Work in progress

Even though most of my posts are garden orientated, when it comes to the blogs I follow, my taste is very diverse. I love reading about cooking, lifestyle, art, poetry, fashion, and that's just for starters. Sometimes I am just swept away by the beauty of the photography, or I become absorbed in the daily rhythm of life in a different corner of the globe, like the wonderful Turquoise Diaries.

Last week I was reading one of my favourites, Slim Paley, writing about celebrating summer. I completely identified with her love of tasteful neutrals - I have a huge file of clippings from home decorating magazines in that vein - but she was advocating the introduction of colour and light into the house for summer. 

Let's face it, Brisbane is virtually summer all year round. Maybe that's why I also love flicking through books like Taschen's Mexico Style or Moroccan Style or Indian Interiors (and some of the great Indian blogs like An Indian Summer) for colour inspiration. Maybe too, that's why Brisbane's own Anna Spiro's blog Absolutely Beautiful Things is so popular worldwide. Is there a growing movement of beige fatigue?

While I certainly don't include myself in the illustrious company of the stylish bloggers I have named, I have been having a bit of fun with colours lately at Casa Bella. Firstly, I got the couch recovered and recushioned (Bella and Onslow had eaten the previous ones!).  I had picked out a really 'tasteful' stripe from Barefoot/Barbara Sansoni, who I discovered when I visited Sri Lanka in 2005, but when the design I was after wasn't readily available here in Australia, I threw caution to the wind and opted for Tarala Flowers... so here is your sneak peak.

The recovered sofa

Remember the table runners I bought at the antique markets in Jakarta in May? I grabbed a couple more in pinky tones just before I left and had a bit of a play draping them over existing cushions on the sofa. I'm not too sure how colourfast they are, but I am thinking they could make great cushion covers, if not on the sofa itself, then mixed in with some of the others from my collection on the cream covered cane chairs I have.

Then there were those great Indian vases I bought at one of the big department stores in Jakarta. And now, in the past week, I have taken another big step towards being well and truly in the pink.

I had the painter here last Wednesday to repaint my cream wall, water stained after heavy rain earlier in the year. I had even picked out the colour, deciding to change from cream to Antique White - after all I haven't been saving those magazine clippings on tasteful neutral interiors for nothing. But the night before, I had grabbed a handful of paint colour cards at Bunnings, and when I spoke to him I found myself telling him we were opting for 'Velvet Orchid'. (He looked a bit traumatised, but I think he's come around). The photo doesn't really do it justice, but you can get a bit of an idea from this snap featuring the gorgeous new painting I nabbed in Bali just before I headed home.

I thought the painting and the colours of the table runners/cushions will tie in with my existing blue and white china collection. 

However, there's been another domestic crisis this week as my hot water system has ruptured, and so I have reluctantly turned my attention to replacing that, repainting and re-tiling the laundry. Both the repainted walls and the tiles are in neutrals, I'm almost ashamed to admit.

Next month I am back to Jakarta to finish off the remainder of my contract, but, on my return, it will be full steam ahead, and maybe in time for the big reveal by Christmas. I've got a couple of great suzanis packed away upstairs that might tie in, and who knows what new treasures I will discover on my travels to work into the mix.