Summer Holiday

With the imminent arrival of Summer in the southern hemisphere (and my poor husband being housebound with the flu all week!) I have been dreaming endlessly about our summer vacation and where we might like to go this year! It's been such a busy year and we're both in obvious need of some R&R!

Aside from the mandatory week most office workers get between the Christmas and New Year's holidays my husband and I tend to book in an additional two weeks leave around the date of our wedding anniversary in early February and decide quite last minute where we want to go!

Last year we ended up booking a trip to Australia and had a lovely week away enjoying perfect weather, relaxing beach walks, summer shopping and fresh seafood. This year we plan to go somewhere closer to home since big renovations are going to be happening in our home in the coming year, namely our long awaited new bathroom (yippee!), two new exterior doors and new heating and unfortunately none of it comes cheaply!

At this point we're leaning towards Waiheke Island as it's just a short ferry trip away but still feels like a world away from the bustle of the city. The vineyard restaurants there are amazing (Cable Bay, Stoneyridge and the award winning Mudbrick are my top picks)  and the beaches are pristine. I can imagine spending a few nights on the Island indulging ourselves and coming back feeling revived and refreshed, ready for the very busy year ahead!

So why don't I share my Waiheke dreams with you all and we can summer dream together?!

We'll start with some fabulous accomodation with a view to the City of Sails...

With private beach access no less...

Then we need somewhere fabulous for dinner and drinks! Will this place do? ;)

Drinks on the terrace at the Mudbrick Vineyard...

A platter to get you started...and rustic indoor dining for when the sea breeze starts to chill the evening air...

The menu looks amazing!

I think I'll have the scallops...

 Eye fillet for the husband...

Dessert looks fabulous...

So romantic!

Wow! I can't wait to visit Waiheke in February, I think we've really earned a holiday this year - working full time, renovating a house and raising two energetic young pups is hard work, but good fun too! :) 

PS. I'd love to hear all about your fabulous summer plans and you can check out even more Waiheke luxury goodness in this post here!

 

xo K

Images courtesy of the Mudbrick Vineyard, Waiheke Island.

Paradise Found

I fell in love with this dream-like, beach print by Tina LeAnn Photography on Etsy and had to have it!

Shot in the ever popular Cape Cod region of the USA, I though this beautiful photograph would be the perfect piece to hang in our master bedroom above our headboard. I have been searching for the right piece for awhile and the sepia colours are perfect and will tie in nicely with our pale gold curtains and grey-blue walls and I'm just loving the thought that one of the last things we will see at night will be an ethereal pathway to the sea! I can't wait for it to arrive so I can take it to the framers and finally get something up on that plain old wall!

Hmm, so now I just need a new headboard...and a new dresser would be nice too...oh dear, does that happen to anyone else? You change one thing and it triggers a whole room redo??

Have a fabulous weekend! I'm think I'm feeling some shopping coming on :)

xo K

Informal Hamptons Home

Trawling through the overwhelming world of inspiration that is the world wide web I came across this stunning Hamptons home on House Beautiful and wanted to share it with you all!

I just love the informal and slightly unexpected colour palette that's been used in this Hamptons home to create such a warm and welcoming atmosphere without the interior losing any of it's coastal charm. While I adore the whites and blues in my own home, sometimes it's nice to see how to mix things up with a little fun pop of colour, even when it's introduced in the softest of ways like in the dusty coral throw pillows on the sofa...

Hope you all are having a happy week!

xo K

All Things Coral

Aside from my frequently mentioned love of all things blue, I am also a huge fan of corals, from pale pinks to deep oranges - it's even in my blog name! And I recently noticed that I hadn't given this vibrant beauty of a hue any blog-time so thought I would share some of my favourite images of the colour coral. Being blonde it's a shade I can really wear - I love nothing more than a relaxed coral coloured dress in summer - and I'm always thinking of ways to bring this stunning shade into our home.

I personally think coral is a colour you don't want to over-do or have too much of, I really love it as a happy, vibrant accent colour to washed out linens or blues and have been on the lookout for a vibrant coral throw for ages! I still haven't found the perfect tint but to get my coral fix I'll often pick up fresh tulips in the pinky-orange family for a splash of colour around our off-white and blue home and they look divine!

Browsing the blogosphere the turquoise and coral colour combination seems to be quite popular these days and I'll admit it's definitely a palette I would love to try someday...perhaps in my next home...but now I'm getting lost in daydreams about pretty pale turquoise bedrooms with posies of coral-pink tulips and gauzy grey throws (swoon!) so let's stop here and check out some fun coral inspiration...

J'adore them all, so pretty! How about you?? Are you a coral as well as a coastal fan or is your ideal coastal home dressed in cooler tones? Love to hear it!

xo K
Images courtesy of House Beautiful, House of Turquoise, Flickr, Get Married & Pinterest

Cape Cod on the Coromandel

I love checking out the local Real Estate listings online. It's always interesting to see the way other people in our area renovate their homes and the prices that they are asking for them! Since we are renovating our first home it's also good to get that little reality check on what things sell for so that we don't overspend on improvements - though it would be nice to have the best house on the street! :)

I came across this beautiful three bed/three bath home while searching properties in the Coromandel Peninsula. This wild and breath taking area of New Zealand is my favourite holiday spot and while a Bach or holiday home is just a dream for now this place really caught my eye. There aren't many purpose build Cape Cod/Hampton's style homes around these parts and while this place is only in stage one of it's completion it's looking beautiful!

Take a look and I dare you not to fall in love...



I've always wanted one of these mysterious, tree lined driveways....




The view from above...nestled in native bush...




Decking and landscaping in progress, I'd love to see a pool out here!





Lovely kitchen




Butlers pantry <3




The view! The pale blue walls are lovely too...




Love the doors leading out to the amazing coastal view of Whitianga...





The driftwood chandelier is cool...





I love a classic white bathroom




These tiles are gorgeous, similar in colour to the ones we
used recently in the entryway and laundry room!




The view to the little township at night...so tranquil!



So, what do think of this Coromandel hideaway? I can see this place being spectacular and very unique for this part of the world once it's completed! Wouldn't you just love to be the Interior decorator commissioned for this job!

xo K

Images courtesy of www.trademe.co.nz