Photo by Larnie Nicolson

There’s no doubt here that New Zealand Interior Designer, Alex Fulton isn’t afraid of colour. The use of a good dose of hue is also coupled with Alex’s ability to use clash to perfection, pulling off what most would be terrified to attempt. The result; a fun home that is true to her style, tells a story about who lives there and is a visual playground for the rest of us that demands respect. Her home has graced many magazines and most recently has been featured in the just released, New Zealand Interior Style written by LeeAnn Yare and photography by Larnie Nicolson. I’m so pleased to have Alex here today to answer my 5 Decorating Questions!

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I hope that you all had a great weekend?  The weather is really starting to warm up for us here, so more time outside on our sunny back deck.

Here’s a little roundup of some of my favourite Instagram pics lately. You can follow me via @mel_chesneau or click here.

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Yesterday I visited the home of Morag of Gerty Brown Trading, in the creative hub of Titirangi, west of Auckland. It was a rainy overcast day yet I was welcomed with a big open smile and pops of colour, trademark to her cheerful brand, I warmed to her straight away. It’s custom in a lot of New Zealand homes to remove shoes on entering; as I offered to take mine off, Morag stopped me in fear that I’d step on a stray pin. You see, her home is her creative workspace, her kitchen table houses the sewing machine and overlocker, rolls of fabric in the corners, vintage drawers and boxes full of fabrics and ribbons under the couch and cabinet. My immediate impression was, what a wonderful creative environment for her two young children to grow up in.

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I could never tire of handmade ceramics, used as a stand alone decorative piece or to serve food and drink, it’s without saying that ceramics with their slight imperfections that make them even more aesthetically beautiful, have made a big come back in the last few years.

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I can’t tell you how many times I’ve chosen a recipe to make and then realised that it calls for preserved lemons and decided against it. Firstly, they’re not always the easiest to find and when I do, it’s usually so over priced for something that is relatively inexpensive and so simple to make that I can’t bring myself to purchase it. So yesterday when I faced that same problem, and had a kilo of lemons on hand, I decided to make my own.

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