Oh the view! The view! It takes my breath away. A simple, stylish holiday destination housed in a 300 year old Spycher high above Lake Lucern in Switzerland. “Simple and stylish” doesn’t really describe it does it? Spectacular and sensitive. A bygone era and a very special place. A spirit. A genius loci. It makes your heart ache with its beauty and your spirit soar. Im Spycher is truly as close to heaven as you can get.

Welcome to the first ever Desire to Inspire giveaway. We never have competitions on the blog, ever… until now. I just couldn’t resist when Freedom offered 2 gift vouchers to give to our readers. First prize is a $750 voucher to use in store and second prize $250. If you remember I skipped down to Sydney a couple of months ago to see the launch of Freedom‘s new Autumn range. I was blown away by the direction that Freedom was taking. Now Freedom wants to give our Australian and New Zealand readers the chance to experience Freedom’s fab new range themselves!!! All you have to do is :

– Visit the Freedom website here.

– Find the piece that speaks to you the most, the one you just have to have in your home from their Autumn 2011 collection.

– Leave a comment here on the blog, telling us in 25 words or less “What is your favourite piece from the Freedom New Autumn 2011 Collection and why”.

We’ll read every one and choose the two winners. The competition starts today Monday 04/04/11 and ends at 11:59pm AEST on Friday 08/04/11. The winners will be announced the next day. Remember this competition is open to only Australian and New Zealand residents. (I know, apologies to all our other readers but it is so seldom that great competitions like this come up on Aussie blogs. I just couldn’t say no.) Please read the terms and conditions here.  You can enter more than once but each entry must be substantially unique and each entry must be submitted separately and in accordance with entry requirements. Get cracking! Start dreaming and start commenting!

Competition is now closed. Congratulations to our winners. The $750 voucher goes to Jenny comment 195 and the $250 voucher goes to Grant comment 18. I will email you soon to let you know how to claim your prizes. Thanks to all who entered and a big thanks to Freedom!!

First Mexico now Spain. Another reader’s lovely home. A fun and colourful family home. Fresh and stylish. Spy some IKEA? That’s the reason why Carmina and her family made the cover of the Spanish IKEA Family Live.  Congratulations Carmina! What a wonderful home! Photos from Carmina’s blog Interiors Originals and IKEA Family Live.

We had so many great readers’ homes in lately that I just had to share on a Saturday. Vikki recently purchased a piece of paradise in Cabo San Lucas and wanted to share with tease Desire to Inspire readers. What a beautiful holiday spot, the endless blue of the Sea of Cortez and a great renovation by Vikki! Just a taste here but you can see all the befores and afters on her blog My House, My Garden. Casa Cielo is available to stay but would you ever want to leave. I think I’d just laze by that pool forever. Let’s take in the view before moving inside after the jump.

The ultimate “beach shack”? Nestled in the dunes on Victoria’s coastline at Fingal is this contemporary interpretation of mid century cool. Definitely not your fisherman’s weekend shack unless of course you are head of a fish canning business. Me? I’d be happy just bunking down on the patio and taking baths in the swim tank! For sale here while the link lasts. Thanks Andrea for doing the stalking for me this time!