Are you prepared to be dazzled, frazzled and knocked right off your office chair? And are you prepared to have an unyielding urge to purchase a one-way ticket to Africa pronto? You think I kid and exaggerate BUT I MOCK YOU NOT! We are about to hit interior inspiration overload mes cher amis, and here is a little peak…

There are two words that I like to use when describing my chosen style and decor: raw + sophisticated. And rarely do I get to use these two words together. But this is one of those rare occasions. So pack your suitcases, slap on some sunscreen and come with me while I take you on an epic visual journey through this African retreat. This is one place you will never forget…

(Click here to read more…)

Scrolling back on Debi’s email, I just spotted that I missed a whole bunch of images at the bottom! As you can see I keep myself well-entertained with my own idiocy. And if I wasn’t so damn honest I would have just told you this was part deux. So here we are, part deux of Debi’s gloriously humble abode, how generous is this gal…

While I pack my bags to move in (out you go Debi, you can leave me your family and dog Bingo too!), I will just say that we may all be packing our bags momentarily, and be on the first plane to Africa. Robinson Crusoe, eat your heart out…

We’ve all had a good drool over South African photographer Debi Treloar’s online portfolio, and we lapped up her photographs when we reviewed the book ‘Recycled Home’, but can we get enough of Debi? No we can’t. Because she also just happens to be a lovely person and we love those types at the (blog)house! While chatting with Debi recently I couldn’t resist asking her if we could have a sneak peak into her own London home. And I’m glad I asked!

Debi’s Victorian home in London is bursting with colour and energy. It is a gorgeous collection of vintage, found and rescued, and is splashed with beautiful African artefacts. Loose, real, and sophisticated is how I would describe her home. The stylist in me wants to review this home for you in full detail but I won’t subject you to my ramblings (hmm, unless you ask). But I will say this – have a good gaze at these shots and look at her clever use of colour. Even though it looks like a happy accident, there is actually a rhythm, an order to her use of colour. She has not been frightened by using bold key colours throughout, and it is this confident use of colour that makes this home a knock out. Enjoy your visit to Debi’s place and be sure to pick up the free inspiration from these beautiful photographs along the way…

Larger images of Debi’s home can be seen in the book Flea Market Style written by Emily Chalmers and Ali Hanan, as well as a back issue of Living Etc. Thanks again Debi!

Up next: another stunning interior inspiration thanks to Debi, but this one has a twist and I’ll give only one clue: it is somewhere in Africa!

“On voit la paille dans l’oeil de son voisin, mais pas la poutre dans le sien.”

image by Petrina Tinslay, from the f8 photo library

Which means? This:
“One sees the straw in the eye of its neighbour but not the beam in his own.”

Think long and hard about this. Loooooong and haaaard. (I hope you are getting my humour in my writing – it sometimes gets mistaken as offensive but that doesn’t seem to stop me).

I know I was going to try to do a pronunucation version for you so you could show off your French at the next dinner party, but this proverb is long and if you are anything like me, you’d be lucky to remember it let alone pronounce it correctly. But I do realise not everyone has the memory of a goldfish comme moi, so you Frenchies out there (yes that is you Mary-Laure), if you felt like adding a phonetical version of this proverb we would all be very appreciative!

And to copy-cat Bob Sherman, I’m adding one he sent to me in his Daily Dose yesterday, this one’s from Marky Mark (Twain, not the Funky Bunch)…

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”

This quote I should have tattooed on my forehead so that every time I look in the mirror I can kick myself for forgetting it, then perhaps I’d finally abide by it. Enough metaphors and innuendos, onto our interior fix for the day!

task at hand (part 2), by the extraordinarily talented Samantha Lamb, a great source of inspiration for My Heart Wanders.

While out in Amsterdam today it seemed every time I glanced down at my walking feet I saw a heart shaped splotch on the pavement. With all this heart talk, are my eyes now pin holed like Alyson’s photo technique, or do these hearts really exist? This reminds me of What the Bleep do We Know– the idea that we are not seeing everything that actually exists, are the hearts a part of it? It also reminds me of the last episode of my all-time favourite TV series Northern Exposure when Fleischman goes into the forest and is told that reality exists in between glances, that if you move your head quickly you may catch it. Well, that’s what I remember of that episode, I did watch it over 10 years ago and have no doubt forgotten the detail, but the essence of it I carry with me. Our wandering hearts project reminds me of all these wonderful ideas about life.

I’ve been perusing your flickr images, blogs and websites and am so inspired by your talent. I am beyond excited by the prospects of what we can actually create here. Something that has never been seen before, that is for sure.

I just mentioned Alyson’s heart shape technique over at unruly-things that she found, check it out, it’s very inspiring!

For those of you who have already found the heart shape you want to display, or have already made it or in the process of, keep in mind where you will display it for the final submission. I am getting the impression that some people think this will just be a collection of ‘found hearts’, but think about it more like an interiors book. Remember I gave references to “Where’s Wally?” (if you don’t know that book let me know and I will explain it further). So imagine your heart as Wally – your heart needs to be displayed in a setting, this is very important. I’ve also had a chance to have a sneak peak at some of your homes via your blogs, and I see some very beautiful spaces amongst you. Every home is beautiful in some way, even if you do not see that it resembles the latest magazine spread, it doesn’t have to, and most of you already have a natural eye for shooting a special corner of your home, or little vignette.

So the next step is, have a look at some of your favourite magazine spreads and interior books, and take a look at your inspiration boards too. Have a think about your favourite spaces in your home, however big or small the space is, and start thinking about where your wandering heart might fit in that space.

P.S. I have 2 stunning homes to reveal to you tomorrow, so be sure to stop by to get your interior fix! These will knock your socks off!