WELCOME to
THE COSY NOTES
I’m Dominey, based on the Matakana Coast in New Zealand, sharing spaces with soul, boutique stays, coastal living, and behind-the-scenes notes from my creative home and design projects. This space is about slowing down, noticing the details, and creating a life that feels joyful.
Studio Diary: The Final Touches on Our Garage-to-Studio Transformation
Two years ago, we converted an old garage into a creative studio space and added 54sqm2 to our property's footprint. Our contractors had lined the interior surfaces in tongue-and-groove plywood, which, initially, I thought I'd leave unpainted.
Our Hallway Glow Up
If you’ve been following my stories on Instagram, you probably would’ve seen bits and pieces of our hallway glow up. Hallways, corridors, and passageways are often afterthoughts in the design process unless they affect function or are eyesores.
A colourful small bathroom renovation
Why a plain white or grey bathroom? Why not go bold and create a space that makes getting ready for the day or bed a joyful experience? These were my initial thoughts going into our small bathroom makeover. Often, bathrooms can feel cold and uninviting (figuratively and literally) as many of the features in a bathroom are made from hard, cold materials (e.g. tiles, glass, metal). But I think a room constructed of hard materials can still look and feel warm and inviting - with the combination of colour, pattern and texture.