A personal lifestyle and interiors extract from my second book ‘Weekends’. A hometour where I share inside our island home on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island), Queensland, Australia.
Collectors Edition of ‘Weeekends’ available here.
Lifestyle and interiors photographs by Kara Rosenlund, portraits of Kara Rosenlund by Clare Lancaster.
Above left: The 1972 A-frame sits within the surrounding treetops. It was important to me to find a raffia umbrella for the deck. It sets a playful tone for the exteriors of the house / Above right: The latticed outdoor shower. One of my favourite things is the shell art mirror in the shape of Australia.
Above left: The lounge room is the heart of the house, filled with second hand finds. A sensitive addition to the house was transforming the original fixed panel glass window into a pivot door to allow nature in / Above right: Sorting through my collection of seashells over the years. They make such a visual delight when displayed enmass. I have them available here.
Above left: The original 70s crazy-pave slate is a welcome sight when you first enter the house/ Above right: I love open fires and have one inside. My father and I built this fireplace together
Above left: Carrying my favourite print, Australian Summer into my house to position on my mantle / Above right: A selection of shells and books fills my coffee table
Above left: Shadowplay reflecting the bush outside onto the glass and view into the lounge room / Above right: A collection of natural objects and ceramic forms. While photographing on location in Cairns I came across this pair of old shark jaws in the marketplace.
Above left: ‘Australian Summer’ photographic print in extra large is a reminder of the landscape just outside / Above right: A glimpse into the living room from the entry. On a Saturday morning I love nothing more than to rearrange things around the house. I move framed works around for variety.
Above left: I don’t bring groceries over from the mainland with me, I like to support the local shopkeepers on the island and use my Highland Bilums bags to carry the neccessities/ Above right: I’ve decorated the house with collections of my own photographic works and pieces from artists and ceramicists who I admire. I love the form of this black moon jar.
Above: A collection of sea shells, which helped lead my colour palette for the home. I also have them in my shop.
Above left: The goanna etching was a gift I gave my husband to celebrate our first Christmas in the house. It sits on the woven cane tallboy, another second hand find / Above right: I wanted the bedrooms to be dark and layered, an escape from the harsh Australian midday sun.
Above left: The bedheads are custom made; I colour matched the fabric from a tone of a sea shell. The grasscloth wallpaper gives the rooms a sense of depth and texture. I also have a framed piece of mine called ‘Seashell Still Life’ which sits on the bedside adding dimension to this little nook / Above right: I take off my watch and put on my handmade shell necklace when I arrive.
Above left: Some of my island essentials – my woven market basket and straw sun hat. I collect old cane gypsy tables for the bedrooms to add another layer of texture and height / Above right: The afternoon sun filters through the matchstick blinds in the guest bedroom. A pandanus print I created called ‘Weekend’ casually leans on the beside table bringing a sense of the outdoors in the room.
Above left: Pandanus are found in the tropics and I love collecting the fruit and using it as decoration around the house. When I want to add another layer in the house I will go for a drive and look out for pandanus bearing fruit. I always keep a pair of long handled secateurs in the back of Dusty our old Landrover for collecting them / Above right: A basket filled with pineapples and coconuts. The orange berries were found on a shrub by the roadside.
Above: The atmosphere of most weekends over on the island.
Above left: At golden hour I excitedly await the special moment when the sun gives out its last efforts before it sets. It pours intense golden light into the lounge room for only a few minutes / Above right: Shadow play on the lounge room wall. This 70s woven cane lamp base sits perfectly with the hessian coolie lampshade. This is my favourite shape of lampshade.
Above left: The view I see in the afternoon from the deck, just before the sun dissappears, looking out to where the bush meets the beach. The large tree out the front becomes a hive of excitement as the birds find their homes for the night within the branches./ Above right: Afternoons are spent barefoot on the deck, wearing my favourite loose, light cotton sundress, under my ‘Endless Summer Umbrella‘.
Above left: Sitting on the deck watching the warmth of the day disappear / Above right: Self portrait in the shadows.
Above left: Reflections of the landscape outside / Above right: Lighting beeswax candles on dusk to get ready for a long night by the fire on the deck.
Above left: Getting the outdoor fire going on the deck / Above right: Sitting by the fire and watching the flames dance and listening to music.
