I'm still feeling super refreshed from a wonderful break we had recently in Bali to celebrate a close friends 40th birthday. As with any trip, I'm always buzzing on my return, brimming with inspiration about my travel finds. Bali was no exception. Although Bali is such an accessible holiday for all walks of life, one thing the Balinese are brilliant at is true island luxe. Here's a few things that I think are going to have to be Must Haves in a few up and coming projects.

Bungalow architecture enclosing densely landscaped private courtyards...

Super romantic canopy beds draped in layers of soft white muslin....

Indoor / Outdoor bathrooms - who doesn't love the idea of showering under the stars!

endless lagoons of blue with dramatic wet edge pools - vista optional!

Happy Dreaming Everyone xx

We had a lovely party last weekend with all our dear friends to celebrate our new farm. A little late I know (having moved in late June) but times gotten away with immediate renovations taking priority. I had a ball getting ready for the day though. I love party planning. Right from the menu theme (I'm a stickler for a good menu theme, for this party I did a Middle Eastern banquette complete with Lamb Shwarma and all the trimmings, decadent Mezze platters and Honey Ricotta filled Dates for a little bite of something sweet to finish - yum!), designing the invitations and best of all - preparing the party decorations! It was a bit tricky at first as our 'garden party' was to be held in quite a large garden (60 acres to be exact) but after I'd portioned off an area and organised an activities and camping zone I got to work. I thought I'd share some of the gorgeous DIY ideas that I came across to add to my repertoire.

Party pom poms are so on trend at the moment and are so easy to make. Love this rainbow display of colour!

Sporadicly hang your tissue pom poms around this rainbow of stream colour. All you need is to get a wide selection of tissue streamers and hand sequentially, if you can source some glitter or sequin garlands to space throughout as shown below all the better - great substitute for the old school glitter ball!

I recently went to a beautifully styled wedding where the bride and groom used Geronimo balloons to act as a prop throughout their wedding photos - they are gorgeous and such a fantasy styling look. All you need is a small selection as they are so HUGE! I used three helium filled G.Balloons to indicate the entrance to the property - a great way to greet your guests and indicate the party action going on inside!

I had a huge issue with seating for the day as we had invited so many different groups of friends from our different walks of life. The local farm supplies in Yandina were great with supplying big sturdy hay bales for me to space throughout the yard and I sourced colourful textiles to cover them with to protect our guests clothing from catching on the straw

I can still remember my parents parties as a child and they would always use these DIY paper lanterns to make a beautiful entrance for their guests. Simply purchase paper sandwich bags at the supermarket, fill with a scoop of sand and light your tealight. You can purchase beautiful bags with typography and graphics these days that are just super special (WR sell a selection from Australian homewares brand Papaya that spell out welcome LOVE!). I think they look best as a border around garden beds and walkways to light your guests path through the evening.

Happy Summer Entertaining everyone ! xx

Cup day is only 5 days away and if you haven't organised your dance card as yet here's a little event to get very excited about. We are hosting our inaugral Melbourne Cup luncheon in partnership with The Caf Coolum on Tuesday. The day is shaping up to be a riot with 50 ladies enjoying a three course spread by head chef and owner Simon, flowing bubbles, sweep stakes, a big screen donated by Betta Electrical to watch the main event and a breakfast for you and a selection of friends up for grabs for the best dressed fillie on the day! Tickes $65 and include meal + 2 drinks. Very limited availability left - call the Caf for last tickets!

Christmas has arrived at WR headquarters and we are swooning over our 2012 decorations! Here's a sneak peak.

 See you soon! xx

Well Mr Watermelon and I have recently purchased a new home. A sizeable bite of land, that is sure to keep us very occupied and out of a lot of mischief. 60 acres to be exact! Daunted - tick! Anxious - tick! Petrified - tick!

Who am I kidding though? I'm super excited as well! I love a challenge and the creative juices have kidded in and stage one is well underway.

Our first priority is to tidy the entire place up. The house is manageable for the time being - new bathroom, new kitchen but the place just hasn't been finished. Overtime this side of things will come together. As any of you know who have renovated - it doesn't always go smoothly or fast!

Having been left to run wild for the past two years the land itself is shoulder height in stale old grass. Today was spent taking my first lesson's on the tractor (words I NEVER thought I'd hear myself say!) I must tell you though, I've taken to this farm life (designer style!) like a duck to water. I had a blast out there today and best of all it gives me time to think. To let my mind be at ease and just brainstorm whilst the blades do their work. Today's session was all about the surrounding gardens. I love the idea of a relatively low maintenance, native, West Australian style desert garden. Lots of grasses, stone work and sculptural bushes. I don't want it to be arrid though, or too sparse, it needs to be dense and still colourful but using the colours of the natural surrounds - the firey reds, pink and coral of the sunset, the grey blue of a thunderous sky and the refresh grass green of the meadows. Anyhow, this is just a handful of inspiration I found.

Happy Weekend Everyone! xx

Christina and I took a little trip to Brisbane yesterday to celebrate the second birthday party for Brave Design - the go to agency for  vibrant, up to the minute must have styling and furniture pieces in the industry, turned out to be an inspiring and most colourful day! Timed to take advantage of the hourdes visiting the city for the trade fair, the agencies director Chris Sayers and his trusty side kicks Lisa and Samantha played host the designers, retailers and industry associates to network, coif French bubbles (any excuse!) and marvel at the new Spring/Summer release for lifestyle brand Ruby Star Traders! I've got to say, each year I don't think RST designer Karin will be able to top her last season and each year she proves me wrong. I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak at the yet to be finalised catalogue and my only response to this email of delight was OH MY GOD! It's simply stunning - colour abounds in neon and hot hot hot shades. Karin does print and colour like no other and this year doesn't disappoint! Here's a sneak peak into what pieces have inspired what will be Watermelon Red's 2012 key summer looks! Enjoy!

Check it out! (these will actually be in over the new few weeks) Brand New enamel pieces - so paper thin they actually look like ceramic in the flesh but unlike ceramic these can't be broken! Available in dusty pink, cobalt, chartreuse and that racy red! Small bowls, large bowls, trays - all will be available online as well - swoon!

The super stylish Brave team (sans Samantha) Chris and Lisa make up such a hardworking team and their showroom only gets better with each visit - well done guys and HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TEAM BRAVE!

DIVINE! These cushions are made from the most sumptiously soft linen with a textural chainstitch floral detail to give them some visual delight in your home. Coming later in the year in this sea blue and a chartreuse green with a delicious linen throw blanket to match.

The REAL boss @ Brave! (and yes that is the Watermelon chair from the store princess is pearched on!)

Tifin boxes, tinware and decorative pieces in every colour of the rainbow on their way for summer!

Happy Birthday Chris, Lisa and Samantha - thank you so much for having us xx

I was only speaking to a customer on Tuesday about the mammoth start to 2012 we have had! From our interiors project to the store to a bustling and sunshiney Easter holidays to our homelife everything has been at full throttle since 1 January 2012! We were reflecting on how quickly (only 3 weeks!) the trade fair season (design, furniture and gift) will come around which slides straight into the September school holidays and then BOOM! The Christmas season will begin! I had to sit down merely at the thought! So with only 2 days to go until we hit the half way mark and the final of the 2011/2012 financial year I thought I'd reflect on the relaunch of WR. The response we've had to our Birtwill St Emporium reno has been brilliant - the kind words and excitement from our locals, customers and suppliers has had us grinning from ear to ear. There's been a huge amount of hype around the relaunch and having such a new fresh and colourful environment to work and create in has proved to be such a reinvigorating inspiration for all of us Watermelon Headquarters! If you haven't been in for a sticky beak as yet get on down to Coolum for a look but in the meantime here's a look back at the revamp that was xxx

Strip it down and move it out! The long and ardous preparation tasks 

Squeezie Squeezie! Storage Watermelon Red style!

Destruction! Making some noise - sorry neighbours! xx

Big Parade...

The very talented Evan Goldsmith and his cabinetry masterpiece!

Testing Testing...our magnificent window display centrepiece

One week of madness and we are open for trading!

Fresh, sleek and super colourful (who would have thought we could get any more colour in here!)

There's that super gorgeous chair again, accessorised perfectly with Cloth Fabric and

Samantha Robinson Porcelain!

Introducing a tonne of new designers - Fabo!

The moments must have items from Uashmama

Colour Colour Colour!!!

Our launch centrepiece (the beautiful Sardinia bed) sold within days and so I thought I'd include our new centrepiece - a selection of custom made sofas, chairs and soft furnishings heralding the new VACATION range by Mokum Textiles - divine!

Look forward to seeing you all soon xxx

Well after a short hiatus watermelon red's blog FOUND. is back and set to be better than ever! I initially set out to have the blog be a place where I could share my finds along the journey I take sourcing and designing for watermelon red each week. Somehow along the line it took a little diversion however the reignition of FOUND. will see it getting back to it's original roots. Along the way I'm sure I'll wax lyrically about certain design elements but for now I want to share with you all the crazy, wonderful, beautiful and inspiring weeks of watermelon red!

That being said it has been a huge few weeks for us. The design team has come back from completing projects in Brisbane and Sydney and the store has had a complete and utter revamp (if you haven't visited you must come for a nosey!) all with Easter jammed right in the middle of everything! The most fabulous part of the process of relaunching the Birtwill St emporium has by far been sourcing some new and wonderful designers to showcase in the store. Now brimming with colour (even more than before??? Yes, if you can believe it!) we are oozing with yummy designers in saturated colour and light - LOVE!

A secret love affair has transpired along the way with the chevron print - I can't get enough! From cushions to bed linen to lighting, I've turned chevron mad! Check out these gorgeous cockatoo lamps I had made for the store - aren't they a treat?

Just to fuel this love affair watermelon red now has a fabulous new textile designer to work with, Sparkk! These super creative digital artists are making it super easy to customise designs and colours of their vast range of prints to suit your needs with their minimum order being only ONE METRE! Virtually unheard of and we are going crazy with customer orders. My new favourite design, Chevette (see above and below in various colourways) is keeping me up at night I love it so much!

I've been working with Gilli, formerly of Putipula Gallery in Noosa and Maleny, for many years now sourcing her fabulous and unique Indigenous artworks for clients around the country and have now struck up a great symbiotic relationship with her displaying some of her artworks in the Birtwill St store. I recently went up to select our first piece for the relaunch and whilst their started to swoon of the works of Tali Tali. Some of you will recognise the huge piece we currently have hanging in the store however I am secretly eyeing of one of the other two works for a little wall at my home...... I think I can I think I can.....

Well there's a brief snap shot at just some of the goings on over the last few weeks and the things I've been most inspired by. See you next week x

Watermelon Red will be closed for renovations from the Monday 30 April to Monday 7 May. We will reopen at 9am Tuesday 8 May. We are very excited about introducing you to a world of new product and designers in our new look store! Be sure to come for a visit soon!

We are busy getting ready for our Birtwill Street Emporium's renovation which will begin next week but in order to get ourselves prepped the store must be cleared out! Therefore our annual once a year clearance has been brought forward from the middle of the year to give us a helping hand! If you haven't seen it in the papers and you're not a newsletter subscriber (better join up quick!) and you don't follow us on facebook (may I please ask why not?), here is what it's all about!

This is our only sale for the year and it is genuine! Crazy mark downs across the store, 4 days only, come and grab a bargain!

See you there xx