Coordinated by Nuffnang
Today I’m guest posting over at Realestate.com.au with some affordable and stylish poster art ideas for your bedroom.
This retro style Palm Beach poster art is by The Custom Canvas Company.
Tag: guest post
Coordinated by Nuffnang
Today, I’m guest posting over at the Realestate.com.au blog with my tips and tricks for small bathrooms.
Image courtesy of Minosa Design
Coordinated by Nuffnang
While we’d all love a brand new kitchen, we can’t all afford one. Patience is a virtue and all that! This week, on the realestate.com.au blog, I’m sharing some top tips for affordable facelifts in this much-used space, from new doors and handles to tile paint transformations and chalkboard paint features.
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Cool kitchen inspiration
Coordinated by Nuffnang
I’m guest posting over on the realestate.com.au blog today about maximising space, storage and style if you’re not lucky enough to have a large kitchen.
By Robert Harwood
I have to confess, I’m often puzzled by people who start out on their project thinking that the first person they need to contact is a builder. Sure, you should speak to a builder if you’re going to fix a roof, build a wardrobe or re-lay a timber floor. But if you’re wanting to extend or reconfigure your existing house to better suit the way you want to live, or build a new home, that’s another project entirely. The way I see it, approaching a builder first is a clear case of putting the cart before the horse.
Why?
Well, essentially, builders are specialists in building from the plans and documents that you should provide to them. Architects are specialists in the key upfront decisions that will define your project, such as:
By Jodie Carter
If you haven’t heard of Wabi Sabi before, in simple terms it is translated from Japanese into ‘a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent and incomplete… a beauty of things modest and humble… a beauty of things unconventional”. Originally, the words Wabi Sabi were not used together as they do have quite different meanings. Wabi has come to mean simple, unmaterialistic, humble and in tune with nature. Whereas Sabi means ‘The bloom of time’ such as that beautiful patina of weathered grey wood or aged copper. Nowadays people just use them as one and the term is quite well known around the world.
I truly believe this is a valid concept for our times. As we become more aware of the environment and sustainability of our planet, then Wabi Sabi becomes even more important. Not only is it better for our planet to embrace some of our existing pieces but it is quite on trend in interiors today. You will find well known designers and stylists such as Sibella Court successfully using aged items in their designs to great effect.
Wabi Sabi is not actually a design style as such – but rather a mindset of a commitment to using and embracing the less than perfect. Living modestly and learning to be happy with what you have.
Image from homelife.com.au: Wentworth Falls Cottage – photography by Sharyn Cairns
Therefore it doesn’t really matter if you’re looking to create an industrial feel, a loft style apartment or a Hamptons retreat, the Wabi Sabi mindset is an additional tool that is not only good for the environment, its good for your soul and your back pocket.
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Why original art in EVERY home is essential
By Lisa Madigan
There is such a rich vibrancy and diversity to the world of contemporary art. That may sound like a daunting and sometimes confronting realm to many, but once we whittle it back to basics, it’s a very raw and beautiful place, full of creatives in interesting spaces, pouring hours of themselves into creating works, ultimately for you to connect with and enjoy.
It may be because I’m an artist, but I do feel that original art, in every home, is essential. Original art has a pulse, it has a soul and it will radiate day to day, bringing pleasure, conversation, delight and wonder. It will reward you, feed you, nurture you. It makes us feel and who doesn’t want to step into a space that uplifts the spirit and transcends the ordinary? Often it can be the key to making a room truly unite and pop. It can be as simple as framing your child’s latest masterpiece, purchasing investment works or anything in between. You can start small and work your way up or go for it by commissioning the piece you’ve always dreamt of.
By Angela Lavender
I love nothing more than discovering homegrown designer goods in the most unexpected and hidden places. All over the country, artisans are making things by hand, finding inspiration in the beauty that surrounds them in regional Australia.
But the big question is, how do we go about balancing these unique, more relaxed pieces of furniture and homewares with the features and designs of our contemporary homes?
By Helen Small
Choosing which artwork to buy is up to you, though sometimes I feel the art picks us. The simple answer is to choose something you like, something that makes you happy. It is less important if it’s an expensive original, affordable art from a gallery or a print that’s chosen, but what it says to you. Try to imagine yourself starting each day looking at your artwork. A serene landscape will ease you gently into the day ahead or maybe a big, bold abstract suits your personality more.
Colour is also a consideration when choosing what to buy. Most people will be instantly drawn to a particular colour, so trust your instinct. On styling a room around the artwork, you will have to decide which colour you want to reference. Being bold with colour will allow you to decorate in multiple shades of the one colour for all furniture and furnishings. Alternatively, stay with mostly neutrals and invest in pops of colour for accessories such as cushions, throws and ceramics. A textural artwork can be linked to the room by using rustic timber furniture, soft furnishings in chunky knits and woven baskets for storage.
By Claudia Stephenson
Previously on Interiors Addict, I shared my top op shop finds. People often ask me what my secret is, so I thought it could be useful to give you my top 10 tips:
1. Don’t limit yourself to one area. Of course I have my favourite stores that usually deliver some kind of delight each visit, but when I have time, I travel all over Sydney, to the Blue Mountains and up to the Central Coast. Just because it’s in a nice area doesn’t mean there will be better stuff: cast your net wide!
2. Keep going back. The reason I tend to find great stuff is because I keep going back. Don’t be put off if you go somewhere and find nothing the first go, chances are you will if you are persistent. I tend to visit at least one store per week, even if it’s on my way home from work, I always find time to pop in.
3. Take your time. I took a girlfriend once and she scanned the room once and gave up, whereas I always scour every shelf and corner. I once found (and bought) an Hermes ashtray tucked up at the back of a bottom shelf amongst some cheap white plates. I paid $3…
By Claudia Stephenson
Firstly, thank you for having me on Interiors Addict, Jen! For those of you who have visited me at Peep My Style, you’ll know I’ve been an avid op shopper for about 10 years. In that time, I have come across the most incredible finds, like this dining set complete with 6 Chippendale chairs (they were selling the whole lot for $160), but unfortunately I got there one minute too late!
But that same day I found my pride and joy: this gold dining table base. It originally came with a big hexagonal smoked glass top (you will be glad to know I left it at the shop) and I eventually found a large slab of marble to top it off, which works perfectly with it.
By Alicia Parsons
Hands up if you’ve ever said ‘I don’t have time to get organised’? {Raises own hand} Yep, even as a decorating and organising blogger, I still have moments days weeks where I throw in the towel just because I don’t have time to tackle everything.
I then have to remind myself that a little is better than nothing. So here are some 10-minute organising projects that you can squeeze in while dinner is cooking or over a couple of ad breaks.
By Brianna O’Neil
Even in tough economic times, your home and office can still look great and be environmentally friendly with the use of recycled and upcycled materials. Melbourne property styling expert Brianna O’Neil says it’s not difficult to use recycled items to add personality and flair to your home whilst reducing your carbon footprint.
“When styling a home, it may surprise you to hear that places like eBay and the Salvation Army are one of my first ports of call for artwork and decor,” she said. “Sometimes the most interesting items can be found where you least expect it and don’t cost an arm and a leg. Vintage items are not a new trend and many blogs and websites give ideas on how they can be best used.”
Shaynna Blaze is passionate about colour and how it can transform the home. In her role with Taubmans, she is committed to helping Australians unlock their personal colour stories, by using inspiration from their day-to-day lives and creating interiors that reflect their personal style. Here, Shaynna shares her top 5 tips for drawing inspiration from everyday life — the colours you love, the places you go, the style of your home and the accessories you already own – to create a personalised interior colour scheme you love.
Be inspired by nature
Spring is a natural time to draw inspiration from the botanic world, but I’m encouraging people to look at the colours and textures of all the seasons and climates to get inspired and create a personal theme.
For this look I was inspired by the sense of calm and relaxation from holidaying in the tropics, and wanted to bring the same energy to the living space. Green is known for its relaxing qualities, and I layered the greens from a dark shade down to a light yellow to give the interior a feeling of summer and holiday. Using pops of bright yellow adds an extra layer of energy to a room, in contrast to the calming green.
By Fiona Michelon
We were thrilled when Jen asked us to contribute a guest post and introduce you to Press Loft. We specialise in the interiors industry ourselves so definitely share her passion for gorgeous brands in Australia!
Press Loft is all about securing product placement features for home and gift brands in print magazines and blogs, and at an affordable price. Being an online portal where everything is streamlined, we’re able to make hundreds of amazing opportunities available every week to any company, large or small, with or without a PR agency.
Since a beautiful product image is often all it takes for a journalist to want to include you in their features, it’s key to put these (along with the associated info) in front of the right people at the right time. This is why Press Loft’s online model works so well, we simply hold high resolution product images, stockist/contact info and press releases from hundreds of brands all in one place. Since launching in Australia almost 3 years ago, we’ve quickly become interiors journalists’ first point of contact for their pages.
By Karen Clough
It’s amazing what a lick of paint can achieve when you’re looking to transform the feel of a room in your home. Sadly, it’s not always going to cut the mustard – particularly when your home needs some drastic modernising or renovating. This is the story of my recent life.
After moving into an abandoned home with no kitchen – you read that right, no kitchen – a little over 2 years ago, I’m finally extending the house and shall be installing a brand spanking new culinary masterpiece before Christmas. It’s a messy job, and although most people don’t wait quite so long to get the job going, here are some things I’ve learned along the way as to how you can get by without those essential rooms.
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Top 10 feature wall ideas
By Kristie Castagna
There has been some debate lately about the use of ‘feature walls’ and if we should be considering treating the entire room to the feature and not just one lonely wall. A bit of a designer “go hard or go home” type attitude or what I like to call full design commitment.
Personally, as a designer I have always used features as a way of giving clients a little bit of a gentle shove into those design ideas they never thought they would have previously considered. So I am not sure I could let go of the single feature wall for my clients’ sake, as many of them, like many of you, are still to dip their toes in the wallpaper, bright colour or alternative wall covering type options.
With all that being said, I thought I would bring to you my top 10 favorite feature wall ideas: