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.

ChaLK tALk interview

Julia Green - Green House Interiors

some of Julia's styling work @ Fenton and Fenton
photography Armelle Habib

it's not everyday you get to meet the person you have almost stalked through interior magazines. Last week not only did I finally get to meet Julia Green from Greenhouse Interiors, I actually got to see some of her work first hand in her house! I have admired Julia from afar, you see, I look at interior magazines in a whole new light. If something takes my eye I instantly look to see who has styled the spread and it just so happened that Julia's name kept popping up.  Julia is a Melbourne based freelance stylist who works for various publications such as Real Living, Home Beautiful and Herald Sun Home. She also develops and mentors up and coming designers making their debut into the retail market, she has some amazing artists under her wings - my personal favorite is Emma Cleine, you can check out all the details here.

photography Armelle Habib, styling Julia Green, artist Emma Cleine

Julia's work is amazing, her home is amazing and she is one amazing lady- I instantly felt at ease with her, could have spent the whole day looking at her house (there was eye candy everywhere!) and just picking her brain, she was just soooo lovely - I can't thank her enough for taking the time to chat to me, and answering my gazillion emails!!! - 

I asked Julia some questions about Styling and here's what she had to say!

take 5 with Julia 
1.    How and when did you get you “big break” into the world of styling??

It makes for a great story!

I sold a couch on ebay, and when the man came to pick it up, i honestly thought he was casing my House to rob it, as his head was permanently rotating and looking at everything. Turns out, he was a photographer for vogue. and he finally apologised for being so nosy, and asked me who I was an interior stylist for..... I didn't even know such people existed let alone what they did. Long story short, he was shocked that I was in a science field and not a creative one, and gave me his card suggesting I call him if I were keen to pursue a career in styling. I was heavily pregnant at the time and put his card in a drawer and thought he was just being nice! But once bubba was born, and it was time to return to work, I just couldn't go back to my old life. I pulled out the card, took a deep breath and phoned. I have not stopped running from job to job since. That was just under 3 years ago.

2.    Best piece of advice for someone trying to kick start their styling career

I suppose to back yourself if you believe you have a talent in this area, and give it a red hot go. You need to have a good business background too, as that holds you in good stead to win the jobs! Styling is a big part of it, but so is your ability to win the work... then you have to back it up with quality styling! 

3.    Who and what inspires you, and where do you look for inspiration?

Everywhere. How cliched is that?

Color... I constantly dream of new color combinations- it is almost dementing. My own house is very colorful, and I love to be surrounded by it. It makes me feel happy.

I love hard rubbish. I find hidden gems and get creative when thinking about how to revamp things...like with paint

I saw a massive flock of birds in flight the other and they formed the most amazing patterns in the sky- it made me think of a shape for an art work...

I love magazines, I love looking at the way other people live

Art inspires me the most of all... I am lucky enough to work with some super talented girls, like Emma Cleine, Pia Blair, and Renee Whyte-Costa- their use of color and materials is sublime.... so so clever. They inspire me greatly.

4. Your top 5 shops to visit in Melbourne

• Fenton and Fenton
• Nyary 604
• Turner Lane
• Hut 13
• Crate Expectations

all because the owners do color sooooo well....... and have an great eye to pull things together

5.    Your top 5 styling tips!

don't be afraid of color

mix and match random things like bed linen (different pillow cases with a colored sheet and different doona cover altogether.... I don't like structure much, I like fluidity and creative expression in things

Use art for color and expression.... art is what makes or breaks a house in my opinion

Get advice... employ someone to help you with color, designs etc.... you will pay less getting it right first time and learn a lot in the process

Don't just buy labels....

Mix old with new

and finally only ever buy things you love...