Interior Design Blog.
Our East Auckland Interior Designer is here to help you fall in love with your home again, with the best interior design blog and ideas. Design & Style to Love offers Auckland interior design services, and virtual interior design NZ.
Interior Design or Interior Decorating - What’s the Difference?
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering whether to hire an interior designer or an interior decorator, you’re not alone. While the terms are often used interchangeably, they mean different things - and understanding the difference can help you get the right help for your home. Let’s break it down…
Sustainable Interior Design Tips
Discover practical sustainable interior design tips for sustainable homes. Create a stylish, eco-conscious home with expert guidance from Design & Style to Love.
Small Home Design Tips
Design Tips for Small Auckland Homes | Interior Designer NZ
Living in a small home in East Auckland? Get 5 expert interior design tips to make your space look bigger, feel brighter, and work better for your lifestyle.
East Auckland homes from Sunnyhills townhouses to compact Pakuranga units, can feel a bit tight if you’re not sure how to work wisely with space. These five design tricks help your home feel more open, curated, and calm—even if square metres are limited.
Best White Paint & Neutral Colours
Your Guide to the Best Resene Whites & Most Popular Neutral Paint Colours
Choosing the right paint colour shouldn’t be harder than choosing the house.
Yet some of the most common questions I get are “Which white is right for my home?” and “What’s the best white or neutral colour?”
Resene alone has over 100 shades of white and neutral tones — beautiful, yes, but overwhelming? Absolutely. Whether you're refreshing one room or making selections for a full renovation, this guide is here to help you avoid decision fatigue and feel confident about your colour choices.
Interior Design Styles
Modern Interior Design Styles
If you’ve ever wondered “what interior design style am I”, “what interior design style do I like” or “which interior design style am I”, “which interior design style do I like” or even “how do I choose my interior style”, you’re not alone.
From coastal and biophilic, to scandinavian or mid-century and everything in between, there is an interior design style to suit you and your home. Understanding your preferences, dislikes and what you’re drawn to, helps to build a cohesive home you’ll love to live in, which is far more important than what interior design style is trending.
Here are a few of the most popular interior design styles to guide you, providing interior design style ideas, tips and inspiration to help you discover your preferred interior design style, without the need for an interior design style quiz. Follow your heart and draw interior design inspiration for your home from what you love.
Small Bathroom Design Tips
Interior design tips for small bathrooms. Starting with well thought out spatial design and bathroom space layout, to the bathroom vanity, storage solutions and light reflecting mirrors, there are a few key tips and tricks to making the most of your small bathroom design.
Kitchen Design Ideas
Thinking about upgrading your kitchen? Read about what to consider when renovating or designing your new kitchen with tips from our NZ Interior Designer. Get in touch if you’re ready to explore out interior design services in Auckland.
Cushion Styling Tips
5 Pro Tips for Perfect Cushion Styling
1. Mix & Match:
Experiment with different cushion sizes, shapes, and textures to create a visually appealing arrangement. Combining contrasting elements adds depth and interest.
2. Play with Texture:
Add depth with various textures like velvet, linens, or faux fur. Texture creates visual interest and a tactile experience.
See blog to read the full article and tips to style your cushions like a pro.
Small Kitchen Storage Ideas
Small kitchen design storage ideas.
When it comes to small to medium kitchens, that’s where smart design and amazing storage solutions come into play.
With planning and research, and a good understanding of how you utilise your kitchen, you can still have the kitchen of your dreams, that maximises space and storage.
Dulux Colour Forecast 2024
The Dulux Colour Forecast for 2024 reveals three new colour palettes - Solstice, Journey and Muse.
This year’s colour palettes step deeper into the mid-tone hues to evoke feelings of warmth, nostalgia and self-expression.
Read the blog for colour inspiration for your home interior. Get colour inspired to refresh a room in your home, with interior design advise and tips. Our interior designer Jodie was fortunate to be invited to this years Dulux Colour Forecast for 2024 which she shares with you in her latest interior design blog.
Book Shelf Styling
7 Expert Tips for Stylish and Functional Bookshelf Styling
1. Keep It Simple and Uncluttered
Avoid overcrowding your shelves. Use this opportunity to declutter and display only the most meaningful and attractive items.
2. Choose a Cohesive Colour Palette
Select 2-3 complementary colours that harmonize with your room's decor. For example, a neutral base with subtle blush and sage accents creates a calming effect.
Best White Paint Colour
What are the best white paint colours?
Choosing the RIGHT white for your home can be TRICKY!
Alabaster, Sea Fog, Rice Cake, White Linen...the list of options goes ON, and ON, AND ON..…and that’s just Resene colours.
I’ve broken down everything you need to know about choosing the PERFECT shade of white for your home, starting with the three different palettes so you can understand the differences between warm, neutral, and cool to make it easier for you to find the right white.
Read on for help choosing the perfect white paint colour for your home.
3 Updates I’d Make To My Kitchen
Want to know three updates I’d make to my 12 year old kitchen?
Timeless kitchen design. Twelve years on, there’s just a few kitchen design enhancements I’d make to elevate its design.
Read more here.
Want To Know A Secret?
I’ll let you in on some interior design tips to help make your kitchen design, stand the test of time!
Viva Magenta Interior Design
Pantone 2023 Colour of the Year - Viva Magenta in interior design.
Bed Interior Styling Tips
Bed interior styling tips to help you elevate your bedroom and create a bedroom sanctuary you can't wait to escape to.
Styling Tips For Selling Your Home
Interior styling tips for selling your home.
Bathroom Design Storage
Bathroom Design Storage Tips from Auckland Interior Designer including smart storage solutions and design tips.
Coffee Table Book Ideas
Coffee Table Styling Book ideas
Cushions
When it comes to decor and soft furnishings, cushions add the perfect finishing touch to a sofa or bed. There are so many options these days, so have fun and play with colour, pattern and texture for a layered look. Read tips from our Auckand Interior Designer on how to choose the right cushions for your home.