The original bathroom had a shub with a shower over it.  We changed this to a full length bath with the shower over it.

  The finished bathroom with full sized bath.  The cabinetry I designed needed to have enough storage storage for 3 adult children and their respective families.      

 

When I was younger the term ‘empty nesting’ and what it would mean to our lives did not really compute. Our children were young, and that stage of our lives seemed such a long way off. But as we know, life does not standstill for anyone and that day when our first child left home for university, (2 ½ hours away) came around very quickly. Then our second left home two years later, fortunately same city and university. I was suddenly back to where I started. It took a bit of adjustment.
Our daughter gave me an ultimatum, “Mum don’t redecorate my room for 2 years, it’s still mine.”
So, I didn’t! After all, I wanted my children to come home once in a while.

But there does come a time, I feel, when you do need to take charge and reclaim your home. Your children are young adults making their own way in life, and after a few years, only come home a couple of times a year.

What do you do with two empty bedrooms on a modest budget? For me it was easy, the smaller room a guest bedroom and the other a multi-purpose room.

I listed what I required…

Guest Bedroom – simple, restful, and uncluttered

  • White walls (paint over Resene Energy Yellow)
  • White full gloss built in furniture (drawers were existing)
  • Queen bed (bed was existing with blue iron bed ends
  • New window treatments
  • New bedding
  • Replace carpet (the lounge and bedrooms were due to be re carpeted)
  • Bedside cabinet (existing- white wash)
  • 1 ½ wardrobe (it had sliding doors which I am not a great fan of)

 

The guest bedroom was simple fix. The room was stripped, and prized possessions of childhood memories boxed up. Memory boxes were put in the attic. This was the second clearing out, the first when my daughter left home had been thorough. Though when you have creative children there is a lot of art and supplies. The room was stripped bare, holes filled where pictures had been hung, then sealed and the bright yellow painted out with low sheen white. I love Resene Lumbersider and most of my house is finished in that paint system. We have aluminum windows with rimu reveals, with rimu and matai throughout the house. The pine built in furniture was painted in full gloss enamel.

The ceilings I left, they are Pinex and in good condition, but I also have glow in the dark stars on all my bedroom ceilings and I was not going to remove them to paint the ceiling.

The slat bed and bed ends remained but I replaced the mattress with a foam mattress. The beauty of this is that there was a lot of storage under the bed for boxes of fabric.

The windows had a privacy blind already which remained, and I replaced the existing Roman blind with a tulip floral pattern. The bedding was white so there needed to be a bit of colour somewhere. The loop pile carpet from the 70’s was replaced with a pure wool cut pile, colour aubergine. Wardrobe doors were replaced with soft off-white linen sheers.

Multi-purpose room – bedroom, craft and sewing room

  • Single day bed (a later requirement)
  • Cutting/craft table
  • Purpose built sewing table for overlocker and sewing machine
  • Storage boxes for fabric
  • Storage for rolls of fabric
  • Bookcase
  • Storage boxes for haberdashery
  • Painted walls
  • Window treatments
  • Replace carpet
  • Double wardrobe with sliding doors

My multi-purpose room has evolved. Same process as before, but I had a lot more ‘treasures’ to box. I think boys are, a little different about what they leave behind. The room had painted over wallpaper in Energy Yellow the same as my daughter’s room. I love painted textured walls.

Thousands of pin holes were filled, sealed and thousands more that I had missed in the original patching. It seemed endless! The room was then repainted in Energy Yellow. I find this a very, creative colour to work in. I had fitted sun filter blinds to help stop fading of fabrics and topped with a floral Roman Blind. Initially I had a couple of old oak tables, one for cutting and the other for my machines. As time went by, the room needed more structure. I had fitted, a custom kitset bench, which spanned the width of the room for my machines and traded my oak table for a Formica extension table which is more practical for crafts.

Resene Energy Yellow teamed with richly printed cotton daybed.A daybed was needed later, as my little family was now growing. This is an old-style wirewove bed with oak bed ends. I re-covered an old mattress that I had cut into three and concertinaed, for my son years ago. This fitted perfectly and in a nice rich colour works well as a day bed. My granddaughter sleeps in it when she comes to stay.

The aubergine carpet is not very practical for a craft room, but at least you can see anything that is dropped on it, including coloured head pins. All the boxes ticked and both rooms work well!

 

 

 

 

 

By Terry Lobb
Creative Director
Terry Lobb Colour and Design Ltd
http://terrylobb.com

SPRING IS IN THE AIR!

Hello, Terry here! How is everyone been coping with ‘reconnecting’ this time around.
Good things are coming with this sensational weather and the start of another season.
Spring rolling into Summer, if this weather has anything to do with it.

I am back in the my Studio this week, after spending some of my time off de-cluttering more of my home.
I’m looking forward to completely being able to remove and rehouse the unwanted items.

         

 

With Spring comes new growth, new beginnings, recharged batteries hopefully, and a look at redecorating a room or two or the whole house.

I love patterned and textured walls, texture with paint or patterned walls.

There are beautiful wallpapers to suit all situations, but some of my favourite out at the moment are for our young people.    Lovely fresh colours and designs for a variety of age groups.  I have also been known to use a wallpaper that was in one of the ‘kids’ wallpaper books, teamed with a luscious paint colour for adults. Not all kids wallpaper is for kids.

 

 

Wallpaper has come a long way since the days of lining paper over scrim, then lapped wallpaper to the modern, butted wallpaper over GIB board and now paste the wall, wallcoverings.  They are so easy to apply for budding DIYers if you are into doing it yourself.  The upside is no shrinkage and less mess!

 

 

 

Paste the wall coverings are strong and less likely to tear like the more traditional wallpapers.  And with any product used, preparation is all important.  I will cover that in another post but for now ‘tip of the day’.

 

  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

This was something my father told me as a kid when I was helping him wallpaper…’always fold the glued offcuts of wallpaper together’. (if you are using traditional paper).  I think he got a bit fed up with me standing in the glued offcuts and walking through the house. 

                                             

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                        Thanks Dad, I still do that little tip today!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

Life’s a Circus at times.

If you would like to know a bit more about these wallcoverings or would like to order some, you can contact me on 027 602 3298 or below

 

Beautiful colours as the leaves turn

Isn’t it funny how daylight savings finishes and we seemed to be plunged into autumn with winter cool on her tail?  Those long hot summer nights, lazy summer days quickly become a thing of the past and almost overnight the leaves turn from green to luscious tones of gold and orange with hints of red and then they fall onto rich green grasses to turn a crisp, crunchy brown.  Many memories of piling leaves high and throwing oneself into them.

It is time to draw the curtains and close up the house earlier to reserve the heat, light the fire and enjoy the change in temperature.  We tend to layer more in the autumn/ winter months, layer our clothing, add layers to our beds, throws to snuggle up in on the couch and eat more hearty food, comfort food to keep the cold at bay.

Lighting pays a key role in how we feel as well.  Our lighting was once simple with incandescent light throwing a warm yellow inviting glow.  Now with the choice of warm and cool whites our interior colours change and become a little more harsh, a bit brighter and cooler.  The warm white light isn’t quite as warm as the old incandescent bulb.  This can be counteracted by choosing warmer tones for lampshades if you enjoy lamps instead of full on light in the evening.

100% Woolen Throws

Do you add warmer colours and textures to your homes to give the feeling of warmth and comfort?  Crisp cotton and linen for summer bedding in cooler tones can be exchanged for warmer more textural colours with a mohair throw for extra warmth.  Brushed cotton sheets with heavier layers on top make for more comfortable warmer nights sleep and add a hottie.  Bliss!

100% Alpaca (1320 x 1830mm)

One of the other winter treats for me is delicious smells coming from the kitchen.  Comfort food shared with family and good friends, encourages lots of conversation and laughter.  My favourite is spicy, curry pumpkin and kumara soup with buttered toast or an old fashioned roast like Mum used to cook. 

And here we have a beautiful sunny day which will hopefully carry on into the Easter Weekend. 

Happy Easter everyone!   Enjoy time with family and friends.

Throws can be purchased by contacting Terry  http://terrylobb.nz/contact/

What do you get when you have a Cop, Real Estate Agent, 2 Teachers, Youth Pastor and an Archivist, then add a Prison Manager?   Any ideas?

You get a Prince, an artist, a surgeon or more precise the Queen’s Surgeon and a Sir to boot, two prostitutes and a sweet shop girl, and then add the Director. You also get a variety of personalities, passion, fire in your belly, vision, dedicated hard work, sometimes tears, often laughs but most of all a strong bond with one clear vision – to rehearse and deliver an outstanding performance to their audience.

And with the Director and the cast, is a team of people behind the scenes whom are often not seen, the production team.

The play is Yours Truly, Director Graham Dack and Producers Amdram Theatre, written by New Zealander Albert Belz. The play is steampunk inspired as it is set in 1888 during Jack the Ripper’s ‘Autumn of Terror’.

The play is Yours Truly, Director Graham Dack and Producers Amdram Theatre, written by New Zealander Albert Belz. The play is steampunk inspired as it is set in 1888 during Jack the Ripper’s ‘Autumn of Terror’.

The Costumer’s are myself (Terry Lobb), Dianne Blair and Andrea McLeod. We start with a brief from the Director, personal research into the real life characters and a vision. As the play develops and characters move into their new persona’s creating their own personalities the costumes often do the same. Many hours go into creating the right look for each character and so the journey begins…

The Victorian period was steeped in velvet, brocade, silk, cuffs, collars, big skirts, lace and add steampunk into the mix you have a great combination.

Eddie – Prince Albert Edward Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, mid 20’s and Queen Victoria’s grandson. He is a bit of a Dandy loving his collars and cuffs. (Eddie is played by Ben Broughton). His character lent itself to the use of a bit of more luxurious fabrics teamed with black.

Basic black trousers and shoes from Wardrobe, custom made double breasted waistcoat with fob watch, lace pocket handkerchief, white dress shirt with lace cuffs, separate collar, silk cravat and Scottish broach, black woolen (bowling jacket) extended with brocade. The waistcoat was designed and made for him with a combination of black satin for the backing, rich burgundy velvet lapels and silk and poly cotton mix front (curtain fabrics). The woolen jacket was reshaped by reshaping the bottom and adding black brocade, and changing the shape of lapel to make the buttoning higher and more in keeping with the period, brocade trim under the lapel and collar and pleated cuffs were added in brocade. Vintage black glass buttons finished the look. A black velvet top hat trimmed with green silk and pheasant feather and a walking cane. He has a change in cravat during the show. The broach represented the Scottish connection and pheasant the Royals love of hunting. A real toff you might say!

 

Annie Crook – Whitechapel young woman who works in a sweetshop.  Annie is sweet, a little innocent but not too innocent, who falls in love with the Prince.  (Annie is played by Sandi Black)

Her character needed to be fresh, light and happy, in love… she has three costume changes within the play but certain fabrics and parts of costumes are used in each change.  Her sweet shop costume is a basic blouse which had the collar, upstand and cuffs removed.  Cotton lace was added down the front, neck, cuffs and center back, a simple design.  Her blouse was then tea dyed briefly to take the white out of the fabric so the light didn’t grab it.  Her skirt was a simple design (no pattern) that I have made for many of my steampunk skirts.  It was finished in a pleat at the bottom (Andrea was the lucky person to make the pleats) and a couple of big tucks to help lift the skirt.  Her blouse is worn through the whole play.  Dianne made spats to cover her black boots to help keep the outfit light.   Change of scene, the skirt is changed and a lace collar, bustle and hat added.  The skirt is also another of my designs with a soft oatmeal background colour and a soft gold pattern that reflects in some lights.  The bustle is an original design from a jacket bustle I designed for Thames.  It consists of three layers of curtain fabric, a large contemporary design on the base, a horizontal strip in different textures then the same silk that was used in Eddies, waistcoat and hat.  Layers of lace added to give the bustle a lift and make it more luxurious. Annie also wears lace cuffs in the first part of the play.   Dianne made both of these garments.  The last costume change Annie is stripped down to her (Second skirt) blouse and wears a smock in keeping with the evolving character.  She also wears her grandmother’s brooch in one of the scenes.  A nice touch!

Sickert – Walter Richard Sickert of German decent a social climber, Prince’s ‘lapdog’.  He is an artist who like to sketch and paint nudes.  Much of his work can be seen on the net.  He has been cast in bohemian style which suits his personality and profession.   (Sickert is played by Julian Annear).

His character was fun to dress – woolen jacket from Wardrobe, the lapel reshaped and black leather was overlaid on the lapel, collar, pocket flaps, cuffs and back panels and cogs glued to one lapel.  I originally had him in a deep burgundy shirt (from Wardrobe) but he looked like a blob with no definition under the lights so I made a terracotta coloured drop shouldered shirt with a leaf pattern, a paisley single breasted waistcoat in deep green and burgundy with a burgundy satin back and burgundy lapel.  His neck tie is a combination of the shirt fabric and a ‘painters palette’ upholstery velvet.  This ensemble was finished with plaid trousers dyed in tea to dull the white.  Trousers had been in issue because the ones that fitted him looked too much like a modern day suite.  I found the fabric in a fabric treasure-trove in Wellington.   He also wears a woollen vintage overcoat in two of his scenes.   And in his latter scenes a red silk scarf which plays a significant part in the play.  A colourful character!

Mary Kelly – Whitechapel Prostitute is a feisty women, attractive and in her mid 20’s.  She poses for Sickert and lives with Joe on and off.   Her lover is Harvey also a prostitute.  (Mary K is played by Sarah Riley and Harvey is played by Talia Annear).

Mary Kelly and Harvey are costumed similar with subtle differences.  Mary Kelly is a lead actor with Harvey supporting.  I costumed them in the same skirt fabric, with one skirt being reversed so appears slightly darker.  I designed their bustles the same shape with the same layers of fabric but in different orders.  Mary Kelly is more slight build so the fabrics were a little lighter in weight and Harvey’s fabrics heavier at the bottom.  Mary Kelly wears a purple and black corset whereas Harvey’s is red and black.  Each wears bloomers finished with cotton lace and a lace trimmed blouse.  These costumes took the longest to make.  The bloomers and basic shirts came from wardrobe.  Each started out like a white plain school shirt.  The collars, upstands were removed and the sleeve removed to make them a short, short sleeve.  Cotton lace was added in parts, pin tucking done to help bring them in.  They needed to be very fitting and subtly reveling and the final process tea dying them to give them an aged look.  Bloomers were patched, lace and ribbon added and also dyed.  Petticoats had lace added and Harvey’s dyed black.  The dye didn’t hold so was re-dyed, still not holding has ended up being an unusual grey grape colour.  Mary Kelly’s petticoat is trimmed in black lace and dyed in tea as I was not wanting to go through the black dye saga.   Both skirts are held up by internal ties so they flash their underwear and a bit of leg above their stocking tops.  Black fingerless gloves were made and black neck embellishments.  Both girls wear vintage bowlers decorated with cogs from a mantel clock.  They also share a tasseled shawl.  One scene Mary Kelly wears a black straw hat decorated by Diane and a lace collar also Dianne’s creation.  The fabric in all three girls skirts is the same design.

Gull – Sir William Withey Gull.  The Queen’s surgeon is played by Chris McKenzie.  Chris has a powerful role with huge dialogue.  He is dressed in a white shirt from Wardrobe, a flocked custom designed waistcoat with satin lapel, tailored woolen trousers, a black velvet cravat and tailcoat.  He also wears a black cloak and a top hat.  His working attire is a surgical apron.  The suit was in Wardrobe and was an easy fix from suit to a tailcoat.  The legs are cut off about crotch level then re-stitched to the jacket.  His brass buttons on the sleeves are small skulls and crossbones.  Gull was also challenging because of his quick complete changes and the short time between scenes. When Gull died no long after the Ripper murders, he was the richest man in England.

I have thoroughly enjoyed being involved in this aspect of theatre again. It has been challenging at times, experimental and given me a chance to use some old techniques I haven’t used in a long time. I’ve also had a great team to work with.

Terry Lobb April 2019

My home is not a show home it is a family home full of memories from passed family members, friends and a grown family.  It is full of ‘project stuff’ that I do for interest for myself or others.   Projects that often involve fabric but not always, projects taking me months or sometimes years to complete.

I am a hoarder of fabric and books!  Sometimes an impulse buyer if I see a piece of fabric that takes my fancy and it will often get stashed for years before I make it into something.  The beauty of that is that no one else will have what you wear.  The fabric is often brightly coloured or an unusual weave or texture, often a natural fibre but not always.  I recently wore a top out that I made 15 years ago, it is a one off as it is one of my own designs and the fabric is very unusual and because it is different I often get complimented when I wear it.    I like that I still have clothes in my wardrobe that are not trendy, that were never trendy but are me because I don’t buy off the shelf clothes that often.

I buy books, new and preloved!  I love design books, craft books, motivational books, and so many different books.  I don’t always read them, some are there for reference and left with markers, others are just to look at the pictures, some I just simply loved the feel or smell of them.  One of my favourites (one of many) is a little book of Victorian Posies I bought probably 20 years ago that has a purple/blue fabric cover, beautiful watercolour  images of posies throughout with instructions on what flowers are in each posy and the treat when you open this delightful book is it smells of lavender.   And long after the scent has gone it still lingers in my memory and the images as if it is as fresh as the day I bought it.

I am not a believer of buying fashionable ‘stuff’.  Anyone can all do that.   Where is the individuality in purchasing something where there are racks, shelves or shop floors of the same ‘stuff’?

I am a believer in buying quality, well made products where possible, but this is often driven by budget as to whether it is affordable or not.  I’m not opposed to buying preloved furniture and accessories if it fits.  There are various internet sites offering good quality preloved goods that are often affordable and can look great with a little TLC if purchased wisely.  It is no different from purchasing new piece furniture.  You should always be aware of what you are purchasing, how it is made and where it comes from, if possible.  The better the quality the longer it will last and the less chance of it going to the landfill within 5 years.  If you choose something that you love, you will be more inclined to keep it.

My personal style is very eclectic with pieces of furniture that belonged to my grandparents, new pieces sitting along pieces purchased off Buy Sell and Exchange (before Trademe days).  I love local art!  My artwork is a mixture of paintings by my kids to New Zealand scenery of favourite places to well-known local artists.  Everything tells a story of where it came from or where I was and who was with me, when it was purchased.

We are very much a throwaway society and to make the change we need to buy wisely and think about why we are purchasing.  Make a conscious decision!  Create a home that tells a story, your story rather than just pieces of furniture or accessories that will fill a space and ‘look trendy’.

Make a difference!

I am available for speaking engagements for small groups or larger organizations and can be contacted below.

Terry Lobb Colour and Design Ltd – Interior Designer/Personal Stylist/Colour Consultant

If you would like to make an appointment for a consultation or have a query about product discussed you can contact me on 027 602 3298 or terry@terrylobb.com or like me on Facebook.

TWO PASSIONS, ONE TRIP…

It is time… I haven’t written in over a year so it is time to put ink to paper again and what better way than combining two of my passions Steampunk and travel and with travel there are interiors, architecture and interesting people from all walks of life.

For those of you who know me well… you know that I have had a fascination with Steampunk for many years now and with costumes and dressing up for as long as I can remember. (Some of my family still chastise me for us being the only table dressed up in medieval attire for a play. But guess what? We had the most fun as no one knew who we were). I had considered going to the Steampunk Festival in Oamaru for several years now but it has always fallen through. This year I made it!

So traveling in my Steampunk travel attire, I made the long trek from Whanganui to Oamaru driving my car and not in an airship, (something I won’t do again). But the upside is the scenery in the South Island is breath taking and this trip was no exception, the weather was perfect and the scenery and light just magical. So that pretty much set the tone for an exciting week away of adventure.

I don’t think I have ever been to Oamaru before, but by-passed it on my way south, which has obviously been a mistake on my part.

 

Oamaru like many provincial towns throughout New Zealand has suffered badly with the decline in services and a shift to the larger cities and had to look at ‘reinventing’ themselves. And with that they have created a very successful Steampunk Community being dubbed the Steampunk Capital of New Zealand. (I am not going into how this was done nor when as there is so much written about it by the creators, I could not do it justice). But in a nutshell Oamaru is a port town and with port towns are old buildings, storage sheds, trading places fit for purpose the perfect setting for a Victorian/science fiction inspired community and event.

I stayed at the Criterion Hotel, built in 1877 to immerse myself in the history. It was surprisingly warm considering how old the building is, but that may have been the dense Oamaru stone structure that created the warmth. This area of Oamaru was like stepping back in time, as every turn I took and building I entered, people were dressed in Victorian or Steampunk attire and there was a buzz in the community. Even the town centre had shop windows dressed with some of the staff partaking in dressing for the occasion.

Some costumes were incredibly detailed and elaborate and clearly a lot of thought had gone into the creative process and the personas that were created. Others were simple, perhaps because they were just starting their Steampunk journey or because budget didn’t allow or maybe they just wanted to be a part of the creative energy that flowed, but whatever the reason everyone was enjoying the moment, the weekend, the adventure. That is what I love about Steampunk, the various communities around the country are varied in their outfits and the events they hold, but everyone is so welcoming, inviting each other to share with their individual communities and have fun. We are all at different stages, but we all share a passion for creativity on so many levels.

 

I loved wandering through the buildings in the port area. Many have been restored and re-purposed, as I suspect they may have been left empty for years like so many around the country. The majority of the buildings are constructed of a local stone which is a beautiful natural resource either rough cut or finished. It has a subtle grain running through it and is very warm in colour and to the touch. Many of the buildings have raw finished stone on the interior with solid native timbers and the combination is visually appealing and warm. I loved them and to top it off many of the buildings are filled with artisans, specialty shops or function rooms. A treasure trove for anyone keen on art and crafts and as I am always on the lookout for clients, I was in my element.

It was lovely to walk in the not too early morning or late afternoon as the sun was just bathing parts of the buildings. The air was crisp and clear and the glow created on these lovely buildings, highlighting architectural details was simply stunning.

Well done Oamaru for keeping your beautiful historical quarter alive for generations to enjoy and to the Creators of Steampunk for the vision to host such a great event and become the Steampunk Capital of New Zealand. Special thanks to Iain Clark and Helen Steampunk Jenson for you warmth and hospitality, you are truly the essence of Steampunk and of what communities used to be about, all-encompassing and welcoming.

Isn’t that what it is all about? Victorian Visionaries and looking toward the future, creating and sharing!

Terry Lobb Colour and Design Ltd – Interior Designer/Personal Stylist/Colour Consultant

If you would like to make an appointment for a consultation or have a query about product discussed you can contact me on 027 602 3298 or terry@terrylobb.com or like me on Facebook.

Winter has hit with vengeance after that fabulous summer we have had. But the rain was much needed in most areas so there will definitely be some smiling faces around.

While recently traveling through the upper part of the South Island from Christchurch and across the country to the West Coast then heading North to the Sounds we stopped to visit friends at Carters Beach. Carters Beach is out from Westport south of the Buller River and in all my trips (which are few) I had only ever passed through Westport in a frantic dash to catch the ferry home. So it was nice to visit somewhere I hadn’t been before, meet new people and I love our west coast beaches! They are often wild and rugged with their black sand and have a beauty all of their own, winter and summer.

Carters Beach is a great place to relax, play a round of golf, walk along the boardwalk to the Seal Colony, Denniston Incline and The Brakehead or simply use it as a base to get to other outdoor activities or stop over. Unfortunately for us we didn’t manage to do any of those things because not long after arriving the weather changed from brilliant sunshine to rain and before too long we couldn’t even see across the road.

We had dinner with Steve’s friends Erica and Chris Cooper who have spent the last few years building their two storied home and then the motel complex (Carters by the Sea) on the same section. A huge undertaking but the finished complex looks great. The property is situated on Marine Parade overlooking a wide grassy verge then the sea, a perfect location for a beach motel. The buildings are contemporary and have a lovely mix of the beach, relaxation and our lovely native bush. This I feel has been achieved by the colours and finishes they have used on the exterior and interior of the build.

The house is two storied, finished in white linear board, concrete block and flat paneled sheeting for a little bit of contrast. The building is simple with a mono pitch roof, clean lines, but by no means dominating the space. Reception is part of the house and easily visible for prospective customers to see. For privacy from people passing and customers the house is sounded by a concrete block fence to the front. It gives the feeling of a lovely private courtyard when in the house and a retreat from work. That is always hard to achieve when you live with your work.

The motel complex is across the charcoal tarmac driveway and this is a lovely contract from the house. Although it is finished in similar products the concrete block forms the structural walls of the two storied motel units with near black finished linear board on the front framing the joinery that leads onto a small balcony. It is nice to see the follow through of textures and finishes from private quarters to the business side.
There are a variety of rooms to choose from depending on your budget and the reason for your stay. Our room was lovely and gave me an instant feeling of a relaxed beach resort. It had a lovely warm feel about it which was nice given that we were on the West Coast and in black sand territory and by now it was raining heavily outside.

The interior of our room was light and fresh and consisted of a queen bed, glass topped desk a couple of lounge chairs and light finished timber bedside cabinets. It housed a compact kitchen, ideal for anyone staying over for a long weekend and not wanting to eat out and Ensuite finished in white and bleached timber cabinetry. The attention to detail in the finishes had been thought through carefully with the right balance of texture and gloss levels to give the room its warm comfortable feel. The walls were finished in a soft warm off white and so fresh after seeing so much off white cool greys in our décor for years. Soft taupe teamed with hints of watery blues and greens added to the beach theme.  The floor anchored the scheme and brought me back to the West Coast beach with an almost black plush carpet teamed with off white low sheen tiles throughout the wet areas.

The contrast in texture under my feet felt great. The less gloss you have and more texture will instantly give a scheme a warm feel. And the final touch and me being the tactile person that I am, the sheets were finished in a self-pattern stripe, very subtle but never the less it was there and a pleasant change from completely flat sheets.

Thank you Erica and Chris for making our stay memorable and well done on creating a lovely retreat for people to enjoy for many years to come!

 

I am available for speaking engagements for small groups or larger organizations and can be contacted below.

Terry Lobb Colour and Design Ltd – Interior Designer/Personal Stylist/Colour Consultant

If you would like to make an appointment for a consultation or have a query about product discussed you can contact me on 027 602 3298 or terry@terrylobb.com or like me on Facebook.