The beautiful 'Cloverdel' cottage and gardens

I think I should start a series on beautiful Australian holiday rentals - of course I'd need to personally test them all out, and I'd need someone to join me of course! My latest find is Cloverdel. Owned and designed by Annabel Buxton, the cottage is located in the heart of the Macedon Ranges, a mere 55 minutes drive from Melbourne. Available for short-term stays, private and public events, guests are invited to enjoy the tranquil 1.5 acre garden which includes manicured lawns, seasonal wetlands, flower gardens and a beautiful variety of trees looking out over Hanging Rock and Mount Macedon. Inside, the decor is wonderfully cool and pared-back with white wood clad walls, a monochrome scheme and touches of warm wood - offering the perfect respite from the midday heat and a blissful night's sleep.  Who's in?!

Credit: photography Sharyn Cairns. Cloverdel is available for short-term stays and private and public events such as weddings (imagine?!), corporate events, birthdays and kids days. 

It's the type of oasis you'd walk into and instantly feel relaxed, don't you think? The sights, sounds and smells..... the tranquility of the gardens. So lovely!

We can't all transport ourselves to Cloverdel unforutnately but we can incorporate a few of the ideas int our own homes - here's a few items I love: wishbone chairs, this grey marble chopping board is similar, AJ table lamp, this and this bird bu Danish architect Kristian Vedel, white butterfly chair.

Dreaming of going down under? Here's a little more inspiration for you to enjoy.

Other Friday link love for the weekend:

5 'winter warmer' modern saunas. 

Have a *relaxing* day!

PS Speaking of far-away places I've just arrived in India for ten days. I've never been here before and it's somewhere I've dreamed about visiting for a  long time - so excited! I'm going to do my best to stop by every other day with a post but bear with me if I run into difficulty with wifi etc. In the meantime, don't forget to enter the give-away to win a beautiful rug from Nordal and the Instagram give-away to win a fab photography print! 

A dreamy holiday home in a former miner's cottage

Tell me Aussie friends - what is it about Daylesford, Victoria with it's beautiful array of houses?  The latest property to catch my eye is Vintage House Daylesford, captured by Sharyn Cairns.  Set in an acre of land with views over Wombat State Forest and Doctors Gully, the 1860's miner's cottage has been beautifully restored to it's former glory by owner, interior designer Kali Cavanagh.  Available for rent for 6 to 8 people the main house and garden room have been decorated in shades of white, black and everything in between and furnished with a blend of antique, vintage and industrial pieces. Personally, I'm longing for a soak in one of those salvaged lion claw bathtubs! How would you wile away your day?

Credits: photography Sharyn Cairns interior design / styling Kali Cavanagh (shared with kind permission). Vintage House Daylesford is available as luxury accommodation and photo shoots. 

How heavenly?!

I'm feeling particularly inspired by the garden room - this is just what we need at my man's family Swedish summer cottage.  Must pin immediately!

It's also taken me way longer than usual to write this post because I keep day dreaming about how to re-arrange my bedroom to create space for a bath tub! I've worked out the only way I could do it would be to do away with my home office! Hmmmm. Seems a bit radical....but then again....?!

Is there anything that's got you day dreaming?! 

Get the look from Vintage House Daylesford: white and grey stonewashed linen bedding, buy beautiful made to measure linen curtains here, source vintage industrial pendant lamps here. Try Ebay for a salvaged claw foot bathtub.

I've just noticed there are now over 60 spaces to drool over in my 'holiday home' archive - how will I get anything done today at all (mind you, with no home office.....that would be OK, right)?!

Have a *dreamy* day!

PS I got a note from the post office this morning - I think it could be my mobile - yay!

My dream holiday home (and garden room)!

If I ever visit Australia (which I hope to!) I'm going to be in home-from-home heaven. Seriously, I already have my accommodation mapped out! I'd simply rotate through all the homes designed by uber talented interior designer Lynda Gardener! You'll recognise The White Room, The Apartment St Kilda and The Estate Trentham from previous posts (all stunning in their own way), and today I discovered a fourth home (yes there's a fourth!). Located in Melbourne, The White House Daylesford not only offers guests a cosy main house, decorated in classic rich hues and furnished in a beautiful blend of vintage finds, it also has the most incredible 'garden bedroom'! Get ready to feel truly inspired!

Photography- Marnie Hawson (shared with kind permission). Interior design - Lynda Gardener. The White House Daylesford is available to rent privately and as a location for photo shoots, film etc.

That bathroom?! *siiiiiigh*. That garden bedroom?! Just everything! EVERYTHING!

The problem is, if I stayed here, I'd never want to leave, how about you?!

Get the look: pick up a vintage electric fan here, I usually source my vintage industrial lamps here. The best tip I received lately is to buy vintage army blankets - they're always incredibly warm and come in beautiful army green colours - perfect!


I'm going to be dreaming about this space all day, I hope it's inspired you too!

'The White Room' - a studio with beautiful one-off vintage pieces

They say that part of the enjoyment of holidays is in the planning. To some extent that's true - but I have to say I've been known to spend hours searching for accommodation that's just right (do you?!). But when you strike upon that perfect place, a real home from home, the anticipation is wonderful! And that's exactly why I was so excited to discover this gem in North Fitzroy, Melbourne (a friend of mine told me I was pronouncing the name all wrong and it should be 'Melben not 'Melboooooourne'!). Anyhooo, The White Room is a simply stunning studio, which as the name suggests, is indeed white and interior designer Lynda Gardner's signature style shines through with a divine mixed of one-off vintage pieces, industrial lighting and layers of pure french linen and handmade sheets. Let's take a tour of this wonderful sanctuary, beautifully captured by Lisa Cohen...

Credit: photography Lisa Cohen / interior design Lynda Gardener.  The White Room. With kind permission.

The funny thing is, as much as I'd love to have a trip to Australia planned, I don't! But the key thing is, when I do, the hours of accommodation searching is out of the way - I just need to decide whether to stay here or at one of Lynda's other places I've featured - The Apartment in St Kilda or The Estate Trentham.

Hmmmmm. Tricky!

Could you imagine staying in this lovely studio?

Get the look from The White Room: kitchen - industrial style trolley / cart, glass fronted cabinet, knitted pouf (absolutely love this!), jute rug. Source vintage industrial lighting here. Bedroom: beautiful charcoal grey duvet cover and pillow case and white linen summer blanket, this leather club chair is similar.

Have a wonderful start to the week!

A dreamy home-from-home in Australia

Third gloomy day in a row here and I have to admit I'm not feeling the 'hygge'. And no amount of candles, sheepskins and kanelbullar are going to help. Instead, I'm dreaming about a visit to The Estate Trentham, and it seems to be lifting my spirits no end! Located an hour from Melbourne and inspired by Scandinavian interiors (cue white washed walls and a pared-back look) The Estate Trentham is an original early twentieth century three bedroom federation house surrounded by beautiful gardens. And if that's not enough, it's also been artfully decorated with lovely muted autumn colours, soft natural textiles and a wonderful mix of old and new. In other words my ideal get-away and the perfect antidote to gloomy days! Excuse me while I search for flights....

Photography: Lisa Cohen (shared with kind permission). Book a stay at The Estate Trentham here.

See you there?!

I wanted to be able to use this little space to pick out a small detail but I have to say, the whole house is positively dreamy!


Is there anything that stands out to you in particular?

Get the look (if my home looked even a little like this I'd be thrilled): pick up an industrial pendant here, I like this jute rug. The sofa looks like a Gervasoni ghost (beautiful!). This online shop sells cushions in autumn colours.  Vintage scissor lamps. I like Kara Rosenlund's horse and nature inspired prints.

Loving the neutral colour scheme with touches of brown it reminds me a lot of Kara Rosenlund's home which I featured a few weeks back. Maybe I can do this Autumn thing after all!

More holiday rentals in my archive  here (you so knew that was coming right?!).

Have a lovely day!

An idyllic holiday home in the South of France

I do love the small coincidences in life, don't you? Take yesterday. I was leafing through Hilary Robertson's book The Stuff of Life and the beautiful home of New York designer Annie Moore in Carcassonne, South of France caught my eye. And then last night her home popped up on my bloglovin' feed from nowhere- and I knew at that moment it was a sign - I had to share it with you!  I am so in love with this space, I could quite easily dine out for days on it....the rustic touches, the beautiful garden, the wallpaper, the freestanding baths, everything! And guess what? I also found out it's somewhere we can actually stay (quoted on the website as 'your spiritual home in the south of france')! Why did I not know about this before?

Credits: pictures 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 by  Montse Garriga Grau / Nuevo Estilo. Pictures 3 and 8 by Nicolas Mathéus / Marie Claire Maison. Shared with kind permission from Annie Moore.

See you at Camellas-Lloret?!

I like the idea of creating a wall with vintage botanical pictures (pick up a second hand 'flora and fauna' book here to create similar). I also love the painting in the middle of the mirror, I've never seen that before, have you?!

Is there anything that stands out to you?

A few other ideas to steal from Annie's home: outroom - this (one-off) zinc sink is similar or source a custom made one here, pick up a vintage demi-john glass bottle here. Dining room - Tulip table with marble top. Bedroom: stonewashed white linen bedding.

Other beautiful places to stay (hey, there's no reason why we can't do a tour right?!...) include a rural hotel in Portugal, a log cabin in The Netherlands, and a boho cottage in Byron Bay. Do you have any tips?

Have a wonderful day!

PS Just in case you missed it yesterday, the winner of the Houseology give-away has now been announced here!