Welcome to Oceania Island Living


Welcome to Oceania Island Living. We absolutely adore coastal island lifestyle, forever stylish and serene, fresh and authentic and always creative and inspiring. So pull up your sun lounger and experience coastal island style by our shores, we guarantee you'll not want to leave...

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Goldeneye, Jamaica - Licence to Thrill

What would an Easter holiday weekend be without a good Bond film?

Of all the Bond films created I still love the 60's stuff - another era, a whole other way of life. Sean Connery is my kind of Bond. He personified the man, the era and the dangerous and luxurious lifestyle that optimises this pure escapism genre.

So in celebration of Ian Flemming and his creation James Bond, I'm taking you on a mission to Jamaica.




It all started at Ian Flemings dream house (Goldeneye, Oracabessa Jamaica) where he wrote the famous James Bond novels and now is fittingly a chic beach side luxury resort - the kind Bond may have frequented in between his secret missions.




Originally built in 1949 this glamour pad has seen many of the famous and infamous over the decades, most notably neighbour Noel Coward at Firefly.

Here you can indulge in a slice of Bond iconography whilst relaxing in one of the beautiful new beach cottages or lagoon suites. Surrounded by lush tropical gardens it's a very quiet and private place - perfect for those seeking a jet set getaway.





Owner Chris Blackwell (Island Records) has carefully created a very respectful resort and has interestingly hired 60's fashion icon Barbara Hulanicki (Biba creator) to style the cottages' decor and furnishings. Custom-made furniture by Hulanicki includes a queen size sofa built using locally sourced teak, beautiful claw foot baths and Royal Hut linens.








All Beach Cottage kitchens feature polished concrete countertops, latest Smeg appliances with Smeg 50's style retro fridges and Italian designed oven and stove tops. And for the gadget man motion sensitive Panasonic E-ion air conditioning, LED television, Logitech Squeezebox sound system and WiFi. of course.






And to take home, you can also buy the resorts music compilations, the local rum, the beautiful Royal Hut linens and now the fragrance! A piece of Jamaica, a piece of Goldeneye, a piece of pure tropical fantasy escapism.






The perfect oasis for any Bond girl








I love the simple contemporary take
on this polynesian-esque decor




Wish I was here!
Can someone send me on a mission to Jamaica?



 
Happy Island Styling!



All images from Goldeneye Resort
 

Monday, April 25, 2011

Ingenious Idea

I spotted these on Maya's website and just had to show them to you if you missed them. They are ingenious and so, so simple to make. The simplest ideas really do create the best effects.





 
These gorgeous shell stands are made from vintage and shop bought
glass candlestick holders and perfume bottles.

All you need is a hot glue gun and some patience.
The trick here is to hold onto the shell whilst the glue sets, especially if its a heavier shell.




And here are some on wooden candlesticks for a more traditional look.



Happy Island Styling!

A Right Royal Cuppa

Just when you think you've seen it all
Wills & Kate tea bags?
image not on the high street




Happy Island Styling!

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Happy Easter - Island Chickies

The way my daughter has been going crazy this past week counting down the days to Easter Sunday, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was Christmas.

But when I thought about it today, I do remember being very excited about Easter when I was young. It was always a competition between my brother and I for how many Easter eggs we were going to get and, who was going to get the best surprise in the middle of those large chocolate cased and beautifully foiled creations.

I also remember my Mother trying to get us to save our Easter eggs, to eat them slowly - hummmm sorry Mum but that was just futile!

So tomorrow I'm going to sit back and let my daughter go for it. I know she'll overdose on chocolate, I know she'll be buzzing off the walls on some crazy sugar hit, but I reckon we should all just go for it.

So whilst I'm off to create an Easter egg hunt around the house and organise a Mad Hatters tea party, here's a few delightful Easter styled images to get you revved up for the Easter bunny madness!

Hippty hop...




I love this image because it reminds me of
Springtime - this is the eternal season I associate with
Easter and because it's a little bit vintage too!
image Martha Stewart




Vintage with a twist, perfect for a Mad Hatters tea party.
image Etsy





There is something about vintage & Easter,
they just go so well together
image The Keep Calm Gallery




image Jane Means Eggs





image Jane Forster Designs




As you can see I have Springtime on my mind -
 little birdie too cute.




image House of Turquoise




Gorgeous tropical Easter coloured interior
image Sunset Magazine




Cute as a button

image Not on the High Street



Happy 'Easter' Island Styling!



Hop, hop, hop....










Friday, April 22, 2011

Royal Spectacular

Royal weddings are spectacular events and very much a part of my country's heritage, You may have the Melbourne cup that stops a nation, but we have royal weddings that stop the world and its easy to see why.

With the pending royal wedding of Wills & Kate, this British subject feels one has to keep ones celebrations in tune with the day.

I've found the best (and most tasteful) royal wedding kitch memorabilia for you all to dip into for when the party gets started next week!






I live this cheeky poster!
image by cherry pete




I reckon this is the best looking royal tea towel ever
image by hunkydory home






For a right royal knees up!
image by the contemporary home




Buk Palace on a softer scale
image by wingate






These are the cutest pot covers I've ever seen - fit for any princess
image by the orchard



All available from www.notonthehighstreet.com


 

Happy 'Royal' Island Styling!







Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Break of Day

Tropical Yoghurt




Easy sweet start to the day.

2 cups unsweetened yoghurt
2 tbsp liquid honey
1/2 cup toasted thread coconut
2 tbsp passion fruit pulp
1/2 cup finally chopped pineapple

Fold ingredients together. Chill until serving.



Fijian Potato Omelette



With Fiji's large Indian population, curry spices are
abundant. Here's a savoury and spicy breakfast option, delicious.

2 tbsp flavourless oil
1 onion, peeled & finely chopped
2 tsp each mustard & cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1 tsp curry powder
pinch cayenne
2 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
4 medium-large peeled, diced and cooked potatoes
1 cup peas
6 eggs
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large heavy frypan and gently
fry onion, spices, garlic and ginger over low
heat for about 10 minutes. remove from heat
and mix in potatoes and peas.

Beat eggs in a bowl. Add spiced vegetables
to the eggs and combine evenly. Season well.

Lightly re-oil the pan. Pour mixture back into
pan and cook over very low heat for 8-10
minutes, taking care omelette doesn't burn.
As it cooks, heat grill. To finish off, place
omelette under grill until it puffs up and turns
golden. Stand for 5 minutes before turning out.
Allow to cool and cut into wedges.


Happy & Delicious Island Styling!





Sunday, April 17, 2011

Savour the Pacific

Whilst recently moving house I was stunned by just how many cookbooks I own. I am a 'foodie' I confess but in the whole plethora of cookbooks out there (and we are awashed with them), there's one cookbook I keep coming back to.




Annabel Langbein's Savour the Pacific is gorgeous to look at and delicious to cook from. I've tried quite a few of the recipes and they are stunners.

Over the next week I'll post some of the best I've tried and tested so that you too can savour the pacific in your very own kitchen.


Happy Island Styling!


Monday, April 4, 2011

Oceania Island Living: Create Your Own Paradise - Ocean bookmark

Oceania Island Living: Create Your Own Paradise - Ocean bookmark: "Again, I have created a simple yet stylish and practical island item for you to make. Today, its the humble bookmark that gets a makeover. ..."

Create Your Own Paradise - Ocean bookmark

Again, I have created a simple yet stylish and practical island item for you to make.

Today, its the humble bookmark that gets a makeover. What I like about this one is that it's on elastic, so its very easy to make and you certainly won't lose your page with it.

How's how:



the ingredients
 I selected coconut buttons, pre-drilled
shells, raffia and added a starfish pendent




measure the elastic to fit book



add your chosen pieces, secure with knot
tie other ends to form a loop



the finished item, I added a small piece of raffia
over the knot at top of bookmark to finish the look




Happy Island Styling!