I’m a huge fan of hard flooring, especially with a youngster who drops food and makes all manner of mess, and the combination of hard floor with a beautiful rug is the ideal in my book! Hard flooring is durable, easy to clean, hygienic and looks great, then you simply add a rug for an extra layer (literally) of decor, texture, colour, pattern (or all of the above) with the added bonus of being able to create zones in open plan areas, and something soft under foot when you get out of bed or to sit on in the living room.
While using the same type of flooring in your entire home is a sure fire way to make it look bigger and feel more cohesive (ripping up the daggy carpet and replacing it with laminate flooring throughout was the first thing we did when we purchased our new home recently), it’s still important to zone your different areas for different uses, especially if your home is open plan, as is increasingly the trend. Zoning defines a space and stops furniture look like it is ‘floating’. It’s an age old interiors trick that always works! A rug is key to pulling together your furniture and homewares in any room.
Watch for more on the Plantino engineered timber flooring:
From the timeless beauty of timber to the contemporary textures of bamboo, decorate from the floor up with Choices Flooring’s exclusive Plantino or Genero Collections and zone it with a free rug of your choice! With more than 100 timber, bamboo, laminate and luxury vinyl designs to select from, visit a showroom today to see which will suit you and your home.
Choices Flooring has over 140 stores across the country. They understand that purchasing flooring is a big decision based on lifestyle, budget, and individual style and that is why their in-store and online experience is second to none. They now offer digital technology in-store to help you find the floor you’ve been searching for.
Plantino Bamboo in Driftwood
Watch for more on Genero Euro luxury vinyl plank flooring:
Aha! I do believe when it comes to blankets, I have found something which fits (perhaps loosely) into the category of homewares, therefore I can blog about baby stuff sans guilt. Am I right?!
This baby of mine has more blankets than you can shake a stick at but they’re actually all getting used in rotation because let’s face it, in this weather, you can never be warm enough. It’s actually pretty hard keeping a baby warm in this weather. Our power bill is going to give me a heart attack this quarter, I just know it! So here are 10 of my favourite baby blankets; many of them Australian, half of which we already own and the other half Seb wouldn’t mind adding to his rather impressive collection.
This is our latest acquisition and current fave in the blanket department. Made of baby alpaca and pima cotton, this is double-sided and oversized so super warm. I may or may not have stolen it a few times for my lap on the couch. And we love everything foxy and/or navy in this house so this was always going to be a winner. You really have to see and feel this blanket — which comes in its own cloth bag — to appreciate its quality, which is extremely high. Rightly described as heirloom quality in my opinion, it would make a gorgeous gift for a new mum. They have other designs too.
I’m a fan of a neutral when it comes to most linen, even baby linen, but this one hits a very happy medium with its touches of pale blue and bright yellow. This one always gets comments. Its 100% Egyptian cotton makes it a nice light option which we often fold double in Sebastian’s bassinet or pram. The cotton holds the Okeo-tex® Standard 100, which guarantees the highest sustainable and ecological practices in textiles. I also love that this one’s made in Melbourne.
I’ve long been a fan of Kate & Kate’s grown up blankets, so no surprises I love the mini versions too! This is a simple design but it’s the details that count, like the lovely blanket stitching around the edges and the cloth bag it comes in. Another 100% cotton option, this one also gets used in Seb’s bassinet. It also happens to match his blue and grey pram (the Bugaboo Bee3 with bassinet) perfectly!
If you love an old fashioned crochet blanket, a la Princess Charlotte, you need this GatherKids option. We have the bassinet size in grey and love it. Because it’s smaller we often taken it out with his capsule or in his pram. I just love how this looks like it could have been passed down generations but is in fact brand new! It’s a beauty! These are made in New Zealand and individually knitted, pre-shrunk and tumble dried.
This is a great size for bassinet or pram and you can’t go wrong with grey and white, especially if you’re buying for a baby whose sex is as yet unknown. I love the navy version too and at $49 it’s great value. Cotton/acrylic blend.
How cool is this?! No wonder it’s currently sold out. In true Kip & Co style it’s totally out there but who said all baby blankets had to be pastel and pared back? I love the pom poms! In peach and red 100% merino wool, I’d say this is a unisex option. (We love the nap wraps they recently gifted us too).
Atelier/Child is the new luxury children’s knitwear label founded this year by ex Vogue Australia deputy editor and founder of The Grace Tales Georgie Abay and communications consultant Jessica Baird Walsh. This on trend blanket is made of a cashmere/wool blend.
There’s something wonderfully old school about this rocking horse design and I do love a neutral option. This Australian-designed, reversible cotton knit blanket is the perfect size for a pram or bassinet or perhaps just snuggling on the lounge! Little Bonbon also sell some lovely baby shawls, including this one which is rather reminiscent of Princess Charlotte’s!
Everyone RAVES about their oversized muslin wraps for swaddling, so it goes without saying aden + anais’ organic muslin blankets would be something pretty special. They promise to get softer with every wash. This 100% organic cotton four-layer blanket is the ultimate in breathability; warm in winter and cool in summer.
This on trend geometric is just one of the fun designs by Weegoamigo, available from The Little Linen Company (who also sell the Airwrap, the safer cot bumper alternative). A premium double-layered knit blend of 30% bamboo rayon and 70% cotton, this one’s nice and warm and comes gift boxed.
Disclosure: Blankets marked with an asterisk were kindly gifted to Sebastian with no promise of coverage.
Whether it’s outdoor entertaining or lazy days at the beach, Typo’s got you covered, with the launch of the second collection from its homewares category, The Hall.
This fresh summer range follows on from the hugely successful first collection. Head of Trend Jessica Granberg said the focus of the new collection was to develop a range of on-trend and affordable homewares that celebrate the fun and colour of summer. “We’ve added in fresh products which compliment the first collection so that customers can update their space by combining old with new.
“We are also really excited about our brand new outdoor range which includes the printed beach umbrella and the two-man beach towel, which is ideal for lounging around on a Sunday afternoon.”
For the hostess with the mostest, it’s all about outdoor entertaining with the new collection boasting a gorgeous range of enamel crockery and bamboo homewares, perfect for afternoon garden parties or alfresco-style dinners. Foodies will be impressed by the dip-dyed salt and pepper shakers, bamboo pizza boards and vintage serving dishes, brought to life by The Hall’s vintage style glassware, pastel-coloured cutlery and fun-size paper pot plants.
Items from The Hall start at $6.95 for a textured mug through to $69.95 for a printed beach umbrella.
It will be available online and in select Australian Typo stores from Monday 6 October 2014.
Style and sustainability: they can work together, right? Of course! With so many products available, it can be difficult to know which type of flooring will best suit the needs of your home, but it’s easier than ever to find an eco-friendly solution.
1. Reclaimed hardwood
Have you considered installing a floor with a story? Perhaps it was from a school, church or farmstead? Reclaimed hardwood floors come from a variety of buildings and locations across Australia and each board has its own history! Reclaimed hardwood flooring is suitable for most areas of your home and can be purchased in a wide range of styles, colours and varieties. Purchasing a darker coloured wood will add warmth to your home, while a lighter colour will brighten up your room. Depending on the textured finish, your floor could look smooth, wire-brushed, distressed or hand-scrapped, but why not keep its rustic beauty?
If you find hardwood floors are too cold or too hard on your feet, adding a floor rug can add warmth, softness and colour to your room, all the while protecting the wood underneath.
2. Bamboo
Homeowners who invest in bamboo flooring do so for its unique and eco-conscious properties. Bamboo is durable and looks great in modern or traditional spaces. The texture adds a very organic, natural and elegant feel. Bamboo flooring comes in a wide range of different shades and grains. Regardless of your existing furnishings, you will be sure to find a shade of bamboo that will match. Colours range from mellow light hues to warmer reds and browns. Complete the look with a high gloss, matte or semi-gloss finish.
Due to the speed of growth (approximately 60cm per day), bamboo is a highly sustainable flooring choice. Although it can take between 3-to-5 years to reach maturity, in comparison, trees can take up to 20 years.
3. Cork
Cork flooring is the ultimate in eco-chic. Made from the bark of the Cork Oak tree, this product is highly renewable. Cork can be made to mimic hardwood floors or made to look just like tiles. Think of cork as traditional and vintage to luxurious textures and shades, classic patterns and elegant finishes, artistic and modern. The options are endless.
Although cork is relatively new to the flooring market, this is a worthwhile option to consider.
4. Concrete
Concrete isn’t typically an eco-friendly product, however it has made the list for several reasons.
Pre-existing concrete
Concrete that already exists in your home has no additional environmental impact and it’s ready to go! Concrete floor slabs can be hidden under flooring materials such as carpet, hardwood or tiles. But why waste resources and money to add another layer of flooring when you can simply leave the concrete exposed? Decorative techniques such as colouring, staining, stamping, stencilling and polishing allow you to create floors that mimic more traditional materials.
Green Concrete
Green concrete uses industrial waste by-products. These products are sourced from power plants, steel mills and other manufacturing facilities and are commonly used as partial cement replacements. To make your floor look more decorative, why not consider materials such as recycled crushed glass or plastic, marble chips, metal shavings and seashells for a truly unique look?
5. Natural stone
Natural stone isn’t renewable like cork, however it can be considered eco-friendly due to its durability. Carpet will last anywhere up to 10 years, wooden floors approximately 50 years, while natural stone will last a lifetime. It will even withstand fire! Stone comes in an array of colours and textures including granite, limestone, marble and slate. No two stones are alike, which adds to its unique, elegant and timeless appeal.
Natural stone is strong and hardwearing which makes it perfect for areas that attract high foot traffic and is also beneficial for anyone who suffers from airborne allergies, as dust and allergens are unable to build up on its surface.
–Mark Hutchison is managing director of Bamboozle, Perth’s leading bamboo flooring provider.
After dishing out style and design advice as a judge on The Block All Stars and The Block Sky High last year, Darren Palmer has collaborated with Carpet Court to create his own affordable designer flooring range, Provincial Lane.
In a first for the interior designer, his product range will include durable and hard-wearing laminate, a European vinyl plank and bamboo hard flooring, as well as luxurious 100% wool carpet from Cavalier Bremworth and the latest generation solution dyed nylon.
Darren believes the range is both on trend, affordable and retains the beauty of natural elements. “I’ve always been fascinated with the power and beauty of nature so I love to find ways to bring nature’s colours and textures indoors,” he said.
I love it when something is both environmentally friendly and looks great. I think bamboo can add some much needed texture and warmth to a bathroom.
The new addition to the Cibo bathroom furniture range offers chic, contemporary design with an eco friendly conscience. The Cibo Eco Wall Hung Vanity Unit offers a stunning minimalistic look and is a perfect eco-friendly solution. It will bring a breath of fresh air to any bathroom – literally – as bamboo absorbs large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, replacing it with oxygen. Among its sustainable attributes, bamboo grows 25% faster than timber.
This is one of those candles. I am lucky enough to get sent a LOT of candles and this was another of those gifts. Nest Fragrances is a New York candle brand. When I Instagramed it (is that a verb now?), an American friend was like “Oh my GOD, I didn’t know you could get that brand here, where can I get one?” in such an excited way I thought I must be in for something good. I was right.
Designer Rugs has collaborated with celebrated Australian fashion designer Akira Isogowa for the third time on a stunning new collection and I’m excited to attend the launch tonight.
In this collaboration, HIRAMEKI (meaning inspiration), Akira’s striking rugs reference his current catwalk collections. They showcase his love of exploring the juxtaposition between his traditional Japanese heritage and Australia’s love of colour.
I really like these new bamboo plywood bedheads by Bohemian Home.
“I’m so proud of these bedheads! They look amazing, ” says designer Emma Risvanis. “I had a cane peacock bedhead as a child and that served as the inspiration behind this one. The Australian Family Tree design (below) was inspired by our beautiful bush animals but I wanted to have that Scandi look that I adore.”
The bedheads are made from bamboo plywood with the design printed on.
Made to order in 2-3 weeks in single or king single with two bamboo colours available. Currently black print only but colour options coming soon!
Add some colour to your bathroom with some gorgeous towels. The Instanbul blue Turkish towel is from Brown Paper Packages and costs $28. The colourful bamboo towels from Bamboo Village are $59 and both sustainable and biodegradable.
