As you know, we’re big Designers Guild fans around here so we’re delighted to share with you some homewares picks for the Australian Spring from the woman herself, Tricia Guild. And one lucky reader will win a quilt cover and pillowcases of their choice to refresh their bedroom for the warmer months. But more on that later…
Tricia Guild shares her homewares picks for the Australian Spring
‘‘There is a beautiful moment between the shifting seasons that I absolutely adore,” Tricia tells us. “It’s the perfect time to embrace those crucial little changes that will breathe vitality into the home again. I much prefer to evolve my home seasonally, with a focus on the smaller elements rather than making any radical changes.
“Our Spring accessories collection features rich and expressively coloured designs in such beautiful, soft and tactile textures – perfect for the warmer months. I like to pair prints and plains together, to maintain that sense of balance and harmony.’’
Aubriet Fuchsia bed linenMercer steel and alchemilla ned linen
Tricia says colour is the ultimate stimulant. “It awakens the senses and brings instant joy. Making it perfect for bed linen.’’
Biella emerald and teal bed linen
She also highlight these round and oval rugs; a a new shape for Designers Guild this season. “They have such a contemporary feel to them and look beautiful when layered.’’
Rossolo cobalt rug
COMPETITION
You could win any (in stock) Designers Guild duvet cover and two pillowcases of your choice from the new Australian online store. Simply check out the many options available then complete the form below with your choice of prize (and bed size) should you win, by 5pm AEST on Thursday 2 November 2017. Open to Australian residents only.
I have a confession: I am addicted to house porn… and don’t worry it’s not as X-rated as it sounds. Rather, it’s the act of checking out the most lust-worthy, jaw-dropping residences and dreaming of winning the lottery so you can call them home!
Designed by Adelaide Bragg
The 2017 House & Garden Top 50 Rooms is perfect for fellow addicts. Now in its 19th year, the competition celebrates the crème de la crème of Australian residential design. Whittled down from hundreds of entries, the rooms are as diverse as they are stunning with beautifully functional kitchens to ingenious living spaces and dreamy bedrooms.
Designed by Lisa Burdus
This year’s overall winner is a luxurious sunken living room, designed by Melbourne architect, Dina Malathounis of Junctions90. Blending a neutral palette with a spectacular open fire, it has oversized glass windows that lead to the backyard.
Designed by Dina Malathounis
With an esteemed judging panel including Australian House & Garden‘s editor in chief Lisa Green, interior designer Dana Tomic-Hughes of Yellowtrace and colour expert Lucy Sutherland; the categories range from Best Kitchen to Best Use of Colour and Best Use of Materials.
Designed by Louise WalshDesigned by Splinter Society
Six states are represented in the Top 50, with a blind judging process guaranteeing an unbiased result. As Room of the Year designer, Dina receives a trip for two to Paris for the Maison & Objet fair in January 2018. We are jealous!
Early Settler have released a new rug range and it’ll knock your socks off! I am seriously impressed. There’s something for every taste: colourful, textural, organic, neutral, rectangular and round (even oval, in fact!). I’ve picked just a few of my favourites, which was no easy task! If you love them as much as I do, there’s a chance to win your favourite, but more on that later…
I’ve long said there’s a lack of great rugs available to the general public in Australia. There’s plenty of the cheap-as-chips or luxury and bank-breaking, but we’re a bit lacking when it comes to something in the mid range price point which is both high quality and unique design. Not anymore!
First up, will you look at these amazing blush options? Clearly, this on trend colour is going nowhere anytime fast and it’s a really different idea to use pink on the floor rather than just cushions and throws, for example. These rugs have me wanting to inject some serious girly tones into my own home!
The gorgeous shimmer effect on the lefthand side (and below) is created with handwoven 100% chenille and feels velvety soft underfoot. Ideal for low traffic areas of the home where you’d like to inject a little glam! The one on the right, which I think I love even more, dials it down a little on the femininity but makes up for it in texture. It’s handwoven with a subtle geometric pattern.
Vintage Plum rug
Now, I appreciate not everyone’s brave enough for a coloured rug, however subtle, so I’ve picked some more neutral options too. I’ve earmarked this one for my own living room! The handwoven flat weave rug will bring an instant contemporary look to your room.
Braided Diamond and woven rug
Also in the same neutral and textural vein is this beauty, below. Now, clearly every room in your house can benefit from a rug, except perhaps the kitchen and bathroom. You knew, that, right? They’re not just for living rooms! You’ll be amazed what the right rug can add to your room; it can even set the tone for the whole scheme.
Diamond Trelis rug
We are seeing a lot of this mustard colour (below) lately and it’s a surprisingly easy one to work with. We love the simple repeat pattern on this wool and cotton number.
Belo oval mustard on cream hand woven rug
Here’s a great example of why you don’t have to have a kiddy rug in a kid’s room. This one adds texture, is comfy underfoot, is hardwearing and would work just as well in a teenager’s room as a toddler’s. Tick, tick, tick! It’s also fully reversible.
Flint Block hand woven rug
The nation’s love affair with a round jute rug has also stood the test of time and these beautiful and very hardwearing designs really can work anywhere in the home. It’s also great to have the option of adding a circle to your room to offset all the right angles. I particularly love how Early Settler have breathed new life into this kind of rug by offering it in blush pink and dusky blue as well as au naturel.
Cochin jute rugsCochin Jute hand stitched rug in Natural, Blush and Sable
This is just a small curation from the entire Journey Home Collection, inspired by the colours of India and reminiscent of the majesty of a bygone era. The rugs have been hand picked to complement Early Settler’s furniture ranges, but at the same time I guarantee you there’ll be something for all of you which would work in with your existing home decor. Master craftsmen and woman have followed time honoured techniques to make every rug entirely from hand, meaning each one is totally unique and special.
I love Early Settler’s eclectic, well-travelled vibe and the fact their pieces can work in any home (everything in these photos is from Early Settler); you’d never quite know if they were new, a treasured heirloom or something brought back from an overseas trip. They’ve been combing the globe for individual furniture and homewares for more than 30 years, to help customers create homes they love living in. And we really believe your home should make you feel great too!
How on earth do you place a rug in your bedroom?
We know many of you struggle with this. Helpfully, Early Settler have put together these three suggested layouts to give you some inspiration!
Don’t have an Early Settler store near you? Don’t worry, you can also buy them online.
WIN
Early Settler are giving away six rugs from this beautiful collection. All you have to do for your chance to win is vote for your favourite. ENTER NOW.
We’ve been teasing you on social media for days but today it’s finally time to reveal our biggest competition EVER, offering you an amazing $10,000 towards that home reno project you’ve been dying to get done but couldn’t afford to. We’ve teamed up with Latitude Financial Services to bring you this, our biggest giveaway ever!
Whether you put the money towards a major project (or something that has been waiting to be finished!) or use it to completely cover the cost of a smaller project, there are so many things you could achieve with 10 grand, from a bathroom or kitchen refresh to new window coverings or flooring throughout your home, that dream custom built-in entertainment and shelving unit in the living room, a new deck…
This is your chance to Better Your Home in our competition of the same name!
Here are some of our top ideas for what you could spend the money on, depending on the size and age of your home/room and complexity of your project:
Create a walk-in wardrobe
Built-in custom shelving for your living room
A bathroom refresh with new vanity, shower screen, bath and toilet
Install skylights to let more natural light in
Completely make over a room with paint, flooring, window coverings, furniture and homewares
Replace all/some of your flooring
Replace all your lights with new ones/have downlights installed
A new front door and porch
Plantation shutters installed in key rooms
New/custom built-ins in bedrooms
Replace all your internal and external doors
Have older doors replaced with bi-folds/French doors
Replace your laminate kitchen benchtop with stone and a new splashback
Have the exterior of your house painted
Have the interior of your house painted
Knock down a wall to create an open plan space
Replace your ageing windows
Create custom, built-in storage for a multitude of uses
Makeover your laundry with new floor, paint, cabinetry, benchtop and sink
Create a basic outdoor kitchen
Update/create a deck outside
Turn your garage into a workshop/studio
As someone who is currently planning renos, I know firsthand that everything costs more than you think it will, especially when you get trades involved and have to factor in labour. With house prices as they are, by the time you’ve struggled to buy your home, there’s often not much left over to get it looking how you want it. This is such an amazing opportunity for someone and I can’t wait to see what the winner does with the money. We’ll be sharing the before and after with you here too!
Is your bedroom more drab than fab?Would you love to TRANSFORM it like this?
For your chance to win, we’re simply asking you to share what you’d do with the money and why you deserve to win, and send us a photo of the space you’re looking to make better.
The winner will also get a Skype call with me and our resident renovation expert, the extremely talented and experienced Naomi Findlay, with more than 100 renos to her name. We can’t wait to bounce ideas around with you!
Please ensure you read the terms and conditions carefully. Entries close Sunday 30 July 2017 at 11.59pm AEST.
Taking out top honours in the ‘Best Residential Interior,’ ‘Best Residential Design’ and ‘Best Residential Bathroom Design’ (joint winner) categories, Smart Design Studio’s ‘Indigo Slam’ made quite the splash at the recent 2017 Belle Coco Republic Interior Design Awards night.
Smart Design Studio’s ‘Indigo Slam’ project
The Sydney home, created as a gallery space for one of Australia’s foremost art collectors is, rather fittingly, equal parts sculpture and private residence.
Smart Design Studio’s ‘Indigo Slam’ project
Currently in its seventh year, the awards are hosted by Belle magazine and the premium furniture and homewares purveyor Coco Republic. This year saw 270 submissions battle it out across nine categories including residential, commercial and hospitality divisions.
The Rado Emerging Design Star award recipient Yasmine Ghoniem’s (Amber Road) ‘Deco House’ project
“Congratulations to all our winners and entrants. Year on year, the awards showcase the innovative thinking that shapes the Australian interior design industry and this year was just exceptional. It is always a privilege to see the outstanding work of the brightest talents in our field,” said Tanya Buchanan, the editor of Belle magazine.
‘Interior Designer of the Year’ SJB’s ‘Redfern Terrace’ project
The ‘Interior Designer of the Year’ award was taken out by the interior design directors of SJB, Jonathan Richards and Kirsten Stanisich.
B.E. Architecture’s ‘Hamden Road Residence’ won the ‘Best Residential Bathroom Design’ category together with Smart Design Studio for their ‘Indigo Slam’ project
Hosted by property expert Naomi Findlay, the upcoming 2017 National Home Staging Symposium hits Melbourne on July 8 and 9 with a wealth of information on offer for aspiring home stagers. And this year, two attendees will be eligible to win scholarships to advance their home staging careers too.
“The aim of the event is to explore, indulge and educate you about the world of home staging as it evolves and grows in Australia,” says Naomi. Attendees can expect to get the inside scoop on the Australian home staging scene and they’ll learn how to run an online business alongside a bricks and mortar one as well as how to build relationships with real estate agents and how to build a team of stylists and trades.
Naomi Findlay
“We’ll also teach you how to make money through establishing a large client base, how to create a work/life balance and how to implement insurance strategies to protect your career and business too,” says Naomi. Other practical considerations covered include knowing what trends to use and which to avoid, social media (which sites should you be using?) and how to establish your target market.
Last year’s event
And while the event is open to anybody, Naomi has a few specific people in mind that could benefit. “Property stylists or those with a passion to enter the industry should attend as you will have the opportunity to meet and network with new people who are on a similar journey. I think real estate agents and renovators would benefit also, especially if they’re looking to increase their knowledge of the home staging scene.”
And as if that wasn’t enough enticement, there’s also two scholarships up for grabs: “One lucky attendee will be given the opportunity to study the Art of Home Staging and Advanced Home Staging Courses with the International Institute of Home Staging (IIHS) as well as a six-month Shine membership with IIHS. The total prize is valued at over $2,400,” says Naomi. The other scholarship is a mentoring one and is worth $3,300. “The mentoring scholarship will provide the winner with the IIHS mentoring program for three months and a six-month Shine membership too,” says Naomi.
Here at Interiors Addict, we know there are a huge number of amazing Australian makers whose success is being held back by them needing a little help in the business, branding or marketing departments. They’re designing amazing homewares that deserve a much larger audience but often these passionate creatives aren’t getting their name out there because they’re too busy, well.. creating! After all, that’s what they’re good at and comes naturally. Imagine if they could have a little affordable mentoring in the other facets of running a successful small business?
Angela Nash of Coco & Milo had a mentoring session with D’Alton Baker Productions
Introducing D’Alton Baker Productions; two women –Angela D’Alton and Renée Baker– with years of experience at brands like Etsy and Finders Keepers, now offering mentoring for small creative businesses. Not only that, but they can help you with social media, newsletters and events. And they’re running online courses too. We set them up with our reader Angela Nash, of textile brand Coco & Milo, to test out their offering!
Angela (D’Alton) launched Australian maker blog and web store leeloo.com.au and is a former community manager in charge of seller education at Etsy Australia. She later worked for Garage Sale Trail and The Finders Keepers. An artist and maker herself, business partner Renée has also been responsible for building the social media presence of Etsy Australia, Koskela and The Finders Keepers.
With her third and final son Felix now a little older, our guinea pig Angela (Nash) is keen to take her home-based business to the next level. “I’ve struggled to look beyond the creative side and actually focus on it as a business!” she admits. “I am a creative soul and not fantastic at the marketing and PR of my brand or myself for that matter. I wanted to seek advice from two lovely ladies whose job it actually was to focus on those things.”
The ladies from D’Alton Baker Productions share their wisdom with Angela
Renée says: “Ange has already spent over six years building this brand quite successfully. She has a keen eye for colour and her ‘sewmanship’ provides an outlet for her attention to detail, allowing her to create premium handmade cushions of exceptional quality. Once she executes a few of our suggestions, we believe she’ll hit the ground running with her attractive homewares offering!”
Angela was the first to admit her photos weren’t doing her products justice. Renee adds: “They weren’t really capturing the stunning colour and soft feel of her creations in the way that’s optimal for online shopping, design market applications and social media. We’ve given her a few ideas on how to either boost her own photography skills, or how to work with a professional photographer in order to increase the likelihood of her online following desiring her divine pieces in their own homes.”
A hand sewn, hand block printed Coco & Milo cushion
Renée and Angela also put the hard word on her about charging more! “It’s a very common mistake amongst self-employed makers to not cover their own time in their costs and pricing, therefore sacrificing their hard work by wanting to make their items more affordable. We’ve provided a pricing guideline for Ange to closely consider so that her time is adequately covered, otherwise she’s simply working very hard at an expensive hobby. This also ensures that Ange is truly considering all of the costs of running her business whilst aspiring to grow.”
Angela (left) and Renee from D’Alton Baker Productions
Ange says there were a few lightbulb moments from the mentoring session at her home: “I think the most important point was to focus on photography. As Coco & Milo is online primarily, it’s important for the customer to visualise how their cushion, table runner etc would fit with their decor. Also the importance of social media including Instagram and connecting with likeminded creatives on Facebook groups to gauge honest feedback (because often friends will tell you just how fabulous it all is!).”
She is now feeling motivated to grow her business thanks to Angela and Renée’s help. “They were so warm and welcoming right from the get go. They understand how hard it is for small business owners, especially mamas and trying to juggle life and work from the kitchen table. They made me feel that I had an amazing product, told me to start patting myself on the back more and to project my passion into the brand.
Our favourite cushion from Coco & Milo’s kids’ range (also suitable from grown-ups!)
“They spoke in easy, relatable terms not mumble jumble like a lot of startup business guides and definitely knew what they were talking about. They spoke from experience and their passion and enthusiasm for helping people is clearly evident. I can’t wait to make them proud!”
Renée said: “The mentorship meeting provided some obvious relief to Ange, in that she found comfort in knowing that she is not actually alone, had some of her questions answered and suspicions confirmed. We’ve helped her with some networking ideas, and worked as a sounding board for her concerns, while answering some of those nagging issues she simply wasn’t sure how to fix herself, or didn’t know where to go to for help.
“The maker industry is right in our zone! We are able to provide assistance to new business starters, those that are a little stuck or unsure right through to the more established makers who are keen for some advice on setting up systems as they expand or people who just plain want some advice on what to do next. We can provide guidance on where to go for help, as well as giving honest feedback and direction for those needing a nudge.”
For your chance to win the rainbow cushion pictured, follow Coco & Milo on Instagram, find any picture of it in their feed and and hashtag it #iwantthatrainbowcushion by midnight on Friday 31 March 2017. Good luck!
We think it goes without saying that the sort of people who love playing 7 Vignettes have an appreciation for beautiful stationery, and that’s just what the winner of next month’s Instagram challenge can win! Thanks to our latest sponsor Blushing Confetti, we have these great themes and the winner will get a $250 stationery pack.
I love these themes, do you?!
Blushing Confetti are a Brisbane-based brand who design (and mostly print) everything right here in Australia. We love that they also hand assemble most of their packages, often adding a handwritten note. Cant beat the personal touch! As well as gorgeous stationery they also make prints for your home, calendars, wrapping paper and more. If it involves paper of gold foil, they’re into it!
For all the details about how to take part, go here. The fun starts on Saturday 1 April for seven days. Good luck and have fun!
Australian furniture and homewares purveyor Curious Grace has just added the super stylish Industrial M furniture range to their line-up of highly covetable goods. “It is the marriage of Miss Scandi and Mr Industrial, the yin and yang of our favourite design types here in Australia. We call it Scandi Industrial and the label has a warehouse vibe about it for easy, relaxed, Australian living,” says Curious Grace co-founder and buyer Anna Curnuck.
Industrial M coffee table in graphite, $839
As the name suggests, the furniture’s styling is primarily industrial in feel and the pieces feature natural oak paired with powdercoated metal in either white or graphite. “The collection offers great unpretentious design, extremely high quality and, importantly, affordability. Constructed of solid oak with steel legs and a powdercoat finish, it’s designed to be used and to last, not just to look cute and be disposed of,” says Anna. We like the sound of that!
Industrial M TV unit 150 in white, $1275
The range includes dining tables, coffee tables, bar tables, dining chairs, bar stools, bench seats, sideboards, TV units and consoles and, while you can peruse the range online, it’s also on display at the Curious Grace showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne.
Industrial M Extension dining table, $2449
“My favourite pieces are the console, sideboard and the extension table. I love the fact that the grain of the timber extensions goes the opposite way to the main table length – it’s just a little rebellious, the way we like it,” says Anna of the stylish, extendable dining table.
Industrial M bar table and stools
And given the simple colour palette, the range really lends itself to mix and match styling too. “Pairing a black table with white and black chairs looks great – very monochromatic and urban. Mixing up the chairs and a bench seat also looks great. You can also make it your own by styling it with a mix of what you already have,” says Anna.
Industrial M sideboard in graphite, $2780
To celebrate the launch of the range, we have one of the fabulous Industrial M consoles available to win in your choice of either white or graphite. Valued at $985, the versatile furniture item makes for a fabulous prize! Just complete the form below by 6pm on Friday 17 March 2017 for your chance. Open to Australian residents only.
Enter to win this gorgeous Industrial M console, $985, in your choice of white or graphite
In the new (and very pretty) book Home, interior decorator Emma Blomfield guides you from room to room, empowering you to create a look you love and a space you are proud to show off—without breaking the bank or starting from the ground up.
And we have 10 copies to give away to lucky readers, but more on that later!
Emma demystifies the five elements of decorating—needs and wants, colour and pattern, shape and size, placement, and lighting—and shows how easy it can be to apply them to each room in your house. Whether you’re refreshing your look, moving in, organising your home office, decorating a nursery or creating an outdoor oasis, Emma’s tried and-tested advice will inspire and guide you.
Including original illustrations, clever floor plans, practical decorator’s tips and styling 101s, Home is a timeless handbook for anyone who has ever doubted their decorating ability, or craved a helping hand through the process.
Emma runs a successful interior styling business and in 2015 she launched The Decorating School, an online school that teaches homeowners how to decorate their homes with confidence. Emma’s previous experience as a property stylist and with an online furniture and homewares store gave her the industry exposure she needed to set up her own business. She spotted a gap in the market for e-decorating and has pioneered making interior design accessible, affordable and available via the web to homeowners and renters across Australia.
Emma Blomfield
Emma consults in person in Sydney. Her high-profile jobs include styling the homes of pop star Guy Sebastian and X-Factor winner Samantha Jade. She also travels around Australia, bringing her decorating knowledge to a wider audience by teaming up with homewares retailers and teaching locals the principles of decorating and styling through interactive workshops.
With that watercolour cover, we think Home will look great on your coffee table too!
Interiors Addict is exclusively offer a scholarship to The Decorating School’s signature eCourse Plan Decorate Live. The six-week online eCourse (which usually costs $497) is designed to teach you everything you need to know to design and decorate your home – including how to analyse your space, how to use colour, how to buy and position furniture, how to use pattern, texture and soft furnishings, and so much more.
The lessons include videos, worksheets, PDFs, checklists, buying guides, masterclasses from guest experts, as well as a lots of other goodies. You’ll get the complete Plan Decorate Live eCourse (including all modules and bonuses) plus access to the exclusive Facebook community and private Pinterest boards.
For your chance to win, complete the form below, telling us, in 100 words or less, what your decorating dilemma is and why you want to take part in Plan Decorate Live. Entries close at midnight on Wednesday 1 March 2017.
The course will open for enrolments on 5 March 2017.
I told you we had a great prize coming up for the next round of 7 Vignettes and I’m excited to share it, and the themes, with you today. Thanks to our sponsor Choices Flooring, the winner will receive $2,000 to spend on flooring, be that timber, laminate, carpet, bamboo, luxury vinyl, tiles or, if you’re renting, rugs! That’s enough to cover (pardon the pun) at least one room in your home and give it a much needed facelift. I always say you can never underestimate the transformation of a new floor or a fresh coat of paint!
Temuka Langdale carpet in Bistro
The fun starts on Wednesday 1 March 2017 over on Instagram and to take part, you need to post a photo a day for seven days corresponding to the themes below:
Our usual guidelines can be found here. You’ll need to tag @choicesflooring and @interiorsaddict and use the hashtag #7vignettes The prize is only open to Australian residents but anyone can take part for fun.
United Interiors have launched a colourful and on trend new 2017 collection styled by James Treble and our #UIStylistScout competition winner Jen Waite.
“Styling with James — what a blast! He was so wonderful to work with, really easy going, fun and so eager to let me get stuck into the styling,” Jen said. “He was great in sharing his industry experience and tips and tricks with me. I came away feeling tired but thoroughly pleased with what we’d achieved for the campaign.”
The photoshoot focused on the new artwork and rug collections, and Jen and James picked their favourite furniture pieces and new accessories from the Melbourne showroom to complete the look.
The 2017 art collection was curated with diversity in mind. They wanted to offer something for every home and every palette. It focuses on colour and movement, with mostly minimalist abstracts, a handful of figurative pieces and botanical designs. The result is an eclectic assembly of colours, textures and contrast; tied together with a dramatic theme and pops of electric summer hues.
The summer 2017 rug collection, designed with James, continues to focus on the natural and textural elements that are predominantly handmade. They’ve introduced more colour to the collection, concentrating on the weave, offering interesting textures and styles, as opposed to patterns and prints. There’s a focus on coastal, contemporary and tribal.
Jen was one of two finalists who took part in a style-off at the United Interiors showroom at the end of last year. Our readers then voted for their favourite styled image. “Styling the campaign was quite different to the style-off,” Jen says. “United Interiors provided the brief and there was a clear direction in which to head which was great. For the style-off, I had completely free rein to come up with a look that suited myself, and in some ways the lack of brief made it more difficult. The style-off only involved one look, whereas the campaign involved multiple looks, so we moved much more quickly and were finalising pieces for the next shoot while the last was being photographed.”
Jen said this was the first time she’d worked with such a well known brand and industry professional and she loved it! “It’s given me invaluable industry experience and I learnt so much. The reactions from the community have been really encouraging and supportive, and I found a lot of people came out of the woodwork to congratulate me, which was so unexpected and lovely. The campaign, working with United Interiors and James and being paid to do it was amazing, but the support from the community really blew me away.”
Her own favourites from the new range? “Namibian which is more a monochromatic look with a touch of colour, and Beyonce Blue (below) which has a real contrast of light and dark.
“I also love Nether Streams (below) in the acrylic round artwork range – an interesting take on an abstract/resin/marble look. Hard to choose favourites though!”
James, who has been collaborating with United Interiors since 2015, thinks Jen will go far: “It was great working with another creative on the photo shoot. What Jen lacks in experience she more than makes up for in creativity, energy and ideas. Like many out there, she has a great eye and as she simply loves styling, she learns fast, takes direction so well and has her own very strong and valid design voice! I had a great day working with Jen.”
James loves the new collection. “There’s an eclectic mix of styles, colours and tones, making it easy to create totally different looks with the change of a canvas! I like the dramatic pieces with a dash of vibrant colour to really make your room pop. Very summer chic. Of course, I couldn’t go past the new accessories we styled with – in particular there was a printed cockatoo cushion (below) that really sung out to me – no pun intended.
“I particularly love the new product category coming soon in 2017 — the acrylic prints (sneak peek in the very top image). The team at United Interiors have been developing this new artwork for a while, using modern print technology to create artworks printed onto acrylic material. The reflection adds another dimension to the work.”
Here’s a behind the scenes video of James and Jen at work!
It’s the last 7 Vignettes of the year, and for many of you, the favourite, as we always weave in a festive feel to the themes! This month’s challenge, starting today, comes to you thanks to our latest sponsor, Sofa & Soul. The winner will get to choose four fabulous scatter cushions of their choice from their range with feather inserts, worth over $400.
“At Sofa & Soul, we are always inspired and looking to inspire others, so sponsoring 7 Vignettes is the perfect fit,” says owner Christine Found, who has been in the home decorating business for 15 years.
In a world filled with flat pack and soulless instant home furnishing, Melbourne-based Sofa & Soul (formerly known as Inspirations) are trying to provide something more. Using a team of skilled local craftsmen, this stunning Richmond store offers a true bespoke service, all designed to nourish the home and the soul.
Some of the Sofa & Soul cushion range
“Each and every piece proudly displayed at our showroom tells a story,” says Christine. “Whether it’s our own crafted pieces or carefully selected pieces from some of Australia’s leading furniture and home decoration suppliers, the Sofa & Soul story is truly a personal one.”
Their brands include Hermon & Hermon Commercial Lighting, Molmic, Uniqwa, Tessa and IMG. Adding to this personal touch, as well as furniture, they offer key decorator pieces including rugs, scatter cushions, mirrors, candles, lamps, original art and plants.
“We are always happy to help a customer with their interior design and decoration – whether it’s choosing from our wide range of fabrics or designing a sofa.”
Exciting times, readers! It’s time for you to vote for the winner of the United Interiors Stylist Scout competition to crown Australia’s next up and coming styling superstar! Our two finalists @houseofharvee (Krystal) and @whitefoxstyling (Jen) took part in a style-off at the United Interiors showroom in Melbourne on Sunday, where they could pick whatever they liked to create their room set in just two hours. Interior designer James Treble, who picked the finalists and has a rug range with the brand, was there to supervise! First thing’s first, watch this video as the two finalists talk through what they did and why…
I think you’ll agree the ladies both did a fantastic job and it was great to get to know the people behind the pictures, and their shared passion for styling, a bit better.
James said: “I was so overwhelmed by the response of the #UIstylistscout competition — what a thrill to be involved! When the team at United Interiors asked me to pick two finalists, it was truly a struggle, with nearly 600 entries. Needless to say it was a very tight race with many many talents out there. Krystal and Jen were both an absolute dream to work with during the style off. I see an amazing career in styling for both of them. Both are deserving winners and I’m just glad I don’t have to do the voting!”
United Interiors marketing manager, Julie Ta said: “We were so excited to finally bring this competition to life at our Melbourne showroom! We are constantly finding ourselves inspired by the many talented stylists and customers who use our products and style them so well – we sometimes think it’s straight out of an editorial! What better way to showcase that talent than to give one lucky winner an opportunity to professionally style a commercial project and work with our very own James Treble. We couldn’t be happier to work with both Krystal and Jen and see the magic that unfolded in the style off. We hope that our #UIStylistScout competition can become a launching platform for a promising career in styling and we can’t wait to work with the chosen winner on our upcoming summer campaign.”
Here are the two final looks to choose between:
Type 1 for House of Harvee (above). Krystal says she always tries to make her a look a little different from what you see everywhere elseType 2 for White Fox Styling (above). Jen says this stunning blue artwork was the starting point for her ‘room’
Whoever wins gets $1,000 to spend with United Interiors and the money can’t buy opportunity to style their summer campaign alongside experienced interior designer James.
What’s in it for you guys?
Well, you get to choose! What’s more, everyone who enters goes in a draw to be the lucky person to win all the decor items in their preferred stylist’s look. So not only can you love their look, you can win it for your own home!
How to vote
It’s really simple but please read carefully to ensure your entry is valid.
Complete the form below and, when prompted, type the number 1 or 2 (please only enter a single digit number) for your favourite:
Open to Australian residents only. Strictly only one entry per person. Anyone trying to vote more than once will be disqualified. The winning stylist with the most votes receives a $1,000 United Interiors voucher and the chance to style the summer campaign with James later this year. One winning voter gets all the decor items (art and homewares but not furniture) in the image they voted for. This winner will be chosen at random. Voting closes at midnight AEST on 30 November.
I admit it, I’m a clean freak. Regular readers will know this is nothing new! And there’s nothing I love more than a clean and tidy home, it comes as no surprise that good looking, good smelling, good value cleaning products, in beautiful, neutral, modern packaging that looks nice enough to leave out (perhaps even deliberately!) get me more excited than they probably should do! And now that I have a toddler in the house, into everything and eating things off the floor, non-toxic, earth-friendly products are much more of a priority for me.
Introducing the new brand Organic Choice, which three lucky readers are going to win a year’s supply of! We’re not just talking cleaning products, but candles too.
This beautiful range has been developed right here in Australia, from the belief that products can be both effective, and sourced from sustainable, natural ingredients. Organic Choice is definitely filling a gap in the market. These environmentally friendly, sustainable household products are not only a healthier alternative to other cleaning products, but they have modern, non-garish packaging that looks great displayed in your home! Better yet, they are half the price of competitors that tick all those boxes and conveniently available exclusively at your local Coles.
We’re talking $5.50 for a 500ml Multipurpose Cleaner, $5 for a 500ml Dishwashing Liquid (it’s great to be able to leave these out and close at hand, especially when they’re not ugly!) up to $15 for a lidded Candle made with pure soy wax and essential oils.
There’s a large range too, also incorporating Fridge, Dishwasher & Bin Cleaner (I didn’t know I needed it until now either!), Shower and Vanity Cleaner (I’ve been road testing this and it seems to tackle glass and mirrors well too), and Air Freshener in a pump action bottle.
The packaging looks like dark green glass but is in fact recyclable plastic. It looks expensive and natural and will blend in well in your interiors. The products are not tested on animals and are palm oil free. And they all really work! I’ve been road testing them at home for you for a few weeks now.
Now let’s talk about the fragrances. Cleaning is certainly a much more enjoyable (okay, maybe the word is therapeutic!) experience when it leaves you smelling of essential oils rather than chemicals and bleach, right? We’re talking scents like West Indian Lime and Coconut, Lemongrass and Cedarwood (my personal fave) and Grapefruit and Pomegranate. I’ve tried a lot of candles in my time and these are great. The French Pear and Cinnamon Bark is perfect for Christmas and I love the Lemongrass and Cedarwood one burning in my kitchen.
Organic Choice is made right here in Australia by Aware Environmental, also behind well known brands like Orange Power, supported by Planet Ark Australia.
HOW TO ENTER
We know you’re a creative bunch so for your chance to win a year’s supply of Organic Choice products* we’d love you to head to Coles and pick up a product/s from the range. Of course we hope you’ll love it, and we’d like you to style a photo of the product in your home, or as a flat lay or vignette. Whatever you fancy really! Then simply share your picture to Instagram (and follow @organicchoiceaustralia) with the hashtag #OrganicChoiceMoment by midnight AEST on 30 November 2016. Remember, there will be three winners!
*Three winners will each get 12 bottles of Organic Choice Dishwashing Liquid (in two fragrances), six bottles of Organic Choice Air Freshener, three bottles of Organic Choice Multipurpose Cleaner, three bottles of Organic Choice Shower and Vanity Cleaner, three bottles of Organic Choice Fridge, Dishwasher and Bin Cleaner and six Organic Choice Candles (in two fragrances) delivered to their door. Open to Australian residents only.
If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments below.
In a world first, IKEA Australia decked out an iconic Sydney ferry in their furniture and homewares and gave one lucky couple the chance to spend the night and wake up in the temporary IKEA Harbour Home.
The typical definition of a home is constantly shifting and no one knows that better than IKEA, who’ve been in the interiors business more than 70 years. Based on their own research, more and more people are coming to believe that a home goes beyond the physical foundation and boundaries of the property, extending into its decor and neighbourhood as well. As they say, location, location, location!
With this information in hand, IKEA Australia thought outside the box, transforming a Sydney ferry in one of the world’s most coveted neighbourhoods – right next to the Harbour Bridge. Last week, Max Watson and girlfriend Neece Carrigan climbed aboard as it set sail on a custom-tailored route, catching views of the most iconic sights from the comfort of their own home.
Tiffany Buckins, country interior design manager, IKEA Australia, knows that a home is more than just a pile of plaster that holds our belongings, it’s a personal refuge. That’s what makes the Harbour Home so special. “I am excited to bring this research to life and show how the definition of home is changing and is becoming more fluid. I love that people are taking a more complete view of the home and welcoming the wider community into their perception of the home.”
The Habour Home boasted beautifully designed sleeping quarters and dining, living and outdoor areas. Max couldn’t help but agree: “I couldn’t wait to move into the IKEA Harbour Home. The IKEA interior design team scoped out my house prior to moving in and found items that truly make my home mine. They created a spectacular home and it was incredible to wake up to the amazing view of Sydney Harbour.”
It doesn’t get much better than spending the night on a ferry decked out in IKEA, overlooking the Harbour Bridge, if you ask me!
United Interiors are on the hunt for Australia’s next up and coming stylist and have teamed up with myself and interior designer James Treble to launch an exciting new competition! James and I put together this short video to explain how you can get involved in the United Interiors Stylist Scout. Even if you don’t want to take part, you still have the chance to win an amazing prize just by voting for our winner! Have a quick watch now…
If you’ve always wanted to be a professional stylist or you want to take your styling career to the next level, you have to enter this competition! Not only will you win $1,000 to spend with United Interiors, but you’ll get to style their summer campaign with James, and get paid for it! What a great start, or addition, to your portfolio!
How it works To enter the competition, simply share a picture of something you have styled (a room, a vignette, a moodboard; whatever you think best showcases your skills) on Instagram, tag @united_interiors and use the hashtag #uistylistscout by 31 October.
You’re welcome to email additional images of your styling to [email protected] by the deadline. Just make sure you include your Instagram handle. By doing this you agree to your email address being added to the United Interiors email database.
United Interiors’ showroom
On behalf of United Interiors, James will choose two finalists (announced on 2 November), who will be invited to the United Interiors Melbourne showroom on Sunday 6 November 2016 (flights will be covered where necessary but no other travel expenses or accommodation) to take part in a style off! Please make sure you can be available on this date when you enter.
Each finalist’s look created in the showroom will be photographed and shared on Interiors Addict on 10 November and and open to a public vote from that date. Voting closes at midnight AEST on 30 November.
The look with the most votes wins! And one voter picked at random, will win all the decor items in the winning image.
The competition is open to Australian residents only.
James Treble and Jen Bishop
Prizes
The winner receives the chance to style United Interiors’ summer campaign (paid gig) with James at the end of the year, as well as a $1,000 United Interiors voucher.
One lucky voter will receive all the products in the look they voted for (a clear breakdown of all the products included will be provided).
The promoter of this competition is United Interiors of 253 Wickham Rd, Moorabbin, VIC 3189.
If you have any questions, please ask them below in the comments. Good luck!
