Since we sold our place in Coburg, Josh, Isla and I have been busy finding a new place to call to call home! In the meantime we've been shacking up with my Mum & Dad (thanks guys!) & getting ourselves organised. It's crazy how much is involved with buying a place. We finally got through the banking, the documents, the contracts ... the boring but crucial elements of the buying process - and now it's moving time!

Josh's favourite thing about new houses is obviously the building side. He looks for the areas we can expand, extend, modify and clean up. I love that he does this side of things because it means I can put my interior design hat on & get creative!

Having said this, during the early days of a move Josh and I start the styling process together. If you're buying a house as a couple or just moving in with someone, it's pretty important to create a space that you both love and feel comfortable in. A little bit of compromise on both parts goes a long way! Josh and I use Instagram, Pinterest, the web & interior magazines to find inspiration. We look for styles, layouts, colours and textures that suit both of us and our lifestyles & then workout how to recreate the elements in our own space, within our own budget.

I swear by a good old moodboard to get you started! They're such an old school way of doing things, but they're so helpful when it comes to visualising how things will look together. As well as this, moodboards keep your ideas organised and fresh in your mind. Below are two of the moodboards we created for our home on The Block. They were life saviours and helped us stay on track. It is far too easy to get sidetracked & overwhelmed when you walk into a furniture or homewears store. Stay focused and stick to the plan!

If you are not a Cut'n'Paste kind of person, Pinterest is an amazing way to create a moodboard online. You can sort your inspo images into different files, making them easy to find when you need them. "Bathroom", "Kitchen", "Tile Inspo", "Decking Inspo" ... whatever else and however many else you need! The other easy way to create a moodboard is using your iPhone. Screenshot your life away & then create different Albums in your Photo app. Easy peasy!

I've been collecting my own screenshots for a while now, in preparation for our new place. I've popped my favourite pics below. If you want more information on any of them, under each photo is the name of the company/designer etc who posted it OR you can just click on the image & it will take you straight to the Instagram page.

Josh and I love natural elements. Concrete, timber, steel, natural stones etc. The more the better and the rawer the better! On top of these core elements, we try & source furniture made from similar earthy, natural materials as well. Anything that has a slight twist on modern/classic designs is usually right up our alley.

Word of advice: If you're working on a period home (for example the five houses on The Block) I'd highly recommend doing some research around the period when it was built. Then use it's history to enhance certain features around the house (inside and outside). Little pops of age & traditional finishes will give your home a unique feel & add character. This is when it'll start to feel warm & personal.

It can be tempting to fall in love with super sleek, modern, luxurious designs when it comes to the build of a house, but the reality is, ultra modern designs tend to date really quickly. And you don't want your house to date! You want it's value to go up not down! Classic homes with a celebrated heritage will never go out of fashion. They are full of heart & timeless class.

I can't wait to share more updates on our move! Not long to go. Heavy lifting, painting, packing, unpacking, mess and chaos... here we come!

Elyse x