The Burrows at Berry

We recently had lunch at The Burrows at Berry on the NSW South Coast. We'd attempted to go there a few times previously but it had always been full.The decor is quite industrial/vintage/up-cycled, with some lovely mid century lounge chairs upholstered in a check fabric. I particularly like the grey wainscoting, industrial lighting and found objects such as old books:

The food was amazing: a mezze plate with homemade dips and flatbread, polenta donuts and salmon:

I just love this charcoal spindle back settee:

And this shelf looks like it's straight from a French farmhouse scullery:

The Boathouse Then and Now

I recently found some pics on the internet of our new house, which we call The Boathouse to distinguish it from the Boatshed, at the time the previous owners bought it in 2009. I don't think it had been updated since the 80s. Fortunately the people we bought it from had gently coaxed it into the twenty-first century with a whole lot of white paint, new flooring, and new French doors and windows along the water side. This is the living area looking out to the water, as it was in 2009:

This is the same room now, looking back from the water:

Here is the waterside end of the room in 2009:

This is the other end of the same alcove as it is now:

Here is the main bedroom then:

And now:

The kitchen is largely the same as it was. I painted the cupboards and tile border in white, and we put up a plate rack we had in our previous house. Hopefully a new kitchen is not too far away:

This is the waterside veranda as it was:

And as it is now:

This has been achieved with a lot of time but very little money. The furniture and decorative items are all pre-loved, largely from op shops or Ikea, with a couple of splurges like the Blacklist wall flag, and Pony Rider and Ourlieu cushions. I made a lot of the curtains and cushion covers, and painted a whole lot of furniture that needed updating.

Hotel Palisade

On our last trip to Sydney, we stopped in at Hotel Palisade at The Rocks. It's been recently restored with lovely interiors by Sibella Court:

Some favourites on the menu were the Cauliflower Mac n Cheese, and the Soup and Toastie:

This review on the AGFG website terms it the most beautiful pub in Sydney, and with touches like this I wouldn't disagree:

The Op Shop Hang

Recently we've heard via Vogue Living about the 'Halcyon Hang' at the beautiful Halcyon House at Cabarita on the NSW North Coast:

Images via Vogue Living

Also, the salon hang at Kate Spade's SoHo store is widely envied:

Image via Apartment Therapy

I've been having a go myself, using a selection of artworks found at op shops, combined with postcards I've framed. This group consists of water-themed artworks, such as a palm tree made from sea urchin spines, a John Derian anchor, a card from Navy in Manhattan, and covers from Penguin books, The Compleat Angler and Brighton Rock:

In a bedroom, I've hung a selection of paintings and prints of ships and boats:

In the image below are four random prints which seem to fit together well:

And, finally, a group of prints and paintings linked by the colour blue: