Reuse ideas for glass candle holders.


One of our customers' favorite items at Mignonne are candles. We carry a wide and ever-changing selection of candles from top quality candlemakers like Votivo, Voluspa, Claus Porto and Caldrea, to name a few.

But what to do when one of Mignonne's long-lasting, long burning candles finally reaches it end? Well first, of course, is the challenge of removing the wax.

Actually, not a big challenge at all. Place the glass container in your freezer overnight after your final 'burning', the wax will contract in the cold and should pop out easily. You may need to use a butter knife to 'encourage' the wax to pop.

Wash the glass in hot, soapy water and voila! you have a glass container ready for transformation ...

- reuse to display a candle pillar
- group different sizes with spring flowers and colored stones or marbles to make a unique centerpiece
- great for storage, desk organization
- many are a perfect size for drinking glasses
- display your 'smalls' collection beautifully (shells, matchbooks, old buttons, etc.)
- spice container (cover top with heavy brown paper and fasten with rubber band ... a handwritten label would be nice)
- display holder for bathroom items (swabs, cotton balls, etc.)
- for the crafty, use your candle jar to fashion a hanging birdfeeder (yes, we've seen some!)
- a small terrarium or planter ... add some glass stones or beads, some bamboo stalks and voila!

The list is as endless as your imagination ... what ideas can you share?

Designer Places - Shopping In PARIS!!!

Paris - My Shopping Adventures!

On my many travels through Europe, I have to say Paris is still my favorite. I am not your ordinary traveler! I visit all the museums and guide book places, but the best to see for me is to find all the out of the way spots that you will remember forever! Paris has so much to offer and as a designer I love to explore all the sole proprietors and to bask in the beautiful wares. One of my all time favorites in Paris is the famous kitchenware shop of E. Dehillerin! You will never see a shop like this anywhere else! In 1820 E. Dehillerin started as a family business distributing high quality kitchen and pastry utensils for professionals. They are still there today with the same great products. When you enter this unique warehouse, it is a little dusty and dark, but the treasures are too many to name. Copper, french tableware, tools, molds, pepper mills, stainless steel, silicon sheets, etc. The list goes on and on! One holiday, I even purchased pepper mills for all my friends and family. Yes, this is one place worth stopping by in Paris especially for the everyday cooker. You won't be disappointed.
A sampling of what you may find!
Copper pots from E. Dehillerin. Extra thick copper with iron or bronze handles. Gorgeous!

Address: 18 et 20, rue Coquilliere - 51, rue Jean - Jacques Rousseau - 75001 Paris. Phone: +33 1 42 36 54 80. Open on Mondays from 9 to 12:30 and 2:00 to 6:00 and on Tuesdays to Saturdays from 9:00 to 6:00. closed on Sundays and European holidays.

Stay tuned for more articles from my travels to Europe as I share the shopping experience!

One big tick


I'm a list writer from way back. Shopping lists, lists of books to read, places to go, spring cleaning jobs...the list goes on! It keeps my head in order, and provides me with a sense of achievement when I tick something off.

Above is my list of 2009 house projects. And now, two months in to the year, I can finally cross off the first thing! Today I picked up removable covers which I had custom-made for the seating on my two couches. I'm not a sewer, so I left this to the professionals. And they turned so out well!

You see, I was the dumb bunny who bought creamy white couches with 'removable covers' only to find that the frame of the couch had a removable cover, but not the seating - each cushion has a label just inside by the zipper saying 'do not remove' and 'do not wash'. Great! Have you ever heard of a couch with a removable cover where you can't actually wash the seating covers? And to add insult to injury the removable cover on the frame had a 'do not wash, dry clean only' label - even though I had chosen a washable fabric specifically made for slip covers. So for the last 18 months, with the rough and tumble of normal life, my couches have been getting grottier and grottier.

I broke a couple of nails fitting the covers on, but hey, I can live with that! I'm curled up on one of my couches now, happy in the knowledge that when (not if - I'm a realist) the next splodge occurs, I can chuck the seat cover in the wash. I took the picture (above) tonight after I rushed home from work and fitted them on. Now my couches look as good as new.


Best wishes,

Isn't it delightful?










Not only do I just totally love this vintage postcard garland, but I love the photography and the way the photos are styled - simply beautiful! The little touches - the red hearts and the Eiffel Tower stamps - just make them even lovelier.
You can buy your garland at Lobster and Swan's Etsy site, here.

Best wishes,

Is this Germany's answer to Ikea?


These pictures are from German furniture and homewares company Car Mobel.

All furniture comes flat-packed and is marketed as good value for money - sound familiar?
I'm loving the clean, simple lines, the white painted furniture, and the sweet, fresh pops of colour.











































I'm wishing they had an outlet or ten in Australia!
Best wishes,

Furniture ~ Empire Style

American Empire-styled furniture dates back to early 1800-1840s.  It is a take-off from the French Empire style of furniture, popular during Napoleon's reign and reflects the majesty of that time. American Empire style is much plainer than the French version.

Characteristics of Empire styling include some elements of the following:  distinctly masculine in feel, wooden chairs with upholstered seats, darker finishes and use of veneers, graceful curves, legs in animal shapes, ormolu or figural mounts sometimes depicting Greek, Roman or Egyptian themes, use of patriotic or military motifs including the letter "N" (for Napoleon!)

We currently have a nice example of American Empire-styled furniture at Mignonne with this simple yet masculine armchair with great Empire lines.  Upholstered with tufts,  lovely curving arms and embellished with a carved wood relief depicting a fiercely royal visage, this chair would make an interesting accent in your home.



A bit of bathroom glamour


In bathrooms, like bedrooms, I don't mind a bit of girly glamour. These rooms are your private rooms so I think you can let loose a little.



The bathrooms I've chosen today spell glamour to me. It's the lighting that clinches it - pretty and femine.


This room above and below is definitely my favourite - all that light, white wood, HEAPS of storage (goes without saying!), twin sinks, gorgeous mirrors, a free standing bath with my favourite type of tapware - telephone! Everything about this bathroom I love love love.



But still, I could settle for this, with its spectacular silver bathroom and gorgeous light....


.... or this bathroom, with a beautiful chandelier, lovely tumbled marble tiles, plantation shutters....

....or this serene, lovely beauty - the chandelier and plantation shutters are what lifts this room out of the ordinary I think....



...the there's this, with the unusual lighting, gorgeous checkerboard floor and a beautiful antique chair, reupholstered in white, of course.

My bathroom is very clean and modern, but nothing as lovely as these. But I can dream can't I?
Best wishes,

Give me a sign, any sign


One of the things I love most about decorating is the thrill of the chase. When I have something in mind, I love to go out searching, ever hopeful that I will find that perfect piece that I have so clearly in my mind.



One of those things I hope to find one day is a vintage salvaged sign.


I would love an old, weathered sign, full of character and charm that I could place on a wall as art.




I think there would be a huge amount of luck and serendipity in finding the right sign - the right amount of weathered-ness, the right colour, the right size, the right price....everything must fall oh-so-perfectly into place.



I love thinking about their history, wondering where they came from, what function they used to perform.



Usually cheaper than original art, and so much for meaningful than a print, I think signs can add colour, interest and originality to a room.





I love the typography in this graphic black and white sign tucked under a console, below.



This great big old advertising sign adds colour and a dash of humour.


Not sure if this is really vintage (below), but I love its mellow, warm colours.



Signs particularly appeal to me because of my love of typography.




This sign below was a lucky roadside find. How fabulous!



This (below) is not actually a sign, but artwork based on a sign - the next best thing I guess!



One day maybe I'll find a sign I love. In the meantime, I'm having fun searching one out. You never know your luck!


1 Simon Kenny Content Agency 2 Super Junk via Desire to Inspire 3 Australian Country Style 4 - 7 Nancy Fishelson 8 - 9 Better Homes and Gardens 10 Living etc 11 Australian Better Homes and Gardens 12 Ralph Lauren 13 Hudson via High Heel Foot in the Door 14 Australian Home Beautiful 15 Australian Notebook Magazine

Best wishes,

New Spring Decorating Trends!

Luxury does not have to end at the front door! Duralee is introducing it's first luxury indoor/outdoor fabric collection through the Highland Court division. The Faux Raffia Collection features forty selections that are specially engineered for the outdoors. And they did it beautifully too! The above photos shows the collection of patterns and some of the colors available. Rich neutrals such as Teak, Ebony, Charcoal, Jute and Beige as well as Pool, Leaf, Papaya and Melon. The fabrics are perfect for outdoor frames, ottomans, lounge chairs and pillows. Simple care and cleaning to enhance any space outside! Through designers only.

A wonderful new chair from the Duralee collection is shown above. The San Paulo chair has great style and comfort (#30-208) and the fabric shown enhances the view! Fabric: #13666-247 and pillow fabric: #13861-78. Available through The Designer Insider, just contact us.

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