My new bedding from Aura

I was SO stoked when the folks of Australian company Aura (one of our long-time advertisers and designers of a really amazing line of bed linen, homewares and rugs) emailed recently with the fantastic news that some of their bedding is now available in Canada at Hudson's Bay! WOHOO!!! To my delight the kind ladies of Aura offered to send my a duvet cover set and 2 pillows. YES!!! I have always purchased duvet covers at Ikea...and not that there is anything wrong with that but now I see what I have been missing. It was a reeeeally hard choice to make but in the end I went with the Lattice Lime duvet cover set, and the jumbo stripe and dipped decorative pillows. The duvet cover is soooo comfy, in a cotton/linen blend on the front (gawd I love linen bedding!!!) with a cotton back that is satiny soft (and neon piping for that extra oomph). The pillows are 100% linen with feather inserts so they are just divine. I am over the moon with this new bedding, and despite having done nothing with my bedroom since buying this house, I was excited to get some sort of design happening with the new bedding as inspiration. Pay no attention to the bland wall colour as that will change eventually, but to my surprise the bedding just blends right in. Thanks to Aura my bedroom looks pretty amazing if I may say! P.S. Aura isn't sold at all Hudson's Bay locations but that doesn't matter because you can order online!

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Welcome to winter

After a long hot summer I love the promise of winter. Cozy, toasty, warm. Fresh, invigorating, just a little raw. And I'm loving the new winter range from Freedom. Three unique stories. New Nordic with its cheeky disrespect for dreary, short winter days. It's pastel, light and fresh. The Bowery is moody and industrial. New and old. The third is Native Terrain, a celebration of Australian flora and raw timber. Freedom's new winter range launches today and you can check out the catalogue with styling by Vanessa Coyler Tay here.

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Lily & Oscar

I recently started following an Instagram account which captured my attention, which lead me to an online store, and a Facebook account....and I was soon totally smitten. lointerior is the Instagram account of interior stylist Josephine Ekström, who has the most beautiful shop in Sweden called Lily & Oscar. It has a rustic French/Swedish feel with tons of neutral colours, textures and organic shapes mixed with bits of modern designs for a bit of a contemporary edge. Josephine takes photos around her glorious shop, as well as in her home....and here are some of my favourites. (Oh, how freaking stoked I would be if a store like hers opened in Ottawa!) 

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Ellis House

A sweet dream, an escape, a wish and a wonder. Welcome to Ellis House, the country retreat of Aussie bedding queen Tracie Ellis. The Creative Director of AURA has fashioned a beautiful weekend escape at Kyneton in regional Victoria. Oh my! Oh my! You can rent it out! I would be in residence every other weekend if I lived close by. Moody, overflowing with country charm (and AURA homewares) and just fabulous! But of course. You wouldn't expect anything else from Tracie.

P.S. The amazing photography is by Sharyn Cairns.

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Psssst ....

It's no trick. Definitely a treat. Christmas has come early. Freedom is having a family and friends special for readers in Australia. 15% off November 1-4. Yes 4 days only. Rush instore. Dare I say start the Christmas shopping early. Yes only 54 days till the big day. Or better still if you don't really "do Christmas" (that would be me) it's a good time to spruce up for summer entertaing.