Anna Spiro’s Bold Pattern Filled Melbourne Home: Color & Pattern Mixing
Mixing pattern and color is a fun way to inject personality and vibrancy into both your home decor and your wardrobe. The key lies in balance and intentionality; instead of matching everything, focus on finding common threads like a shared color palette, complementary shades, or a consistent scale. In fashion, you can pair leopard with a bold geometric by choosing pieces within the same color family, while in interior design, pair an upholstered chair with a geometric print with a solid, brightly-colored sofa if both share an anchor hue. Don’t be afraid to experiment with unexpected combinations. Something that might clash when paired thoughtfully can create a fun visual statement while showcasing your own collected style. Let’s have some fun with Anna Spiro’s Bold Pattern Filled Melbourne Home: Color & Pattern Mixing
Anna Spiro’s Bold Pattern Filled Melbourne Home
Anna Spiro Design is a name I’ve mentioned on the blog more times than I can count, and for good reason. I’m endlessly inspired by her ability to use bold patterns and color so fearlessly, and how she effortlessly weaves them together with beautiful antiques and colorful art. Well, this week I stumbled upon a feature of her stunning Melbourne Victorian home in House and Garden UK photgraphed by Mark Roper and knew immediately I had to share it with all of you.
mark roper photo
I could never be as bold as Anna with color and pattern in my own home. I can tire of pattern and too much color, but I am endlessly inspiried by those who do. This breakfast area is so charming. Love the bold mix of fabrics. I assume from Anna Spiro Textiles where you can find her fabrics and companion wallpapers.
mark roper photo
No one can layer patterns better than Anna. I read somewhere that she has many of her clothes hand made from textiles from her collection. That can be another post!
mark roper photo
You can follow Anna on her website here, and on Instagram here. You can also find all of my former posts featuring Anna’s work here including her Brisbane home. You can find her latest book Absolutely Beautiful Things on Amazon here.
Julia Berolzheimer Collected Style
Julia Berolzheimer is one of the OG’s. She has been blogging for over 14 years. She started her blog Gal Mets Glam in 2011 (as a junior in college) a year before I began blogging. She now blogs at her namesake Julia Berolzheimer. She has her own clothing line, and has collaborated with many companies including Pottery Barn, Lake, Margaux and more. Even though she is much younger than I, I find her fashion sense incredibly inspiring the way she reinvents classic style with playful colorful textiles for a collected look that is all her own.
While Julia Berolzheimer’s ensembles are very high end, replicating her classic and colorful style is entirely possible via smart shopping at resale outlets and sales. When admiring someone’s style, focus on the pieces and principles that could be replicated to your lifestyle and budget.
Her style is so curated and personal. I just love it. You can follow Julia on her blog here, or on Instagram here.
Roasted Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup
We have been alternating between summer weather and soup weather here. This is one of my favorite fall soups.
Roasted Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
1 pkg already cut up butternut squash
- 3 Peppers (any mix red, orange & yellow peppers)
- 1 onion coarsley chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
- 1 t kosher salt
- 1/4-1/2 t red pepper flakes
- 1/2 t dried thyme or fresh if you have it
- 1/4 t freshly ground pepper
- 8 c chicken or vegetable stock or a mixture of both
- 3 T Greek Yogurt ( I use nonfat)
- 3 T or to taste crumbled goat cheese
- 4 all seed or everything bagels
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Roughly chop your bell peppers and onion. Add butternut squash, and whole cloves of unpeeled garlic. Drizzle everything with ¼ cup of olive oil, then sprinkle with your salt, thyme, red pepper flakes and ground black pepper. Use your hands to toss everything well. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or so, until the squash is tender. Remove your vegetables from the oven and pick out the garlic cloves. Squeeze the garlic out of its peels and add it to the vegetable mix. Puree the vegetables in Cuisinart in batches until smooth, then add to a large stockpot (or, add the vegetables directly to your stockpot and puree with an immersion blender. Add the broth and stir. Heat the soup over medium until warmed through. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add yogurt right before serving and stir thoroughly. Divide your soup among your bowls add toasted half bagel, and sprinkle with goat cheese and fresh thyme if you have it. This soup will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 5 months.
Outfits of the Week-Color & Pattern Mixing
This week I thought it would be fun to think outside the box and follow Anna Spiro and Julia Berolzheimer’s lead and mix it up with pattern and color for a collected personal look.
Nearly everything is on sale in the above look, the Madewell Coat, leopard sweater, scarf, bag, and funky Krewe sunglasses, and my favorite booties. I own the booties in three colors because they are so comfy.
I have mixed up looks from Nordstrom Rack, Loft, and H&M for this look. Faux suede jacket, leopard sweater, white shirt, silk scarf, jeans, glasses,and booties.
Since many of you have asked for price friendly options you can find all of my H&M picks here, my Nordstrom Rack picks here, my Saks off Fifth here.
What to Read or Gift
If you are a fan of color or know someone who is you might enjoy Martin Brudnizki’s new book My Life in Colors. You can find all of my favorite design books in my Amazon store here.
I hope you enjoyed escaping from the ordinary with Anna Spiro’s Bold Pattern Filled Melbourne Home: Color & Pattern Mixing today. I tend not to be so bold with my own choices, but I always enjoy learning from those who can mix pattern and color with such ease. How do you feel about mixing pattern and color? Are you all in or more timid like me?
Now let’s pop over and visit Annie and Mary Ann.
Cindy your soup looks delicious! We are finally into sweater weather and from what I read on the news maybe even winter coat weather!
Julia is one of the OG and it’s been fun watching her style evolve over the years. She and Thomas are incredibly talented.
Love Anna Spiro! Beautiful, collected and colorful decor.
Have a wonderful week.
Anna is the BEST. And in my hometown. I could never live in a home with all the pattern and colour, but boy do I love looking at homes decorated like this. Anna is definitely the Queen when it comes to colourful and pattern filled interiors. Julia’s style is A+, enjoy following her. And will be trying the soup, maybe even this week, since we are having lots of rain and cold weather. (even though we are in the middle of spring) Have a wonderful week Cindy.
Hi Rita
I completely agree with you but I so appreciate Anna’s skill with pattern and color. It is masterful. Could I live with it personally, probably not. She and Julia are ones to watch for style…they are so talented!
Cindy! Two bloggers from way back…Anna and Julia! Love them both. And I love your outfits inspired by pattern and color.
xo
annie
Hi Annie
Hard to believe they are OG’s!! It is fun to see how they have succeeded. So admire them both!
To each his own! That house gives me a headache–definitely NOT my vibe. It’s reminds me of one of those salads you order at a Farm to Table restaurant where there are just too many ingredients and the flavors don’t go together. Your outfits (and Julia’s ensembles) OTOH, are wonderful!
Hi Gemma
We all know what works for us and what we can live with on a long term basis. I always learn from everyone, and maybe take a few tidbits that will work for me.
So key…”don’t be afraid to experiment”….I need to practice this!
Hi Mary Ann
I don’t think you need anyone’s advice you have your style nailed!
Love the white shirt. But they only have XL left. I have lost some weight yay! and need a white blouse that I don’t swim in and preferably doesn’t need ironing.
Hi Cristi
Have you ever tried Chicos no iron white shirts? I have had really good luck with them.
100% agree on Chico’s no iron. The best.
And I love both OOTD’s. ‘Tis me.
Hi Susan
I haven’t bought one lately, and they aren’t usually on my list to pick from when they send me merch. They should be-they are the best. I have had mine for years and they still look good!!
Hi Cindy,
I swoon over those Federation Australian houses and the space. Beautiful rooms! I have added Anna Sprio to my instagram favorites and when I can I will buy the book thanks for that. Gorgeous inspiration.When I was a child and away from home, my mother wallpapered my bedroom and made curtains to the floor in the same red rosebud pattern after I had told her a friend had a bedroom like that , and I wished I could. I was in heaven! Happy Sunday Cindy!
Melbourne is full of Federation houses, but my favourite house is Foxlow in a farming district of NSW. Makes me want to move back to the country.