Well here is another gorgeous home of a single mother, this time owned by Marisa Rose. The home is named "Jacaranda" and I think it is as cute as a button!
The exterior of the home was inspired by the township of Seaside in Florida.
It's great to see big budget, grand homes in magazines, but I also love to see well designed, carefully built homes that are more modest in scale - cosier, and more realistic to the average joe! As you can see from the photo above, this home is built on a narrow block, which is very common here in Australia now as our suburbs become more built up.
Marisa told her builder father exactly what she had in mind, and he drew up her vision onto plans.
To make the small home seem roomier, Marisa ensured there were high ceilings and tall windows to maximise the light and sense of space.
See the tall lamp made from vines in the picture below? I was all set to buy one like this myself when I saw it in a shop window....until I went in and checked the price - too expensive for me! But it looks brilliant in Marisa's house.
Did you notice that this blue couch looks pale blue in the first photo and more of a brilliant blue in the second? These pictures are actually taken from different magazines - I'm not sure which image is more 'true'. Normally I like subdued colours, but I prefer the brighter blue in these pictures.
Marisa's home is predominately white with blue and tan touches from cane and wood - with lots of texture. Gorgeous!
Lots of lovely cushions on the couch add a nice touch. Note the hues in the artwork reflect the colours of the couch.
I love the earthy brown colour and the texture of the cane chairs in the dining area - I think they really add interest to the room.
Lovely little touches are everywhere - flowers, seashells, books.
The open plan living/dining/kitchen area leads on to the back garden with a 40 year old jacaranda tree.
The immaculate kitchen is streamlined and practical. If you look carefully you can see the benchtop leading on to the dining area is high enough to cover the mess at the sink - great idea if you don't want to look at your kitchen mess all the time! And as you can see, Marisa has lots and lots of drawers - I can tell this is a woman after my own heart - she seeks beauty and practicality!
Marisa's bathroom is a calm and soothing haven, I imagine this is a place she must relish having a long soak after a hard day!
A lovely little spot for a cup of tea....
The photo below indicates that Marisa is as imaculate and stylish as her home!
Check out the military precision in Marisa's wardrobe!
And isn't her little daughter adorable?
On a separate note, I'd like to extend my sympathy to my lovely blog friend Terri at Windlost, who has just lost her father. Her father died of the same rare disease that took my father last year. She has written a beautiful, heartfelt post on the loss of her dad and the experiences her family has been through since her father first got sick. My thoughts go out to you Terri.
Images Madison Magazine and Australian House and Garden.
On a separate note, I'd like to extend my sympathy to my lovely blog friend Terri at Windlost, who has just lost her father. Her father died of the same rare disease that took my father last year. She has written a beautiful, heartfelt post on the loss of her dad and the experiences her family has been through since her father first got sick. My thoughts go out to you Terri.
Best wishes,
Over the last few years I've noticed house magazines featuring more and more homes owned by single women, often single mothers. 
