Instyle Homes

The May issue of InStyle is out (Gwen Stefani is rocking the cover) and this month they've included a bonus 40 pages of InStyle Homes. Actress Julie Bowen shows us through her spacious Los Angeles home for five.

I love this coffee table in Julie Bowen's living room.

Then there's the Melbourne home of MOR co-founder Deon St. Mor which is opulent and sophisticated but maybe a bit broody for me. Located in the top floor of an Art Deco building I should be crazy about it...and there are certainly aspects that are wonderful.

I do love his mirrored bar cabinets.

In an editorial for ideas on creating the look of St. Mor, InStyle suggests this glass ornament from Ruby Star Traders. And while I try not to get too carried away with ornaments that have little or not connection to me, there's just something about this little fella that makes me want to own him.

Ruby Star Traders

There's also the home of Alexia Gnecchi Ruscone and the design sourcing secrets of four of Australia's best stylists (I confess I only knew one but now I know them all). Naturally, there's the obligatory five pages of Domayne advertising - is it just me or has anyone else noticed that in the last little while (can't define 'little while' adequately) Domayne's accessories and decor have become so much more sensitive and diverse? Maybe it's just me, maybe I didn't know the collection intimately enough to start with. Maybe I've just become more sensitive and diverse in the last little while.

But I digress, the most exciting for us were the design secrets passed on to InStyle readers by the marvelous Megan Morton (wasn't going for alliteration but there you have it) recommends readers go to The Princess & The Pea for "sweet things for baby nurseries like bunny bookends in painted cast iron and toadstool seats". Thrilled doesn't cover it!

Can you see the green squiggle I've put around our mention?

Some other stores I've checked out on her recommendation in the same article are Town & Country which have beautiful and distinct outdoor lighting and very handsome occasional tables! I must say I'm a chump for great occasional tables and can't wait to have a home large enough to scatter them around everywhere! I also had a look at Izzi and Popo which is a banquet of European and American collectibles you could spend hours devouring.

Megan's own book homelove has recently been published. Make sure you check back in a couple of days for our post on it!