bone inlay furniture – The Interiors Addict

Your bed is that welcoming presence that’s always there for comfort and warmth, which is exactly why you should style it to be the most personalised area of your home.

Jason Granziera, stylist and owner of Sage Styling Interiors, has provided six key ways to channel the zen, to celebrate the launch of Lounge Lovers’ bed range.

Keep it relaxed

Your bed is not the place for strict lines or rigid shapes. Opt for a more relaxed, layered vibe with soft throws and pillows, so the whole space feels calming and welcoming. Rattan can help create a more casual feeling, or try selecting simples lines and rounded edges in your furniture.

“No one wants to get into their place of rest that looks like a tightly folded envelope!” explains Jason.

Size up when choosing a quilt

One of the most common mistakes when styling your bed (and one of the easiest to make) is to purchase a quilt that’s the same size as the mattress, such as a queen-sized quilt for a queen-sized bed.

Instead, size up. Choose a king-sized quilt for a queen-sized bed. This allows for ample styling lusciousness and atmosphere of plush opulence for day or night.

Interchange seasonal statement pieces

Colour, texture or a seasonal hero piece can be a simple way to ensure furniture fatigue doesn’t hit in each season.

Whether it’s using natural fibres, changing the sheet set, or swapping out your side table, switching one item can be a simple way to refresh the boudoir. For a spectacular example of sophistication and craftsmanship, bone inlay pieces can create interest without changing your entire bedroom suite

It’s not all about the bed

The bed is the masterpiece of the bedroom, but the surrounding décor is the frame, and it’s almost as important. Aside from being highly practical and useful every day, an elegant armchair, set of nesting tables, or sleek bench seat at the end of the bed can add a real wow factor.

A side table or set of nesting tables is the perfect place for a splash of greenery with a pot plant, or a dash of style with an elegant candle. It’s the kind of decorating flair that you would usually only see in sumptuous hotel rooms and glitzy magazine spreads, which is exactly why it will help your bedroom feel extra chic.

Treat your feet to a rug

No bedroom setting is complete without a beautiful rug. It helps pull together all the furniture pieces and ground the setting. Better yet, a rug can be adjusted to the size of the room, making it feel bigger or drawing the eye to a certain statement piece.

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Becky Bannar and Lana Rosenbaum started Mahlia Interiors four years ago in Melbourne and have quickly become one of Australia’s leading bone inlay retailers, amassing a dedicated community of fans along the way.

To anyone who knows the pair, this is no surprise. They live and breathe Mahlia and when you hear the way they talk about inlay furniture, you can’t help be drawn into this colourful world.

With a background in branding and marketing coupled with their experience and love of all things interiors and design, Becky and Lana launched Mahlia Interiors at a time when there were almost no Australian retailers solely dedicated to the sale of the striking bone inlay pieces. They’ve relished the freedom to create new designs which set them apart from simply being resellers, but rather as innovators in the inlay space.

Becky and Lana own Mahlia Interiors and live and breathe inlay furniture | Image: Jarrod Barnes

The first two years of the business were predominately online but, in true startup style, the pair even offered tours inside their own homes to showcase the pieces in real life! Despite everything 2020 threw at us, late last year saw them bravely launch a Melbourne showroom, an inlay oasis bursting with colour, pattern and variety.

Every piece is intricately handmade in Rajasthan, India, known as the home of inlay. The craft of decorating wood for the home actually goes back around 3000 years however, with pieces found in Africa, Asia and Europe.

The process is facilitated entirely by hand. There is not one machine involved, from hand carving each individual piece of camel bone, then fixing it into an intricate pattern on a wooden frame, and then filling this pattern with a coloured resin. From start to finish, it can take anywhere from three to five weeks for one piece to be made, and as such, no two pieces are the same, adding to the magic of inlay.

Working with a team who share their values was extremely important to Becky and Lana, which is why the bone inlay used is 100% ethically sourced. The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), an auditing agency in India, are responsible for controlling the processes around animal by-products and if you’re wondering how you can really be sure, all pieces from Mahlia Interiors come with a WCCB certification. As well as bone inlay, mother of pearl shells are also used to create a different, yet equally mesmerising, inlay finish.

“Every product has its own story and goes on to live a wonderful life in the homes of Mahlia customers,” says Becky, “Each piece can be tailored to suit, with infinite design opportunities. We’ve seen a sideboard used as a bathroom vanity and customised a mirror with in-built ledge and towel rack!”

Lana adds: “The beauty of bone inlay is that it really can live in any corner of the home – unique custom orders have also included a shoe rack in an entrance way, a reception desk for a pilates studio, a linen box for the end of a bed, and a makeup console with a matching hinged mirror and stool for a lavish walk-in-robe.”

It’s rare to see just one piece of inlay in a home, with many customers falling in love with the look and coming back for more. “Whether it’s adding small matching homewares to tie in the pieces, or a second larger complementary piece, one thing for sure is that inlay loves company (and is an addiction)!” Becky adds.

“While the more mainstream furniture pieces in white gloss laminate or timber may always have the monopoly amongst the masses (and don’t get me wrong, there are many of those beautiful pieces out there too) when you choose to let a bone inlay piece into your home, you’re not afraid to let a bit of magic in – to play with pattern and colour of which the options are endless,” Lana says.

“You’re also allowing the space to reflect the personality or personalities of those who use it by the piece you choose, which is what really makes a house a home. It’s for these reasons inlay is truly timeless. And when placed in your home it can perform many roles over the years and grow as your family grows.”

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