Complete Paints | DIY Copper Top Side Table

I wanted to tell you about a little DIY project I did recently. I had bought a Cage Side Table from Big Save Furniture but decided I wanted to do something with the top, which was a dark stained and varnished wood. So I popped in to see the guys at Complete Paints in Onekawa, Napier and discussed my options with them. I thought about painting it a bright glossy colour, but when Graeme mentioned metallics I was sold. He told me he could put my chosen metallic into a spray can for easy application, so we looked at all the different colours and I chose a rich copper tone.

If you live in Napier you may not realise that Complete Paints (23 Ford Road, Onekawa) is open to the general public. They deal with a lot of trade customers, but also welcome retail customers, they're super knowledgable, and happy to help those of us who aren't as familiar with which products we need. Graeme explained the process and the products I'd need to complete this project, and Brad was on hand to help me with each step.

I'm so happy with the result, the copper top looks fantastic on the white cage base, and it looks right at home in our living room. If you'd like to do a similar project you can find all the instructions on the Complete Paints project page. And, no matter where you live in New Zealand, you can buy all the products on their website, including the gorgeous copper spray paint. For a limited time you'll get 10% OFF if you purchase the complete project package, so head on over and get busy with your own copper painted project.

Instagram | Cush & Nooks

As the school holidays and my beautiful kids encroach into my working day, I hope you forgive me for a simple post today. I wanted to show you a few recent images from my Instagram. This is where I post mostly images 'behind the scenes' of my home, life & work.

If you want to get a really good feel for person's style, check out their Instagram account, especially on your computer rather than in the actual app. My love of colour and pattern, and the sea is quite evident. What does your Instagram say about you?

ixxi my world

If you're a long-time follower of the blog you may remember my post from a couple of years ago featuring ixxi, an amazing decorative wall system created from a series of small squares snapped together with x's and i's. You can choose a single image, either your own or one from their image bank; or create a montage or a design from individual squares pieced together.

I've been dying to try out the system, so was really excited when I was contacted by ixxi recently and asked if I'd work with them on a collaboration for their blog - ixxi your world. Of course I jumped at the chance, and the next thing was to decide which image to use.

I knew the spot for my ixxi. Our kitchen and dining room are the last spaces in our home to get my attention. I wanted a piece of artwork with some impact for the back wall of the dining room, which you see when you walk in the back door. Our home has a laid-back coastal vibe with lots of colour and pattern - a real mix of Mark and my interests. So I chose a very cool surfing photo by US photographer Stephanie Sherman. Stephanie was kind enough to let me use the image and forwarded the digital file to ixxi for me.

It was an exciting day when the ixxi box arrived all the way from The Netherlands looking very smart.

I thought it might be a two-man job and waited to put it together until the weekend when Mark was home. But when he was more interested in tinkering with his mountain bike I decided to go it alone. I was pleasantly surprised how simple it was, and had a real sense of accomplishment when I stood back to see it hanging on the wall.

At first I was worried that I would tear the corner of the ixxi squares when I pushed the x's in, but the panels are extremely strong and durable. I just put both thumbs on either side of the hole and pushed down gently but firmly. The x's and i's just snapped into place.

When completed I attached the special band provided to the wall and snapped the entire ixxi onto it. I used a tape measure and level to make sure the band was in the right place, and it looked fantastic. Honestly, I was so impressed with how easy the whole process was.

When we got home from our holiday a couple of days ago, I opened the door and my ixxi was the first thing I saw - it made me smile, I love it! Now to rip up the horrid old lino and get a new table and chairs! ;) I can now happily recommend ixxi to all of you, it's such a great product. Pop over to their website to see exactly how it works.