At Home With ... Mel Chesneau From Styled Canvas
Tell us what you think about the family home in Auckland, New Zealand for your chance to win a $50 gift voucher
Four years ago, Mel Chesneau relocated from Sydney to Auckland with her family for her husband Guillaume’s work. As a full-time mother of three, Mel was keen to add another feather to her hat and started blogging. Styled Canvas is an interior and lifestyle blog on which Mel shares stories about other creatives, her favourite decorative finds and her own home life. The family has settled in a three-bedroom rental, which boasts beautiful mountain views and is the canvas for Mel’s signature decorating style, ‘Bobo’ (bourgeois bohemian).
COMMENT TO WIN
To celebrate our favourite Australian bloggers and their homes, we’ll be asking each blogger in this series to choose a giveaway gift. All you have to do to enter is comment on why you love this house. The winner of Mel’s chosen prize – a $50 voucher from Father Rabbit – has been announced. Well done, cfmzhouse!
COMMENT TO WIN
To celebrate our favourite Australian bloggers and their homes, we’ll be asking each blogger in this series to choose a giveaway gift. All you have to do to enter is comment on why you love this house. The winner of Mel’s chosen prize – a $50 voucher from Father Rabbit – has been announced. Well done, cfmzhouse!
What made you start blogging?
Mainly as a creative outlet. I had recently moved to Auckland from my hometown of Sydney, with my husband and our two boys. Soon after arriving we had our third child – a little girl. While I adore motherhood, after five years of doing it full-time, I had a yearning to do something else in addition. I’ve always wanted to write and mainly started my blog as an online portfolio. I had no idea at the time how much I would love doing it and the opportunities that have come to me because of it.
Mainly as a creative outlet. I had recently moved to Auckland from my hometown of Sydney, with my husband and our two boys. Soon after arriving we had our third child – a little girl. While I adore motherhood, after five years of doing it full-time, I had a yearning to do something else in addition. I’ve always wanted to write and mainly started my blog as an online portfolio. I had no idea at the time how much I would love doing it and the opportunities that have come to me because of it.
Where do you love to write and what could you not write without?
I find so much inspiration when I take my laptop to a local cafe to write. I couldn’t write (or live!) without my MacBook Pro. I’m not one for writing with pen and paper – only when taking notes.
Kato sofa: King Furniture; custom-made cushion: Chee Soon Fitzgerald
I find so much inspiration when I take my laptop to a local cafe to write. I couldn’t write (or live!) without my MacBook Pro. I’m not one for writing with pen and paper – only when taking notes.
Kato sofa: King Furniture; custom-made cushion: Chee Soon Fitzgerald
Vintage Wassily chair: Knoll; antique French armoire from Guillaume’s grandparents
How long have you lived in this house for and how did you and your house meet?
We moved here a little over two years ago. Since we’re expats in New Zealand, we rent. While it’s a little small for a family of five, and not renovated exactly how we would do it ourselves, it is tastefully done and we knew as soon as we visited that we were onto a good thing. It has a lovely feel with characteristic features including a sunny deck and a gorgeous view of the mountains in the distance.
We moved here a little over two years ago. Since we’re expats in New Zealand, we rent. While it’s a little small for a family of five, and not renovated exactly how we would do it ourselves, it is tastefully done and we knew as soon as we visited that we were onto a good thing. It has a lovely feel with characteristic features including a sunny deck and a gorgeous view of the mountains in the distance.
How would you describe your decorating style?
The French would call it ‘Bobo’ (bourgeois bohemian). I love a mix of contemporary design with vintage and almost everything has a story attached to it.
The next big decorating trend is….?
Tribal
The French would call it ‘Bobo’ (bourgeois bohemian). I love a mix of contemporary design with vintage and almost everything has a story attached to it.
The next big decorating trend is….?
Tribal
To me, great design is?
Timeless and made to last.
You will not see [blank] in any house of mine.
A replica – if you can’t afford the real thing (like me), try finding them secondhand. There are also so many great brands out there that are creating furniture and objects that are inspired by a particular designer or era. Better supporting that movement than buying - flat out copy.
Tizio Micro table lamp: ECC Lighting
Timeless and made to last.
You will not see [blank] in any house of mine.
A replica – if you can’t afford the real thing (like me), try finding them secondhand. There are also so many great brands out there that are creating furniture and objects that are inspired by a particular designer or era. Better supporting that movement than buying - flat out copy.
Tizio Micro table lamp: ECC Lighting
What makes you happiest at home?
Sitting around the table, enjoying a lovely meal with my family and talking about our day.
Sitting around the table, enjoying a lovely meal with my family and talking about our day.
Describe your home in 5 words.
Personal, eclectic, artistic, laid-back, timeless.
No. 18 chairs: Thonet; Tripp Trapp high chair: Stokke
Personal, eclectic, artistic, laid-back, timeless.
No. 18 chairs: Thonet; Tripp Trapp high chair: Stokke
What’s your signature dish?
It would have to be a Daube of beef. Once the poor man’s version of the beef bourguignon, it’s anything but that!
It would have to be a Daube of beef. Once the poor man’s version of the beef bourguignon, it’s anything but that!
What do you love to do on Sunday afternoons?
Switching off social media and spending quality time with the family – even better if I can squeeze in an hour or two to read a good book.
Switching off social media and spending quality time with the family – even better if I can squeeze in an hour or two to read a good book.
What are your favourite rooms in the house and why?
I love the bedroom, it’s my sanctuary and I savour lazy weekend mornings in bed with a pot of tea, a magazine or my laptop catching up on blog reads.
Tab T by Flos lamp: ECC Lighting: Ukranian army stool bedside table: The Vitrine
I love the bedroom, it’s my sanctuary and I savour lazy weekend mornings in bed with a pot of tea, a magazine or my laptop catching up on blog reads.
Tab T by Flos lamp: ECC Lighting: Ukranian army stool bedside table: The Vitrine
What’s your next big project?
Probably setting up a new house. Being in the rental market means that we quite often have to move. The positive spin on this is that I will be able to redecorate again.
In Bed 100% linen duvet set: Father Rabbit; Menu tea kettle: Norm
Probably setting up a new house. Being in the rental market means that we quite often have to move. The positive spin on this is that I will be able to redecorate again.
In Bed 100% linen duvet set: Father Rabbit; Menu tea kettle: Norm
Capri bath sheet: Ottoloom
Noam and Lou’s bedroom
What’s your proudest DIY achievement?
Last year, I thought it could be fun if each member of our family drew a name out of a hat and make a Christmas present for that family member. I chose my husband, who is really artistic, so I was nervous about what to do. I ended up making a cool little concrete planter for him and I was SO proud, because I’m normally terrible at DIY.
What’s your proudest DIY achievement?
Last year, I thought it could be fun if each member of our family drew a name out of a hat and make a Christmas present for that family member. I chose my husband, who is really artistic, so I was nervous about what to do. I ended up making a cool little concrete planter for him and I was SO proud, because I’m normally terrible at DIY.
Paolo’s bedroom
Can you share your biggest decorating fail with us?
My immediate thought goes back to my early childhood. My older sister’s favourite colour was pink, so I wasn’t allowed to have that same colour, so I chose yellow. We could decide on the colour of our bedroom walls, so I painted mine the brightest yellow and topped it off with green curtains. I was so proud with my choice, especially because they were the Australian colours – but the colour combination was a true decorating disaster.
COMMENT TO WIN
To celebrate our favourite Australian bloggers and their homes, we’ll be asking each blogger in this series to choose a giveaway gift. All you have to do to enter is comment on why you love this house. The winner of Mel’s chosen prize – a $50 voucher from Father Rabbit – has been announced. Well done, cfmzhouse!
If you’d like to submit your blog for this series, follow the instructions found here. For full terms and conditions, click here.
MORE
At Home With … Kristie Castagna From Elements at Home
At Home With … Eva Burgess From Build House Home Blog
At Home With … Julia Atkinson From Studio Home
Can you share your biggest decorating fail with us?
My immediate thought goes back to my early childhood. My older sister’s favourite colour was pink, so I wasn’t allowed to have that same colour, so I chose yellow. We could decide on the colour of our bedroom walls, so I painted mine the brightest yellow and topped it off with green curtains. I was so proud with my choice, especially because they were the Australian colours – but the colour combination was a true decorating disaster.
COMMENT TO WIN
To celebrate our favourite Australian bloggers and their homes, we’ll be asking each blogger in this series to choose a giveaway gift. All you have to do to enter is comment on why you love this house. The winner of Mel’s chosen prize – a $50 voucher from Father Rabbit – has been announced. Well done, cfmzhouse!
If you’d like to submit your blog for this series, follow the instructions found here. For full terms and conditions, click here.
MORE
At Home With … Kristie Castagna From Elements at Home
At Home With … Eva Burgess From Build House Home Blog
At Home With … Julia Atkinson From Studio Home
Who lives here: Mel and Guillaume Chesneau and their three kids, Paolo, 7, Noam, 5, and Lou, 3.
Where: Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand
Size: Approximately 130 square metres (3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom)
Firstly, what do we need to know about your blog?
Styled Canvas is an interior and lifestyle blog where I share my interior finds and snippets of my home life. I also tell the story of creatives – bloggers, makers –and get my camera out to photograph beautiful interiors of stores, cafes and restaurants.
Bean bag: Citta Design