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Win a world first in vacuum & mop combos from iRobot worth $2199

Sponsored by iRobot

iRobot have launched the Roomba Combo, the world’s most advanced 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop, and to make your Christmas, we have one to give away!

The new iRobot Roomba Combo mops and vacuums at the same time and goes between hard floors and rugs with ease

Designed for busy households with a mixture of carpets, rugs and hard floors (that’s me!), and those who want a robot vacuum that can also mop (tick!), the Roomba Combo j7+ stands out from other 2-in-1 robots by vacuuming and mopping in a single cleaning job, saving time while keeping floors fresh and clean.

I’ve been trying one out at our place and, while my previous Roomba vacuum and mop separates already had a very special place in my heart, this 2-in-1, well this is next level! You know I love efficiency and this is just so damn easy. Set and forget (via your phone), my friends!

The Roomba Combo j7+ has a fully retractable mop pad that lifts itself to the top of the robot when it encounters carpet and rugs – the first 2-in-1 of its kind – preventing wet carpet messes. The app you use with it on your phone, iRobot OS 5.0, introduces new features and digital experiences – offering even more thoughtful updates for pet owners, busy families and those looking for more control over how they clean. It will even detect and avoid dog poo (because we’ve all heard the stories!). I’m not even joking.

The world’s most advanced robot vacuum and mop

“Until today, many 2-in-1 robot vacuums and mops delivered a poor user experience either because they required separate, time-consuming cleaning jobs or created more mess by not fully lifting the mopping pad high enough to avoid carpet and rugs. The Roomba Combo j7+ uniquely solves both of these challenges,” said Keith Hartsfield, chief product officer at iRobot. “And thanks to iRobot OS, your Roomba Combo j7+ will get smarter over time because it will automatically download new capabilities whenever we release them. So, when new enhancements are developed, your robot gets them too, like magic.” And there I was thinking the Elf and Santa were the only ones bringing magic this festive season!

A video speaks a thousand words!

Unlike other 2-in-1s, the Roomba Combo j7+ vacuums rugs and carpets first and then vacuums and mops hard floors concurrently, saving users time by cleaning the area in a single job. This appeals to me hugely as I like to put the robots on while I’m out at meetings or school pickup, and knowing I’ll come home to a floor that is vacuumed and mopped without having to think about it again, is amazing!

Using advanced sensors, the robot is able to detect various floor types. When the Roomba Combo j7+ approaches carpet and rugs, its fully retractable mop arms lift the wet pad to the top of the robot – in a similar way that a convertible raises its roof – preventing wet messes. No other robot combo on the market does this.

The mop in action

Thanks to iRobot OS and the robot’s PrecisionVision Navigation system, you don’t have to worry about cleaning up before the cleaning begins, something that I know makes certain people think it’s not worth the effort. The Roomba Combo j7+ recognises more than 80 common objects, which enables it to clean more specific places on command, like around kitty litter boxes, toilet bowls, dishwashers and more. It also allows the robot to detect and avoid floor hazards like cords, clothes, shoes, socks, backpacks, pet bowls, pet toys, and solid pet waste.

To make cleaning even easier, pair the robot with your voice assistant and simply tell it to clean specific rooms or by specific objects in your home, and it does what you ask instantly. I’ll definitely be connecting mine to Google, like everything else in my house, much to the kids’ delight!

The Roomba Combo j7+ understands approximately 600 voice commands, more than any other 2-in-1. Using the app, you can set up cleaning jobs, choosing which rooms should be vacuumed and mopped or vacuumed only, and adjusting the amount of cleaning solution you want the mop to dispense.

The first truly hands-free vacuum and mop robot

Using the Roomba Combo j7+ is simple. The robot senses when a mop pad is attached and the mopping solution tank is full – and then goes into mopping mode automatically. Other 2-in-1s have a mop that you must manually attach yourself after the vacuuming is done, adding extra work and time. With the Roomba Combo j7+, the mop arm is already attached and ready to go. For vacuuming, it also comes with the Clean Base® Automatic Dirt Disposal system so you can forget about vacuuming for months at a time. The Clean Base allows the Roomba Combo j7+ to empty the dirt and debris it collects into an enclosed bag that doesn’t need to be replaced for up to 60 days. This was already a favourite feature of mine on my existing Roomba vacuum.

This Clean Base has a slicker design than its predecessor. It’s more compact and I love this leather look tab to open the dust bag compartment

And if you’re thinking all this is a little too clever, don’t worry because iRobot products and iRobot OS are backed by the company’s commitment to customer privacy and data security. iRobot treats customer data with the highest standards of privacy protection, and to that end, has obtained the globally recognised TRUSTe Certified Privacy Seal.

The Roomba Combo j7+ is available now via www.shopirobot.com.au and www.shopirobot.co.nz

iRobot is distributed by IXL Home, a recognised leader in the premium home appliance industry, within Australia & New Zealand. iRobot is a global consumer robot company that designs and builds thoughtful robots and intelligent home innovations that make life better. iRobot introduced the first Roomba robot vacuum in 2002. Today, iRobot is a global enterprise that has sold millions of robots worldwide.

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Competitions Interiors Addict Smart Home

Make your home smart + win an Arlo video doorbell

With the arrival of Spring, many Australians are descending on their favourite stores to spruce up their castle. 

This year, why not focus on not just appearances, but also functionality and get the best of both worlds! This brings us to exploring the smart home.

Smart home devices, particularly security devices, are a great way to make your home a more comfortable place to live, work and play. From connected sprinklers, air conditioners, dishwashers, cameras and doorbells — we now live in a world where everything can be managed through a single pane of glass on your phone. How’s that for convenience?

One of our favourite smart home devices is the Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell, which helps you keep an eye out on who’s at your door. The doorbell provides an 180-degree field of view, with high definition resolution, so that you can capture the full picture of a friend (or foe) in clear detail.

The best part is, it’s all available through your phone, meaning you don’t have to be home to respond to the call at your door. All you have to do is use the doorbell’s two-way audio function to have a chat and instruct the delivery driver to drop your parcel where you want it.

Adding to the Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell’s smart features is Arlo Secure, an optional subscription service that allows you to access a range of extra perks including object detection. This helps you decipher whether you’re getting your newest package of homewares delivered to your door, or whether it’s the neighbour’s cat strolling past. And for those that need to refresh their memory, Arlo Secure provides 30 days of cloud video recording history too. 

We’ve partnered with Arlo Technologies Australia to give away one Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell, worth $299.00! For your chance of winning simply complete the below form by the end of Monday 7 November 2022.

For more on Arlo

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Competitions Design Interiors Addict

Win a top of the range robot vacuum and mop!

As you may have heard me mention a number of times, I couldn’t live without my own robot vacuum, Bertie, which I affectionately refer to as my third child. So I want everyone else to know the joy of robot ownership too!

Thanks to Robot My Life, we have one of their latest HOBOT LEGEE D7s to give away, an all-in-one vacuum and mop!

As an improved version of its younger counterpart, the HOBOT LEGEE, the HOBOT LEGEE D7 takes it one step further with far superior suction, movement, obstacle navigation and auto recognition mapping. And you can of course control everything from an app on your phone.

When it comes to living with pets, this device is the ultimate must-have. The new patented tangless vacuum suction design from HOBOT creates a clever formula that not only helps reduce hair getting tangled in the motor but it ensures your suction force is not disrupted by a brush roller full of hair. The tangless suction port removes 80% of the hair before it reaches the brush roller.

Navigation is made easy when it comes to mopping and vacuuming. The device will automatically recognise carpet and raise the mopping pad by 6mm. It also automatically raises itself when the unit docks, which helps ensure your mopping pad gets ventilation to extend the life of the pads.

Glenn Yee, managing director of Robot My Life, said that in the past 12 months, the demand for home robots has continued to grow. “Consumer confidence in the home robotics sector is increasing every day when we see more products become smarter.

“Every new product on the market is becoming more advanced than the previous version. Our industry is focused on listening to their consumers, and because of this, we’ve been able to create products that meet a unique demand.”

The HOBOT LEGEE D7 currently retails for $699 and can be purchased online.

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Art Competitions Interiors Addict

Win VIP tickets to next week’s Affordable Art Fair Sydney

Following a successful launch in Melbourne in 2019 with $1.8 million worth of sales, the world’s biggest art fair organiser Affordable Art Fair is set to make its debut in Sydney from 2-to-5 June 2022. Showcasing 35 Australian and international galleries, the event will feature thousands of artworks from both emerging and established artists in the brand new Winx Stand at Royal Randwick Racecourse.

Connecting trusted galleries with avid art lovers, the Fair aims to demystify the conventional art buying experience, welcoming galleries and visible pricing, so there are no surprises. Art aficionados will be able to browse and buy artworks from just $100 up to $10,000, have their prized pieces wrapped onsite, and discover something new each day with all works rotated as they sell. With thousands of paintings, prints and sculptures, there will be something to suit every taste, space and spend.

“Our unwavering mission is to inspire people around the world with art and we are thrilled to be bringing the magic of Affordable Art Fair to Sydney. With many Australians spending a lot of time at home over the past two years, art has helped reinvigorate and reimagine living spaces with pops of colour, bounds of texture and bursts of creativity. This winter, the Fair will provide the perfect opportunity for Sydneysiders to discover thousands of new artists and consult with expert galleries conveniently under one roof,” said fair director, Stephanie Kelly Gordine.

Photo: Reed Photographic

Showcasing artists from across the country and around the world, the illustrious gallery lineup will include Sydney favourites Studio Gallery, Rochfort Gallery, Harvey Galleries, Wentworth Galleries, and Fern Street Gallery, with The Toowoomba Gallery from Queensland. Femme and Petrichor will exhibit as part of an exciting group of new artist collectives while Manyung Gallery, Antoinette Ferwerda Gallery, Salt Contemporary Art and Art to Art represent Victoria.

Helping to springboard the careers of emerging artists, the NSW Young Talent program will offer five local artists under the age of 35 the chance to exhibit and sell new works to an excited and engaged audience. Official charity partner, Studio A, will also present a stunning curation of art with 100% of proceeds helping the organisation pave professional pathways for creatives with intellectual disabilities. The full program of galleries will be available on the Affordable Art Fair website from April 2022.

In 2019, the Australian Affordable Art Fair welcomed over 10,000 visitors to connect with 53 galleries in Melbourne from around the country and abroad. Over 1,000 artworks went to happy homes with almost $2 million in art sales supporting galleries to grow their business and helping artists to make a living.

Alongside the captivating collection of artworks, guided tours with the fair director will be available each day detailing top picks for every budget. A great day out for the whole family, mini Monets will be able to get hands on in interactive workshops at the Children’s Art Studio with free entry for those under the age of 16 when accompanied by an adult.

Affordable Art Fair was founded 22 years ago and has revolutionised the art market with its fun and accessible approach to art appreciation. It is a global brand with 13 fairs operating in 10 cities around the world including London, Brussels, New York, Stockholm,Hong Kong and Melbourne.

For more information about the Sydney Fair

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Bathrooms Bedrooms Competitions Design Furniture Homewares Interiors Addict Living Room

A timeless new range from Freedom, designed for Aussie living

Sponsored by Freedom

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to check out, touch, feel and sit on Freedom’s new autumn winter collection recently and love how the iconic brand continues to develop its own aesthetic, designing in house and curating from elsewhere specifically for our Australian lifestyle. The focus is on timeless pieces which can be added to over the years, moving away from the idea of disposable and fast furniture.

Read to the end for your chance to win a $500 Freedom giftcard.

Turning 40 last year, Freedom is proud to be affordable and within reach of the average Aussie, but doesn’t believe that should mean sacrificing style or quality.

In furniture, Freedom’s occasional chair game is strong this year! CEO Blaine Callard explained that these chairs, and in fact all furniture, cannot just look good and has to pass multiple comfort tests before it makes it into the range. There’s no point in a fabulous looking armchair nobody wants to sit in, right?! Not in real homes anyway!

This curvy boucle number, Cobble, was my pick and you can take my word for it, they’re as comfy as they look too!

In homewares I loved the bathroom towels and accessories, the bed linen and the lamps in particular. It was great to meet the person who designed the below floor lamp I loved, because Freedom really are designing in house, not buying from one of the huge suppliers who supply multiple chain stores. How cute is the little pull switch and the pleated shade? And of course it’s brass, which I’m always drawn to like a magpie.

This Loft sofa was a really clever sectional with fully upholstered storage/side table sections too, so you have ultimate flexibility to move them around, perhaps deciding you want the side table between seats first, and then moving the table to the outer edge of the sofa later.

Underneath that timber top, where you can place your coffee or wine, there’s heaps of storage (for throws or toys perhaps!) and even a hidden built-in charger for your devices. Love it! I loved the rug and coffee table here too. And that coloured glass vase is part of a range which has apparently been flying off the Freedom shelves.

This stunning Sorrento tan leather sofa was another favourite of mine and comes in multiple configurations and colours and fabric too! And the oversized, Japanese-inspired Grande square coffee table is a beautiful, unique piece.

Like much of the new black timber furniture, the coffee table is made from solid mango wood and made to last more than a season or two! The mum in me sees this as a hardwearing low coffee table where the kids could play lego when guests weren’t expected!

These textured towels felt beautiful and I’m all for elevating something as mundane as the necessary evil toilet brush holder by making it marble!

Cushions are exclusive designs to Freedom and all had gorgeous textures and detailing like embroidery and piping, in gorgeous textiles designed to easily mix and match.

The overall palette is what I’d call warm neutrals and really does have a timeless feel, with the ability to dial up or down the contrast and number of pieces depending on your own personal taste and the size of your rooms and home.

Lighting was another highlight with table lamps galore (everyone always has room for one more, right?!) and these divine geometric pendants which look great alone of clustered together.

Bedroom furniture has had a refresh too, with designers really considering the whole package holistically. I really love the upholstered bench at the end of this bed which could have so many great uses, like in your entry to sit on and put shoes on. And you could store the shoes underneath too!

Freedom have also recently launched a new Australian designed and made mattress range. Inspired by Australian landscapes they are complemented with Warwick fabric on the sides and matching base. They’re available in firm, medium and plush feels.

A sofa from the relaunched Autograph range

Tapping into the increasing demand for personalisation in our homes and elsewhere, Freedom has also relaunched its Autograph range this month, offering consumers the ability to design their own sofa, whether they’re looking for something traditional or contemporary. It offers countless design options with the ability to choose from 21 premium fabric and over 15 leather options. There are three distinct arm styles (contemporary, double and sloped) and new leg styles with three timber colours and a metal option, as well as having a low or high base for easy cleaning. All of this is available in thousands of options for a truly customised piece that fits your room size, use and style perfectly.

“We believe great design should be available to everyone. That’s why we’re creating unique pieces to seamlessly fit into our Australian homes, easy to piece together and personalise to create your own look,” says head of design Kate Hopwood.

Prices for the Autograph range start at $1,439.

Some of the new range is in store now with more dropping over the next couple of months.

Shop online.

Launching with a single store in Sydney in 1981, Freedom was an Australian retail pioneer, bringing design in house well before other Australian furniture retailers. In 2022, Freedom has come full circle, once again designing and curating in-house to create beautiful products for our unique Australian lifestyle. Freedom is part of Greenlit Brands, an integrated retailer that designs manufactures, sources and retails a broad range of furniture, bedding and other homewares. Greenlit Brands employs more than 3,800 people with 300 stores across Australia and New Zealand. 

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Competitions Shopping Smart Home

Win the robot vacuum that even empties itself with iRobot!

If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know about my longstanding love affair with Bertie, my iRobot Roomba robot vacuum. If there’s one thing I recommend over and over again to busy mums, it’s one of these. I mean, that smug feeling of someone (ok, thing) else doing the vacuuming while you work/go out/do something fun is hard to beat.

My new BFF Ernie hard at work in my kitchen

It’s no secret I’m a bit of a neat freak, which can be challenging in a house with two young boys. The sand! The crumbs! The dirt! Shame robot vacuums can’t do anything about the random rocks that appear everywhere but that’s another story…

But I’m afraid I’ve started cheating on Bert with my new friend, Ernie! You see iRobot let me try one of their newer models. I’ve had Bertie (the iRobot 980) for about four years and he still does a cracking job and several times a week. But Ernie! Well, Ernie goes one further by emptying himself! I KNOW! It’s a dream.

And I have one to give away (worth $1,899) to one of you lucky lot so keep reading until the end.

Ernie (I’m not weird because everyone names their robot) is the iRobot Roomba i7+ model. No more emptying the machine’s bin into the rubbish yourself (which always makes a bit of a mess). This model can empty its own bin for up to 60 days into an AllergenLock bag. This also means a lot less of what might happen before, where I’d be out and the robot would stop because the bin was full and take itself back to the docking station.

Handles under the couches, and from rug to hard floor and back again, with ease!

And while we’re talking about efficiency, Roomba i7+ runs continuously for up to 90 minutes, then automatically recharges and resumes cleaning to complete the entire job. When it has a low battery, the robot will intelligently recharge for the amount of time needed to continue cleaning and get the job done. Gosh, how I love this! No wasted time!

The app is very easy to use

The only downside of this (and it’s small) is that the docking station is much bigger (that dirt has to be emptied into something, right?!) which may just mean you have to think a little harder about where to position it (near a good WiFi signal) if you’re fussy about things being out of sight!

Ernie at his docking station, which he empties his own bin into! It tells you when it’s full and needs emptying.

Everything else about Ernie is so much better though (sorry Bert!). There’a a lot more tech in the iRobot HOME app and from a user experience perspective this just means it’s even easier to get it to go exactly where you want it to!

Imprint Smart Mapping allows you to control which rooms are cleaned and when, for vacuuming that works around you and your schedule. Plus, you can tell your robot to stay away from certain areas or objects with customisable Keep Out Zones. Patented iAdapt 3.0 Navigation with vSLAM technology allows the robot to map its surroundings to seamlessly clean an entire level of your home. The robot creates visual landmarks to keep track of where it’s been and where it has yet to clean. So clever, right? But super easy to control yourself from your smartphone.

Our playroom, for example, needs vacuuming most days, so I love being able to tell Ernie to do just that. The back of our house, where the bedrooms are, tends to get less dirty than the communal living, kitchen and dining areas at the front, so when Seb goes back to school, I’ll be putting the robot on a schedule to automatically clean those areas when I’m doing pick-up every other day. The best feeling!

Ernie even goes up and down the fall in the tiled floor where the open shower is (obviously only when the floor is dry!)

While we don’t have pets (unless you call two small boys animals), the i7+ is a great choice if you do, or if you suffer with allergies. Its premium three-stage cleaning system cleans the dirt and pet hair you see, and the allergens and dust you don’t.

I also find this model a lot quieter so I don’t mind having it on even if I’m home working.

If like me, you have the iRobot Braava jet m6 mop as well (or are thinking about investing, especially if you win the vacuum in our competition!), the Roomba i7+ even tells it to start mopping when vacuuming is complete. Now that’s what we call teamwork! I will definitely be setting up this function!

After a week of trialing the i7+ I am super impressed. It is quieter, has a longer battery life, more smart features, and (my favourite) the self-emptying function is THE BEST. I’d love you to have one too! Make sure you enter the competition by completing the below form. Open to Australian residents only.

If you’re not lucky enough to win, stay tuned for a generous discount code next week!

All the details on the i7+

Disclosure: I was gifted the iRobot Roomba i7+ for the purposes of an honest review.

The winner was Craig Burtenshaw from ACT. Get 20% off selected iRobot vacuum and mop models until the end of Sunday 24 October 2021 with the code JEN20 at https://www.shopirobot.com.au Excludes bundles and accessories.

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Bathrooms Bedrooms Competitions Homewares

Win a $1000 makeover with Home Beautiful’s new homewares

Sponsored by MyHouse and HOUSE – Bed & Bath

Home Beautiful magazine has launched a beautiful range of homewares available exclusively at MyHouse and HOUSE – Bed & Bath. It follows their recent gorgeous collaboration with design expert Neale Whitaker and we love it!

Now you can bring a touch of Home Beautiful’s design and décor know-how to your home with a selection of sumptuously soft bedding, luxurious bath towels and stylish decor pieces, all at an affordable introductory price. And one lucky Interiors Addict reader can even win $1,000 worth of the Home Beautiful goodies to make over their bedroom and bathroom. There’ll probably be enough left over for some sofa cushions and a candle too!

“At Home Beautiful we’ve been celebrating and sharing inspiring interiors for many years. So it was a natural next step to launch our own homewares range,” says editor in chief Elle Lovelock. “The range is everything we love about homewares. It’s simplicity at its finest with designs that are elegantly understated and easy to style to create a beautiful sanctuary at home.”

We agree that the range will be so easy to incorporate into many different homes, lending itself to layering with existing pieces or others from within the range. Struggling to choose the perfect cushion combo for your bed (we know it’s really tricky!)? Why not replicate one of the above images?! It’s not cheating, it’s being stylist-inspired!

The range has pure cotton quilt cover sets in in so many different (but all beautifully subtle and easy to work with) designs, European pillowcases, coverlets (we love swapping our quilt for one of these in the warmer months), sheeting, cushions, throws, towels, candles and more.

Colours include calming hues of mist and petal, soft greys, crisp whites and uplifting blues, complemented by simple and elegant patterns and textures.

What’s more, everything’s at a serious discount of up to 50% off for a limited time so don’t wait too long to grab your favourites!

We’ll take one of everything!

Quilt cover sets & coordinating European pillowcases

These all start at $129.99 for a Queen quilt cover set and coordinating European pillowcases are $34.99 each, while introductory prices apply.

Style Foundations

Be inspired by your bedroom with soft calming hues that are soulful and easy to style. This soft relaxed cotton is finished with a refined stitched edge.

Adley

With its simple black running stitch embroidery on a crisp white soft cotton, this offers understated elegance.

Calla

Always enduring and timeless white never fails to please! Add seersucker texture and crisp pure cotton and you have bedroom goals! Calla is easy to style, and works as easily relaxed or more structured, making it the perfect choice to create your own bedroom sanctuary.

Sloane

In a nurturing grey palette, the Sloane quilt cover set is enough of a statement all on its own, but also a great platform to a layer on more texture, pattern and colour.

Yumi

Simple and easy with just a little bit of fuss; just the right balance of creating calm and interest. We really love this one!

Yumi is my personal favourite of all the quilt covers

Naya coverlets

Simplicity at its finest, this relaxed washed cotton is soft and luxurious, and just looks so good in this uplifting hue of blue. Perfect for a lightweight layer in summer or an extra layer for added warmth in winter. The introductory price is $199.99 for a Queen/King. 

Sheet sets

The high quality 375 thread count cotton sateen sheet sets feel smooth and silky against your skin and drape elegantly with a luxurious sheen. The simple yet stylish stitching detail allows you to layer them with any other bed linen. Introductory prices start at $149.99 for a Queen.

Cushions and throws

Add luxury and texture to your room with the Home Beautiful throws and cushions including the generously-sized Texture Throw in white, charcoal and grey at $89.99. A range of modern cushions are $49.99 each.

Towels

The pure Turkish cotton towels are extremely soft, plush and highly absorbent. The detailed argyle weave and eyelash fringe will add a touch of sophistication to your bathroom without being too much. Washing will only make this unique towel softer and more absorbent. Introductory prices start at $9.99 for a face washer, $17.99 for a hand towel, $23.99 for a bath mat, $29.99 for a bath towel and $47.99 for a bath sheet.

Décor

From beautiful scented candles and diffusers to ceramic vases, lanterns and lamps, the Home Beautiful décor items start at just $9.99 and will add the perfect finishing touches to any room.

The Home Beautiful homewares range is available online now at www.myhouse.com.au  and www.house.com.au/bedandbath.

Win a $1000 Home Beautiful prize with MyHouse and HOUSE – Bed & Bath

Categories
Bedrooms Competitions Furniture Homewares Shopping

Win $3000 to spend on unique, Australian designed furniture

Sponsored by RJ Living

A desire to offer quality designer furniture without the inflated price tag led David Janovic to leave a successful career at Goldman Sachs in 2012 to start his ecommerce business. Almost a decade later and RJ Living has evolved to offer unique furniture and homewares for every room in the house, with the same commitment to in-house design and great customer service.

With many cheaper, fast furniture brands to compete with, their longevity is no mean feat. They actually started as an eBay store, evolving over the years to a team of more than 20 and a flagship Richmond furniture showroom. “Being a bootstrapped business, it’s our customers who have fuelled all our growth, and it’s something we’ll never forget or take for granted,” David says.

“We don’t think of ourselves as just a furniture business, we’re a design-led brand, inspired by global trends that help us deliver original designs that truly represent the laidback Australian lifestyle,” says David. “We have a curated offering, selectively producing products that we feel our customers will love. We’re always looking to the future, developing new ranges and keeping across ecommerce trends to ensure wherever our customers interact with RJ Living, they’re having the best possible experience.”

There are no automated bots and customers will always speak to a passionate and knowledgeable real person! “We love learning about our customers and how they want to transform their space, and being accessible for these insightful conversations is a key focus of ours,” David says.

In-house design is a key differentiator and at the core of everything they do. “We pride ourselves on a fantastic website, sales and customer care experience, but ultimately it’s our product range that speaks for us, especially as our customers will own an RJ Living piece for many years.”

David says you can’t truly create furniture for the Australian lifestyle unless you’re experiencing it yourself every day. “We’re always keeping an eye on Australian and global furniture trends and bringing those into our customers’ homes in our own way. It’s about creating with our customers in mind, to ensure seamless functionality and longevity in their homes for many years to come.”

So, what is this distinctly Australian way of life they’re designing for? It’s easygoing and friendly and with a love of the outdoors, David says. “That love for the outdoors and wanting to enhance the natural beauty of the home serves as a key inspiration for much of our range.”

Home has taken on a new meaning since the pandemic, with people really wanting to surround themselves with a space they truly love and is responsive to how they live. “We’re actively incorporating more tactility into our range, whether it be natural finishes, textural fabrics or woven rattan, which helps create a rounded space for spending extended time in,” David says. “We’re also focusing on versatile furnishings, allowing our customers to create spaces that are multi-use, while also visually appealing.”

RJ Living want you to love your home so much you never want to leave it (and with some of us currently in lockdown, that’s not a bad vision!).

Most of their customers are women in their 30s and 40s who are looking for something different to the mainstream. RJ Living consider their pricing to be mid-range, and very affordable for the quality. “We are concerned that the growth in disposable furniture is causing a negative environmental impact and we want our pieces to have a sustainable impact and longevity. We use sustainable materials wherever possible, ensuring the life of the furniture we are selling is extended as much as possible.”

At any point in its life, their solid oak furniture range can be lovingly renewed. Sanding and recoating will strip back a formed patina, and can push past stubborn stains and give the piece a new lease of life. “With legal measures protecting woodlands, all timber in our pieces is responsibly logged, ensuring longevity and care for these forests. Sustainability has become a key pillar in our design program, and something that we take very seriously.”

Storage pieces have been a big focus for the brand and their tv units, sideboards, buffets, and beds are hugely popular. A staff favourite is the Linear Range, which is an homage to weatherboard homes along the Australian coastline. “Our bestsellers constantly change and as we introduce new pieces to the range. Seeing designs we’ve brought to life receiving customer love is a massively rewarding experience for us.”

A big focus in 2021 is broadening their horizons and introducing new textures. They’re introducing a walnut furniture range, and there’ll be additions to their marble and rattan furniture ranges. “We also have a completely new project launching later in the year which we’re incredibly excited about. All we can say for now is that it’s of the upholstered variety, and to keep an eye out for more news!”

Ever evolving the customer experience as well as their range, they’ll soon introduce 3D and AR functionality to their website. Customers will be able to see a more detailed view of furniture pieces, as well as test them out in their homes, from the comfort of their screen. They’re also planning to introduce in-house delivery trucks, meaning they can provide the best end to end purchase experience.

Love the sound of all this? One lucky reader will win a $3000 voucher to spend at RJ Living. Simply complete the form below for your chance.

Shop Online at RJ Living

THE WINNER IS ELISE HODGSON

Not open to associates of Addicted Media or RJ Living and their immediate families. Open to Australian residents only. No cash alternative will be offered. Only one entry per person permitted. The winner will be chosen by Jen Bishop based on what she believes to be the best entry of 50 words or less. The competition starts at 7am on Thursday 15 July 2021 and closes at 5pm AEST on 29 July 2021. The winner will be announced within 48 hours of the closing date, on this blog post and via email to the winner.

Categories
Bathrooms Competitions Homewares Kitchens Shopping

Leading UK handwash brand brings affordable little luxuries to Australia

Sponsored by Baylis & Harding

The UK’s number one decor handwash brand Baylis & Harding is launching in Australia and as a Pom who knows it well, I’m excited!

The Baylis & Harding hand washes in my bathroom

The luxury yet affordable hand washes are inspired by interior design trends so, in good news for interiors addicts, they look as good as they smell! These stylish pump soaps have long been a fixture in English homes (and were in mine) and I’m thrilled I can now get them here in Australia. And at the supermarket no less!

The Elements Hand Wash Collection, featuring marble and timber effect bottles to complement your kitchen, bathroom or laundry, will be sold exclusively at Woolworths for $6.50 each. I’ve been lucky enough to give them a test run for you at home and the fragrances are divine! Made in the UK, the formula is also kind to your skin, thanks to Vitamin E’s added moisturising benefits (and with all the alcohol hand sanitising lately, that’s a win). They’re also cruelty and paraben free and vegan.

It sounds cliché, but I’m struggling to pick my favourite from these three gorgeous scents. If I really have to choose, it’s the woody and spicy Oud Wood & Bergamot:

  • Dark Amber & Fig: A blend of deep amber, cedar and fig notes infused with nourishing Vitamin E
  • White Tea & Neroli: Mouthwatering and refreshing notes of citrus and pear are combined with a delicate rose and freesia bouquet on a bed of ambery woods, musks and tonka.
  • Oud Wood & Bergamot: A dynamic spicy citrus fragrance featuring a vibrant pink pepper, saffron and gingerbread accord over a solar woody base, bringing a unisex touch to a masculine note.
This packaging looks right at home in my laundry!

We’ve all started to take more pride in our homes, entertaining in them and just enjoying them as our own little sanctuaries recently. I’ve always been a fan of injecting little luxuries into our everyday life and believe they have a real impact on our wellbeing and happiness. So whether that’s using a beautiful fragranced handwash, several times a day, buying the good brand of teabags, actually burning the fancy candle you were gifted or using your expensive perfume every day, even when you’re work from home, it all adds up to making us feel great!

Baylis & Harding are also great believers in everyday luxuries being for everyone; not just the rich and famous! Founded in 1970 in the heart of England, Baylis & Harding is a family business which has grown from humble beginnings to become an award-winning, international success story. Beautifully made, packaged and fragranced, they create products to be proudly displayed and lovingly used. 

You can grab your own Baylis & Harding Elements Hand Wash in Woolworths stores nationally from today (26 April 2021), priced at $6.50 each.

For more information

Competition

Head over to our Instagram for your chance to win one of five Baylis & Harding gift boxes for your mum, a deserving mum you know or a mother figure in your life. They each include three hand washes and two body washes.

Categories
Competitions Design Furniture Homewares Interviews

Win a rattan buffet from Freedom’s new range

Sponsored by Freedom

There’s a new look at Freedom and I like it. A lot! There’s also a new energy to the recently refreshed furniture and homewares brand, which is soon to celebrate its 40th anniversary. And lucky us, we have a beautiful buffet to give way to one lucky reader. But more on that later…

Freedom’s new range on display at Sydney’s La Porte Space last week

I was recently lucky enough to get a preview of the forthcoming Autumn/Winter 2021 range. Much of the furniture’s already in stores, with homewares to follow from next month. I was struck by the beautiful muted earthy colour palette, textures, high quality and curves in all the right places! The collection feels timeless and like it would work in so many different styles of homes, and all very well together.

It certainly feels like a departure from the “old” Freedom; altogether classier, more unique and definitely covetable! Put me down for one of those tan leather lounge chairs! The towels and bed linen coming soon, as well as lighting, are real highlights. And the sofa range, in leather and fabric, looks a lot more expensive than it is (with some of it, alongside some dining tables and chairs, now made here in Australia).

Head of Homewares Christie Maartensz explained some of the key differences for the new Freedom, with new in-house designers working in collaboration with product development buyers.

Head of Homewares Christie Maartensz

“We can now develop unique products that carry the Freedom handwriting, following the same integrity end to end. We are designing and buying products from around the world; developing new techniques, fabrications and materials with makers, weavers and suppliers. We develop collections, not standalone pieces.”

She said this will make shopping and pulling together a look much easier for customers as the homewares and furniture complement each other, as well as being designed and curated specifically for the Australian lifestyle. It’s hoped customers will embrace a timeless, versatile look and pieces that last for years, rather than buying too much into trends and ‘fast homewares’.

“We want products that are easy to decorate with, can be versatile, living in multiple rooms and will have longevity in quality, design and colour. We have really considered how we live and how these collections need to work in our homes.”

Christie, who has more than 20 years’ experience in homewares, especially textiles, adds: “We hope to see customers engaging with our products in stores, feeling confident in pulling stories together as we have developed products to be part of families.” And while the quality has been elevated, the affordable price point remains, with Freedom proud to own their mid-range niche; neither bargain basement disposable pieces nor expensive designer.

With 15 categories in homewares, Christie says it’s hard to pick a favourite from her babies, but some things she can’t wait to take home are the Boca linacel bed linen range (“it’s all about textures and layering with heavier matelassé coverlets to complete the bed”) and the new Speckle Turkish cotton marl towels. “I’m equally excited about  the Nesst coffee table and boucle Jervis sofa – beautiful!”

Christie adds: “There is a lot of great talent at Freedom and I am very grateful to be a part of the rebrand. We have an opportunity to really elevate a beautiful heritage brand and own the footprint; to be the one stop solution in furniture and homewares.”

SHOP WHAT’S NEW AT FREEDOM

Competition

For your chance of winning the beautiful whitewashed timber and rattan Callum buffet worth $1,699, please complete the form below by 5pm Sydney time on 11 March 2021. Open to Australian residents only. The winner will be announced within 7 days of the competition closing and the prize is not transferable.

The Callum buffet could be yours!

SHOP WHAT’S NEW AT FREEDOM

Photography: Lisa Rutledge

Categories
Architecture Competitions Design Designers Homewares

Winners of the Design Files + Laminex Design Awards 2020

This winners and commended projects in the The Design Files + Laminex Design Awards 2020 were recently announced in a live-streamed, online ceremony. The results showcase the incredible and diverse Australian talent that currently exists within the architecture and design industries.

Bismarck House by Andrew Burgess Architects (Residential Architecture award winner), Image: Caitlin Mills

10 winners and 19 commendations were awarded to a wide range of creatives from 119 finalists across the 10 awards categories: Residential Architecture, Interior Design, Collaboration, Emerging Designer, Furniture Design, Handcrafted, Landscape Design, Lighting Design, Sustainable Design or Initiative, and Textile Design.

Budge Over Dover by YSG Studio (Interior Design award winner), Image: Prue Ruscoe

The awards are an extension of Lucy Feagins’ The Design Files (TDF) blog.

Andrew Burgess Architects took out first place in the Residential Architecture category, for their work on Bismarck House. This urban oasis in the heart of Sydney’s Bondi emanates a soft industrial style, and utilises raw materials and sculpted spaces to integrate the house and garden.

Bismarck House, Image: Caitlin Mills

The winner of the Interior Design category was YSG studio, with their creation Budge Over Dover. As an ode to both whimsy and functionality, this coastal home was transformed into a gorgeously nuanced piece of art, combining and contrasting shape, texture, and colour. It was praised by the judges for the effective fusion of the renovation with the original structure of the house, which felt seamless and organic.

Budge Over Dover, Image: Prue Ruscoe

Jessie Fowler and Tara Ward, who formed the Fowler and Ward architecture practice in 2018, won the first prize in the Emerging Designer category. This company is focused on redesigning residential spaces in Melbourne, especially smaller homes, or developments where the population density is increasing while the character of the neighbourhood is preserved.

Image: Tom Blachford

There was also a significant increase in the number of First Nations designers and collaborative projects entered in 2020, which is reflected in winners and commended projects.

Pitjantjatjara woman Tjunkaya Tapaya, a senior artist with the Tjanpi Desert Weavers, took out the Handcrafted Design category for her Tjanpi Teapot woven from native grass, which represents a playful take on the important cultural practice of tea-making on the NPY (Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara) lands.

Image: Isobel Egan

Acclaimed Kudjla/Gangalu artist Daniel Boyd collaborated with architects Edition Office on For Our Country, the inaugural National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Memorial located on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country.

Image: Ben Hosking

The Textile Design award went to North – a not-for-profit lifestyle brand facilitating the economic agency of remote Aboriginal artists and art centres – for their Tiwi Strong Women’s Collection created in partnership with female artists from Jilamara, Munupi, and Ngaruwanajirri Art Centres.

Image: Hilary Faye

The major sponsors of the awards included Laminex, Brickworks, De’Longhi, Jardan, Country Road, and Phoenix Tapware.

“Celebrating a diverse cross section of designers and creatives from across Australia, The Design Files + Laminex Design Awards in 2020 has united us as a creative community, highlighting the remarkable strength and resilience of Australia’s creative industries,” said Lucy Feagins, founder of The Design Files.

For more on the winners, and to watch the awards ceremony

Categories
Competitions Design Designers

Dulux Colour Awards 2020 winners announced

The 2020 Dulux Colour Awards winners have been announced! The winner of the single residential interior category was Perfect Storm (NSW) by Green Anvil Co, Killing Matt Woods and Set For Art, a truly breathtaking apartment if you ask us! And perhaps not surprisingly, it’s the latest in more than a handful of awards the “concrete bunker” home has already won.

The judges said: “Avoiding the ubiquitous industrial cliché, this warehouse renovation is instead a Brutalist–inspired marvel. Its minimalism and clean, clutter-free aesthetic signals a commitment to the vision by both the clients and their design team.

“The use of a single colour and finish, with the appearance of concrete, on all painted surfaces, has a surprisingly warm cocooning effect, which is amplied by the soft curve where walls meet ceilings. It is utilitarian chic at its best – intimate, moody, balanced – and awarded for its simplicity and singularity.”

We love the project that was commended in this category too: Ruckers Hill House (VIC) by Studio Bright. This home, conversely, had a much more obvious and personal use of colour.

“At first sight, the unashamed distinction between old and new in this period home refurbishment and new addition is striking for its balance. Upon closer inspection, the embrace of individuality and its expression in saturated colour are equally remarkable elements of this project,” said the judges.

“Palettes have been devised to reflect the personal nuances of each room’s main occupant: the yellow of a beloved football team, a powder blue for its subtle femininity, and greens as backdrops for teen paraphernalia.

“The main bedroom incorporates its owner’s eclecticism, in contrasting pinks and greens. It is a unique palette that has driven design decisions and been cleverly employed to distinguish between the old and new architectural components, as well as the unique personalities within.”

See the full list of 2020 winners.

Photography: Kat Lu (Perfect Storm) and Rory Gardiner (Ruckers Hill House)

Categories
Competitions Homewares

Rug roundup: my pick of Early Settler’s gorgeous new collection

Sponsored by Early Settler

Read to the end for your chance to win one of three rugs of your choice to the value of $1,000!

Early Settler have just launched their latest rug range and, like those before it, it’s a cracker! And pardon the cliché, but there really is something for everyone. Plus, read to the end for your chance to win one for yourself to the value of $1000! We’re giving away not one but three!

My first pick, which I’ve ordered for our bedroom and Sebastian’s, is this wool blend Marrakesh Trellis ($699). You’ll know from previous posts that I don’t do wool in the high traffic areas of our home because I have grubby little boys and it can be very hard to keep clean when mishaps occur! But in bedrooms, where we don’t wear shoes and it’s nice to have something lovely and soft underfoot when you jump out of bed, I’m all for it!

This rug is a take on the traditional Moroccan style and it’s super versatile. You’ll always find a place for this rug in your home, even if you tire of it in one room or change things around (or move house!). It goes with so many interior styles, from Scandi to eclectic to modern. This one’s a pale grey with a charcoal pattern and a generous 240 x 300cm size. It’s hand tufted with 60% wool, 25% polyester and 15% cotton.

For those into a more natural, boho vibe, the Kaya Diamond rug ($599) is made from all-natural eco-friendly hemp with cotton. It has a lovely warmth and texture to it and a relaxed look. At 300 by 240cm it’s ideal for lounges or larger bedrooms, where you can place the bed on top of it and have a decent amount on either side. Some trendsetters say this year’s about warmer neutrals rather than greys, but I say there’s a place for both and it’s really more about your home and your personal taste and colour scheme, than what’s ‘in’. This is certainly a design which won’t date.

I really love the pattern, texture, soft blush colour and handy size of the Aditya Motif rug, which is pretty small at 150cm x 90cm. This makes it perfect for inside a door, under a desk, by the kitchen sink or in front of appliances in a laundry (do mix things up by adding rugs in unexpected rooms as that extra layer which makes them sing!). At just $59 for 100% cotton, why wouldn’t you give it a go?! If pink’s not your thing, there’s a blue floral version in the same size, with hints of my favourite navy.

If pattern and colour scare you a bit, or you don’t want your rug to be the hero of your room, choose something where the pattern’s quite literally woven into the rug, in one colour, like the Boho Chevron Woven ($599) which is a beautiful, textured statement in mid grey.

It’s a hardy hand woven mix of wool and viscose and at 150 x 240cm it’s perfect for smaller living rooms or bedrooms.

Conversely, if you do want your rug to make a bigger statement, check out this divine Botanical Snow floral number which is colourful and patterned without being too in your face! It’s digitally printed onto a polyester and cotton mix and could completely change the look of a room for $399 (150cm x 240cm). I’d use this in a guest bedroom.

Another subtle floral option is the sweet Chirala Daisy Chain hand blocked rug on a nice soft, not-too-girly blush. It’s cotton, 150cm x 180cm and a snip at just $159. This rug was recently seen on House Rules.

And just because there are so many great florals in this latest collection, I have to tell you about one more: the striking Floral Bliss, because it’s a showstopper! It’s a darker palette that’s softened by touches of the lightest pink. 80% wool and 20% polyester, it has a real luxury look and feel. It’s $699 for 150cm x 240cm.

Shipping is just $9.95 per rug Australia wide.

Check out the 2020 rug range look book

Categories
Competitions Design Expert Tips RENO ADDICT

Can an interior designer save you money? In a word, yes!

By Naomi Findlay

Read to the end for your chance to win a $997 virtual interior design consultation!

We all want our house to look like the pictures that grace the cover of home magazines but justifying the spend of an interior designer to help us achieve that goal can feel unattainable. Well what if I told you that using an interior designer can save you money? Seems a little odd right given it’s an extra expense that you need to fork out on top of the largest purchase you’ll ever make in your lifetime. But wait, let me explain how in fact we can save you money and time and create a beautiful space for you to enjoy!

Avoid expensive mistakes. Fixing a preventable mistake can end up blowing your budget and it’s an interior designer’s job to recognise these errors before it’s too late. Combining your vision and our know-how is why a designer should be hired as early into a project as possible.

Take advantage of trade discounts. Simply put, we receive special pricing on all items to do with interior design including fixtures, tiles, paint, furniture, appliances and décor. So, all that stunning furniture and décor you have been pining over is now attainable and at a very significant discount from retail pricing. By doing the maths on trade pricing, it can give you a basic idea of how much money can be saved at the very least. It’s as easy and awesome as that.

Time is money. That old saying applies here for a couple of reasons. Whilst it may take you months to figure out which paint, tiles, fixtures and design you want, we already have an excellent working knowledge about all of these options and can get this sorted and confirmed relatively quickly. The project management aspects of a renovation can be equally time consuming and frustrating. It’s our job to take this on for our clients and make sure everything runs smoothly – we liaise with your builders and give them precise, documented instructions so there are no miscommunications and costly mistakes made. We also can help ensure you employ the best trades for the work you require at a reasonable cost, both saving you time and money. A good designer makes the entire process easier and faster so that you can move on with the rest of your life.

Designers don’t follow trends. Designers simply don’t follow trends and replicate magazines that tend to focus on a current trend at any given time. This means you won’t have to re-do the space the minute the trend changes. A great interior designer helps you to identify which purchases matter for the future of your home and can spot quality immediately, helping you to make investments in pieces that will be both timeless and durable. Additionally, a great interior designer should focus on a little-known term called space medicine. This ensures that your space is designed taking into consideration our physical environment and the space we have to work with. Harnessing the power of light, colour, spatial arrangement and of course functionality, is a key. Interior designers save clients the heartache and unnecessary expense of a badly designed space.

Recycle, recycle, recycle. I personally love to upcycle anything I can, and give it a new purpose. And if you don’t have the budget to replace everything or want to save some existing pieces for keepsake reasons, who better than a professional designer to accomplish that for you?

Maximise the value of your house. We are trained to see the potential in a property and are skilled at maximising that potential to maximise your investment. Having a smart and professionally designed, beautiful space, will only increase the value of your home along with the number of potential buyers. While you may end up paying an interior designer for their services and the cost of materials now, this ends up saving you money along the way and potentially making you a profit when you receive a higher bid on your home. Investing money into your home right now can pay off later.

Naomi Findlay is a renovation and interior design expert, author of the best-selling books Sell Your Property for More Money and The Start Up Guide to Renovating For Wealth, design expert on the TV series Changing Rooms as well as the producer and host of YouTube shows, Renovie and The Reno Show.

She created Design Decisions to allow allow everyone from around the country the access to a professional interior designer offering advice, a moodboard, design schedule with exact details on all items you require, all carried out online, from the comfort of your home, anywhere, anytime. We all deserve an amazing and beautiful space to live and work.

Win a virtual interior design consultation

For your chance to win a virtual interior design consultation with Naomi, worth $997, complete the form below by 11.59pm AEST on Thursday 9 July 2020 and ensure you’re following @naomifindlayofficial on Instagram

The prize includes a one-hour video consultation with Naomi, a moodboard, a physical sample box through the mail where applicable, a design schedule which specifies every last detail and can act as a shopping list for your trades, and more.

Open to Australian residents only.

Categories
Bedrooms Competitions Decorating 101 Expert Tips Homewares

Mix and match bedding tips from Kip & Co

It’s the time of year where we’re all adding extra layers to our beds for warmth but the more we add, the harder it can be to achieve a cohesive look. And if you love the less formal mix and match look for your bed and you’ve tried it, you’ll know it can be pretty hard to pull off. So we asked our friends at Kip & Co to share their tips, because they sure know how to make a riot of colours, patterns and textures look effortless and amazing!

Even better, once you’ve learned how to do it, you have a chance to win a $500 Kip & Co voucher (more on that at the end).


1. Pick a palette. When you mix and match bedding, things can get a little wild, so having a colour to marry everything together is a great anchor point.

2. Choose your own adventure. Mixing and matching is awesome because you can really make it yours and find your own style. That might mean starting with a little pop of a print in the pillowcases, before you go full print pirate!

3. Layer lover. This is the perfect time of year to get into mix and matching because you’ve got so many layers to work with to create the perfect snuggly space. Use the quilt cover as your starting point and add fitted and flat sheets, pillows, euros, cushions, a throw and a valance.

4. Texture time.  Mix and matching isn’t just about throwing together prints and colours. Try to incorporate different textures every time you put a bed together and it’ll feel instantly more luxurious. Trial new textures with winter velvets or a chunky throw.

5. Play the long game. Think about the rest of your linen cupboard and pick pieces that will go with your linen “wardrobe”. The beauty of embracing mix and match is that there is no need for something to have just one “season”, everything you add to your collection should bring new life and love to your existing pieces.

For more on Kip & Co

More bedroom inspo

Categories
Competitions Styling

Heart Your Home challenge: June tasks & prizes!

I said we’d carry on the #interiorsaddictheartyourhome Instagram challenge until we were all out of lockdown, so this may be the last one. Let’s make it a goodie! The idea is, as you know, to help you all fall in love with your homes a bit more!

To keep it simple, I’m sharing all the coming week’s challenges and prizes below. You can do them all or just one.

Complete the task by midnight that day, snap a pic and share it on your Instagram feed (must be on public for us to be able to see it). Tag us @interiorsaddict and use the hashtag #interiorsaddictheartyourhome to be in with a chance of winning. Sometimes we love the captions more than the photos, so don’t forget your words too!

Good luck! Any questions, do drop them in the comments below!

Monday 15 June

Prize: A Cocolux Australia large Luna brass candle with onyx trivet in island fig, cassis and peach worth $100.

Task: Create a vignette somewhere unexpected in your home.

***

Tuesday 16 June

Prize: A $300 artwork voucher from United Interiors. They work with a global team of artists and designers to deliver curated contemporary artworks made to order.

Task: Move some things around to create a colour clash/pop somewhere in your home that excites you! You don’t have to commit to keeping it forever, but just step a little outside your colour comfort zone. It might inspire you!

***

Wednesday 17 June

Prize: A hand wash and lotion duo with tray (worth $79) in your choice of three scents from al.ive body, the new brand from former Blockheads Alisa and Lysandra. This will look fab in your kitchen or bathroom, and help with all the extra hand washing we’re doing at the moment!

Task: Do something special for your bathroom: get out some special bath salts you were gifted but haven’t opened, roll up all your clean towels and arrange them in a nice basket, move a pot plant in there, cut some foliage from the garden and put it by the sink, clear out the vanity. The choice is yours!

***

Thursday 18 June

Prize: A luxury sanitising scent from Have A Nice Day Goods (H.A.N.D)! Fragranced with Australian botanical essential oils with mood-enhancing benefits, the 50ml hydration bundle worth $44.95 contains a pocket size 10ml with a pouch and funnel, and a 50ml refill.

Task: Cosy up your lounge or bedroom for winter. Add a lamp, blanket, throw, rug, candle, for example. Doesn’t have to be new, you can pinch it from somewhere else in you home!

***

Friday 19 June

Prize: These two beautiful Marque vessels in terracotta, pink and grey, from OZ Design Furniture worth almost $165.

Task: Declutter. Anything you like, just declutter it and feel the smugness!

Saturday 20 June

Prize: This lightweight, versatile drawstring palest pink backpack (Squid Pocket Large) from iconic Aussie bag brand Crumpler worth $49. In celebration of the fact we are all getting out and about a bit more now, or to help us go for that socially distant picnic, bike ride or overnight stay.

Task: Give your handbag/backpack/work or nappy bag a tidy out and possibly even a clean! Replace only what you need, including your hand sanitiser, naturally! Satisfying much? This one’s not technically about your home, but we all have a bag that could do with some attention!

Sunday 21 June

Prize: Two fab new books from Hardie Grant: Simply Living Well by Julia Watkins and The Less Waste No Fuss Kitchen by Lindsay Miles.

Task: In the spirit of reusing and recycling, list something to give away on your local Freecyle or Facebook Group. Even if you could get a bit of money for it, just give it away. It’ll make you feel good, it’ll make the recipient feel great, and it’ll get something not loved or used out of your home! The hardest part will be making this task into a photo but you’ve got this!

Good luck! And if you’re confused about anything, do ask in the comments.

Categories
Appliances Competitions

The iRobot Braava jet m6 robot mop review + win one!

Regular readers will know I’m somewhat of a clean-freak so it’ll be no surprise that I jumped on the chance to try a top of the range robot mop! I already have a robot vacuum, Bertie, and we are great friends, so I couldn’t wait to see how a mop version could change my life! I’m here to give you my honest review, and the best part is, there’s a chance for you to win one of your own! More on that later.

The mop doing a great job of my kitchen/dining area

My friend Phoebe is the kind of person who does her research before committing to a big purchase (she probably had a spreadsheet comparing different models!) and she recently bought the iRobot Braava jet m6 robot mop. So when I was offered the chance to try the same, I already knew I was probably onto a good thing!

The m6 is iRobot’s first ever Wi-FI connected mop and the first to pair with the company’s newest robot vacuums. This means when the vacuuming is done, the Roomba i7+ can communicate with the new m6 that it’s time to start mopping. Mind blown? I know!

This smart home gadget mops multiple rooms, floor types and large spaces to deliver fresh floors throughout the entire home. You simply attach your preferred cleaning pad – wet mopping or dry sweeping – and the robot takes it from there. It uses fancy technology to get to know your home’s floor plan (and it will get better at it with practice), giving you total control to choose which rooms are mopped and when.

Using the easy iRobot HOME app, the m6 can be scheduled to mop a certain area at a certain time. Or you can manually press the CLEAN button and away it goes. You can even use Alexa or Google Home to start it cleaning but best not tell my five year old as he already drives me nuts with all his “OK Google!”

When the robot mop is finished cleaning, you simply place it over a bin (if you’re using the disposable pads) and hit the ‘eject’ button to drop it into the rubbish. I much prefer to use the washable and reusable pads though. If you set it to mop while you were out, you can view reports in the app to see where it cleaned and view other stats about the cleaning job. The m6 takes itself back to its docking station, complete with drip tray, when it’s done, or if it runs out of battery power before it’s done, it’ll take itself home, recharge, then resume by itself later.

So, what do I think? I (neat)freaking LOVE it! It does a good job, it’s great at getting around corners and right up to the edges of rooms and objects, it detects rugs and goes right around them and I didn’t see it spray a rug or a piece of furniture once. Like my robot vacuum, it goes under furniture and gets to places I would never normally have the inclination to! It’s also very quiet which means I can happily have it on in the background while I’m working from home (not the case with the vacuum in a one-storey house).

It’s really easy to set up (including the app), fill the tank and replace the pads. I barely skimmed the instruction manual. If I had I might have realised sooner that you can adjust how wet it gets the floor and I had it on maximum which led to a few instances of Charlie skidding around and slipping over (#mumfail!). I’m now using it on minimum wetness which is totally adequate and doesn’t leave the floors excessively wet. This means we can walk around (carefully) even when it’s in use. That said, it’s really up to you and common sense whether you’d run it when people are around or wait until you’re out, or in bed!

In the interests of an honest review, there are only a few downsides and they’re minor. The robot wasn’t able to get across the lip on the floor underneath a sliding door where the kitchen and living room meet. This can happen with anything 3mm or above which I’m guessing is the same thing that stops it mounting your rugs which is a good thing! So I have to physically place the m6 in the living room/entry after it’s done the kitchen/dining but that’s ok. It also makes it easier in some ways to do these areas separately.

It’s not super quick but that make sense when you consider it needs to do a thorough job without having a human behind it, pressing down on the mop to get the job done quicker. Like watching paint dry or the kettle boil, it can get a bit painful, but that’s why you should just leave it and get on with everything else that needs doing in our busy lives! If you’re going to watch the mop do its thing you might as well be doing it yourself! My top tip is to put it on when you go to bed and wake up to clean floors. How amazing does that feel? Very! To give you an idea, the m6 takes around an hour to do either my living room/entry or my kitchen/dining but they’re pretty large spaces with a lot of ‘obstacles’ to get around. It can do both these areas without running out of water too.

You have to use the special iRobot cleaning solution which isn’t cheap at $19.95 for 473ml and you can’t pick it up at the supermarket. I also really miss the smell of my favourite Method almond floor cleaner but as they say, you can’t have it all! And I don’t miss mopping the floors myself! I should also mention that it claims to be able to do the job with water only, so you don’t actually need to buy their solution. I haven’t tried this yet though.

A robot mop is definitely a luxury item but if you have mostly hard floors like us and you’re a busy household, or you have kids and pets making a lot of mess, it could be a game changer for your family. And I always think if you’re going to invest in something like this, it pays in the long run to get the best out there.

The Braava jet® m6 robot mop, RRP $1149, is available for purchase online and in major electrical retailer stores. It comes with pads and a sample of cleaning solution (good for two tanks). Additional reusable washable wet and dry cleaning pads are available for purchase separately.

Today, iRobot is a global enterprise that has sold more than 25 million robots worldwide, including the Roomba robot vacuums. Their engineers are building an ecosystem of robots and technologies to enable the smart home.

Like the sound of it? For your chance to win, complete the entry form below and make sure you’re following both @interiorsaddict and @irobotaustralia on Instagram. Entries close at midnight AEST on 11 June 2020. See Ts&Cs below.

Terms & Conditions: Offer is open to all Australian residents except employees and immediate families of Addicted Media (Interiors Addict), associated companies and agencies and participating outlets. Delivery is free of charge for all iRobot Mops. The prize includes the iRobot Braava jet m6 Robot Mop, excluding accessories and bundle packs. This offer is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram.

Disclosure: I was gifted this robot mop for the purposes of this review and my views are honest and my own.

Categories
Competitions Design

Dulux paint: 2020 Colour Awards finalists announced

When it comes to our mood, the transformative power of colour is well documented. And while we’re all searching for little pick-me-ups (to escape the unfolding horror), the arrival of the 2020 Dulux Colour Awards finalists is a welcome distraction indeed. Currently in its 34th year, the 107 finalists span a variety of categories, but it’s the residential ones that interest us the most. From suede effects to bold coloured joinery, there’s an abundance of inspiration to be found.

Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. St Kilda Residence by Doherty Design Studio. Photographer: Derek Swalwell
Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. St Kilda Residence by Doherty Design Studio. Photographer: Derek Swalwell

“Architects and designers have set a new precedent with this year’s awards program submissions. They have exhibited original and masterful use of both colour and texture in their design approach, creating sophisticated interior and exterior spaces,” says Andrea Lucena- Orr, Dulux Colour planning and communications manager.

Suede effects
No longer a 1990s’ relic, suede effect walls appear to be back on trend, though interpreted through a modern lens.  “We have seen the emergence of textures, such as concrete effects, patinas, French ash and Suede Effects in both commercial and residential spaces. Repetition of these textures paired with unexpected tones was apparent, such as yellow, red and coral in the form of accent walls, cabinetry, doors, skylights and trims,” says Andrea.

Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Perfect Storm by Green Anvil Co, Killing Matt Woods, Set for Art. Photographer: Kat Lu.
Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Perfect Storm by Green Anvil Co, Killing Matt Woods, Set for Art. Photographer: Kat Lu

Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Orchard House by Chelsea Hing. Photographer: Rhiannon Taylor.
Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Orchard House by Chelsea Hing. Photographer: Rhiannon Taylor

Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Budge Over Dover by Amber Road. Photographer: Prue Ruscoe.
Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Budge Over Dover by Amber Road. Photographer: Prue Ruscoe

Coloured cabinetry
From emerald green to coral and a variety of blue shades, there’s barely a white cabinet to be found in the finalist list. Statement making, we think these bold shades are a fabulous alternative to run-of-the-mill, neutral tones.

Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Malvern Residence by Doherty Design Studio. Photographer: Derek Swalwell
Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Malvern Residence by Doherty Design Studio. Photographer: Derek Swalwell

Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Orchard House by Chelsea Hing. Photographer: Rhiannon Taylor
Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Orchard House by Chelsea Hing. Photographer: Rhiannon Taylor

Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Centennial Park House by Balmoral Blue House by Esoteriko Interior Architecture.Photographer: David Wheeler.
Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Centennial Park House by Balmoral Blue House by Esoteriko Interior Architecture.Photographer: David Wheeler

Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Brunswick Residence by Lucy Bock Studio Photographer: Derek Swalwell.
Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Brunswick Residence by Lucy Bock Studio Photographer: Derek Swalwell

Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Ruckers Hill House by Studio Bright. Photographer: Rory Gardiner
Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Ruckers Hill House by Studio Bright. Photographer: Rory Gardiner

Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Bourke Street Apartment by Fowler and Ward. Photographer: Tom Blachford.
Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Bourke Street Apartment by Fowler and Ward. Photographer: Tom Blachford

Green & timber
Our obsession with the outdoors continues with many of the projects using tranquil green tones alongside timber in all its forms. “Many briefs discussed the need for the space to be conducive for rest and a connection to nature, which translated to the employment of botanicals and natural materials, such as timber in both interiors and exteriors,” says Andrea.

Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Concrete Blonde by Carter Williamson. Photographer: Katherine Lu.
Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Concrete Blonde by Carter Williamson. Photographer: Katherine Lu

Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Gillies Hall by Jackson Clements Burrows. Photographer: Peter Clarke.
Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Gillies Hall by Jackson Clements Burrows. Photographer: Peter Clarke

Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Angophora Pavillion by Ava Shirley Architect. Photographer: Michael Nicholson and James Deck
Dulux Colour Awards 2020 – Residential Interior. Angophora Pavillion by Ava Shirley Architect.
Photographer: Michael Nicholson and James Deck

The judging panel will select winners and commended projects across the six categories. The Australian Grand Prix title is also up for grabs with a $5000 AUD prize in Australia, and $5000 NZD on offer in New Zealand.

The judging panel includes Adele Winteridge, Director of Foolscap Studio; Jean-Pierre Biasol, Director of Biasol Design Studio; Jonathan Richards, Director of Richards Stanisich Architecture; Kathryn Robson, Director of Robson Rak Architects & Interiors; and Toni Brandso, Director of New Zealand’s Material Creative.

Winners will be announced in the coming months.

For more on the awards | Painted brick houses: Three readers share before & afters