A villa in the winelands…

I realised with some shock over the weekend that it has been nearly 4 years since I have been home to South Africa. I don’t get homesick nearly as often as I used to but surprisingly the warm weather made me long for the familiarity of home. I am particularly missing the wide open spaces, the accent and the languages and of course the food! I’m indulging myself today and taking you on a tour around a villa situated in the heart of the South African wine route. If that spectacular view of the Simonsberg mountains doesn’t reel you in, then how about the spectacular pool, the Cape Dutch thatched roof, the beamed ceilings, the shutters, the kitchen… need I go on?

All images via

Off-the-shoulder!

I once read a funny little saying on Pinterest that made me laugh, it said: “I can’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t just a little bit tired”! Well this saying has never been more true than this week! I’m not sure why but come 10pm, my eyes start drooping and consciousness starts waning. It’s not necessarily a bad thing as I am a serial insomniac but it does mean that my whole demeanour has become a little, shall we say, laid back. So I’ll definitely be catching some Zzzs in the promised sunshine and you can bet I’ll be wearing something comfy and relaxed like these off-the-shoulder numbers!

Have a wonderful [relaxing] weekend whatever you are up to!

Another onliner to add to your list!

If you like me, like to spend your weekend mornings with your feet up, a steaming cup of coffee in one hand, and your laptop in the other, totally absorbed in the latest online glossy, then I have another one for you to add to your list. Frustrated with the lack of Irish talent featured in online magazines, Rachael Colton created Roco Magazine which not only champions Irish design, but draws on influences abroad too. The magazine made it’s debut early this summer and I thoroughly enjoyed devouring the first issue (I’m counting down the days until the next issue)! If you haven’t checked it out, then here’s the link to do so.

Here’s a little sneak peak…

Bed placement…

There are a number of common design conventions that really annoy me: single overhead lights in the middle of the room, magnolia walls, functional-yet-hideous white plastic windows and the knee-jerk reaction to place furniture against a wall. Now I know furniture placement is very much dependent on space, layout of windows and doors etc (our London house is so small that if we didn’t push the furniture against the wall, we wouldn’t be able to get into the room) but where space is available, isn’t it much more fun to experiment and bring the furniture into the room rather than trying to push it out? I particularly love the look of a bed pushed into the middle of the room (preferably to maximise views out of the windows) with a shelf behind to utilise the awkward space.

What do you think of this look?

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Asian Sunsets…

The final instalment of my Maldives adventure has arrived! The island we stayed on had 2 very different sides – the east side was far more sheltered and warm with clear blue water so calm that you could take your lilo out and float about all day (I did just that). The west side, facing the capital of Mali, was much more rugged with ever-changing surfing conditions. After spending a few hours baking in the sun or snorkelling with eels, brightly coloured tropical fish, reef sharks or rays on the east, we would retreat to the west and sit at the surfers bar watching the Aussie surfers flock to the biggest waves. It was also on this side of the island that we experienced our very first Asian sunset. I think a part of me will always be sitting on that deck, watching the fishermen and surfers go by with a bright orange sun setting in the background.

All images via Wishful Thinking