Megan Robinson, founder of Melbourne styling company Cooper Robinson, has drawn from her almost 20 years of experience to create CACHET — curated furniture collections transforming homes into everyday escapes.
Frank armchair
The line of small-batch interiors will release in collections that work together. Keeping it accessible and straightforward, they provide a range of future design classics that aim to stand the test of time. A smooth dispatch and delivery system from Melbourne will allow you to enjoy their new pieces in days, not months.
Sunday armchair
CACHET’s considered pieces, from modular lounges and occasional chairs through to lamps and cushions, are inspired by various design and artistic movements, and made with the best materials.
Brando side table
Megan’s vision to designing a home isn’t just about comfort, luxury, or style — it’s about creating a space that restores, rejuvenates and invigorates. CACHET looks to shine a light on how transformative a well-designed home can be for overall wellbeing, and to elevate everyday spaces in a holistic way.
Piper floor lamp
Steer collection
Megan believes that investing in design is investing in your wellbeing, and every choice you make for your home matters.
We had a lovely time at our latest reader event with Darren Palmer at West Elm Bondi last week. Please click on the below images to see them larger.
There was a large queue of people getting The Block judge’s book, Easy Luxury, signed by the author himself. Some kept theirs while others put them aside for Christmas presents! We then had our usual vignette styling challenge, with one reader, Jess, winning a box of goodies from West Elm.
Huge thanks to Darren and Murdoch Books, the team at West Elm, Williams-Sonoma for the catering (especially the legendary peppermint bark and chilled mulled wine!) and all the readers who attended.
Darren Palmer, Photo by Jacqui Turk for Interiors Addict
I’m delighted to announce that we have one more Sydney reader event before Christmas with Block judge, interior designer and most recently author, our friend Darren Palmer. The event will take place on the evening of Wednesday 19 November at West Elm Bondi Junction.
Darren at home, as seen on Interiors Addict
Register quick for this one as places are limited and we expect it to be popular!
I’ll be interviewing Darren about his book, Easy Luxury, The Block, and his design work. Then we’ll set you loose on the store to style, arrange and rearrange to your heart’s content. You can photograph and share your vignettes on Instagram with one person taking home a prize on the night.
There’ll also be refreshments by Williams-Sonoma, drinks, a chance to meet fellow interiors addicts and, if you’re interested, yours truly! And you can buy and get your copy of Easy Luxury signed by Darren too.
We respectfully ask that you’re sure you can attend before you register as last minute cancellations result in wasted spaces which could have been offered to someone else. Sadly, people often let us know when it is too late to offer their place to someone on the wait list.
When: 7-9pm, Wednesday 19 November 2014
Where: West Elm, The Exchange Building, 472 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction, Sydney 2022.
Last week, we sent our resident Blockhead Kathryn Bamford to look around the finished Block apartments. She was a little bit excited…
So I went into The Block on Thursday night and when I say went to The Block I mean got a full blown tour of all the finished apartments. Dreams can come true, right? I guess this is what little kids feel like at Disneyland and can I tell you it was everything I expected and more. The Block is situated on bustling High Street, Prahran. The neighbouring houses are cute double-storey terraces and mid rise new apartment complexes, which is rather different when compared to the monstrosity of The Block. Yet for an old eighties office conversion that is huge, it’s surprisingly not too overpowering from the street front and I have to say they have done a grand job of converting it.
We were greeted with delicious canapés and champagne of course, and ushered upstairs. It was a lot bigger than I expected on the inside and there’s even a common area complete with a lift that all the homes open onto (which we haven’t been privy to on TV yet). The contestants were all lovely and I think a little relieved it was nearly all over. They were all getting along so surely not too much drama will unfold for the rest of this season? The lovely Shelley Craft talked us through the proceedings of the night and we were sworn to secrecy with no photos banned inside the apartments (if only I could share the mental pictures I took). We were divided into five groups of around 10 people and ushered around the apartments.
First up for my group was Max and Karstan’s apartment. Holy moly this place is huge. It feels massive! The kitchen looks great and even has a TV in it which is a great idea and very family friendly. There are four ovens and a huge butler’s pantry which overlooks a massive courtyard. We were even lucky enough to see inside ‘the secret room’ which is at the top of a tight spiral staircase off the courtyard. Then it was off across the common area to Darren and Dee’s. Ok, so I’m actually in love with Darren and Dee’s apartment. It’s smaller than the others but boy, do I love it! Those herringbone floors are killer and are almost throughout the whole place. The kitchen is noticeably smaller than the other apartments and has a small butler’s pantry but it is still nice nonetheless. After seeing Dee’s styling in the flesh, it’s just as good as on the screen. I’ve decided that she should be crowned the texture queen of The Block! The master bedroom feels huge and has a balcony overlooking the courtyard which both have great city views. Their apartment is definitely the most consistent of the bunch so despite being the smallest, I wouldn’t rule them out of potentially taking it out.
Next up it was onto the boys’ apartment. Shannon and Simon have done a fabulous job and I can assure you the kitchen is not a disaster, it’s actually really nice. I love the dark benchtops and textured wood grain cupboards they went with. I love the fact that you can stand at your stove top cooking whilst looking out of the massive window onto bustling High Street. All I can say for now is that the boys’ master room robe is as good if not better than it looks on the big screen. It feels more like a luxurious parents’ retreat than a bedroom. Wait until you see their master en suite. IT IS OUT OF CONTROL! I walked in and actually had to take a moment to take it all in. It’s so different to what you would have ever seen before and it really works.
Our fourth stop was at Michael and Carlene’s apartment. The kitchen didn’t wow me but it was still really nice. Their living/dining area is large yet still feels really family friendly and homely. It opens onto a huge courtyard which is perfect for hosting large family events and overlooks High Street. I have a feeling that a family is going to want to buy their apartment. Last stop was Chris and Jenna’s house. I mean apartment. I’m hesitant to call Chris and Jenna’s an apartment as when you’re in there it feels like a house. It’s noticeably bigger than the others and has a gorgeous three-storey staircase going all the way up to the rooftop terrace. I loved Chris and Jenna’s main bathroom which received a perfect score and standing in it, you actually can’t fault it. Their kitchen is huge like the rest of their house and I love the fact the butler’s pantry is hidden behind normal kitchen doors so you can’t even tell it’s there. The copper sinks and black tapware look fantastic and all overlooking a huge courtyard. To be honest, I don’t know how they finished such a big apartment with the same budget everyone else had.
So I’m not even sure if I can share this but what the heck. The couples get to do a re-do room and I’m sure you will agree with which rooms they choose to re-do. The night ended with some Q&A with the contestants and producers and after that and I got to take home a signed copy of Darren Palmer’s new book Easy Luxury. It was a great night and a big thank you to The Good Guys Kitchens for inviting me along!
Darren Palmer’s first book is out on Monday. I got my hands on a preview copy of Easy Luxury and let me tell you, I am seriously impressed. I asked Darren about the story and inspiration behind the book and how on earth he managed to juggle writing it with being a judge on The Block, a dad and an interior designer! Keeping it real as ever, he reveals how he lost it when he got his hands on the first copy, how some of his best ideas came to him in the shower and how his hectic diary looks a little like a game of Tetris…
The title seems a good place to start. Does luxury have to mean expensive? “No way! It has nothing to do with spending a lot of money. Luxury to me is about having something that fits me perfectly — something that suits me better than anything else would because it’s been created in response to my particular needs and desires,” he says. “The other luxuries for me are choice and time. Time with family, time to unwind and time to see new and inspiring things. Money does buy you more choices but you need to understand how to filter those choices so that the things you choose work for you.”
Jennifer Hawkins’ home, from Easy Luxury
Darren has spent the last couple of years contributing to magazines like GQ and Grand Designs Australia and words have always come quite easily to him. “I started to feel like I had a good tone and something of worth to say. As my experience has grown, so too has my desire to share some of my knowledge. I started checking with publishers early last year and was grateful to have Murdoch pick up the book.”
I believe he has achieved his desire to write a comprehensive book that demystifies the design process, explaining things in easy terms that everyone can understand, while also sharing some advanced ideas and concepts. “I don’t use jargon or over-complicate things and there is no single correct answer given to design and decoration challenges in the book. I wanted to deliver foundations and fundamentals to anyone who would like to understand why good design is good, so they can create beautiful and functional spaces for themselves, to suit their own lives and families.”
Understanding these principles can help everyone have the luxury of good design. “When you understand the principles behind great design, you can interpret how it can fit and assist you in the creation of your perfect home. Living in a beautiful space has an effect on your mental and physical wellbeing, and your sense of prosperity increases when you consider your own home as a prosperous space. It’s not based on how much you spend, it’s based on how considered and appropriate and consistent your result it. How well it suits you and what the finished result looks like is the focus and Easy Luxury gives as much straightforward information as I could contain in one book.”
Darren, who has big plans to renovate his own Sydney home if he ever gets the time, says the book came easily as he was simply talking from experience. “The words weren’t always there, and they don’t always come in the most convenient places. I had bursts of creativity in the shower, on the plane or sitting at home with my laptop on my lap with no other distractions. But I also found when I’d earmarked time to write I didn’t have much to say! It’s a funny thing but it was very enjoyable writing the book. I probably rewrote it four times in the process, changing the structure and organising things in response to conversations with Murdoch and the brilliant editorial team working with me. But proudly, every word in the book is my own and I loved almost every minute of producing it.”
When it came to getting his hands on the first hard copy from his manager, he was way too excited to play it cool: “I was beside myself. I was trying to keep a lid on it but pretty much had to leave and take it to my car and just let the excitement out. It’s an amazing feeling. I immediately called a few people who would get my excitement but not one of them answered! So I was sat in my car on my own looking like a kid in a candy store. Must’ve been quite some sight!”
Being as busy as he is calls for some serious organisation and Darren’s diary is colour-coded and separated into different calendars. “I tend to just organise and slot in time for everything like a Tetris game. The diary looks like a Rubik’s Cube from day to day with so many things layered on top of each other but it works and I’m really grateful to be working on what I love.”
So, after a couple of crazy years and impressive success, what’s next for Mr Palmer? “You called it years ago. I recall you mentioning in our first interview you thought I was the next big thing! (Well yes, and I was right! Jen). I don’t feel that’s the case but it is a really amazing place to be, to have a lot of the things that I’d always desired and been working really hard towards finally come to fruition. It’s funny though as the more I work and the more things I’m able to tick off the list, the more things get added to that list. It’s harder to stop and celebrate those victories as the next thing is underway and takes a lot of energy and focus but it’s a really brilliant place to be.
“There’s so many wonderful opportunities that are in front of me and I’m truly grateful for all of the things that have so far come to pass. It’s more important for me now to spend time with the people I love and prioritise the most important as well as beneficial things in my life. I’m learning I can’t do everything so I need to choose wisely and keep my feet on the ground. My family won’t ever let it be any other way though so I’m a very lucky man.”
All photography of Darren’s work shot by Felix Forest, from the book Easy Luxury, published by Murdoch. Available in all good book stores from Monday 1 September.
I’ll be writing a proper review of Easy Luxury when I’ve had more of a chance to read it.
