Afternoon tea with lilies

I just sent this painting to a happy client - it was commissioned recently. To read more about this painting, please click here to go to my art blog.

cosy rooms to cheer us up as winter approaches...

traditional kitchen design by austin kitchen and bath Palmer Todd

modern living room design by cincinnati media and blogs VisuaLingual

mediterranean family room design by miami interior designer Elias Benabib, Corp.

eclectic living room design

traditional kitchen design by chicago kitchen and bath Stonebreaker Builders & Remodelers

eclectic dining room design by media and blogs A Few Things From My Life

all the above from houzz

 country living

 country living

 the brick house

source unknown

giveaway winner

the giveaway winner is Bruce! Please email me your address so I can post the poster to you! Thanks for entering everyone else :)

new poster giveaway

I'm giving away a new poster* (well it's not really new, but a different colourway of an existing poster)! The only problem is that I haven't figured out how those random generator thingies work so please bear with me! Leave a comment if you would like to win! I'll pick a name randomly at 9am Saturday London time - good luck! :)
*Retro Breakfast in Blue

Clever son

My son just started studying photography for his A Levels. He's really into it - so enthusiastic about the assignments! He took these photos to show the differences in depth of field with different apertures - I love the color combinations he's used here. And below is what he wrote about aperture, which explains it better than I ever could!
 

What is aperture?

An aperture is a hole that is made out of several blades that allows light to travel into the camera. The size of the aperture is measured in f-stops, for example: when the aperture is fully opened it is at f/2.8 and when the aperture is almost closed it is at f/22. Some lenses can reach an aperture less then f/2.8 and above f/22. The aperture doesn’t only control the amount of light entered in, it also controls how ­much depth of field is put into the photo (as seen below). When the aperture is at a higher f-stop (f/22, smaller hole), it can let the foreground and the background be in compete focus but let less light in. When the aperture is at a lower f-stop (f/2.8, bigger hole), it can only focus on one thing but can also let more light into the camera. The first photo below shows the result of f/2.8 as the background is out of focus whilst the foreground is in focus. As the aperture gets smaller it can focus on more objects but let less light in. From the point where the camera is not focused, to the point where the camera is focused, is known as depth of field.  

Rustic Contemporary Kitchen Design

Hi, I'm Susi, a writer for Design Shuffle, a fabulous social media site where you can share your own design projects and browse through tens of thousands of photos from designers from around the world. One of my favorite parts of my job is guest blogging for great blogs like The Homely Place. I'm excited to be visiting this week and writing about rustic contemporary kitchen design ideas.

At first glance rustic and contemporary styles would seem to be too different to work together in a cohesive design. So wrong. The rough, aged nature of rustic design is the perfect counterpoint to the sleek, minimalism of contemporary style. Take a look at these eight rustic contemporary kitchens and see if you agree.

Thanks for letting me and Design Shuffle come and visit. Enjoy!

Est Magazine via

This contemporary kitchen with rustic pendant shades was the picture that inspired this post. Love the mix of smooth, clean contemporary white and handmade, natural and rustic elements.

From the Right Bank via

Minimalist white and rustic wood create a sleek contemporary kitchen in this antique farmhouse. European designers have been blending contemporary kitchens with rustic spaces for years.

Country Living via

Industrial contemporary elements mix with farmhouse in this rustic kitchen. Love the industrial stools and lighting with the rustic wood island.

Ideias de Fim de Semana via

This small cozy rustic kitchen is decked out in stainless steel counters and appliances that add a decidedly contemporary style.† Love the rustic stone wall behind the stove.

The Decorista via

Unfinished wood floors add a rustic touch to this contemporary industrial inspired kitchen.† Inspired kitchen design ideas--open storage for pans, including cast iron skillets typical of rustic style, and vintage pendant lights warm up the cool contemporary space.

Country Living via

Rustic contemporary is a blend of old and new.† The use of old timber or barn wood shelves with a contemporary limestone mosaic backsplash is a great example. Mix antique ceramics with contemporary pieces.

Busy Being Fabulous via

Scandinavian designer get the rustic contemporary style right and gives us kitchen design ideas to dream about. This kitchen is all sleek appliances and finishes in a rustic white washed wood space.

Pininterest via

This kitchen in a brick arched space is a minimalist masterpiece. The lack of upper storage keeps the lines streamlined.† Gorgeous.

The guest blog above was created by Design Shuffle, a social media network for inspiration to those who enjoy interior design and showcasing Los Angeles interior designers to New York interior designers.

est magazine issue no.2

Hope you all had a great weekend!
It was a long wait for the 2nd issue of est magazine (which I had previously posted about here) but worth it - just look at these gorgeous photos!

Kate Spade

This is just one of many reasons I would like to live in New York! (well maybe for about a year, anyway)... I wish Kate Spade would sell outside the US as I would love one of these mugs - they are just my cup of tea!