The plywood edit

The plywood playhouse below is for good reason part of the header for my facebook page. I love plywood. I love wood, beech, walnut, birch, elm, maple. You name the wood, I can love it. But when I want something modern, fun and let’s not forget cost-effective, my eye immediately turns to plywood. 

So versatile, so fun, so streamlined and simple. I have it in my home as shelving and it’s surprisingly sturdy for such a lightweight material. With so many advantages, what’s not to love? So here’s a roundup of some fabulous products and projects that showcase plywood to its best.

I have the magazine block and leaning bookcases which soften the minimal lines in my living from Kriz. 

I think this Luona playhouse would be a great addition to any home but especially a minimal one. How fun are the cut-outs at different heights? 

i29 is for me since spotting home number 9, definitely one to watch and aspire to. Several other projects also feature plywood amazingly, so check out homes 8, 7 and 1 as well. 

My daughter would love to host sleepovers. How amazing would the newest bed in the Perludi range be for just such an activity? And with the cutest name; Flora in the Sky and cool rope detailing I am smitten.

I saw this raised bed from Studio Oink in a magazine and just love it as I do pretty much everything they do. Great views, great storage, great style. 

On the beach, by the pool

Let me get the confession out of the way before I get started…I do not expect an opportunity to rock these pieces as alas no vacation plans. And once you grow up on a tropical Caribbean island with amazing beaches and honeymooned on a beautiful deserted one in South-East Asia, Scheveningen (Holland's answer to beach weather) just does not seem appealing. But that does not stop this girl from dreaming. Especially with the mini heat wave of late. 

Below my top three picks. Not really blending into the crowd. These all have a degree of smokingness but that’s my style. Life is too short to be boring, wear it!

Two confessions in one post.. I love Agent Provocateur. The bra’s are mindblowingly good, the details are amazing and they make even the plankiest to the curviest of girls look and feel femme fatale. So a AP bathing suit, in a flattering cut, with zips that let you flip it up. How can I not have this as a favourite? The bikini in black is available in the sale because this brand isn't cheap.

Triangl seems to be the go-to bikini brand at the moment. It’s not hard to see why as I flipping love neoprene. Hello, sexy diver. It comes in loads of fun, bright colours and cool print. But for me, it’s their snakeskin print bandeau bikini that I am in love with. I love snake print so much I'd have it as a pet. Just kidding on the last part but the suit is divine.

I saw this top from N.L.P. in an editorial for Est Magazine, skipped the article and immediately surfed to the brand’s site. It’s more a top than a bikini top and that’s what I love about it. This with my ginormous black sunhat and I could take my own editorial  pics.

Black is sold out but with tons of other colour combinations and cool styles, definitely one to consider. Think high necks, zip fronts, cut-outs and one shoulders and mesh and that all in neoprene. The zip front strapless mesh swimsuit is also divine. Go Aussy!

Simplify

Just a little quickie as I dropped 'Ballerinas, Brownies & babes' from the name. I thought it was time. The times they are a changin', so am I and therefore so is the blog.

Truth be told I rarely ever wear ballet flats anymore and basically keep them in my car as driving shoes. Don't get me wrong, I love expressing myself through fashion more than ever. It's just my style sense is less flats and more skyscrapers. And while food is wonderful, good food pictures requires a good camera and even better eye for food styling. So I think I'll stick to Instagram where I can quick edit my foodie pics. Only my babes remain and have their own page under 'Kids' as they are now a toddler and an almost (pre)schooler and are officially not babies anymore, sniff.

Ever growing, ever evolving, welcome to..

The Designed Life...

Inspiring quotes

And with this quote I am closing this chapter. This is my quote. Choice and change is hard. It’s scary. Mostly because it’s unknown. There is no crystal ball to tell you how things will turn out. A leap of faith, a breath of courage, blind recklessness, sheer abandon. However you phrase, however you see it, whatever you need. For me, all the above. 

But one thing that is the same no matter how you get there or what it is, is that making a decision, choosing, is the change even if you have yet to take the first step. And then everything is diffrent, you are diffrent, you are you. You always are but when you choose, you show it. To others but more importantly to yourself. So smile, you are who you are.

 Now time for some light-hearted, breazy summer quotes..

Tour: the showhouse

I have been living in my new home for two and a half months. A work in progress, even now as I just removed the last dust cap and like most still have to finish the baseboards. But for me far enough to show you my living space. 

It’s my Goldilocks home. Not too large, not too small, just right. Light, white and bright, with enough pops of colour to keep it fun and livable. With the kitchen fully on show I wanted everything to blend and so kept the base neutral. No feature wall but the same blue grey tinged colour throughout the space. The door opens dead centre in the space, so what draws your eye in is the pretty face of the Lieverse painting (my girl crush). 










Below are hanging Besta cupboards from Ikea which look great, provide storage but mostly were chosen because I had one left from the re-do of my daughter’s room. Like most everything in the space, really. Secondhand, re-use, show models or major sale scores make up the body of my decor, if not completely. Working within the constraints of minimum budget and finds demands more creativity than being able to shop everything you desire but the results are a lot more fun and personal because of it. For example I had two black (extra from storage) and bought one white dining chair on sale. Solution the black chairs are facing the black couch and the white chair with of course a leftover white highchair are on the side of the white kitchen. Would you have known if I hadn’t told you? The highchair will be replaced with a matching white dining chair when Mika can be trusted and which I bought about a hundred kms away from the first because a steal knows no limits.

This room is a mix of designer pieces, treasures, sales scores, and secondhand finds with everything from Hay to Artemide, to handmade vases from Singapore and a 60 euro dining table being thrown into the mix. And for every piece, no matter how small, I know the origin and more importantly the thoughts and feelings behind it.The little owl sitting by the remotes with the pink orchid, I got when I found out I was having a girl. The round vase in the windowsill we went back to a little alley shop purchase in Prague because it was the piece that stood out to me on that trip. The room is a mix of me and my kids with its grown up art, fun hippo doormat  and kids toys that are definitely for use and not just show as the radioflyer trike flies around on an invisible track every day, all day. Detail: the little suitcase contains the kids dress-up gear, which I flip to 'in' or 'out' on switch day.









Someone coined it, rather negatively, the showhouse, probably because it’s doesn’t look like it was thrown together without a thought. But guess what it wasn’t. I designed this space. I upkeep this space like my paycheck depends on it (or have two toddlers and white floors), to keep it feeling like home. Home is not just a bed and couch to me. It is a showcase of the things that inspire, of memories, of the family that lives here. So I guess it’s my showhome and of that I am gosh-darn proud. Viva la showhome! 

Especially considering how much I learnt about my own abilities and where it started.. as the blankest shoebox ever.

Designer fitness

I promised to link up the steps, to the running, to design. So here goes because what is up with fugly, practical sport gear? I mean, sports sneakers are starting to look so good, I would rock them outside of the gym. But the rest, humh. Let’s leave it at uninspired. So here’s a small round-up of rocking, well-designed athletic gear..

 

• Bottles from Kor Water (I own a green Delta that never fails to get noticed or make me smile). You can even add a message stone under the cap. Drink up, you rocked it!          

• Fun, cheap, vibrant work-out gear from H&M. Also surprisingly well-made. My leggings have done at least 3 works-out a week and a year later are still in great condition. Plus I can now better appreciate the functional details like breathable fabric, built-in key pouch and thumb holes (frozen numbness is a painful no-no). Same said for Rituals, whose gear feels great and looks great in and out of the yoga class. And my Triumph triaction toning top is so good it functions as a sportsbra and makes you look good in even the frumpiest old tee.

• Not surprising the vast array of smartphone holders but the lack of non-bulky, boring black is surprisingly depressing. I went for the ultra girly and functional (all buttons accessible!) SwitchEasy Move in purple (fav color). The accessability allows me switch it up to the exact song needed to keep my ass in gear. And only now realised..cable management. This product smashed it!

• I currently sport a Casio Baby-G in white and pink in combination with a seperate budget-buy distance tracker because of certain, say budget, restrictions. On a similar note I currently use and still love my Urbanears Zinken headset because of A. the ultra-noticable colour, B. the comfort, C. the total noise-out. But it’s not sports grade. Sweat-drenched ears are not good for the headset or me, plus every car ends up startling me to near heartattack. So something lighter, compacter and not quite so shut off? But not a bulky, mancave looking bit of kit. No, I'm just not that type of girl. Here it comes.. the top tech piece of work-out kit: The Dash. Saw this and my eyes starting watering with both delight and greed. I want this, I really want this and I want this now (or at least on pre-order)..                                                                                          Combining wireless, bluetooth earphones that can work with or without a smartphone, charges quickly, has diffrent fit sizes with microphone, heart rate monitor, fitness tracker and sports watch that tracks everything from distance, steps, rotation, pace, turns, speed, cadence, to time, G-force, body temp, calories oxygen saturation and more. Basically everything except how many times your ass was checked out in your super fit work-out gear, wink! This puppy allows me to carry less, run more and be connected. Did I already mention that this is what I want, need, can no longer live with out... In white please. You can check it out here or pre-order me a pair already.

Hotstepper

Technically a personal post and rather off subject, being in no way about design but I promise to link it up in the next post. But back to this post..this post is a literal example of Friday's quote 'the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step'. Because it's about taking the step and I'm not talking figuratively...it's running time baby.

Today I attempted my first continuous run after 6 weeks of interval training that took me from a max of 200 metres to 3km. Something that has had my stomach in knots of equal parts dread and anticipation for the past week and a half, especially with a cold going since Thursday. And while I still feel the need to apologise because it's no marathon distance and I didn't quite make it (took a 2 minute walk break), I refuse. I am super flipping proud of me for taking that first step and all that since followed and all yet to come.

I keep most everything hidden and am super self-conscious and critical of myself. I wouldn't work out in the rain because someone might see my drive. I would rather miss the bus than have someone see me run. But it's on the bucket list; running somewhere warm and beautiful to greet the sunrise. The goal that my biggest support criticised and that made me realise I was waiting, waiting for others, waiting for someone to sanction my goals, to make them joint goals and therefore valid. But this is my life, my dreams, my goals.

I did my first training the morning after my five-day chickenpox fever broke. No food, no water, no strength and covered in pocks and powder but I did it the way I do most everything..full out. Go hard or go home.

Six weeks later. Guess what,.. it's not exactly what I envisioned as I forgot the sweat, pain, wet and cold and it's definitely not the vision in my mind's eye of warm and beautiful but my neighbourhood, the Eco-park, the bunnies along the footpaths, the orange glow of the sunrise on the first tropical day of the year are beautiful. Right here, right now. And more so for the smile on my face and the pride and accomplishment I feel instead or criticism or self-consciousness. I will get there..that paradise run, because I took the first step.

Call me hotstepper because all that stepping (running, cardio and power yoga) has me at my fittest, inside and out. From chin to shin. Here's a little collage from pock-marked to now.

From first work-out covered in talc to stop the itching! To upright and happy to go out and run. To growing a collection of fun-coloured tools (who'd have guessed that eggplant is my favourite colour). To feeling good about the way I look and having clothes not fit..the right way.

Sneak peek living

Just a quickie of my living, which is the next space I want to show you! The shot is taken from the garden, which is the space I am currently still actively working on. You can get a few glimpses of that space and the progress on my Instagram. 

Have a great weekend!!

Inspiring quotes

My absolute favourite motivator for taking the leap. Not necessarily off a cliff, though that's on the list but even things so small that it seems odd to hesitate. Steps like adding my name to the blog attribution. Or starting running (classes) but more about that next week..

Burn, smoke & roast

Cooking is a joy of mine. Even more so than the eating and so I enjoy trying new things. Yet here, here comes unmarked terriorty…the barbecue. Somehow in outdoor cooking I tend to stick to the traditional rolls of man + fire and woman = sides. But like any other adventurer, I embark on a quest for new territory. But if I am going to do this, I am going to this my way, which means anything but a ginormous outdoor man grill with everything from a burner for sauce to a rotisserie spit. Maybe later, if I find that outdoor cooking is totally the way to go. But at this early junction, I’m talking a BBQ with the ability to grill food and maybe function as a fire pit while looking like something you want to be looking at even when not in use. In other words, a grill with a designer finish or simply put a non-man grill!

 Here are my top picks from the budget-friendly to the budget breaking..

From top to bottom: 1. Ikea’s Lillön is an adorable long-legged beauty. 2. So hard to find a pure white, not ivory, BBQ. This one from Goldair is simple and stunning. 3. This is the one that started it all for me. A gorgeous matte black or orange barrel beauty from Tulp that is also a fire pit. Dutch Design, baby! 4. Catching up to my list of design faves are the Spanish. Partly due to the amazing Druida BBQ from Mermeladaestudio. Even the grill plate is amazing 5. Aptly named Globe, this is the epitome of top-class grilling. 6. Available in black, as a gas or charcoal barbecue, this RVS beauty also from Eva Solo is too good to pass up. Plus with the flat lid it doubles up as a stylish table!

Summer style

I don’t really post about fashion, despite it being my way of expressing myself and my mood. Feeling down, then I pull out a gorgeous girlie outfit. Feeling vulnerable, then out comes something fierce. Though I can’t take pictures of my outfits, I can show you my summer wardrobe. And by summer wardrobe I mean the latest editions as some pieces, like my favourite maxi dresses, make a reappearance every summer.

Summer 2014 means.. 

• a lightweight dark grey leopard/printed jumpsuit because it’s still Holland
• a draped, ruched mini in a pastel colour 
• a  simple white tee with side-splits for some edge 
• a pair of dipped dyed, super tight, skinnies form SamsoØe & SamsØe for a killer butt
• a simple navy singlet with low-back because back decolleté is my sexy
• a pale blue leather pencil skirt as lighter version of my winter black one
• And the thing I have always wanted but only now have the balls to rock; Daisy dukes, baby!

Everything is in a simple, cohesive colour palette. I'm in the mood for less pop and flash, which is quite the reverse from the brights you usually get in the summer, but that suits my mood at the moment.

Accessories make or break it.

• And that means shoes! I’m a heels girl so slippers all summer long will not do. Time to bust out the wedges. How wicked are these strappy, snake-printed leather babies from Zara? 
• And because snake looks so good, a little evening pouch with strap (free hands) that positively pops in electric blue. SSSh.
• And sticking to leather for the round-off, a wide leather headband, which makes me feel oh-so mod squad.

 Everyhing is a (major) sale score because budget counts and I like the challenge of finding great stuff for a better price. I mean that singlet costs a whopping 3.99 euros. Hey, it’s still Holland and the saying going Dutch tells you something about the mentality and I love it J. 

Shop savvy, look good, have fun in the sun, that’s my summer motto!

Inspiring quotes

Sometimes you need a little reminder that even the beautiful have their 'thorns'. That does not diminish the beauty or the worth. To me, it's actually the other way around and makes me appreciate it all the more. So today, be beautiful, thorns and all. 

Tour: The Suite

I doubted putting my bedroom up here because it’s my personal space. Just for me and so much so that my kids are technically not allowed up here. But because I love it and a tour of my house is not complete without the top third and the reason I picked this house above the others viewed, I figured why the heck not?

This space, minus having a free-standing bath, is pretty nigh on my dream bedroom. I love it, cherish it (really I scrub every little stain on my white carpeting like I’m being graded) and can’t wait to get back to it. It’s my office, dressing area, display area, work-out room and sleeping space. And because, yes size does count, it’s my biggest bedroom ever and so all those functions don’t feel claustrophobic. Sleeping in the eaves gives me a snuggled in feel and is ideal for free spirited living (wink). Plus with the deep windowsills it gives me so many little vignettes to display my treasures. And while a drastic clean-out has seen my shoe collection shrink, I still have plenty of favourites to display and no one else sensibilities to please. So out came the heels, because what’s a girly space without shoes? I took these pictures on the only dreary day in weeks, opened up the windows and fell in love..again. This is my master suite and I flipping love it, full stop!

P.S. Did you spot the odd man out? I added an extra 50 cm to my wardrobe and so the door and handle don't match. Changing that out and getting a super cheeky print from Therese Sennerholt are the only things left on the to-do/want list for this space.