Home Beautiful shoot

 

The latest issue of Home Beautiful has just hit the magazine stands and it features the house I assisted Super Stylist Julia Green and the amazing photographer Armelle Habib, if you haven't heard of this dynamic duo, you would have seen their work in lots of recent  magazines.  We visited the house back in April - so it has taken 6 months to hit the stands  - big lead times! This was a Hamptons style home in the burbs. We got there at 8am and didn't leave until 6pm! Huge day fluffing, moving, carrying things out and carrying things in - the amount of work that goes into a shot like this is absolutely amazing - the days are long - non stop and really physical. It was a great experience, I am so thankful I got a chance to work on such a high profile magazine (still pinching myself!!) this was totally a dream come true!

this was my favourite room of the whole house - the magnificent chandelier was from Schots Home Emporium in Clifton Hill Melbourne.

I'm still pinching myself, I learnt so much about what goes into a magazine shoot - it is not always as it appears!!! believe me!

get the look - Nina's space on Offspring

Do you recognise this DOOR????

EVERYONE wants to be like Nina!! Women everywhere go crazy for her fashion sense and if you're lucky enough to stock something she wares in the show - get ready for a stampede!!! Whilst most people follow the show for a glimpse of what she is wearing - I love watching the show to see how the rooms have been dressed and styled!!! Her look is very relaxed, a farmhouse in suburbia, with an industrial feel.Not much has changed for season four so far in terms of her bedroom, so if you, like many, love Nina, here is a little bit about her interior style!

 Nancy Bird fish scale bedlinen features in the main bedroom- only if you feel the need to splurge!!! I am going to try and hunt down a similar look for a Steal - stay tuned!!!

 I love the lamp on Nina's bedside table -a house warming gift from Darcy! shop it here The art in her bedroom is by Rosetta Santucci

Keep your eye out for a few other favorites appearing in this seasons episodes, art from Ali Mc Nabney Stevens & Lumiere Art & Co. I am going to keep my eyes peeled on the future episodes - stay tuned for more Offspring news!

lastly did any of you catch a glimpse of this little number on Nina's shoulder last night - both of them were inseparable!!!! It's by Wizzer & Whyte - I'm trying to hunt it down like every other woman in Australia, no doubt!!

Styling You is a fabulous website that follows Nina's fashion and shows you how to get her look - check it out! It's great!!!

Julia Green 

oooh, one last thing, in the past I have been lucky enough to work beside this very talented lady - what a privilege - well, news is she is dressing the set of Offspring, if I know anything about Julia - there will be lots of colour coming in future episodes - I cant wait to stay tuned to see her magic!!!

how and why I was on the cover of a magazine!!!!!!

Yesterday I got to appear on the cover of the Herald Sun Home Magazine, how did this happen????, I hear you asking!!!!! Well I was lucky enough to work with the very talented Julia Green from Greenhouse Interiors as her assistant for the day.  How did I land the assistant role??? well, I kept knocking on her door, I didnt give up and I was prepared to do whatever it took. Assistant roles are never paid roles, but the experience gained is invaluable, and if you are lucky enough to get a gig with a fabulous mentor who is not afraid to share her knowledge, the benefits are two fold!

This was a Porter Davis display home that we injected some colour into (prior to Julia arriving, this home was fully Black and Silver!!) and the result was amazing! 

I learnt so much from her on the day, got to see how things really work behind the scenes and most importantly, I now really understand how different property styling is to magazine styling - both are extremely tough gigs -  your car is always filled with props and stock on loan from shops, suppliers and even your own home - you pack, un pack and then pack it all up again - and although the end result can look very glamorous, it's bloody hard work - you have to love it, you have to have a keen eye for detail, the hours are long and often grubby, but when you see the end result and your name in print, the hard work all seems so worth it!!!

Chalk Talk's HOT LIST

Julia's kitchen - Inside Out this month and Julia's kitchen before - both look fab@!

lots of crazy things happening lately in the decorator world - and it's time to share them with you - Firstly, I posted on Facebook the cover of the latest Inside Out  Magazine, it is all about colour and who better to showcase this than Super Stylist - Julia Green from Greenhouse Interiors - I have posted about her before here, I have been lucky enough to work with her and she is amazing. I love her energy and easy going nature - she love to share her knowledge, I love that about her - I got to work on an amazing shoot with her a couple of weeks ago and the energy was captivating!! She has only recently joined Inside Out Magazine, but what she brings to the table is amazing - her story in the latest issue is actually her very own house transformed for the shoot - her lounge and kitchen areas.  I have had the pure excitement of walking into her home - my eyes went crazy with excitment - just looking at all the details - that's it, she's a details girl, I LOVE THAT TOO!! More about Julia and I later - stay tuned!!!!!

 Image Decor8

I often get asked......how do you find the time to BLOG - well the answer is simple - I LOVE my blog and I make time for it - I love it so much that I am currently doing a course on blogs by the very talented Holly Becker from Decor8 - she is my blogging hero and her Eclasses are amazing - she is based on the other side of the world but runs her courses through web casts - so this month I am busy doing that in my spare time - you may notice some small changes to the blog as I proceed - you can see her blog here - its loaded with inspiration!!!

Image Decor8

On my HOT LIST at the moment is Kip and Co Bright, who specalise in Bright Boutique linen - believe me this brand is going to be hot - and even more hot once it is seen on someones bed!!! more of that later!!!!!!!!!
Check out their website and do yourself a favour and get a piece of Kip and Co,  my favorite thing to do with this "look at me" bedlinen is to match it back with neutrals to tone it down. Whether it be a neutral/linen look fabric bedhead or a linen doona cover and using Kip and Co pillows or flat sheets - never match it - don't buy the whole set - it looks way to contrived - mix it up - go on, give it a try!! 

Pre order Kip and Co - you are going to be seeing a lot more of this brand!

Another thing that is going crazy at the moment is rugs - use them everywhere - even outside, I have seen this and it actually looks not too bad! What a difference a rug can make to a space. Use rugs like a pieces of art - then choose your other decorator items around it - there are some rug rules you need to follow, but right now, BOLD rugs are HOT!!!

My Tip of the Week - incorporate some greenery into your rooms - look at this image - imagine it without the greenery in the vase - it would look a little stark, adding green in terms of leaves, branches etc is simple and effective. Green is the universal colour - it can be used with any colour scheme and instantly looks amazing. Bring some of  the outside inside! take a look at my instagram pics, to see greenery at my place. Picture from Arent & Pyke

Lastly, gOLd ChaLK is going to be holding a decorators shopping trip - it is going to be  limited to four spaces ONLY. Date will be advised soon. I plan to take you to some fabulous places - all purchases made on the day will be at wholesale price plus 20% - Four places only - Ticket price is $60.00.
the trip will take place in Melbourne and it promises to be a fabulous day! I will be available to answer any decorating question you have, I am also happy to make a home visit as part of the ticket price to help you choose your decorator items wisely!!
Email me if you are interested in pre purchasing a ticket!!! But hurry as places are limited.

happy 2013 and some new year resolutions

welcome to 2013, I am excited about this year, I have lots of plans for gOLd ChaLK and the blog, 2012 was a great year, but this year I want to expand on some things and pull back on others - I want to do some things a little differently and deliver some really interesting blog posts. Here's some highlights of 2012 for me and a little list of some of the things you can expect to see in 2013. It really showcases my year, things I've done and people I've met along the way!

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Now, for 2013! this is what I am looking forward to:

• more property styling and managing my time better
• being organised
• helping people, make their spaces, places they want to spend time 
• some magazine work - kill to do this!
• interviewing, meeting and networking with people in the industry
• home tours - photo shots
• shopping guides - where to shop
• what's hot
• developing the blog
• getting better at taking pictures of interiors - practice practice practice
• establishing a website  - YAY, Life long dream!!!
• and lastly, a personal goal - to be a better cook!!!!! I am going to needs lots of help with this one!!!

2013 motto - gotta dream big to get BIG!