Caz Novak | Artist

I have recently discovered the work of a very talented Wellington-born artist, Caz Novak. After completing a three-year course at Wellington College of Education, majoring in art, Caz went on to teach art, and for the last 17 years has been working as a full-time artist. She is well known for her vibrant use of colour, which is obviously what drew me to her work, as well as her stunning treatment of the paint. "My work is constantly evolving through my exploration of paint" Caz says. "It is an exciting medium which presents unlimited potential for development".




Living in a beautiful part of New Zealand, Caz's Taranaki home on the beach inspired her popular Pacifica series. Her two most recent series, Opulence and Flux, are a response to broader influences and a move to abstraction. The Flux series explores the fluid movement of paint, resulting in very organic and energetic pieces. Caz allows the paint to freely interact, with the colours colliding and dispersing. This gorgeous "Flux - She Like to Party" print has only just been released. I love it's playfulness and exuberance.




"Flux - Float" is a favourite of mine. You can interpret it in any way, but to me it's definitely water, and I find it both calming, and energising. Unfortunately for me, this piece has sold, but Caz is more than happy to work with clients on creating the perfect piece for their decor.






The Opulence series is strongly influenced by landscape and botanical references. Caz almost sculpts the paint to create the most divine texture, bringing each piece to life. They have a luminous quality gained from layers of the vibrant impasto paint.  From a distance they are stunning, but up close they are sublime!






Caz's paintings are held in private collections around the world, with the latest Opulence piece heading to a lucky owner in Dubai. To keep up to date with all of Caz's work and see her latest available paintings, make sure you sign up to her 'Previews' mailing list. If you want to discuss a commission with Caz, or visit her home studio in Taranaki, she'd love to hear from you. Or you can check out her prints available to purchase. A Caz Novak artwork will most definitely add joy to your home.






Rooms to Love | Style Inspiration for Every Home

The creative duo consisting of stylist LeeAnn Yare, and photographer Larnie Nicolson have done it again... following the success of their first book New Zealand Interior Style, they've released another beautiful design book called Rooms to Love, due out today.


photo via here

Brimming with tips and tricks and gorgeous New Zealand interiors, the book is broken down into different areas of the house, even those often neglected. It shares decorating ideas catering to every budget proving that you don't have to have a lot of money to create a stunning space.




LeeAnn's advice is to do what you love, don't follow trends, it's your home and it should make you happy. "Don't create a home that's off the pages of a catalog," she says. "When you walk into someone's home you should be able to feel the people that live there. We want to be able to see their story".





This is a must read for all interior junkies out there. I can't wait to get my copy and devour every page and all those incredible photographs.





Reproduced with permission from Rooms to Love by LeeAnn Yare and Larnie Nicolson. Published by Penguin Group NZ. RRP $59.99. Copyright © text by LeeAnn Yare, 2014. Copyright © photographs Larnie Nicolson, 2014.

Designer Beds For Charity

This month the world's number one bedding brand, Sealy, is celebrating 25 years operating in New Zealand. As part of their celebration they have teamed up with four very talented New Zealand designers in a charity campaign for New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation (NZBCF).




Masters in their own fields, ASKEW ONE (Elliot O’Donnell), Denise L’Estrange-Corbet, Juliette Hogan, and LeeAnn Yare have now mastered the art of sleep by designing a bespoke fabric panel for a Sealy Posturepedic Exquisite bed. I love this concept - the beds all look so great, you definitely won't want to cover them up with valances and bedspreads. The beds are all listed on TradeMe and the auctions close 28 October, so get bidding.




LeeAnn Yare | interior designer: "Carnival" was inspired by LeeAnn's most recent bed linen range for her store, Collected. She has a thing for simple yet bold graphic shapes and really wanted to turn up the volume with her bed design.




Juliette Hogan | fashion designer: "Dalmation Silk Print" takes Juliette's love for monochrome and mixes it with the luxe revival of an animal print we all love. Her design is gorgeous, yet understated, inspired by her upcoming '15 collection.




Denise L'Estrange-Corbet | fashion designer: "Pebbles" is an eccentric and eclectic polka-dot cover that perfectly captures the essence of Denise's internationally acclaimed label, WORLD. She wanted to create something fun, so bright and bold was an obvious choice.




Elliot O'Donnell (ASKEW ONE) | artist: "Aute Uliuli" features (if you look closely) shell necklaces and hibiscus flowers that Askew has spray painted for his design. In a time of extensive digital production, he pulls back his approach to 'construct' his art, focusing more on the props and accessories.




When you bid on one of these amazing Sealy bespoke designer beds, you are not only one step closer to an exceptional night's sleep, but you are also helping to fund research and support women in New Zealand with breast cancer. Go for it, bid now!