Indigo Bay by Cottonberry

The folk at Halogen International - who are the Gauteng agents for Cottonberry's Indigo Bay range -emailed me to tell me all about this super-cool range. I first came across Cottonberry a few years ago and loved their simple, clean but homely prints. At the time, I was very into their white prints on flax coloured cotton/linen basecloth but lately I'm loving the strong Indigo and Tealy-Greeny palette of this range.

Here's a taste of Indigo Bay...

Indigo Bay is everything I like - I even love the name! Also, I love that Cottonberry's ranges are all locally and ethically produced. This is a big deal to me because sadly, so many fabrics aren't. You'll find their HQ in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands (my old stomping ground which I still love visiting). Though their dyes are imported (it's a quality thing), their base cloth is sourced locally - which is great! - and the digital printing is also done in SA - which is also great!

You can find their entire range along with agents on their website. Of course, if you're in Gauteng and you want to view their range, pop into Halogen's showroom or contact them via their website.

Fabrics clockwise are Paradise, Mermaids Purse, Bubbles and Chili Pepper. 

I love how the designs translate in real life. Good scale, easy on the eye and very easy to use.

 Clockwise, these are Peacock, Ocean and Driftwood.

Paradise (the floral, watercoloury one below) is too gorgeous and I think the little geometric detailing on Peacock really adds a fresh dimension to the design.

And just when you thought the Indigo palette was your favourite, along comes teal and sea-green. Chili Pepper is very much in keeping with the Tropical trend - which still seems to be trending. 

Clockwise again, Chili Pepper, Paradise and Seaweed.

Last but not least, Watercolour (top left) ticks a whole bunch of boxes for me: It's feminine without being too girly, it combines soft and strong tones and, it is fresh and bold. And I LOOOOOOVE teal.

 Clockwise, Watercolour, Peacock, Mermaid's Purse and Driftwood.

Till next time nerds,

Have a wonderful week :) x

print perfect

I'm not going to lie, I was supposed to post this before the weekend but of course, the year is already on fast forward and hellish deadlines kept me from fabric-ing around. 

It doesn't really matter though - great things never grow old. Home Fabrics sent out a set of inspiration mood boards that I have to share because they're so gorgeous.  If you'd like to find out more about the fabrics (composition, application etc.) you can reach Home Fabrics via their website...http://www.homefabrics.co.za.

I'm seeing shades of yellow, mustard and chartreuse everywhere and it's still a great way to add a bit of spark to a monochromatic scheme. Maison (col. citrus), the print with houses on them is too gorgeous for words. To find the names of all other designs, click here. Goma (col. lime) on the top left is also one of my favourites. You might remember it being featured in the indigo blue colourway. 

Duckegg blue will never get tired. I haven't used it with coral before but I think it's a great way to make a quiet colour a little bolder. Altes (col. Duckegg - second from the left at the top) is really lovely - so exotic and loose. The watercolour roses on the bottom right (Orsay col. duckegg) would be awesome for a summer frock or long jacket. All other fabric names are here.

Remember Marsala, Pantone colour for 2015? I still think it's a perfect way to blend your love for pretty pink and deep red. Voyages (col. Poppy) from the Persian Romance range is both rich and fresh - I think it could be a timeless print that could be awesome for a girl's bedroom. Actually, I'd love a whole wall in it! For the other fabric names, click here. 

Last but not least, the ever-fantastic blue mood board. I love ALL these designs and love how Maison (col. Delft) looks like a modern twist on the Willow Pattern. I'm also nuts for Mandir (col. denim) - bottom right, it looks like a one colour batik. You can find all other fabric names here.

Till next time nerds,

x :)

modern botanicals by the ever brilliant Design Team

Design Team has been making material magic, like, forever. I'm a long-time devotee of their gorgeous, simple, clean, delicious, colourful, one-colour prints. 

Their brand-new, hot-off-the-press range is called Modern Botanicals and I'm obsessed. The top image especially is where I'm at colourwise - looooooove these aqua shades!!

Because I'm not one to make you wait for your dessert, I've placed my favourite one first :)

These are Filligree (top) and Jungle Tile (bottom).

The greens in the print above along with the green chair below are so fresh. Love the clean shade of green and how it lifts the monochromatic prints.

I will owlways love me an owl :) These are (top) Hoo Hoo and (bottom) Block print. 

And who better to model simple, fun, gorgeous fabrics but some cutie-kids and tots. The bottom left image with the pink mandala print (it's actually called Lace) is too delectable for words.

Rabbits keep sneaking into my life. I bought two from the guy in Kalk Bay who sells ones carved out of Jacaranda wood and they keep me company in my office. These are (very top) Multiply, (top) Forest Animals (not only rabbits, it has buck and pheasants and other things too) and (bottom) Dotty.

This isn't the first (or last) time you'll hear me rant on about gender neutral fabrics (because they're so dang hard to find!) but the designs below are such great examples. Love, love, love Cactus (top) and Cloud (bottom).

I don't know if birds are still a thing but they will always be a thing in my life. The design  on the left is called Garden Bird and I really like that it's a little oversized - makes it bold and not too sweet. 

Garden Bird meets Hedge (top). What a great, usable palette. The chartreuse and aqua are my best.

See what I mean about suits boys and girls, both big and small? How awesome is the styling of all their fabrics below? The image on the top right shows the scale of the print very well - it's also slightly oversized which gives it impact. 

Sadly, I couldn't include all the images here but if you visit Design Team's website you'll find the full Modern Botanicals range there (psst....if it's not up yet, it will be soon.)

Hope you enjoyed the visual therapy,

Till next time nerds! x :)

do denim

Denim will always be in - one way or another. Faded, stonewashed, printed - you name it. Part of its appeal is that it's so easy to use. It manages to be relaxed and classic at the same time.

I love how the casual, worn look of the sofa below is in contrast to the minimalist, sleek styling.

(Image via www.magazine-subscriptions.us)

I'm obsessed with this look by Marylou Sobel Interior Design. Of course, you can never go wrong adding a splash of red or pink to denim. This washed-out but not too pale denim below is my favourite. 

The unlikely combination of a traditional, classic, deep buttoned Chesterfield mixed with denim is just gorgeous. So clean and unfussy.

(Image via Pintrest)

These aren't true denims (below), but if you're worried about the way that denim wears, they're great alternatives. I found them at Hertex and they're (clockwise) Parfait, Vidi, Stone Age and Vogue.

I always said that if I have a holiday house I'd want to have a comfy denim sofa.  The ones below just say lazy-days and reading.

(Images top to bottom via pbteen.com and mywebroom.com)

Denim combined with the Union Jack or USA flag will always be a thing that works but I really love the soft feminine scheme that I found by Suellen Gregory via Decorpad (bottom shot).

And how stunning is this Toile de Jouy and denim scheme? (I do love me a toile or two).  Cosy, simple and smart all at the same time.

(Image via gaviaconcept.com)

If you're on the hunt for more local denims (or denim look-alikes), you can find the ones below also at Hertex (clockwise: Brushed, Vidi, Stone Age and Esprit).

Last but not least, check out the decadent inky blue denim (that colour! Sigh...) from Mavromac (left - it's called Stonewashed Indigo Cotton from the Indigo Routes range) and Jill from U&G's Jack & Jill range (colours 20 and 22 - right). Jill isn't a true denim but is a darn good substitute (<-- see what I did there with darn #snortlaugh ;) Aaaaand, if you remember from the last post, Jill has more than 40 000 rubs. Baddum tish. Niiiice.

Till next time fellow nerds x

living linen

There is no end to my love for linen. I was  recently on the hunt for a wonderful (erm, but well priced) linen to redo the curtains in our guest cottage bedroom. My linen browsing was enough to whet my appetite for more and more and more linen. 

I've never had linen bedlinen (only cotton, which will be hard to break up with), but I really love the look of it in, both white and natural flax.

(Image via etsy.com)

The vintagey lace detail adds a lovely romantic twist to these linen pillows (and the lace looks soft, not scratchy, which is key!)

(Image via decoholic.org)

The linen-loving doesn't stop at natural colours - this denim blue linen is so stunning. I'm nuts for the casual, crumpled look (suits my slightly rumpled personality :)

(Image via apartment34.com)

 More delightful linen bedlinen. Added bonus is that the flaxy tone is very, um, forgiving of dirt and dog hair (hashtag: noroomissafefromkidsanddogs.)

(Image via houzz.com.au)

I know so many people whose favourite colour is duckegg blue (or green, depending on who you talk to.) You know who you are - just do it!

(Images via loaf.com on Pintrest and indiehomecollective.com)

I'll take the dog AND the sofa. (Also, the styling of this off-white sofa is so gorgeous, I'm totally digging the panelled wall and tongue-and-groove wooden floor.) The extra bit of buttoning on the bottom of the bottom sofa is a nice finishing touch. I like that they've combined a traditional, deep buttoned sofa with a contemporary interior.

(Images via houzz.co.uk and ebay.co.uk)

The Fabric House in Cape Town shared the images below a little while ago. If you're in Slaapstadt I suggest you RUSH down there and get yourself some of these. The lazy-Sunday, rumpled linen coat is so cool and so versatile. 

(Images via The Fabric House Cape Town on Facebook)

Looking for some more local linens? The image below shows beyoooootiful linens from Hertex (how awesome is that palette?) and the ones below that (left to right) are from U&G and Zoffany (via St Leger). St Leger also have a local range and check out Jill from U&G, it's actually a synthetic blend but totally looks like linen (and has 40 000 rubs -BOOM!)

Till next time nerds x :)

Cape to Casablanca

Hertex recently released a stunning new range of wallpapers called Cape to Casablanca. The name alone (what's not to love about both the Cape AND Casablanca after all) is wonderful and I really love the feel of this range. They remind me of Robin Sprong's range of wallpapers which are also totally, totally and especially awesome!

Beldi (below) is described as a Moroccan-goes-modern tile pattern and I think they are super usable. My absolute favourites are the blue/green and the green/pink/orange. 

I LOVE this colour combination below. Anyone for coffee and dates?

Ultra-hip palm trees are included in the mix - the colourway featured below is my fave.

 Last but not least, brightly coloured macaws can be on your walls. I think this would be utterly sublime as a feature wall. I'd love to find an old steam trunk I could wallpaper with this.

Till next time nerds, only 7 hours till gin o'clock :)

x

a piece of the past

In December last year I was forced to spruce up the house quite a bit as we were renting it out over the Christmas season (it's amazing how you suddenly notice how shabby things are looking when you have to look at your house as a stranger would. Eeek!)

Anyhow, although nothing will beat white-on-white-on-white for bed linen, I did want to break things up a bit and create a bit of a mood. So, I found these gorgeous Swiss prints at my local haberdashery (Global Textiles for those in Cape Town - and yes, they still have them). I kept the bed linen very neutral (white or pale grey) and then added the floral prints on the pillow slips. The base-cloth is the most sublime, soft 100% cotton and I paired the print with plain taupe, white, grey or pale blue slips.

They've been such a hit (OK, mostly with me) that I went to see if I could find some more. I did! Fabric World in Wynberg has a BIG FAT range of vintage prints. So so lovely. They also have plain, striped and gingham chambrey which works wonderfully with the floral prints. If you like the look but can't find any near you, track down quilting fabric. Some of the designs can be a bit naff but you're bound to find some gems (like the small floral on the chartreuse and duck-egg blue background in the second photo). 

If you're worried that the men in your life will come down with hives if you bring florals home (BK once told me he doesn't like fabric that looks like "granny fabric), the secret is to a) sneak it in bit by bit and b) mix it up with something like the geometric blue and green prints (above).

The course-woven grey cotton (above) is home dyed. If you're a perfectionist, I don't recommend home dying - it's not very neat! (Don't look too closely!)

How insane are these bright colours? The one with the turquoise background is my latest find and I always have sweet dreams when I sleep on it :)

I know not all my readers are based in Cape Town, so I hunted down some other vintage prints and found these ones (below) from americanfolkandfabric.com. So stunning.

Pip Studio are of course the besterestest when it comes to beautiful, fresh florals. You can buy all these goodies in the next four shots online. 

Last but not least, if you like the vintagey, romantic styling, do do do check out Selina Lake's work. She has a number of books you can buy (deliciously lovely) and you will find tons of her work online (mostly on Pintrest).

Till next week flowery nerds x :)