A kitchen trolley + some of your favourite things = high style.

Work at home? Who wouldn’t get creative in this space?

Sometimes creating a beautiful space is just about thinking outside the box.

Anyone for tea?

2011 wasn’t an easy year for many people. May 2012 be a great year for us all.

I’m a big fan of an inspiration board. It’s a noticeboard on which you pin or stick pictures or words that inspire you or that you aspire to have or do. You are meant to put it somewhere you’ll see it on a daily basis. It’s based on the principle that what we focus on we draw towards us. And, as they say, a picture can paint 1,000 words.

Here are some pictures that inspire us and a few others that we just love.

How absolutely gorgeous. Maybe I’ll take a course in topiary this year.

Who doesn’t love a garden with places to sit and read, or think, or have a cool drink in the late summer evening.

Danish designer Malene Birger creates beautiful, wearable  pieces that we eagerly await the arrival of every season.

A few of our favourite blooms, a quirky jug and a stylish book or two … it couldn’t be easier…

…or better still, a grouping of bottles with flowers.

If one is good a dozen must be better! Make a collection of things you like: it could be champagne glasses, reels of vintage ribbon, raffia baskets or old perfume bottles.

A year ago today, we watched our shop, our beautiful space, filled with all the clothes, homewares and European linen we had joyously collected over the past two years, fill with smoke from the fire which started in the cafe adjoining us.

Jo said to me at the time: ”How are we going to get the smell of smoke out of the clothes”?

Little did we know the fire was actually destroying the clothes and everything else. We lost the lot….

But fortune favours the brave (we hope) and, a year later, we have another beautiful space, three times the size, filled with some of our old favourite clothing labels and some exciting new finds.

It took us 13 days of listmaking, continual phone calls and hard manual labour to create our new premises, at the front of Jo’s house.

We aren’t quite as visible -  no shop window – but our mannequin ‘Lulu’ sits on street level, next to an A board with some witty anecdote (occasionally), or advising the latest arrival of clothing or homewares. Thanks to Sarah, she’s brilliant with chalk.

You enter through the porch, adorned with an exquisite wrought iron door, made by Jo’s brother-in-law,David, as a gift following the fire. As you climb the silky oak stairs, you are not quite sure what you are going to find. Everyone is pleasantly surprised because our new shop is, dare I say, even more beautiful than its predecessor.

That is us, Jo and Debbie, millar & more at your service, with a lot of help from our much loved co-workers Sarah, Daniella and Ali.

As well as creating a new premises, we’ve created this website, where you can find some of the beautiful things we have collected.

We’d love you to share your stories of how you’ve triumphed over a setback in your life.

While people thought the fire was an absolute tragedy, we refused to look back, we looked forward.

We think women are amazing!

Jo and Debbie

They say it’s the thought that counts. And that’s right.

But how delicious is it when someone gives you a present that’s so beautifully wrapped, you almost don’t want to open it and spoil it. 

Let’s face it. A gorgeously wrapped gift is almost a present in itself and, as far as the giver goes, it’s a chance to exercise your imagination and creativity in a fun way.

If you’re eco-minded, you might also take real joy in using bits and pieces you’ve found or saved.

Some of my favourite wraps, at the moment, are:

Plain brown craft paper (I’m having a return to classic, old-fashioned style) with twine or natural cotton ribbon in black or cream.

For the person who loves to cook, a beautiful linen teatowel used as wrap is both practical and thoughtful. Or, taking that thought and building on it, some hessian from any hardware store, used with ribbon or twine.

If you fancy yourself as a bit of a weaver, you can get two or three different coloured ribbons and weave them crossways around your brown paper gift.

An empty box, covered in plain wrapping paper, and made into a collage using magazine cuttings, old board games, shells, or even dry pasta …. whatever will appeal to the person receiving the gift.

Plain paper decorated with stamps – try gold, black or red (or a combo). Customise your wrapping with the initial of the person receiving it, or with a message such as “joy” or “love”.

Happy wrapping!

One of my favourite places is our lovely terrace, where we have a table that is big enough to seat eight people – 12 at a push. In summer, we live outdoors and we love having friends and family over for delicious barbecues, seafood and salads and chocolate brownies.

No matter how many guests you are entertaining – two ot 12, outdoor dining is easy! But that’s something I’ve learnt the hard way.

Years ago before I had the business I used to knock myself out when I had people coming over for a meal or drinks.I wanted everything to be just perfect and would spend hours poring over the finer details and shopping, planning and fussing. It was more than exhausting.

Now, like most women of my generation, I find that time is short but I still want to connect with friends and relatives over a meal. So what I had to do was make a choice – stick with those complicated meal plans or pare it back to something much more manageable.

Concentrating more on connecting with my “family” – the close friends who I count among my nearest and dearest – and less on creating the spectacular, recipe book dish has brought more joy into my life.

So what can you do to enjoy your own outdoor setting, alone or with those you care about, that won’t take too much time but will pay dividends in good food and conversation?

Have a look at the setting itself. Is there a special feature, for example a beautiful tree, that you can string with lights? Or can you transform the area you have with low lighting, or some candles or lanterns, and a few well-placed outdoor finds. For example, in the shop at the moment we have some beautiful industrial feel hurricane lanterns that stand on a metal tripod.

For me it’s this simple: a lovely, big linen cloth on the table; candles and lanterns that are scattered around the terrace to keep the light soft; a big, old tub to put ice in to keep the wine cold; a stack of linen napkins – mismatched makes things more casual and makes people feel comfortable; a couple of old-fashioned style food covers; and some generously-sized wine and water glasses.

At Millar and More you’ll find gorgeous tablecloths and napkins from the famous Libeco linen mill; wire food covers with heart detail woven into the metal as well as wicker food covers; and large wine glasses that feel and look decidedly elegant.

Added to the natural beauty of the great outdoors – for me it’s the frangipani tree in bloom and our labradors Bennie and Kindra lying at my feet – these little touches instantly create an area in which people just seem to relax.

But what about the food? My favourite, easy, delicious dishes include, olive tart, a mix of salad greens, potato bake (all my guests expect this mix of potatoes, garlic and cream),  or alternatively fresh fish grilled on the barbecue and a salad of pumpkin, jerusalem artichoke, green olives and mature goat’s cheese. For salad inspiration, look no further than Damien Pignolet’s book salades, now in the shop.

It may seem like only yesterday that we celebrated Christmas. But here we are again, with the fat, jolly man about to arrive.

I’m not even going to go into the complicated arrangements that are feeding friends, family and relatives during the festive season. And, on the north coast, that includes finding extra space for all those visitors who fancy a beach holiday.

Let’s go straight to the hard stuff – presents!

If you have a list of people to buy for, but no idea what they’d like, or what to get them, we’re here to help.

The traveller: Paris: Made by Hand, is the most beautiful book for anyone who might be going to France and who loves (secret) shopping. Leading stylist Pierre leads you to more than 50 stores that sell everything from original clothing and jewellery to home furnishing and ceramics. Heaven!

The mother-in-law: Get her Pip cup and saucer set, perfect for morning or afternoon tea, or accompanying googly eggs in the morning. The colours – from pinks and blues sprinkled with gold – are gloriously uplifting.

The father-in-law: He loves a quiet sherry in the late afternoon. But does he have a pewter and glass decanter that holds his precious drop? Add a touch of class to his afternoon ritual. And, why stop there? For the connoisseur, we also have a beautiful wine stopper in pewter.

The beloved: Our store is fairly bulging with gorgeous goodies that she will love.  May we suggest a Malene Birger linen panama for summer shade and style, a  bejewelled Megan Park  necklace that will add elegance to her New Year’s Eve outfit, or a coral silk and beaded Anu kaftan that is, literally, a wear anywhere outfit (and still look fabulous). For him, may we suggest some linen sheets from Libeco (the oldest linen mill in the world) or a Ridley Fox toiletries bag in soft, napa leather. Both decadent and practical and, currently on sale (not that he ever needs to know).

The eldest daughter:  You can’t go past a cute, little dress by Tilly. This label is new to our store and it has been rushing out the door. Girls (of all ages) love these feminine designs.  Or what about a Sans-Arcidet bag, made in Madagascar. Practical and stylish, they are 100 per cent raffian and designed in Paris.

The aunt: Our choice of Glasshouse candles is mind-boggling and endlessly aromatic! There’s also a special, Christmas edition candle that brings back memories of all the best Christmases past. Or spoil her with a wallet from Junior Drake. Soft leather, great size and colours, and all the desired compartments.

The best friend: A beautiful piece of jewellery by Jacqueline Rose is sure to delight. These original pieces are comprised of coins, handbeaten beads and old-fashioned charms. Or get her something luxurious but practical, like one of our Majestic T-shirts that is a favourite with all our customers. They are 100 per cent linen or cotton and they feel as good as they look. A range of colours are available, but be quick.

For more presents that will delight, enjoy our website or phone Jo for some personalised advice. We are happy to help.

If you’re anything like me, you love to pore over magazines like Country Style or Vogue Living, for new ideas.

The easiest way to work out what style of room you want to create is to collect tearsheets from your favourite magazine. Then simply work out what the common link is.

For example, I love any room with interesting windows. I’m drawn to them.

Your special room may be sparsely furnished, or crammed with objects. There’s no right or wrong. It’s YOUR space.

That said, there are some simple rules that can help you create that space. So, once you know where you’re going, how do you get there?

The first step is to work with what you have. Keep the pieces that fit with your idea of your perfect room and recycle the ones that don’t. Have a garage sale, swap things with a friend or make a donation to your local charity shop.

You may also choose to repaint, or recover, some items in your theme. Have fun.

Now we’re getting to the really good part – shopping!

Make a list of what you need and prioritize it from the items that will have the most impact.

Every room must have a focal point so decide what it is – an arrangement on a coffee table, a group of pictures hanging on a wall, a special collection, and so on.

What you never want is everything matching. It’s things that don’t match that make a room interesting, warm and friendly.

Go for groups of cushions or paintings in uneven numbers. Each one could be different. Mix it up – vintage with new, modern with old, to give a surprise element.

Right now the pieces in store that customers are buying are the Libeco linen in spring colours and the beautiful PIP cushions and china. The linen absolutely makes a bedroom sing – there’s gorgeous shades to choose from – while I love the PIP homewares because they’re so colourful and stylish. They literally brighten a room.

We love these interiors we found at http://rosesandrustblogger.blogspot.com Check out their website.  

We think it’s a must have and we know you will too. In fact, since we’ve had copies in our store, we haven’t been able to keep up with the number rushing out the door.

Here’s a few thoughts from Innes that we wanted to share about “mixing it up”:

1. Jeans with gem encrusted sandals, not sneakers.

2. A pencil skirt with ballet flats, not heels.

3. A sequined sweater with men’s trousers, not a skirt.

4. A diamond necklace with a denim shirt, during the day.

5. Loafers with shorts, and even with socks.

6. An evening dress with ultra-plain, open-toed sandals, not the evening variety.

7. A pearl necklace with a rock’n'roll T-shirt.

8. A chiffon print dress with battered biker boots.

9. A tux jacket with sneakers, not stilettos.

10. An evening dress with a straw handbag, not a gold clutch.

No-one wants to spend half an hour trying to find key items that go together.

Get your wardrobe sorted and you’ll not only save time and money, you’ll find it easy – every day – to get your look together.

There’s several schools of thought on how to arrange your hanging clothes – in colours, styles, or purpose. Your choices are:

* Hang by colour, with sub-groups by type. For example all black clothes together but separated into trousers, skirts, dresses and so on.

* Hang by style – all trousers together, skirts together and so on. Now hang on a minute because this also has an arrangement by tone. You hang from white to black and left to right as well as grouping clothes.

* Hang by purpose – work, casual, formal etc. Always put your special occasion pieces together.

Never pack away your winter clothes if it’s summer, if you have the space. You’d be surprised how often you might need a jacket or coat in the middle of spring, especially if you travel a lot.

Next make sure you have good hangers. They’ll keep your clothes in shape and make your wardrobe look professional straight away. You’ll find lovely wooden coathangers at http://www.mycoathangers.com.au

Save the boxes you buy shoes in and store your shoes in there, dust free. You can take a photo and paste it on the box or draw a picture of the shoes on the outside, so your fave pairs are easy to find.

T-shirts get folded in groups, from short sleeve to long sleeve, with light on the top and dark on the bottom. Use a shelf.

You can roll your knits and pop them in a drawer. Group them from light to heavy weight.

In the end, it’s all about what works for you. But knowing what you have and where to find it is 99 per cent of the battle won!

p.s. If you haven’t worn something for a year, get rid of it. It’s called wardrobe karma.