Category: Bedrooms

Goo Collection children’s linen is a family affair

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date December 9, 2013
49 Comments on Goo Collection children’s linen is a family affair

It’s always a good sign when you see something designed for kids and think “I wish that came in adult size!”

I think that can certainly be said for some of Goo Collection’s new children’s bed linen.

Goo started as Olive’s Tree in 2009 when Lisa Nicol failed to find a dribble bib which was absorbent enough or she was happy to have her daughter, Olive, wear. Leveraging her mother’s knowledge of sewing and fabric, she created something that was both fashionable and functional and together they hand made bibs and sold them online and at markets. They then branched out into patchwork quilts, putting a modern spin on them.

Tags baby cot linen, bibs, children's bedrooms, childrens bed linen, doona, family business, goo collection, lisa nicol, nursery, nursery design, nursery interiors, pillow, quilt, throw

Bathrooms Bedrooms

The parents’ retreat: a new trend in interiors?

Post author By Guest Poster
Post date November 19, 2013

By Darren Genner

Over the years we have seen movements in interior spaces that have made really big impacts on how we live our lives and how we socially connect with our family and friends.

There was the open plan kitchen that has effectively revolutionised the way we live and connect with all members of the household, and the indoor/outdoor connection where the humble back door has become metres of glass that open and allow a seamless connection to the outside. Outdoor cooking and entertaining areas almost become part of the interior, increasing our living space.

So what’s next? The parents’ retreat!

Tags bathroom, bathroom design, darren genner, en suite, master bedroom, master suite, minosa design, open plan, parents retreat, resort living

Bedrooms

10 fun ways to update a child’s room by PottyMouthMama

Post author By Guest Poster
Post date November 15, 2013
1 Comment on 10 fun ways to update a child’s room by PottyMouthMama

By Lexi Kentmann

I am a massive fan of colour. I think it helps lift your mood, makes life more fun, and in a kid’s room – it’s a no-brainer. Kids naturally love colour.

My approach to kids rooms? It’s pretty relaxed. I’m not matchy-matchy, and I love collecting bits and pieces that tell a story, or have a function. I am huge on products that do double-duty (like a stool also acting as a bedside table), I’m not a fan of treading on LEGO, and I adore storage. Because let’s face it – when you have kids – you need storage. And lots of it. I’m not into licensed kids products. Gosh. No siree. However my kids ARE. So where possible, I steer them away from that stuff, and into good stuff. Non-merch stuff.

1. Giant Corn Cob Stool from Third Drawer Down:

Look – I adore the big things Australia has. The Big Banana, The Big Pineapple, The Big Ram, The Big Prawn. For so, so long I have adored this! It’s fun, quirky, and certainly not something you’ll see in everyone’s home. What’s not to love about an oversized corn cob that you can sit on and do story time on. Plus I think just as it might appeal to a small person – I can easily imagine this being quite at home in a teenager’s bedroom.

2. Kip and Co pretzel sheet set:

These pretzels don’t make you thirsty – and if they do, don’t come out and ask for a glass of water 76 times stalling bedtime. As a kid I always loved having my own special sheets. These are SO on my wish list! Of course for my daughter’s room *cough*, and not mine.

Tags blogger, children's rooms, colour, decorating, fun, interiors, kids rooms, lexi kentmann, potty mouth mama, pottymouthmama

Bedrooms

3 top tips for a non-toxic, eco-friendly bedroom

Post author By Guest Poster
Post date October 16, 2013
1 Comment on 3 top tips for a non-toxic, eco-friendly bedroom

By Sonya Pala

Given that we spend a third of our lives in bed, sleeping in a non-toxic environment can have wonderful health benefits. But let’s face it, eco, sustainable, fair trade and organic aren’t always synonymous with stylish.

Here are some tips to get a unique, stylish and affordable eco luxury look for your bedroom:

1. Invest wisely Start off with a budget. This will help in the decision-making process! Invest in a primary piece that will last you for years and then update the room over time using accessories, smaller furniture items and fabric. During our renovation, I invested most of our budget into an amazing eco-bed and re-covering an old occasional chair with eco-velvet fabric. Many of the smaller accessories and mother of pearl inlay chest of drawers were bought over the years.

2. Non-toxic bedding Given the rise of allergies over the last few decades, it’s really important to look at the toxicity in everyday items in our home. Conventional foam in mattresses, pillows and furniture, contains a plethora of chemicals which emit VOC gases for the life of the product. Many of these are known carcinogens and combined with conventional cotton bedding (cotton being the most heavily pesticide-sprayed crop in the world), can create a hazardous sleeping environment.

Tags allergens, allergies, bedroom, bedroom designs, eco, ecoluxe, environmentally friendly, green, interiors, linen, mattresses, non toxic, organic, sustainable

Bedrooms Expert Tips

Spare bedrooms: for taking decorating risks and having some fun!

Post author By Guest Poster
Post date October 9, 2013
1 Comment on Spare bedrooms: for taking decorating risks and having some fun!

By Louise Reeves

A few months ago, I moved into a house with a very interesting little spare room in the form of a converted garage. The room was good for a few reasons; the previous owners had installed floorboards and tongue-and-groove built-in wardrobes, the windows were super cute, it’s on ground level and gets plenty of light.

To serve the purpose of a spare room it was totally fine in its original condition, it’s one of those rooms that would barely ever get used unless guests came to stay. Really all it needed was a few pieces of furniture and we’d be set. But where oh where is the fun in that? I saw this as a great opportunity to try out some risky ideas I’d been toying with for months, the kind of ideas that would be a little too scary for most clients, but really exciting to test in a risk-free environment.

Tags bedroom, interiors, interiors by louise, louise reeves, navy paint, navy walls, ooh! blog, painted floors, spare bedroom, spare room

Bedrooms Homewares

Super soft linen with a splash of colour from Major Minor

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date September 30, 2013
5 Comments on Super soft linen with a splash of colour from Major Minor

There’s some great quality linen out there in Australia, and for those who love the perfectly crumpled look and feel but prefer theirs with a shot of bright colour, mother-daughter team Major Minor could be just the ticket.

I spoke to Hannah Seely, one half of the new, online linen business, with her mum, Anne. They launched earlier this year after struggling to find linen bedding that was contemporary and modern at an affordable price.

Mother and daughter Anne and Hannah of Major Minor

“We knew we wanted to work together on a project that would allow us to travel, be creative and have a good laugh in the process,” says Hannah. “The ball started rolling a couple of years ago after a trip to India. We’d already decided to offer classic linen colours such as white and grey but also wanted to add some vibrant pops of colour to our range and thought there was no better place than India to locate and source beautiful bright linen!”

Tags bed, bed linen, bedroom, coloured linen, featured, flat sheet, hannha seely, jason grant, linen, major minor, major minor sydney, mr jason grant, pillowcase, quilt, quilt cover, sheets, stonewashed linen, stylist

Bathrooms Bedrooms

A classic American bedroom in the perfect pale blue palette by Highgate House

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date June 26, 2013

I’m sure today’s master bedroom and en suite by Highgate House will make you swoon. From the perfect colour palette to the custom joinery, marble bathroom and wow factor side tables, it’s pretty special.

The clients, a young family, wanted their inner city Brisbane property to feel like an American home, having spent a lot of time in the States. “Because we started almost from scratch, we could achieve exactly the look that they were after,” says interior designer Leigh Boswell.

“I really love every part of these two spaces, in particular the pendant light we sourced, which couldn’t have been better with the coffered ceilings. The bed and the bedsides are really to die for too.

Tags american classic, bathroom, bedroom, blue, brisbane, custom joinery, design, en suite, highgate house, interior designer, interiors, leigh boswell, marble bathroom, restoration hardware, window seat

Bedrooms Styling

Learn how to decorate your kids’ bedrooms from Megan Morton and Arent & Pyke

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date June 24, 2013
1 Comment on Learn how to decorate your kids’ bedrooms from Megan Morton and Arent & Pyke

If you’re ready to tackle your kids’ rooms once and for all and are up for an intensive all-you-need-to-know, three-hour decorating workshop with stylist Megan Morton and interior designers Arent & Pyke, clear your diary for Thursday night! Megan fans will know she has just launched her latest book on the topic, I Love My Room, and Juliette Arent and Sarah-Jane Pyke are a mum-to-be and a mum-of-one respectively, as well as being award-winning interior designers.

“What this is not is a repeat of the book in any way, nor is it a master class,” says Megan. “What it is is a potentially house-changing decorating workshop dedicated to one of the most hazardous rooms in the house — your kid’s bedroom!”

This class will cover the pitfalls and the opportunities of kids rooms. “Children’s bedrooms are loaded with trapdoors, as anyone who lives with them well knows! Explore the potential of yours with a class that talks to all age groups, styles and budgets. How to make the most of the area, how to avoid common traps and how to think like a kids room decorator are all covered,” Megan explains. Special guests Arent & Pyke will show and share their best ideas for rooms that can work for all budgets. “All in all it will be inspiring, great learning and could potentially save you hundreds of decorating dollars on the real rooms of the house!”

Tags arent and pyke, children's bedrooms, decorating kids room, decorating workshop, i love my room, interior designers, interiors, juliette arent, kids rooms, megan morton, mums, parents, sarah-jane pyke, stylist, the school

Bedrooms Kids Rooms Styling

Megan Morton’s new book for magical kids’ rooms

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date June 14, 2013

I don’t have kids, but stylist Megan Morton does, and she can often be found creating magical experiences for other people’s little ones at The School too. On this basis (and the fact her last two books were fabulous) I was pretty sure I Heart My Room, a book about children’s bedrooms, would be great fun. And it is.

Kids’ bedrooms can be a series of challenges and charms from precious first drawings to piles of toys and dirty washing. I Heart My Room showcases the charms and presents solutions for the challenges. It’s keeping it real and I love that.

Rather than a collection of immaculate children’s rooms created by interior designers, the pages are filled with spaces which celebrate the young occupants themselves. From whimsical nurseries to expressive teen rooms, you will find clever storage methods and inspiring ideas on how to decorate in a way that is true to your child’s personality. And if you can’t have fun with kids’ rooms, when can you?

Tags beci orpin, book, children's bedrooms, decorating, decorating for kids, home love, i heart my room, i love my room, interiors, kids rooms, megan morton, megan park, rachel castle, thames & hudson, things i love

Bedrooms

My winter warmer picks for The Home and a stunning country photoshoot

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date June 14, 2013
13 Comments on My winter warmer picks for The Home and a stunning country photoshoot

I was delighted when The Home asked me to pick some of my favourite products for a special winter warmer sale (starting today) and to join them on a photoshoot on location to bring them to life. Isn’t the end result stunning? I’m so in love with this clever photo!

I headed straight to some of my favourite places, like Cadrys rugs and Have You Met Miss Jones to pick some cosy and colourful items. I’ve always loved the look of layered rugs but never tried this in my own home so it was fun to pick several to work together. I think this shoot goes to show that mix and match can totally work, and it’s all about contrast and texture. And how about that lamp? I’m buying one of those babies for myself!

As for these beautiful images, a LOT of hard work and talent went into them behind the scenes, which I got to watch, but cannot take any credit for (apart from putting the flowers in the vase and making the tea for the cup on the tray…)! Joining me at the gorgeous property in the Hunter Valley were The Home’s stylist Marj Silva, photographer Lisa Zhou and buyer Emma Blomfield (also stylist at Nest Designs). They made that picture happen, and no, it really isn’t glamorous! Unless of course you count climbing on scaffolding and holding boards up on the other side of windows to stop pesky sun rays coming through and spoiling the shot glamorous!

Bedrooms

Iva’s bedroom makeover impresses Shaynna Blaze

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date March 27, 2013
3 Comments on Iva’s bedroom makeover impresses Shaynna Blaze

Earlier this month we ran a competition to win a course at the new International Institute of Home Staging (IIHS) and asked readers to send in their own room makeovers aimed at helping sell a home.

We asked our friend Shaynna Blaze, star of The Block and Selling Houses Australia, to judge. Who better?! She chose this unisex toddler bedroom entry from Iva Izman.

“This room is a work of art in itself. All decorations are DIY from salvaged items and recycled materials. From the wall art down to the cushion details and baby mobile, it was all handmade by me,” said Iva in her entry.

Tags international institute of home staging, pre-sale property styling, selling houses australia, shaynna blaze, staging, styling, the block

Bedrooms

5 top tips for designing children’s bedrooms

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date March 16, 2013
2 Comments on 5 top tips for designing children’s bedrooms

Interior designer Kelle Howard-Dean of Habitat and Beyond Kids shares these great ideas.

1. I love to create interiors that last, so when designing a space for ‘tweens’ there’s a fine line between something that’s too grown up and a space that they will quickly outgrow. One way to achieve a space that will last the distance is to use more mature, geometric patterns for fabrics and keep the wall finishes soft. Typography prints and art are a great way to add colour into the room, and they can easily be changed up over the years.

2. Instead of using standard nursery furniture, one way of adding some uniqueness to the room is to think outside the box. This whitewashed buffet has great storage and is the perfect piece to use as a change table. You may already have some great pieces in your home that would lend themselves perfectly to your nursery or children’s room with some simple modifications.

3. I love to have a talking point in each room I design, whether it’s a striking wallpaper or a unique idea that makes the room special. This driftwood ‘hanging wardrobe’ was so easy to make, and is the perfect spot to display your gorgeous baby clothes.

Tags children's bedrooms, children's room, habitat and beyond, interiors, nurseries, nursery