If you have high quality, original, relevant content to share, we might be interested in publishing your guest post on Interiors Addict. Please email [email protected] with your submissions.
Naomi Findlay owns Silk Home Staging & Styling and the International Institute of Home Staging (IIHS), develops properties “on the side” and is a mum to 4 kids. I asked this modern day Wonder Woman to share a day in her very busy life!
5am: Wake with the youngest little one for a cuddle.
6am: Surface with the 4 kids for a breakfast run.
7-8am: Get ready for work and kids ready for school.
8.30am: School drop off.
By Fiona Michelon
We were thrilled when Jen asked us to contribute a guest post and introduce you to Press Loft. We specialise in the interiors industry ourselves so definitely share her passion for gorgeous brands in Australia!
Press Loft is all about securing product placement features for home and gift brands in print magazines and blogs, and at an affordable price. Being an online portal where everything is streamlined, we’re able to make hundreds of amazing opportunities available every week to any company, large or small, with or without a PR agency.
Since a beautiful product image is often all it takes for a journalist to want to include you in their features, it’s key to put these (along with the associated info) in front of the right people at the right time. This is why Press Loft’s online model works so well, we simply hold high resolution product images, stockist/contact info and press releases from hundreds of brands all in one place. Since launching in Australia almost 3 years ago, we’ve quickly become interiors journalists’ first point of contact for their pages.
By Karen Clough
It’s amazing what a lick of paint can achieve when you’re looking to transform the feel of a room in your home. Sadly, it’s not always going to cut the mustard – particularly when your home needs some drastic modernising or renovating. This is the story of my recent life.
After moving into an abandoned home with no kitchen – you read that right, no kitchen – a little over 2 years ago, I’m finally extending the house and shall be installing a brand spanking new culinary masterpiece before Christmas. It’s a messy job, and although most people don’t wait quite so long to get the job going, here are some things I’ve learned along the way as to how you can get by without those essential rooms.
By Susan Hasler
Whatever your decorative tastes, a carefully considered kitchen colour palette will enhance the overall style. Timber grain and blocks of colour are on trend, and whilst there are no hard and fast rules regarding “proper” colour usage, there are certain combinations and ways of using it that promise success.
Balance is the key. Here are Freedom Kitchens’ 4 colour trends to consider when developing your own new kitchen’s palette:
Grey
The new modern neutral, grey has a chameleon-like effect, depending on the style and decorative elements in the room. Warm shades provide a base for classic elegance and can be grounded with blacks, whites and browns. Cool greys, paired with crisp white for instance, are contemporary and edgy (as seen in Madi & Jarrod’s kitchen on The Block All Stars). As a neutral base, pops of bright colour such as orange and yellow also work well. Whichever way you go, grey is here to stay.
By Jessica Hunter
In my job as an interior stylist, I get lots of different briefs and budgets. Sometimes a client’s budget may not stretch to buying lots of new furniture so I like to mix it up a bit by going ‘hunting’. Hunting for me is going to Vinnies or the Salvos, furniture markets, auctions and garage sales and searching for great pieces of furniture that need some love and attention. It’s amazing what you can find when you know what to look for. In this post I am going to give you a few rules of thumb when it comes to searching for preloved furniture.
The first thing to look for is the shape of the piece. Look at the line and the overall shape to see if it is going to work in your room and with your scheme. If it has cushions that can be removed then take them off so you can see its bones.
By Jenny Blume
Whether you’e a true believer or not, there’s a lot to be said for many of the principals of feng shui, in creating a happier, calmer and more organised home. Why not try some of these quick expert tips yourself this weekend and see what effect they might have?
1 Beautify your entrance
To draw the best possible energy into your living space, make your home’s entrance is as clutter-free and inviting as possible. Not only will you attract more luck and good fortune into your life, you’ll attract more visitors too. Weeds, cracks and peeling paint convey poverty in feng shui, while creaky gates and overgrown gardens subconsciously say ‘stay away’. For an instant lift, jazz up your entrance with extra lighting or pop in a load of fragrant flowers.
2 Clear the clutter
Hanging onto unused items can trap you in the past and block fresh opportunities – and in many cases, people – from entering your life. Clutter hinders the flow of ‘chi’, so take a Zen approach and open up your living space. Ditch anything that conjures up negative feelings and only keep items that you love, need or use. If you can’t bear to part with old clothes, books or bric-a-brac, pack them into storage boxes, then sell or donate them in spring next year.
By Rachel Smith
Deciding to share a place with the one you love can be an amazingly happy time. That is, until he refuses to take his ratty, hand-me-down couch to the tip – or worse, pokes fun at the floral motif you’ve lovingly perfected in the living room.
As an advice columnist, I mention the word ‘compromise’ a lot. But it’s possibly never more necessary than in the months after you and your partner decide it’s time for a fixed address. After all, it’s not just about furniture; you’re bringing personalities, pasts and memories into a shared space – which can sometimes equal a few epic meltowns heated discussions.
By Kristie Castagna
There has been some debate lately about the use of ‘feature walls’ and if we should be considering treating the entire room to the feature and not just one lonely wall. A bit of a designer “go hard or go home” type attitude or what I like to call full design commitment.
Personally, as a designer I have always used features as a way of giving clients a little bit of a gentle shove into those design ideas they never thought they would have previously considered. So I am not sure I could let go of the single feature wall for my clients’ sake, as many of them, like many of you, are still to dip their toes in the wallpaper, bright colour or alternative wall covering type options.
With all that being said, I thought I would bring to you my top 10 favorite feature wall ideas:
By Cybele Masterman
Nothing sweeps away the cobwebs quite like a good old spring clean. It marks the emergence out of hibernation and prepares for the frivolity of summer. I like to think of it as a deep cleanse that injects life back into the home by clearing away all the gunk that has accumulated while I’ve been tucked up next to the heater with the windows and doors closed.
The task is a lot more pleasant with nice smelling, non-toxic cleaning goodies. Fortunately, it’s really easy to make your own and they’re a lot cheaper too! The trick is to label all the containers with the contents and write the recipe on there too, so they’re easier to make next time.
By Krissy Bradfield
I love paper – it has so many uses. Books are made from paper, as are magazines and junk mail. We are surrounded by paper used in all sorts of ways – except most of those are kind of uninspiring. But there are people out there – artists — who look at a ream of paper and think ‘I’m going to turn that into a paper chandelier.’ And they do. They release their creations out into the world where people like me gawk at them for hours, wondering however did they do that? And what magic protects it from catching on fire?
Thank goodness there are innovative thinkers out there who aren’t stymied by such questions. They just get out there and give the humble piece of paper a new lease on life.
Here are 10 of the most beautiful examples of paper light fixtures that I’ve seen. They are complex, intricate and the culmination of hundreds of hours of work.
By Shaynna Blaze
Travelling the world via the web – trawling blogs, pinning images on Pinterest and saving endless images to style folders – is one way that I like to draw inspiration, but it’s my actual visits to far flung destinations that really ignite my senses and get my creative juices flowing. Recently I was lucky enough to travel to some notoriously stylish American destinations: New York City and its nearby beach town, The Hamptons.
Taking in the visual style of New York City I saw that light greys, raw concrete, battered timbers, contrasting black and whites and industrial lighting are indicative of the city’s décor palette. The overall lack of vibrant colour was noticeable throughout the borough of Manhattan and it became apparent that NYC tends to stay true to its traditional blend of raw material and simple white-on-white colour scheme.
By Michelle Ball
I’ve loved decluttering and styling since I can remember, so I thought I’d share my top tips on these 2 topics. I hope they help you!
Decluttering
I am not, and have never been a hoarder. I believe in the principal of letting go of excess, and as you do, even more beautiful things come into your home. In saying this, when we had to let go of all our belongings as part of the competition on House Rules and give them all to the Salvation Army, it was difficult for me. We boxed up all our photo albums and personal belongings, then any furniture in the house, including rugs, went.
By Meghan McTavish
Home styling is much like fashion, in the sense that it’s not really healthy to fall all over yourself trying to emulate every picture perfect look featured within the pages of the glossy mags. Mags do envy-inducing escapism oh so well but we love blogs like Interiors Addict for Jen’s personal tips. It’s like getting advice from a friend – which we know is sometimes the best place to go if you’re in a bind.
There’s also gold to be found in real homes and we think there’s really nowhere that sums up a person’s personality more than in their living room. Here are 3 difference spaces that we’ve shot for Citizens of the World that have proved to be some of our most inspirational.
Jewellery designer Alex Smyth-Kirk of Vera Xane
Alex seems to feel very comfortable with colour, which is always fun to shoot. We love how her couch and chair are very muted but make an excellent base for all her incredible art and bright cushions.
Diane Haynes Smith chats to former Dinosaur Designs co-founder, sustainability advocate and design lover, Liane Rossler.
The most exciting revelation in interior design at the moment is the gaining momentum of sustainable practices. Both designers and consumers are becoming more aware of the consequences of purchasing a mass produced cheap thrill. There is a renewed appreciation for the beauty of handmade objects and their skilled makers. We’re seeing truly innovative recycling projects everywhere, from our neighbours’ DIY to the latest online homewares store. It’s trendy to ‘upcycle’. It’s even trendier to do so whilst retaining good design and style.
By Wendy Rennie
The neverending conundrum for the home renovator is how to choose the best white for a room or space?
It seems there are more and more to choose from and picking the right one can seem overwhelming. But this process can be simplified in a few easy steps.
By Dara Shashoua
My name is Dara Shashoua and I am addicted to stone. There. I said it. It’s true, I cannot think of a more exquisite surface to be used in your home. Truly. Every floor is unique; you are installing an actual piece of history on your floor or wall. With so many companies importing stone these days, the price and range that is on offer makes stone a lot more affordable so it can be enjoyed by many more people.
I started in the natural stone and tile industry 13 years ago, when 20x20cm tiles and decorative borders were the fashion for bathrooms; thankfully that has all changed, and quite quickly. I remember the first time we had travertine come into the showroom, I was in love! It was a beautiful cappuccino colour, featuring a beige base with taupe tones running through it. Soon afterwards we had marble, granite and finally, limestones, arrive in the showroom.
By Wendy Rennie
The best way to begin to work with colour in your home is to enjoy the experience and be prepared to take a risk.
A folder of imagery you like is a really good way to start to find what you naturally gravitate to and then you can begin to make colour schemes around your style aesthetic and your colour preferences.
By Simone Lenneberg
Two things I remember being the most excited about upon hearing the news I was expecting: the first (obviously) the baby, and the second, the new design world opening up for me when decorating said new arrival’s room.
As keen lovers of design, particularly vintage and modern retro pieces, my husband and I couldn’t believe the number of cool pieces (furniture, lighting, artwork, you name it) that could meet our brief and that we also liked!
We steered away from the typically childlike options out there and set out to find a number of key pieces that would sit comfortably in a kid’s space, but reflected our own taste and eye for design. What’s more, we wanted to be able to reuse these pieces in other parts of our house when junior grew out of his younger space and progressed to the next stage.
The trick is to select a number of statement pieces that work well with children’s items such as objects, toys, bright patterned bedding and cushions, but keep the right balance of their personality and yours.
Here are a few ideas…
1. Vintage storage
The classic lines of this minimalist yet modern Henrik sideboard by Matt Blatt would be at home in any boy’s or girl’s room storing toys, books, even clothing, but could also feature in a dining space, hallway or study. Its clean lines, vintage shape and neutral colours make this piece a winner. A vintage sideboard or tallboy from your local antique shop would work equally well.