Month: June 2015

Our Tadelakt bathroom

Doing a Tadelkat bathroom was a long dream of mine and it is now one of the projects I most proud of, out of all the things we achieved with our house renovations. You may have seen already our loft conversion, the new kitchen and the resin floor that many of you were interested in. Tadelakt is a material I have been wanted to use for years. It looks and feels like polished concrete and the results achieved with our Tadelakt bathroom really exceeded my expectations. What is Tadelakt? If you’re not familiar with this material, Tadelakt is a unique waterproof plaster finish originally from ancient Morocco. It was initially used by the Berbers to waterproof earthen cisterns for the hygienic storage of drinking water. Later on, it was used to decorate exterior façades, manufacture small drinking vessels. If you’ve been to Morocco, you’ve probably seen it in public bathing houses and bathrooms. The thing I love the most about Tadelakt is, how smooth it feels. While we used gorgeous grey tiles from Castelnau Tiles in the new loft conversion, I was eager to try something …

5 things I want right now!

Published by BODIE and FOU Style Blog

The weather has been amazing since I arrived in France but work and renovations projects have kept me inside the house. Nonetheless, I find it amazing to wake up in the morning, open the French doors to view the garden and have breakfast on our new deck. Here is my wish-list for this week, full of pretty things. Have a fab weekend! 1/ This gorgeous bag from Sophie Hulme, also available in black and burgundy (check how gorgeous it looks!) 2/ This lovely Daisy dress from Hush 3/ these aviator style sunglasses by Isabel Marant 4/ these pretty Hammamas towels to hit the beach 5/ and these leather sandals PS: Check out the sale at Elias & Grace, they have some amazing things for kids and our beautiful Nomad embroidered pouffes and souk cushions are back in stock! SHOP THE POST:

{Life with Mila} is a series of funny words Mila told her mum as she was growing up and now recorded on the blog www.karinecandicekong.com

LIFE WITH MILA | STUDYING

Published by BODIE and FOU Style Blog

This morning while driving to school, Mila and I heard that a 13 years old boy was taking exams for the baccalauréat (A level). Mila: “WOW, what is he going to do after? Work?” Me: “He is too young, he will probably go to University” Mila: “WHAT!!! There is another school to go to after high school? How many schools do we have to go to!!?” Yep! It’s only the beginning :-) She wears things from Elias & Grace which has a great Summer Sale on. Sofa cover is from Bemz. Read my post “How to update your old sofa without buying a new one” here.

French house renovations. Read on www.karinecandicekong.com

House in France | Renovations

Published by BODIE and FOU Style Blog

We are currently renovating and re-decorating this home in France (also listed on airbnb here) and have only two weeks left to complete the project. The house is 72sqm, fits 6/7 people and has a lovely 165sqm private garden (great for alfresco dining).

10 positive things changing your lifestyle will do for you. Read on >> www.karinecandicekong.com

How a few lifestyle changes will improve your life in 10 positive ways

Published by BODIE and FOU Style Blog

I have seen so many positive changes to my well-being since this post that I think it’s time to put them in writing and maybe this will motivate you to do the same (if that’s what you long to do) because frankly, I think it’s worth it and every woman deserves to feel good. So yes there is no secret, it all comes down to knowing yourself and looking after yourself… Eating a well-balanced diet, staying away from junk food & refined sugars, exercising regularly, laughing a lot, having a positive, support group of people around you etc… I’ve given up smoking, I don’t drink a lot because, over the years, I have found that I feel much better if I have just one glass of wine rather than 3 and little by little, I’m making changes to my diet. Once a change has become a habit, I had another small one… “Baby steps, girls, baby steps” So here are what a few lifestyle changes will do to you It will improve your skin. Granted …

5 things I want right now!

Published by BODIE and FOU Style Blog

It’s 35 degrees in France. It’s so hot that Steve & Mila had diner at the beach. No wonder why this kid doesn’t want to come back to London! 1/This beautiful Nestor leather bag by Jérôme Dreyffus has been on my wish list for a while (available in black here) 2/This boyfriend shirt from Hush and Denim shorts especially these from Ralph Lauren 3/I love having cosmetics in great packaging and this Fig + Yarrow sea scrub and Buttercream moisturiser are gorgeous 4/Of course, my beloved Isabel Marant Dickers boots which are so comfy that I wear mine with bare feet but if you can’t afford the real thing, these boots from Hush are a great alternative. 5/ and this new Melbourne print from our collection, which is hardly something to take to the beach but I’m re-decorating a house down there and today a few pretty things are heading to the coast and that includes this basket, this lovely marble chopping board and this gorgeous dark grey sofa. Have a fab day

Pretty & soothing pink accents in your home. Read on www.karinecandicekong.com

Pretty & soothing pink accents for your home

Published by BODIE and FOU Style Blog

Pink was never a colour that challenged me or bothered me before I became a mum to Mila Sienna. In fact, I quite liked a soft pink. Once I became a mum and got exposed to the insane amount of bright Barbie pink paraphernalia available to “little girls”, I really started to hate this colour. I’ve never felt I was a die-hard feminist but I’ve always believed in women’s independence and self-confidence and the forced association of colours & genders (i.e. pink for girls and blue for boys), society was communicating to us on a regular basis really annoyed me. So I decorated Mila’s bedroom (and here) with a dark grey wall and let her choose her favourite black & white prints and this one from Fine Little Day.