last summer too, but I think they are here to stay a little bit longer which is totally fine by me. I feel as though there will be a lot of reinterpretation and reinvention of the these similar prints and textiles. If you have had a chance to take a look in Freedom lately and even Ikea, you would notice that the new 2014 and summer campaigns are all centred around light colours, citrus prints ( freedom have some killer pineapple cushions at the moment!! ) fresh, lively, vibrant and happy. I think everyone has really had enough of winter and ringing in the spirit of summer in an exciting way.

Sparkk one of my favourite OZ made textiles and wall coverings are reinterpreting the pineapple and the vibrant colours with a bit of a tropical and aztec theme happening with some of their latest designs. What a great way to add some series colour and theme to particular spaces to liven them up for spring and summer. I am not lucky enough yet to own my very own Camilla piece and I am not one usually for very bright and loud colour in clothing, however I really can never NOT love Camilla's designs and the vibrance that are her prints. They are and would make you feel very special, flowing and really capture that feeling of summer, when it is so hot, coming from a long day at the beach, or heading out for some cocktails and the air is so still, stars are shinning and you do not need a jacket, even at 1am in the morning. I love that the prints and the style is reinvented and developed time and time again so that they look different but are in keeping with the identity of the brand itself. The aztec and tropical prints are all making me feel like I need to head over to the Caribbean!

I think that this spring and summer you all need to inject some floral into your space as well as lots and lots of colour. Reinvent your furniture if you have to, add a new artwork, create those funky vignettes with lots of colour and contrast, make some ice tea with lots of fruit, have a colourful fruit bowl and most importantly do not be afraid to make a change, spring is coming, shed all the winter blues, make some new goals for the end of the year and make them happen by doing!

Can you tell I am excited for SPRING? I have my very own new goal list and my very own list of things that need to get done by the end of the year so that I can enjoy my summer. What is on your list? Is it to finally paint that spare room? Is it to finally take that step into renovating? Is it just to buy some fresh flowers? Is it to spend more time enjoying the garden or being grateful for all that you have?
Let me know, I would love to hear from you all!

Here are some of the images and Sparkk prints that are inspiring me at the moment as well as being specified in an interior project! Hope they get the tick of approval!

Camilla runway looks for the MBFW 2013 Fashion Week.

You can find all of Camilla's beautiful clothes and even homewares on her website and online shop by clicking here. You can find all of Sparkk's designs on their great website by clicking here and heading under the design tab.


( Images sourced from the Camilla and Sparkk websites )

JDZ x

FLOWER POWER - COUNT DOWN TO SPRING

If you're like me you cannot wait for winter to be over... I mean winter is not bad and can be a great in creating really warm and inviting interiors but honestly to me, nothing beats summer and soaking up the warm sun and the beach. In anticipation leading up to the first day of spring... which if you know me well, is my birthday and my favorite day of the year. Not only is it my birthday but it is the first day of a new beginning, sheading all the winter blues and heavy layers and moving into beautiful warm sunny days. These type of days are my favorite because to me, nothing really gets better than that, getting a good dose of Vitamin D, soaking in all the colours, the birds chirping makes me so happy... so yep it is a regular fairy tale happening in my head at the moment. 

The new cover of the September issue of Real Living Magazine really inspired me and really made me feel so happy the minute I saw it. I am not usually one for a lot of foral prints and patterns but for some reason the bold colours and images made me smile. When I say I have never been one for floral prints, I mean floral in interiors as is usually associated with "old fashioned" and the 1960s, but it can actually be amazing used in the right interior and with the right brief. What I do love however, is a bunch of fresh flowers and they can really make all the difference in any particular room and the finishing touch. Flowers are an instant way to add colour, warmth and happiness to a room, especially if you need an instant lift and want to feel special. I don't know why, but they just do and they can even be a great way to decorate if you are entertaining or styling a party. 

Here are some of my favorites from my Pinterest. 

JDZ x