Sharing the happiness that comes in the form of Coal + Co

This morning I would like to introduce you to a very dear and talented friend of mine - Danette Mulder a jewelry designer from South Africa, currently resigning in Sydney, Australia. A girl whom I miss dearly and often think of when I wear one of my many Coal + Co jewelry pieces. 

Coal + Co is a hand made accessory line that was started in Johannesburg in 2012, almost accidentally when Danette was between living in Jozi and moving to Sydney and needed an income. She designed and hand made an easy to wear range and hosted a pop up shop with a few friends. This is here where things worked out quite well and she is still designing and making jewelry - and delivering quite frequently to South Africa - happy me! 

As Danette will tell you, the name Coal + Co originated from growing up in a coal mine town, where "fun resources" were limited. But she believes that it is exactly this limited exposure that fueled her creativity and shaped her as an individual. "Coal + Co celebrates my roots and all that went with it".

Here are a few pictures from the latest Coal + Co catalogue, look at these beauties:

As mentioned I have quite the Coal + Co collection already, but I get childishly excited every time that I receive a package from Danette and the happiness to wear something handmade, precious and beautiful NEVER wears off! I am actually expecting a pair of custom designed earrings from her soon and can hardly wait! Will share these once I have them in hand. Like I said, sharing the happiness that comes in the form of Coal + Co is a good thing.

You can follow her on Instagram or see her Facebook page here.

Have a good week lovelies.

Kitchen love

As this week is dedicated to food and cooking, some attention can also be given to the kitchen. Tonight I am drooling over some wow kitchen designs and as usual Worded Reflection's love for all things white is evident!!

From here

Timber ceiling - LOVE! From here

Nice sink! From here

Really like the subtle touch of green. From here

 

I believe you cook better in a kitchen that you love - no matter how small or unpractical - work with what you've got and make your kitchen your happy place!!

Making a space that works for YOU

We all swoon over beautiful spaces and interior designs and wish that we had exactly that in our own houses or offices, but I think we sometimes forget about what we really need and we neglect to ask the important questions:

Is this design practical and will it suit my lifestyle?
Is this really what I need?

Will achieving this look and feel break the bank or will it suit my budget?

These are all important questions to ask before embarking on a new interior design project! But this definitely doesn't mean we should stop dreaming.

Current dream projects that I drool over include:

The awesome home office, from here

This stylish kitchen, from here

This awesome patio entertainment space, from here

This great mirror gallery, from here

Find your inspiration in the things you need and not in what others do... Have a lovely day dear readers!

Architectural Inspiration_ Making something of nothing

So often we are stuck looking at the problem rather than finding an "out-of-the-box" solution. Who would've thought that you could convert this dilapidated double garage into a contemporary home?

French architectural firm Fabre | de Marien transformed this small 441 square foot garage into a convenient and stylish residence for a individual or even a minimalist couple. The new dwelling boasts with all the conventional amenities needed in a residential unit, applied in unconventional and clever space-saving manor.

A clever and unconventional method to consider how we have to translate that which already exist into that which we may need.

The new facade reads as a more formal, contemporary design:

 

The minimalist interior do not feel cramped due to the use of clean lines and clever 

furniture and colour choices:

Photography by Jérémie Buchholtz, Via HomeDSGN.

All information and images from here

Have a wonderful day dear readers and may you find inspiration in the everyday things all around you.

Architecture that inspire

Some jaw-dropping, inspiring, out-there architectural projects from around the world.

 The Drents Museum in Assen, The Netherlands by Erick van Egeraat.

Images from here.

The Conrad Hotel in Beijing, China by MAD Architects.

Images from here.

The University of Groningen Medical Faculty in Groningen, The Netherlands by RAU.

Images from here.

Galaxy Soho in Beijing, China by Zaha Hadid Architects, 2012 (under construction).

From here.

I especially like the Spain Pavilion -- "Living Nature" -- at the Floriade 2012 World Horticultural Expo in Venlo, The Netherlands.

Images from here

Today's Wishlist

As we are allowed to daydream and drool over the things that are available to buy all over the net, I dedicate today to my current wishlist - sigh... too many wants!!

Loving these 150 Series watches from Uniform Wares; from here

The knitting lamp by Desaccord, from Etsy.

Not that I need to pack myself lunch anymore, but how awesome is this 

Lunch Sack with Horse/ Pony Love design!?

Recycled Cotton Canvas Lunch Bag; from here

This Zig Zag Raw Brass Metal Charm Necklace; from here

Bunny ears for the little ones; from here

Have a lovely day dear readers and never forget to dream!!