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.
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.
Garage to beachy studio conversion
When I hatched the idea of converting our 54 sqm aluminium double garage into an office/creative studio, I had in mind a space to work, create, chill, and think. Working from home meant my work life had encroached on our personal living space. I needed a divide, and it made sense to use our garage (which was being used as storage space for junk).
A vintage-inspired minimalist laundry makeover
When it comes to laundry rooms - the words fun and whimsy don’t spring to mind. For our laundry room makeover, we wanted to create a space with personality, a sense of drama and practicality. I loved the idea of a ‘bare bones’ laundry - exposed timber shelves, raw textures combined with brass, focussing on ‘luxe’ elements with a minimalist approach.