Beautiful things from Rome (and a ring!)

I have to admit I adore Italy. The food is a favourite, and the architecture takes my breath away. Probably my favourite part though is just exploring; wandering down tiny alleyways, exploring little shops and turning the corner to discover another beautiful monument.
 

 
We spotted a beautiful bride very early in the morning at the Spanish Steps. Isn't her dress stunning?
 

 
 
I adored the chevron floors in the Colosseum. Who said chevron was a new trend?
 

 

The light filtering through the arches of the Colosseum was beautiful.  

 

 
I must have a thousand photos of pretty buildings. I just can't help myself when every corner has a perfectly curved arch, multi-paned window or beautiful balustrade.
 

 

What was I saying about buildings? The colours are rich and warm as well, a perfect complement to aging metal, rustic shutters and cobblestone streets.

 

 
Apart from beautiful brides, beautiful buildings and beautiful monuments, I did get one other thing...a beautiful ring!

 
It's all very exciting of course so you don't mind if I start sharing a little wedding inspiration here, do you?

Tilly&Girl is online - original abstract art!

Well the Tilly&Girl art store was launched on the weekend which is just a little bit exciting! I hope you love the pieces as much as I do; I know I would like to keep most of them for myself!

 

Through Society6 we are also able to offer unframed and framed art prints...

 

And...very exciting...iPhone cases! I just need to buy an iPhone so I can sport one of these on my own phone!

If you love the style but are looking for particular colours, please get in touch. We are happy to offer commissioned pieces!

Oh, and don't forget to sign up for the newsletter so you know when the cushion collection is released.

A little bit of glamour

After my dusty trip 'out west' on the weekend, I decided I needed a dose of citified glamour; a little luxurious velvet, a touch of glitter and that element of elegance.

Whether you prefer Parisian glamour...



Elle Decor



Or perhaps you're more the modern Hollywood glamour girl...



 

Atmosphere Interior Design

 
But today I wouldn't mind being just old-fashion glamorous in a glittery gown. Cocktails anyone?



Oscar De La Renta

 
I think most girls like a little bit of glamour in their lives, don't you agree?



A peek at my week...

This weekend we had a family birthday out in Mt Isa so there was a very long drive through the 'outback' of western Queensland.

 

 

We stopped at Nelia, a tiny town (population 8) on the way to Julia Creek. 

 

 

The owners of the town have set up a small gallery of local artists, and commissioned my own mother, Sue Tilley, to create some brolgas from scrap metal found around the town. They are well worth the stop!

 
I also met Sebastian the goat, who lives in the house housing the art gallery, and likes to sleep on the bedroom floor in the air-conditioning!

I don't often share much of my personal life - would you like some more peeks?

A Graphic Take on Tiles

If you follow me on Instagram (ethosdesign if you want to!) you might have seen my true love. No that isn't a "Mr Ethos" or even my dogs, but this...

At local tile store Majer Tiles (my favourite if you're in Townsvill) I found this black and white graphic beauty. Yes I know it will might date, isn't neutral and might turn people off but I really, really want this in my new bathroom!


Then it can be a graphic and gorgeous space like these...



Design by Hecker Guthrie.




Via Air Space Locations



Designed by Linda Bergroth





Photo by John Dummer


Hmm what do you think?




 

 

 

More Tilly&Girl Abstracts

Well I mentioned back here that I was opening an art store. I'm excited to say the day has nearly arrived, and the first collection will be online before the end of the week!

 


You can go have a look at the Tilly&Girl site to see a few new paintings, and sign up for the newsletter so you know exactly when the products are launched!

 

Prices for the small original paintings are starting at just $90 which is crazy cheap for original paintings (I told you I wanted to keep it affordable!), and the sizes range from small pieces perfect for a gallery wall or bookshelf...to oversized pieces to make an amazing statement in your space.

I'll  hopefully be sharing the love at some of my favourite blogs over the coming weeks, so you might even have the chance to win a Tilly&Girl piece of your own!

The freshness of orange & white

I have to admit I'm not always a fan of orange. It is one of the colours I use least frequently in both clothes and design.

House to Home

Hermes orange looks even bolder when paired with the crispest white in the dining room above. On an unrelated note, does anyone else love those chairs?



Chicismo

That said, I just bought a gorgeous orange waist skirt and adore it's freshness when paired with white.

Fashion Served

This gorgeous top is the colour of my skirt - a pumpkin yellowy-orange. Just speaks of summer when paired with white!

Missoni

 
Even the smallest splash of orange can add some 'zing' to a simple room. Love those Missoni cushions in this bedroom!

Do you have any orange in your home?



Recreating a white bathroom

If you're on a budget, or looking to re-sell, it's often best to stick to all white tiles and fixtures. However, that doesn't mean your bathroom has to be all-white (and a little bit boring).

Whether you like modern or traditional styles, colour and pattern can be added with window treatments, shower curtains, artwork and accessories, just like any other room in the house.



Martha Stewart

 



House to Home



 

So, share your secrets! How do you add personality to your bathroom?

 



 

 



Having fun with gallery walls

Eclectic arrangements of paintings and prints is my favourite way to get maximum impact on a bare wall, and is the perfect way to display a lot of small pieces.

I'm working with a client at the moment, and she had a wonderful collection of original paintings from all the places she had lived during her life. Rather than hanging them individually around her small apartment, which would have felt cluttered, I suggested hanging them all together.

We didn't worry about matching frames or mats, and instead just hung them in an arrangement that felt like it 'just worked'. We haven't got any furniture in the room yet to give you a sense of scale, but this gallery wall covers a large proportion of the empty wall in her dining space.



The thing I love most about these arrangements is that you can add to them over time, and it will only become more interesting!

I was feeling particularly inspired after spotting these two beauties on Pinterest...

Charlotte Moss

Jonathan Adler Interior Design

I can't wait to share some more photos of this apartment with you. New furniture is arriving over the next two weeks!



The opposite of glamour - Beautiful yet relaxed

For interiors at the opposite spectrum of the extreme glamour I shared the other day, you only have to stop in the simplicity of a country home and let yourself breathe.

While it's not a style that I use often in my home, I do love to work with clients on country spaces. The rooms are unassuming, simple, warm and comfortable.

Featured in  Style at Home

The Painted Hive

 

Creative, colourful, affordable art - a new shop!

Well, I'm very, very excited to give you the first sneek peek into my online art and decor store! This has been buzzing around my brain for many months and it's so exciting to see it taking shape.


Art by Tilly and Girl. Design by Ethos Interiors. Photo by Naomi Abdilla.



I don't talk about it on the blog very often, but I've always been artistic (runs in the family) and this year I've started to paint and draw again. It started as a hobby and the opportunity to fill up a few empty walls in my house.



Art by Tilly and Girl. Design by Ethos Interiors. Photo by Naomi Abdilla.

Being an online decorator though, it began to frustrate me how difficult I found it to find art that was reasonably priced, original and featuring popular colours and style. Do you know how much trouble I had finding anything in mint for this display home project?!




Art by Tilly and Girl. Design by Ethos Interiors. Photo by Naomi Abdilla.

So the idea of an online art store began to develop, and Tilly&Girl was born. The idea is that periodically I will release a new collection that features art in styles, trends and colours that I have seen developing. The collections will feature original paintings, as well as prints in a variety of sizes. As time goes on I hope to add homewares, and art from other artists and crafters.

New collections will be added periodically, and the old ones removed as I feel they've collected a little too much dust. So if you love something, make sure you get your hot little hands on it before I take it down!

So, I hope you'll give a warm welcome to my new art store, Tilly & Girl...

I'll keep chatting about art and new collections here of course, but if you want to stay up to date, I'd love for you to pop over and like the new Tilly & Girl Facebook page too!