Chalk Talk

hi peeps, its been a big week for gOLd ChaLK, you may have noticed (or maybe NOT!) that chalk talk is a little late this week - well yesterday, I was so exhausted - I spent the afternoon at a job, tweaking a few things after all the new furniture had arrived - it really was a big day - seeing your project complete is scary, exciting and also confronting! but at the same time exhilarating!!!!!! check it out for yourself....

 original concept board

 before photo

 before

 before

 during!

 After

The Ned chair by Jardan Furniture

made-to-measure wall unit, designed by me and made here, this is the perfect addition to the school - it will showcase all of the schools trophies and memorabilia and it is fully adjustable.

 There are still a few finishing touches to be done in terms of adding a "REAL" plant in a lovely basket and some key pieces to the bookcase - all in all - really happy with the end result and so was the school!

Master Plan was also launched this week, this design kit offers prospective clients budget-savvy design solutions. It is perfect for commitment phobes and budget minders alike.  It's a great way to pull a room together without the pressure of a designer walking into your home - all details are exchanged on line and a beautiful box arrives on your doorstep in 4 weeks - priced at $149 per room it really does make interior design more affordable. Read more here.

On My Radar this week.......

hot at the moment small couches in small spaces!!!!!!!

and this sign - It's beautiful here - it sure is - available for $195 here!!!!!!

coincidently all images are  Megan Morton - who is also very hot at the moment too!

ciao for now!!!!

Sneak Peek - My First Master Plan Design Kit

the first design kit is complete and just about ready to be boxed and delivered to its new owner!

What's in the Design kit???? - I hear you asking - stay tuned I intend to explain all, later this week and a BIG give-away is planned....

Friday's Chalk Talk

super crazy week, off to a 7am meeting this morning!!! What!!!! I hear you say - am I mad????- all  in the name of business building !!!!- I am super excited - as usual lots going on - had some fabulous photos taken yesterday which I hope to share with you very soon - they are going to be SOOOOO great - I completed a plan for a Living/Dining room which looks pretty good - I got a note from one of the agents I work with to say they were really happy with my first job  and they have another three more lined up for me in the next week or so!!!!! Yay !!!!!!!! I have just about finished my Master Plan Design Kits, more details about these soon! 

This week I thought I would share some groovy images I've found on the net and tell you why they stand out from the crowd for me! 

 floating wooden bedhead and great lighting = very stylish - simple but stylish, notice the contrast here - you must mix dark with light for harmony and balance.

 love a crucifix in the home, again quite a neutral background and furnishings with some highlight elements, and a little dash of colour on the lamp and a tiny bit of the same color on the cushion - this is a very pretty room with quite a calming restful feel.

lots of natural light, great side table, in fact perfect height for that bed, available here in a huge range of colours and sizes! There's that picture of that lady again - love her in this palette too.

 

 lots of pops of colour - white base mixed with some colour and texture = fantastic - its all about layering up the colour and keeping it to about 3 colours - any more can look a bit busy I think.  

 bold statement = fab feature for the kitchen - love the mix of pendant lights (Tom Dixon) and down lights - layer up your lighting - not all about down lights - pendants = personality!!! The Green wall of cupboards in this kitchen is a real winner for me - The other common feature in all these pics is huge amounts of natural light - If you are going to do white and colour, make sure your room can carry it off!

I think my favorite thing to do with interiors is to keep the shell neutral and play with colour to add personality and a bit of quirk! Natural light is so important to me - it really is mood effecting - I love bringing the outside in, so where ever possible, bring some leaves/branches/flowers or even twigs into your mix for guaranteed loveliness. 

thank you for taking the time to stop by - I really appreciate it - I love sharing my week with you all. xx

Chalk Talk

OK, today we are going to get straight into it with this must have item for your home office, not only is it affordable & chic, it's practical!!!!! - my other half loves practical!! - I have seen it popping up everywhere and it is my product of the week!!!!

priced at $279 - available at IKEA

 it looks fabulous and two side by side would be ideal! It also comes in Black, but for me, I much prefer the white.
Most of this week I have spent working on my Master Plan concept - I have asked a friend of a friend to trial the concept for me and in return I have offered her a free Master Plan kit on a room of her choice in her home.  She has chosen her Living/dining room.  She has filled out my detailed questionnaire and we have conversed via email several times getting all the details together.  Mind you, I have never seen her house, I am not sure of her style - in fact I really do not know a lot about her on a personal level at all! The whole process has been fabulous and I have enjoyed every minute of it (hope she has too!!) but there is one problem.......after completing her proposed floor plan (to scale) and her concept boards - which I am truly in love with!!! and compiling her shopping list, I cant stop looking at them - I really do not want to part with them! But of course I will and I will move on to my next project and fall madly deeply in love with that one too! It's a tough job but somebody has to do it!!!
Next week my I am getting my Master Plan kit professionally photographed - with all the details - may even be a little (or big!) give away on the BLOG soon - stay tuned.......very exciting!
This week I also got to re-visit a home that I had completed a colour plan on earlier in the year - It looks amazing,  not everything is completely finished yet but what has been done is super impressive, this lady had a very keen eye for detail although she does not give herself much credit for it.  It has been so lovely working with her and her husband, they really should be congratulated, its not easy living through a major renovation, is it!!!!

On my Radar this week......

 these beautiful cushions from Lumiere Art + Co

lovely colours in this print - would love this in my home!

more wonderful office spaces - I love the "K" space with the Tom Dixon Copper Lights - a real winner for me.

Love love love

apparently - this is the new craze in photography of interiors - shot from above?????

lastly, I am super jealous of this stylist who is making her dream come true - actually I say, good on her! Everyone knows my favorite designer is Abigail Ahern, she is based in the UK and has just started taking design classes - Jane Frosh who is a super stylist in her own right wants to get to one of her Master Classes badly, so badly that she has started an on line campaign - you can read about it here and donate - its all about following your dreams, isn't it, I bet she gets there.................good luck Jane xx


hope you all enjoy your weekend xx

Friday's Chalk Talk

TGIF,  don't they roll around quickly. So much to tell you  about this week, feel like things are really starting to move along for Gold Chalk, about time I say after all the ground work I have put in. You may be starting to notice that I am pretty determined to make this business ROCK and show people that great spaces don't need to cost you a lot of money!!!!!!! my mission is to make great spaces available to the masses!!!!! and here's how I am doing it................

1.Tivolivat Family Flip decorations - available here

2. Emily Green necklaces

3. Love this pic, mix of polka dots, stripes and floral - so chic

4. beautiful cushion available on sale here - hurry, this would look great on a dark couch or white bedlinen!!!!

5. This clock is so coming to my place - $99 @ Freedom

are you or someone you know thinking of selling their house - I can help you get your house ready for sale - today more than ever preparing your house for sale and your Internet photos are crucial to your campaign - don't under estimate the power of property styling - its how you can make your house stand out from the crowd.

Master Plan is up and running - this is decorating made easy and affordable!

I design your room, you DIY!!!

Its as easy as 1-2-3!

step 1 - fill in the detailed questionnaire that I send to you via email

step 2 - photograph your room and include your measurements

step 3 - I send you beautifully boxed, all you need to get your room started, right to your door step!

cost - $250 per room!!!!

contact me or email me if you are interested.  

I am working on a room at the moment, will post some pictures as we go along - very exciting!!!!!

click on the master plan tab at the top of my blog for more details.

  lastly on my travels this week I stumbled across this and have lusted over it ever since - I going back to buy one for my dining table. Available @ Country Road - $29.95!!

Chalk Talk

space designed by Abigail Ahern - my go to lady of the moment!

why is it that some days are Blah and some are ooh la la???????? I can hear you all saying - I hear you, girlfriend!!!! Well we need to experience the Blah to know when Oooohh la la hits - yesterday I had an Ooooh la la day - I got a new listing from a client - very excited,  and I also got a new project underway called Master Plan.  Master plan has been in the pipeline for a little while now, it is so exciting and really I think its going to be a winner! I can't give away too much detail.  But lets just say that my mission to make Interior Decorating more widely available and to remove the perception, that it is expensive,  is moving a step closer...........sound interesting???? well stay tuned for some really exciting stuff.


This week I had a huge reaction to my decorating/styling hints, so I thought I would continue with this over the coming weeks, and dissect some great pics that float around the internet and take a closer look at why they work. 

Is this not the most amazingly simple home office you have seen! I love this shot, the owner has worked with a white base and added colour with some key pieces.  Always bring some of the outside in with either flowers or greenery - this is a must! I also love to add a little "tongue in cheek" - a touch of the unexpected, sure to have your friends tongues wagging - I like to call it a memorable piece - for me that is the pink pig - unexpected, but it works.

 On My Radar...... 

if you haven't already been here then get yourself there pronto for some great budget designer finds - perfect update pieces, that work perfectly together. They also do an amazing yellow beside lamp for $50 - I need to get myself two of those!

hot right now - Blacklist Studio - great song on their website to listen to whilst browsing their amazing wears, how fab is this gold print - You make my happy when skies are grey!!!!!

and lastly, I am heading out this morning to get a hard copy of the latest Women's Weekly, which has Zuster Designer Wilhelmina McCarroll's house featured in the Yarra Valley- the most perfect example of a neutral palette  with an injection of personality through some quirky pieces that are real talking points!!

Design Quote of the week

Decor must have sentimental value. 

A house must tell a story."

 Mark Hampton

so true, have yourselves a wonderful weekend xxoo

Master Plan...........

gOLD ChaLK is working on a new project called Master Plan, I hope to deliver you all the details very soon.  Please stay tuned - it's a little bit exciting.......