Category: Travel

Illustrator Kerrie Hess shares her Paris apartment and tips for style on a shoestring

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date February 3, 2014
9 Comments on Illustrator Kerrie Hess shares her Paris apartment and tips for style on a shoestring

I’ve been to Paris an impressive 14 times and have always dreamed of living in a Paris apartment. Talented illustrator Kerrie Hess has lived this dream. Luckily for Australia, she has recently returned home to Queensland, but she generously shared some photos from her stylish pied-à-terre with us.

It’s a brave person who moves to the other side of the world to a country with a different culture, where they speak another language, but for Kerrie, it was a bit of a case of now or never. “I had been learning French for many years and a lot of my clients were in Paris, so, while my son Marcel was still only two, it seemed a great time to move to France.” They spent 18 months there before returning to settle in Brisbane’s Hawthorne, in time for Marcel to start school.

The stylish Miss Hess (and yes she is the sister of fellow illustrator Megan Hess) works for such huge names as Chanel, Kate Spade New York and Louise Vuitton, so it seems most appropriate for her to have been creating her beautiful drawings in one of the most romantic and fashionable cities in Europe.

Tags art, chanel, cushions, drawing, fashion, featured, homewares, illustration, illustrator, kate spade, kerrie hess, laduree, le meurice hotel, luoise vuitton, megan hess, paris, paris apartment, shoestring chic, the brown trading co

Travel

Exciting news: Interiors Addict is off to Europe for 6 months!

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date January 20, 2014
17 Comments on Exciting news: Interiors Addict is off to Europe for 6 months!

I wanted to share some exciting news with you. In just under 2 months, my husband and I will be taking off to Europe for 6 whole months! Before you panic, first things first, the blogging will continue as usual! Interiors Addict will still be your one stop shop for everything about Australian interiors, homewares and personalities. But, in addition to this, I’ll be bringing you inspiration and finds from all over Europe, and especially the UK, too.

As most of you know, I recently married Damian and I’m originally from the UK. Before we settle into domestic bliss, a mortgage and parenthood, we’ve decided (after much deliberation) that now is our last chance to do something just for us and get the travel bug out of our system while it’s easy (of course you can travel with kids but it’s definitely easier and cheaper when it’s just you!). Added to this the fact that I can technically work from anywhere with a good internet connection, and it seems to be a no-brainer! I’ve employed my new assistant Olivia Shead to be my eyes and ears here in Sydney though, just to cover all bases!

Tags blog, blogger, blogging, europe, featured, greg natale, interiors addict, jen bishop, london, new york, travel, uk, wiltshire

Travel

Interiors Addict on tour: Bells at Killcare

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date November 27, 2013

A couple of months ago, as life started to get a bit sleepless and stressful in the lead-up to our wedding, Damian and I headed to Bells at Killcare for an overnight getaway.

It wasn’t our first visit so we knew to expect something gorgeous but it had gone up a few notches since our last stay and has now reached the very rare level of faultless (I’m one of those people who will always find something to whinge about, especially when something is pricey, and I’m a Pom after all).

Bells is couples-only and as weekend retreats from Sydney go, you can’t beat it. It’s less than an hour and half drive north of the CBD on the NSW central coast, which makes it absolutely possible to be there in time for dinner on Friday night, which we were. Because on top of everything that’s amazing about the accommodation, service and location, there’s also Manfredi at Bells, the on-site restaurant, which has retained its One Hat status since opening in 2008.

There are no rooms at Bells, there are suites, cottage and villas. They’re all decorated in the same comfortable, classic, Hamptons style. Everything is top notch and good quality. No corners are cut. Instant coffee sachets? You must be joking. Their own blend bath salts with essential oils? Of course! I’m a big bath fan and let me tell you, this was the best bath I’ve ever been in!

Tags accommodation, bells at killcare, boutique accommodation, central coast, couples only accommodation, featured, hamptons, killcare, luxury accommodation, manfredi's, nsw, pool, retreat, spa, stefano manfredi

Travel

Discovering London and its treasures

Post author By Guest Poster
Post date October 14, 2013
2 Comments on Discovering London and its treasures

By Jeanette Del Zio

London is filled with culture, history and great designers to be discovered. It is perceived as one of the most influential cities, setting the tone for the global design scene. It is especially known for its large retail, gift and vintage markets, where you can find many treasures.

A designer that is known for participating in some of London’s most prestigious gift fairs is a very unique wallpaper designer. I recently discovered Londonite Claire Coles when I stumbled across her embroidered wallpaper and was instantly intrigued by their unique composition.

Tags art, claire coles, design, design markets, interiors, jdz designs, jeanette del zio, london, textiles, uk, wallpaper

Travel

The design lover’s guide to New York

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date September 5, 2013
3 Comments on The design lover’s guide to New York

Image: http://www.confessionsofahungrywhitegirl.com

Sponsored by Laminex

As a homewares shopping starting point, no trip to NYC is complete without visiting the legendary American stores Anthropologie and Jonathan Adler! I would usually add West Elm and Pottery Barn to this list but, luckily for us, they’re now open in Australia (just Sydney for now but West Elm opens in Melbourne too, later this month).

Design lovers cannot go past the Jonathan Adler stores to pick up a quirky piece or a signature colourful, patterned cushion or throw. Friends of Interiors Addict Kate and Lu, from The Ooh Blog, were lucky enough to go on a trip earlier this year. “I developed a devastating idol crush on this uber fun designer a few years ago and it felt a little bit stupid really that I had never physically stepped foot inside one of his stores,” says Lu, an interior designer in Sydney. “I had a moment on the front steps then delved into a happy-chic paradise full of colour and pattern and retro, regency gorgeousness. It was a little overwhelming to see the pieces I’ve been frothing over online for years in the flesh but I was so thrilled to find that Jonathan, who began his career as a potter, is one seriously talented individual and his product is of an incredible standard and well worth the slightly heftier price tag. His tongue-in-cheek approach to decorating is evident in many pieces like the hilarious Delirium Coasters while others like the Desmond Screen are effortlessly chic.”

Image: http://theconcernsofmindykaling.com

Travel

The design lover’s guide to London

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date August 15, 2013
5 Comments on The design lover’s guide to London

1888 Hotel: Sydney’s newest boutique accommodation, designed for Instagram lovers

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date August 13, 2013
2 Comments on 1888 Hotel: Sydney’s newest boutique accommodation, designed for Instagram lovers

Sydney’s latest boutique hotel in the heart of Pyrmont, will be giving a particularly warm welcome to Instagram users in a smart marketing move.

1888 was the year Kodak launched with a patent for its first box and roll cameras and the hotel will honour the evolution of photography by offering Instagram-friendly walking maps for the area, a revolving series of Instagram images in the Mac space at reception featuring photos taken by guests and a ‘selfie space’ for guests to pap themselves.

Tags 1888 hotel, 8hotels, boutique accommodation, boutique hotel sydney, featured, hotel, instagram, kodak, pap, photography, selfie

Travel

The fabulous QT Sydney Hotel, where you can drink, dine and sleep in serious style

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date January 24, 2013
11 Comments on The fabulous QT Sydney Hotel, where you can drink, dine and sleep in serious style

It’s official. I have a new favourite place in the CBD: the QT Sydney Hotel. Come to think of it, there aren’t many places I love in the city so that makes this even more exciting. The QT is my idea of the ultimate in design, atmosphere and comfort. I want to move in!

I was lucky enough to have a tour last week, but I’d already visited the bar and restaurant (Gowings) a couple of times. It’s like nowhere else I’ve ever been. I’ve stayed at a number of 4 and 5 star hotels and frankly, despite the quality and comfort, their cookie cutter beige-ness is always a bit predictable and disappointing. But this? This is something else!

The history and original features certainly help. QT, slap bang in the middle of the CBD and a stone’s throw from shopper’s paradise Westfield (and even closer to Topshop), melds together two of Sydney’s most prominent buildings: the State Theatre and the old Gowings department store. The amount of care and skill that has gone into weaving together these two buildings and preserving their historic features (some because they had to and some because they wanted to) is impressive. And this adds a whole extra layer of uniqueness that you simply couldn’t design.

Almost all the furniture is bespoke (QT Collection) but many of the decorator pieces have been brought in from around the world and even local op shops. There’s not a hint of beige, rather Yves Klein blue, magenta and citron. It’s dark in a good, cosy, dramatic way. Much of the art, curated by Amanda Love, is digital (some with its own soundtrack).

Tags designer hotel, gilt lounge, gowings, qt, qt hotel, qt sydney, state theatre, sydney, topshop