We’ve never met a Bonnie and Neil collection we didn’t LOVE but the latest, Dandelion, really has us coveting one of everything!
And every room is pretty much covered with cushions of course, but also bed and table linen, tea towels, oven gloves and aprons, glass carafes and tumblers, tote bags, vases, bath mats, outdoor cushions, doormats and more! It’ll make you want to add more colour and pattern to your life, stat!
If we had to pick favourites it would be the tablecloths and doormats.
The collection celebrates a pared back, more considered way of living. Think of rest and relaxation, spending time in nature, and sharing special moments at home with loved ones.
Dandelion is inspired by life’s simple joys. Taking influence from regional landscapes and country homes with a fresh, modern take on cottage design, the new patterns have a nostalgic feel about them. Petite, dainty prints feature intricate florals and miniature checks alongside hand painted heirloom fruit and bold stripes.
Reflecting a change in season, the Dandelion colour palette flows in a more muted direction, featuring khaki green, soft ocean blue, dusky pink, soft blush and warm toffee tones.
This collection marks the launch of some exciting new products including hand woven cotton cushions; a new bolster cushion shape; mouth-blown glassware; textured and glazed ceramic vases and soft woven linen blankets.
Designed to span from the front door to the outdoors, the beautiful wares work together to add warmth, colour and texture to the home.
One of Australia’s most popular independent textile brands, Bonnie and Neil is the creation of design duo Bonnie Ashley and Neil Downie. Bringing together their backgrounds in floristry, fine art, textiles, furniture making and set design, they’re known for their vibrant collections of handmade products for the home.
Creatively influenced by their surroundings and travels around the world, Bonnie and Neil’s extensive product range is functional, modern and timeless.
COAST is the latest collection from textile designers Bonnie & Neil and, as the name suggests, it’s inspired by the colours and textures of the seaside, both at home and abroad. Less of a straight-forward floral outing (the brand’s signature look), this range features tile designs and wave patterns across tableware, cushions, wallpaper, ceramics, cards, tea towels, linen throws and artwork. There’s 60 stunning new pieces and we’re hard pressed to choose a fave.
The ‘Ocean’ and ‘Coast’ cushions are signature pieces from the collection
“Australia remains one of our main sources of influence, with Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland’s coastlines all reflected in this collection. But what we really wanted to represent, with the range, was the feelings that coastal living and holidays evoke,” says one half of the talented duo, Bonnie Ashley.
The ‘Ocean’ cushions are a highlight – they feature abstract waves in cobalt blue, black, khaki and clay colour ways. The 1970’s feel is palpable and it’s an aesthetic that is woven throughout the range. “This collection has a nod to the seventies in both pattern and colour ways with rich amber, red and brown complementing the earthy palette,” says Bonnie.
The ‘Coastal Tile’ design vinyl rug can be seen here underneath a delectable array of cushions
And for the first time, the brand has added wallpaper to their offering, with the aforementioned ‘Ocean’ design a standout. “We’ve had wallpaper on our agenda for some time so it’s exciting to finally release it!” says Bonnie.
For the first time, Bonnie & Neil have added wallpaper to their range
The ‘Coast’ design takes a more literal approach with a statement seashell looking much more stylish than you’d imagine (seaside motifs can look pretty naff no?).
The ‘Coast’ cushion in pink
As for Bonnie’s favourite pieces she’s a big fan of the ‘Marguerite Velvet’ cushion in the pink and red colourway. “This design started as a series of oil paintings and we’ve collaged them together in repeat,” says Bonnie. The ‘Strawberries’ napkins are another of Bonnie’s favourite designs – so much so that they’ve already made their way onto the designer’s table at home.
Bonnie’s favourite ‘Marguerite’ cushion in amber can be seen here on the sofa
While the brand has long been celebrated for its unique aesthetic, few people realise that most of their products are handmade with screen printing an onerous yet central technique. “A number of our designs are printed as CMYK process which is a time consuming but technically rewarding process. Many people don’t realise that we hand screen print our products from our studio so there’s a whole lot of design attention that goes into each piece.”
Eschewing any nanna associations, florals have never looked as stylish as they do this season. And as with most things in design, it’s all about the execution. Large in scale and in moody hues, we’ll admit that we’re pretty smitten with this bold, romantic aesthetic.
Linen House Marselha quilt cover set: Channeling the paintings of the Dutch masters, this quilt cover features oversized blooms on one side and a plain grey reverse allowing you to mix it up. $199.95.
Bonnie & Neil Banksia timber screen: Great for the demarcation of spaces (particularly in small apartments), this timber screen is even more beautiful in the flesh. $2400.
How unbelievably stunning is local textile designers, Bonnie and Neil’s new Melbourne store? I think I’ll go as far to say it’s the most impressive homewares store I’ve ever seen. Just gorgeous!
Patterned from floor to ceiling with Bonnie and Neil designs, the store, positioned in front of their Brunswick studio, has been designed to showcase current products as well as featuring prints from their archival collections.
Cushions, tableware, ceramics and timber products can all be found on display in store as well as a new limited edition range of paper prints inspired by Bonnie Ashley’s (one half of Bonnie and Neil) years working as a florist. The shop also stocks a select range of products from other brands including candles and hand cream by Maison Balzac, ceramics by Robert Gordon Australia and solid timber bird sculptures by local artist Rob Bast.
Also announced as part of the store’s opening is their partnership with local furniture manufacturer Grazia and Co, both as a retailer of Grazia and Co furniture but also offering customers the ability to customise upholstered pieces with Bonnie and Neil hand printed fabric.
The back wall of the shop is glass which faces into the studio itself, giving customers a glimpse into Bonnie and Neil’s production process.
Located at 121A Donald Street, Brunswick 3056, the store is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9.30am until 5.00pm or by appointment on request.
The latest collection from Melbourne-based textile studio Bonnie and Neil showcases the beauty of Spring flowers, featuring pretty blooms, native florals and lush greenery.
Building on their previous collections of nature-inspired designs, Botanical also includes new oil paint patterns and geometrics in emerald, soft pink, cobalt and charcoal. We’re in love!
Inspired by Bonnie’s years working as a florist, the collection introduces a new series of limited edition artworks, a first for the brand. These intricate paper prints are uniquely composed with flowers and foliage individually. Each layer is added intuitively which means no two prints are the same.
This month also sees the launch of Bonnie and Neil’s first ever retail shop, opened at the front of their Brunswick studio. The retail interior has Bonnie and Neil’s patterns all over it from the floor to the timber wall tiles including Grazia and Co furniture which can be customised with Bonnie and Neil hand printed fabrics.
The shop also features glass windows into the studio so you can see the Bonnie and Neil team hard at work printing (and building) everything by hand.
Olivia’s Fab Four is a weekly post that features my favourite finds on Instagram for the past week. To be in the running, all you have to do is hashtag your product photos #oliviasfabfour and tag them with my handle: @oliviashead.
Here are this week’s beautiful products (clockwise from top left)
One of Australia’s most popular independent textile brands, Bonnie and Neil, have released their latest collection of handmade homewares, Winter Garden.
Featuring cushions, tableware, wall tiles and more, all products are hand screen printed on natural materials in their Melbourne studio. It’s this handcrafted, organic process that makes each piece unique.
Inspired by historical conservatory gardens with their mosaic floors, glass ceilings, tapestries and ornate framework, the collection includes geometric designs, abstract florals and detailed tile patterns, as well as influences of lush plant life and birds.
In keeping with Bonnie and Neil’s trademark vibrancy, the collection is full of deep jewel tones: emerald, indigo and blue, complemented with mustard and shades of pink.
Olivia’s Fab Four is a weekly post that features my favourite finds on Instagram for the past week. To be in the running, all you have to do is hashtag your product photos #oliviasfabfour and tag them with my handle: @oliviashead.
Here are this week’s beautiful products (clockwise from top left)
The future is pink and green! That’s the message according to Dulux, who will release their 2015 forecast later this week. after studying trends from around the world. They’ve shared these images of the Silentshift palette, styled by architects Edwards Moore, exclusively with us.
Styled by Edwards Moore for Dulux
Dulux say pink hues partnered with pastels are set to dominate interiors. There will also be lots of colour on the horizon with bright, bold unexpected blends to more relaxed neutral combinations.
“We are going to see a lot more pink being used daringly as people become adventurous and have fun with colour,” Dulux colour expert Andrea Lucena-Orr said. “You can use a bold pink to create maximum impact or in small quantities to soften a space. Soft mushroom pinks such as Dulux Salmon Grey create a subtle, neutral scheme while a vibrant pink such as Dulux Pink Papaya can really liven up a space.”
But the future isn’t all pink, as Australians look to nature to guide us. 2015 will also be raw and rustic with more earth- inspired influences. Greys will continue to be important going forward. “Natural landscapes, raw elements and minerals, fashion and the connection between digital and rediscovering our offline lives are the most influential factors for 2015,” Andrea said. “Natural colours such as greens and neutrals with green undertones will be pivotal. This includes earthy greens, such as Dulux Grape Leaf and mineral greens, such as Dulux Porpoise Place.”
Styled by Edwards Moore for Dulux
Dulux colour experts study trends from around the world to develop their forecast, attending trade fairs in Europe, studying product and design innovation, colour and finishes and emerging global designers. They source information locally and from overseas, analysing influences such as fashion, media, world events, technology and science, social fundamentals, financial economics and politics.
Based on the trends research, The Dulux 2015 Colour Forecast, Connection, will release four palettes: Wildland, Silentshift, Earthwerks and Modhaus. They collaborated with Edwards Moore and textile designers Bonnie and Neil, under the creative direction of stylists Bree Leech and Heather Nette King, to showcase them.
Bed Edwards of Edwards Moore, said: “Before picking a colour it is important to decide what you are trying to achieve. Think about the overall ambience you want and do not think of colour as flat. In-between spaces such as corridors and circulation spaces between rooms are often overlooked. They act as transition spaces and can add delight, linking spaces in the home.”
Styled by Edwards Moore for Dulux
Above all, homeowners should remember that a fresh coat of paint is a simple and inexpensive way to add colour, personality and create a place where they feel comfortable, inspired and happy. “Colour is amazing! It can highlight items you want to focus on and can camouflage the elements you wish to hide. Colour is so versatile and flexible and can empower a space or provoke a sense of tranquility,” Andrea added. “Colour plays a pivotal role in the home as it helps define the feeling and mood of a space and it so simple to create with a simple painting project.”
Q&A with Ben Edwards and Juliette Moore of Edwards Moore
Why is colour so important?
Colour touches all of us at a basic, even primal level. It creates ambience and mood. The use and skilful handling of colour can make a project. It can create an entirely new environment, either saturated or in small suggestive hits.
What are your sources of inspiration?
Our lives and the world around us. Artists such as Bridget Riley, Damien Hirst, Jackson Pollock and Wassily Kandinsky. Fashion designers such as Gareth Pugh, Victor and Rolf and Iris Van Herpen.
How has online or digital influenced design trends and colours? It has made work more widely accessible, allowing us to draw on influences not only from within our community but from across the globe. It has also enabled us to work more collaboratively.
How can colour be used to complement surrounding furnishings and accessories? Carefully considered colour used in the building fabric can create a dialogue and relationship between spaces, and can be used to support the overall architectural language.
What are the dos and don’ts when it comes to using colour? Do not use colour as a presiding design solution. Do use colour to support the overall conceptual approach to the space. Be adventurous and try unusual combinations.
How can colour change the mood of a room or how you feel? Colour can be extremely emotive. Not just in the better known psychological properties of colours, but also in evoking memories. Similar to sounds and smell, colour can be used to connect to a memory, place or event. The choice of colour therefore is a very personal process.
What do you think is going to the most influential colour in 2015?
Pink! Soft, gentle and delicate pink.
What inspires your creativity?
Our lives, the world around us and everything we see and feel.
How can home owners use these colours in the home?
Before picking a colour it is important to decide what you are trying to achieve. Think about the overall ambience you are trying to achieve and do not think of colour as flat.
What room in the home do you think is ideal for injecting colour? Any room. In between spaces such as corridors and circulation spaces between rooms are often overlooked. They act as transition spaces and can add delight linking spaces in the home.
What is your single favourite colour from the forecast? How would recommend using this colour in the home? Dulux Pink Marble. Use this colour with more neutral natural whites and soft tones to delicately shift ambience and create calm sophisticated spaces.
In keeping with previous seasonal collections, Bonnie and Neil’s Holiday collection is the culmination of creative inspiration gathered by the duo who not only share a design label but also a home, a dog and trips to international destinations.
“Travel is important to us. When we visit other countries and experience different cultures, landscapes and ways of life, we’re also developing new creative ideas” says Bonnie. “Holiday is inspired by our overseas adventures, and more specifically a recent trip to Hawaii, but it also represents our downtime when we’re at home in Australia.”
Picnic blankets, summer flowers, painting and exploring are all represented as well as new colour accents of summery peach, sky blue and fresh, bright greens.
They’ve also launched the Native range, which brings together flora and fauna themes from previous collections, while also introducing new designs inspired by native plant life including the flowering wattle. Each new season collection will include products that continue to build on the Native range.
“While we know Australian audiences are brave enough to take on bright colours and abstract patterns, there’s still a place for neutral tones and traditional designs. We continue to be inspired by our original collections so we’re excited to be launching two very different but complementary ranges this season.”
Established in 2010, Bonnie and Neil began as a modest pocket-sized studio in Melbourne’s Brunswick with a few local stockists. These days, their beautiful handmade, screenprinted homewares can be found in the US, Asia and most recently the UK, stocked by Anthropologie, Selfridges and Bloomingdales.
We love this home grown success story and their gorgeous products! As usual, we’ll take one of everything!
Both collections were launched at Life Instyle this month. Shop online.
Photography by Armelle Habib and styling by Heather Nette King.
If you’re a retailer or buyer based in Melbourne and looking to source the latest brands and products on the cooler side of style and design, then Life Instyle & Kids Instyle is your playground.
Paper Empire
The annual Life Instyle trade event invites retailers and buyers to Meet Your Makers at the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne (from 31 July to 3 August). This exhibition welcomes an outstanding curated line-up of over 350 carefully selected exhibitors representing premium, bespoke and design-led products across homewares, gifts, lifestyle and children’s products within a beautiful, intimate shopping environment. Considered Australia’s destination for style, Life Instyle Melbourne continues to support the best in Australian design and is set to bring to life Melbourne’s true essence.
‘We’re delighted to return to Melbourne, a city that celebrates design and style, culture and art. This year, retailers are invited to Meet Your Makers by discovering the story behind the brands, meeting the creators themselves to unearth where inspiration really begins,” says marketing manager, Emma Radford. (Read Interiors Addict’s interview with maker TJ Guzzardi).
Bonnie and Neil
AURA by Tracie Ellis
Life Instyle Melbourne promises to provide inspiration, a hub of design activity and a place to hunt for the latest trends and coveted brands. Following the success of Life Instyle Sydney, they welcome new Style Lab host, Melbourne-based paper artist and stylist, Marsha Golemac. Marsha’s known for her inspiring paper installations and impeccable styling, featured in Est and Real Living magazines.
Ahoy Trader
Kate and Kate
“Life Instyle continues to be the top destination for Australia’s most innovative brands and retailers. Unique to this year we will unveil a new and breathtaking set of initiatives, including our Meet Your Makers studio, bringing together key artisans and designers in a live workshop experience; plus our Conversation Series will feature a stellar line up of Q&A seminars from some of the most sought after industry experts,” Emma adds.
DesignByThem
Artisans and designers will collaborate to showcase the very best in contemporary design via First Instyle – an exhibition which celebrates emerging design professionals of home, lifestyle, kids and baby products. Running alongside Life Instyle is Kids Instyle, showcasing babies and children’s fashion, accessories and homewares.
Visitors can expect to source from premium brands including Bonnie and Neil, Ahoy Trader, AURA by Tracie Ellis, Design by Them, Bison Home, Kate & Kate and Paper Empire.
Bison Home
Life Instyle and Kids Instyle are Australia’s destination for style and design and an opportunity to explore the irresistible world of the finest and most distinct products available worldwide. Registrations are still open to Australian and international retailers and buyers to attend.
You lucky Melburnians, you! One of our absolute FAVE Aussie homewares brands Bonnie and Neil, are having a studio sale this weekend, with big bargains on samples and seconds.
Grab bargains like two cushions for $100. A serious bargain! There’ll be favourites from all their previous collections as well as one-offs. Don’t hang around.
We knew there’d be hundreds of entries for our biggest competition yet and the chance to win a combined $2000 to spend with some of our favourite homewares brands. Heck, Olivia and I wish we could win!
But the very lucky winner is Maria Angus, whose entry really made us giggle! We thought we’d let you read her winning answer for yourself. To enter, you had to say why you were the ultimate interiors addict…
Congratulations, Maria. I’ll be emailing you your prize details this week. I’m so envious of your imminent online shopping spree and hope you’ll share your purchases with us!
As I wrote yesterday, last week Interiors Addict turned three, and if that isn’t an excuse for a celebration, I don’t know what is! I wouldn’t be here without my readers, so I want to give one of you the chance to go on a MAJOR spending spree with some of my favourite homewares brands. Interested?
HOW TO ENTER
1. Head on over to Instagram and regram (or screen grab and re-post, depending on your apps and technical know-how!) this image from our feed:
2. Use the hashtag #interiorsaddict3rdbirthday and in your caption/comment, tell us why YOU are the ultimate interiors addict!
3. To complete your entry, if you’re not already, make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter (the winning entry will be checked against our database so if your full name isn’t in your insta profile, make sure it’s in your caption/comment).
4. You have a week to enter, until midnight on Tuesday 29 April 2014. The winner (the answer Jen finds most creative, convincing and/or amusing) will be announced the following week).
The new West Elm Melbourne store, the second in Australia, opens its doors a fortnight today. Who is excited?!
Here’s an exclusive first look at the artwork for a special West Elm Melbourne tote bag which has been designed by the brilliant Bonnie and Neil. What a coup for this great Australian homewares brand!
Darren Palmer and Neale Whitaker loving the timber tiles in Johnno and Trixie's bedroom
Sunday night room reveals are the best bit about the The Block. No challenges, just renovating, room reveals, judging and results. Hoorah! The long and drawn out scoring process aside, what’s not to like?
Last night’s was a great episode, with Matt and Kim’s Pollock-inspired bedroom described as both “a crime scene” and the most controversial room in the show’s history. Kudos to them for getting such a reaction! I thought their design was wholly inappropriate but admired their bravery and they definitely executed their ideas really well and with enthusiasm. Easy for me to say as an armchair critic…
Darren Palmer and Neale Whitaker loving the timber tiles in Johnno and Trixie’s bedroom
I think Bec and George were probably the right couple to win, although I loved parts of Trixie and Johnno’s room too, in particular their Bonnie and Neil wall tiles. I can’t believe none of the judges had seen them before; I’ve been loving them for months and wishing I wasn’t renting so I could use them somewhere! I like the twins but I wasn’t a fan of last night’s bedroom. Next week will be interesting with two bathrooms each to complete. I do love a good bathroom reno so looking forward to those!
I have the neon pink version of this and it gets so many comments! Bonnie and Neil’s handprinted table runners are great value in my opinion, starting at $65.
I’ve always loved all things Art Deco but the imminent release of THAT Great Gatsby movie (have you seen the trailers? It looks magnificent in every way!) has me loving it even more. And no doubt we’ll see a resurgence of all things Art Deco in fashion and homewares very soon.
The latest Grace Garrett Deco Glamour collection at Emily Zizz is positively swoon-worthy! This is just a small selection from the huge range of patterns and colourways available in wallpaper, fabric, cushions and lampshades, and, eventually, rugs. Geometric shapes and patterns are already being seen everywhere in interiors this year, so the Art Deco look fits very nicely. Maybe it’s time to bring back symmetry? Are you a fan of these patterns?
