Inspiration

At Home With… Hannah Whitehead

This creative mum showcases her love of Scandi style with her blog Blonde & Bone and at her rental property in Whangarei.

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Hannah, how was your blog born?
I have always been a huge fan of reading creative blogs and found them to be a great source of inspiration, especially living in a smaller town. In March 2014, I thought ‘why the heck not?’, and started my own blog Blonde & Bone as a place to share not only my own home, but spaces that inspire me too.

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Do you have a creative background?
I have a degree in applied arts but my true passion has always been photography and design. I have been working as a graphic designer in a studio and freelance since finishing my studies a year ago.

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What’s the meaning behind the name Blonde & Bone?
I get asked this quite often! Blonde stands for blonde wood and bone being white – together it’s the colour scheme of our home!

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You’ve attracted a global following after launching your blog in March 2014. What do your fans love about your site?
The following on my blog has grown so rapidly over the past year, I feel so lucky with how everything is progressing. I’m a huge fan of Scandinavian design and I think people are really drawn to that aesthetic which is shown through my blog and photographs. It’s a style that lots of people seem to be loving in their homes at the moment.

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Your blog combines being creative with being a mum. Do you have any advice for new at-home mums on achieving a space that they love?
Being a new mum can be testing at the best of times! I love rearranging spaces at home when my daughter is down for her naps. Creating a relaxing environment is one of the best things when life is so busy, so I have tried to keep everything as clean, soft and neutral as possible. For me, there is nothing like living in a light and inviting space.

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What are your favourite items in your home, and why?
I love our home workspace as it is where I can be my most creative. My favourite practical piece is our iMac as it allows me to design, edit and work from home. Other than that I love the pieces that have the most meaning like the beautiful sheepskin in Frankie’s nursery, which was a wedding gift from my grandparents.

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How has your home changed since having Frankie?
Our home is definitely more about function since having Frankie. Everything has been simplified down and the rooms are now filled with more investment pieces that will last us years, rather than large amounts of bric-a-brac.

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How has having a baby influenced your interior style?
Having a baby has allowed me to explore different creative spaces – I have never styled a nursery before so this was such a fun task for me to do. You can be much more free and fun in a baby’s room so I took this chance to try out some things I have always wanted to do but wouldn’t fit in with the overall style of the rest of the house.

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What are your favourite New Zealand brands?
I am a huge fan of the beautiful blankets by Jamie Kay – our home is filled with different styles, I can’t get enough. I also love Lily Jane Boutique furniture – their pieces are a perfect mix of retro and modern with a pine finish – you can’t beat it.

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What products are you loving right now?
I love using simple posters to add impact to both the nursery and our workspace. We are currently working on our own children’s print line called ‘Frankie Says’ (named after our bossy little girl), so lots of my time has been spent developing that lately. Plus, anything copper or marble are current must-haves for me!

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What other home-related blogs inspire you?
The Design Chaser, Milo and Mitzy and Beau Monde Mama are a few of my favourite Kiwi girls to follow.

Bedrooms 

Having a baby has enabled Hannah to get more creative with her pared-back Scandi style – she has loved the challenge of styling a fun yet functional nursery for baby Frankie.

Living, dining, office 

Hannah has cleared the living spaces of clutter, creating a simple backdrop to showcase the Scandinavian aesthetic she loves. Her home
office is set up in the open-plan living/dining space, so she can work in the natural
light while Frankie naps nearby.

Hannah’s easy rental updates

  • There are so many simple and easy ways to update a rental space. You don’t have a choice when it comes to the colour of the walls and floors, so we have opted for mainly white furniture to keep the rooms feeling light and fresh.
  • Add colour with accessories and key pieces – you can make any space look great with the right styling.
  • Small tree decals create a feature wall that can be easily removed.
  • Temporary shelving can fill up a wall nicely – we opted for $5 Ikea brackets with a simple white shelf from Bunnings and the end result is very effective.

Nursery
Velvet egg cushion and Oyoy wooden bunny from se3; cross blankets from Jamie Kay; Themis prism mobile and Ferm Living basket from Let Liv; bunny poster, Mini Willa ‘You Are Pretty’ print and Twig camera from Beau Monde Babe; tepee from Little Linzi; Kokoko cloud from Surrey Park; wooden cloud from Kikki.K; gold crown and pink shoes from Hubble & Duke; tree wall decals from One Hundred Percent Heart; white bunny print handmade; wooden clothes hanger handmade; shelving brackets from Ikea; white shelves from Bunnings.

Master bedroom
Peach linen from Father Rabbit; grey linen from The Foxes Den; wooden hanger from Coast Etc; bedside table from Lily Jane Boutique; lightbox from U Lighting; copper clock from Let Liv; copper cube candle holder, copper tray and brass candleholder from se3; print above bed and bedside lamp both handmade; bassinet from Babytrenz; hexagon mirror from Ikea; candle from Ashley & Co.

Home office area/lounge/living

Bloomingville white rug and tan pouffe from Let Liv; wooden coffee table from Lily Jane Boutique; grey blanket from Jamie Kay; snug studio calendar and festoon lights from Maree and Co; silver clock from Father Rabbit.

Words by: Shelley Ferguson
Photography by: Duncan Innes

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