Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category

Scenes of a Scandinavian Summer

September 3rd, 2018

Hey guys, it’s Holly! Long time no see. Last summer my family and I took to the road for a three week adventure through Denmark and the south East coast of Sweden, in search of nature, serenity and that Scandinavian charm we all love so much. We also camped for the very first time, and I am pleased to report that we survived, unscathed and still married, after staying at three different camp sites along the way (OK annnnd a boutique hotel and charming bed and breakfast because, well, balance)! It occurred to me that I shared some snaps over on Instagram but not here, and after revisiting the images for a photo album I’ve been making from the trip recently, I thought I’d channel the Scandi vibes once more and share some of what we saw and did with you!

Our journey took us from the Netherlands, through Hamburg, Germany, on to the south West coast of Denmark, across a few ferries to the south East coast of Sweden, hopping along the coast until we boarded a ferry to Gotland, and then all the way back home again. I’ve gathered a few of the highlights and for anyone wanting to embark on a similar adventure (with family in tow or solo) with some addresses we went to that we would recommended visit again.

Get the full scoop

Posted in Art & Craft, Events, Travel | 3 Comments »

People of the Sun African Homewares

September 12th, 2017

You might recall we were recently hired to style and shoot in Greece for People of the Sun, a Malawi based furniture and homewares label that supports the local African economy by working with artisans and utilising their indigenous skills. They lovingly create a range of beautiful, hand made products for the home which we flew over to Athens to capture for People of the Sun’s new website and catalogue. Take a peek at our favourite shots below!

The goal for this shoot was to show how these beautiful African pieces translate in a European, contemporary interior, and to demonstrate how well they work with modern and classical furniture styles. People often don’t know how to style African pieces in their homes because they tend to be very ‘present’ and with this shoot we wanted to show how you can achieve balance but still highlight the ethic influences.

We based the shoot around a stunning apartment with high ceilings and classical detailing, and home to architect Dimitris Karampatakis of K Studio and artist Joanna Burtenshaw and the results were nothing short of splendid. We used primarily their own gorgeous furniture and art but also brought in various props to tell the story. I even travelled over there with books and ceramics in my backpack and carry on luggage. Muscle abuse like this is an occupational hazard, I tell you. For now though, let’s dive into the pretty pictures, shall we?

Get the full scoop

Posted in Art & Craft, Interior, Styling, Travel | 12 Comments »

Scenes of Milan

June 8th, 2017

Hey guys! The weeks are disappearing before our very eyes as we are busy installing our first interior design projects as a duo (three projects rounding off this month!), shooting several projects for beautiful brands including Rex Kralj, Vertigo Bird and People of the Sun (in Greece!) as well as developing our remote interior design package. We’ve had lots of enquiries coming in from you lovely folks who read this blog and for that we are very grateful. And though time has flown by since we returned from a trip to the Salone del Mobile in Milan we thought we’d drop in today to share some scenes of this urban, bustling and green city for you, and then later today a few trends we picked up on while there.

We had both never been to Milan prior to this trip. In fact, aside from this recent visit, I myself have never been to Italy at all (except for a fleeting two day stint in Florence), a situation I endeavour to rectify on the short term. Obviously, as we were attending the design fair it was all “work work work work work” so we stayed away from tourist sites and focused on wandering the streets (mainly in the Tortona – where we stayed – and Brera areas) and in an out of shows and presentations, stopping intermittently for wine, olives and people-watching. Get the full scoop

Posted in Events, Food, Travel | 1 Comment »

Munich Botanical Gardens

September 26th, 2016

While I was in Munich a couple of weeks ago attending the ‘Best of Interior Blogs’ awards ceremony, I decided to spend day two doing something with my little girl Lola that we could both enjoy. I had been invited by the German publishers Callwey Verlag to the botanical gardens to attend the book launch of Igor Josifovic and Judith de Graaf‘s fabulous new book ‘Urban Jungle‘ however sadly we didn’t land until the afternoon. As much as I would have loved attending – especially given that my big IG girl crush Anastasia Benko was hosting a floral workshop which I knew would be breathtaking AND my pal Gudy Herder was giving a trend talk I would have loved to see – we just didn’t make it. We had left the house at four o’clock that morning and by the time we arrived it was the late afternoon and I had a tired toddler on my hands. We set out and went for cake and cappuccino’s instead but I kept an eye on my Instagram feed for updates of the event and with all the beautiful snaps of the botanical gardens streaming in I made a promise to Lola that we would go there the next day, since we had an entire day to burn before flying home on the Saturday night.

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We started our day with a leisurely breakfast on the terrace of our hotel. We stayed at Bold Hotel, a lovely place to stay if you’re visiting Munich, with very pretty interior design. After breakfast, we jumped on the metro and made our way over to the Botanical Gardens at Nymphenburg. We decided the gardens were so near to Nymphenburg Palace that it would be silly not to stroll the palace grounds before making our way to the botanical gardens. Lola was delighted to spot a bride posing behind the palace, and loved racing down the pathways with bare feet. And gosh, what we found once we arrived at the greenhouses I had been desperate to visit was nothing short of breathtaking. Get the full scoop

Posted in Events, Florals, Travel | 2 Comments »

Porto in Three Days

June 29th, 2016

Hi guys! I am back in the studio again after several weeks of traveling for a couple of exciting work assignments – first to Miami for a new interior design project (will show you more on that soon), and most recently to Marrakech on a small purchasing-slash-shenanigans trip with a very dear friend. Before that, I was in Mallorca with my family for a little getaway for my 30th birthday and before that I hit Porto, Portugal, for three days of fun with nine girlfriends! It’s been a busy time, packing and repacking my bags, kissing my family goodbye several times and saying hello to adventure. I didn’t take my camera with me to Mallorca, Miami or Marrakech (the three M’s of 2016) – I wanted to put all of my energy into either the work that led me to those places, or to my family. I did however squeeze it into my bag for the Porto trip and, one afternoon, took some snaps while wandering the artfully paved streets to snap some sights.

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This trip was a group holiday that I go on each year with eight of my Dutch girlfriends. Each time, two out of nine ladies organise the trip on behalf of the group, making bookings, deciding on restaurants, theatre shows, activities, flights and accommodation so that the rest can relax and enjoy and there aren’t too many cooks! It works really well, and this year was  my turn to organise, which I did with two friends from the group. The budget is always small and the goal is getting as much out of the weekend as possible! In case you are considering a city trip this summer, I would highly recommend Porto. It is a charming city along a large river that boasts beautiful historical architecture, fabulous seafood, Port by the barrelful and a nightlife that had me swaying into the wee hours of the morning. Below, some of my holiday snaps, with some tips on what to see and do. Bon voyage!  Get the full scoop

Posted in Travel, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Five Days in Marrakech

December 6th, 2015

Hey guys, I’ve returned from a lovely few weeks in South Africa enjoying some down time with my family and soaking up as much sunshine as possible. It was a lovely time, catching up with everyone I miss so much while we live abroad and watching our children play together and develop bonds that will hopefully last a lifetime. While away I co-taught in the Blogging Your Way e-course alongside Holly Becker and Jack and Tina Fussell and (between a very temperamental internet connection) it was so wonderful engaging with everyone and seeing their enthusiasm for blogging, styling and photography. While I am still kinda in holiday mode though, I thought I’d share some holiday snaps from my recent trip to Marrakech, which I’ve been meaning to do for ages now. That place. It opened my eyes to a whole new world which I am aching to get back there. Here’s a glimpse into the city that stole my heart and an account of five days in Marrakech I will never forget.

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I went to Marrakech with my dear friend who left her life in Australia to come and live in my home town of Delft for 9 months. While she was here we celebrated 15 years of friendship and our birthdays (together, in the same time zone, for the first time in 7 years), so to mark the occasion we went away for some quality time together before she went back home. It was a wonderful adventure, which had us both in a complete daze for the entire duration of our stay.

Get the full scoop

Posted in Colour, Travel | 3 Comments »

The Great Outdoors

October 26th, 2015

Do you ever just throw on a backpack, some well worn shoes and hit the outdoors? The crisp fall air, the crunching of leaves underfoot and the adventure of the path unknown can be therapy to the soul. Being amongst nature, wandering, foraging and exploring are things I love to do this time of year with everything changing so beautifully around us, and so this beautiful collection of images shot on film by Hanke Arkenbout as part of a collaboration we did together a few weeks ago is really hitting the spot for me. How often do you hit the outdoors for a wander in your local forest or park? I did this past weekend with my little family, roaming our local forest on our bicycles stopping every so often to forage for dried grasses, foliage and berries. Perhaps today’s post will inspire your own weekend wander.

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The forest itself served as inspiration enough for me and Hanke to team up for this shoot, but I realised while working on it that having recently seen the film ‘Wild‘ must have resonated with me on a deep level and inspired me more than I knew at the time.

In the movie, the main character and autobiographer Cheryl Strayed (played by Reece Witherspoon) embarked on a solo, three-month, hike along the Pacific Crest Trail covering some 1,100 miles of continuous wilderness with nothing but a backpack and little to no hiking experience.

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Posted in Art & Craft, Florals, Styling, Travel | 3 Comments »

Hôtel Henriette, Paris

March 3rd, 2015

There’s a little slice of heaven in the middle of Paris and it’s called Hôtel Henriette. I mentioned in my last post that I was sent over to Paris to photograph a family home in Saint Germain en-Laye, and was booked into a room at this gorgeous, gorgeous boutique hotel located on a little cobbled street in the south of the city, a stone’s throw from the Les Gobelins metro station. I won’t say any more. I’ll simply let these images of each and every thoughtfully designed space, speak for themselves.

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Click on the image above for a larger view

Every one of the hotel’s 32 rooms has it’s own colour scheme and a charming Nordic boho look and feel, all conceptualized by the hotel’s owner Vanessa Scoffier. Formerly a fashion editor, the designer has had an infinity for scouring flea markets from a young age. The rooms feature expertly sourced, quirky vintage mirrors and lighting fixtures, whimsical wallpapers, and a hand selected colour palette. Get the full scoop

Posted in Interior, Styling, Travel | 7 Comments »

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