Tag: illustration

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Nostalgic read: A new illustrated story book for interiors-lovers

While 2020 has been a very challenging year for many, there have been some silver linings. When freelance work dried up, writer Bianca Tzatzagos was faced with a new COVID-19 reality which meant she had a lot more time on her hands. Using the time she would typically have spent socialising or travelling, Bianca paired up with fellow house-obsessed creative, and illustrator, Inga Campbell to produce Olive and the Larder, a gorgeous limited-edition all-ages story book with a strong interiors bent.

“The book was a fun distraction for me during a time when simple joys like gathering friends together, readily accessing abundant groceries or an afternoon at the movies suddenly equalled big risk. Olive and the Larder reflects my momentary nostalgia for all those lovely, easy things,” says Bianca. Meanwhile, some of Inga’s favourite work is doing custom illustrations of people’s homes for them, so creating a fictional one for Olive was a dream.

Olive's house
Olive’s house

Designed and made in Australia, and with a limited print-run, the book centres around the fictional character of Olive and was inspired by Bianca’s own rather lovely larder. “My walk-in pantry at home is my magical place. I was inspired to create that room by all the story books I grew up on – warm, cosy, happily cluttered, English-inspired kitchens that are the heart of the home.”

Bianca's pantry
Bianca’s pantry

Dripping with nostalgia, the book’s themes and illustrations were inspired by Beatrix Potter and Brambly Hedge; both beloved classics that Bianca read throughout her childhood. “I don’t have kids at home, but I find myself buying beautiful storybooks purely for their design and artistic appeal, and certainly I’ve treasured all the wonderful books that I’ve been given as a child. Great books shape our aesthetic sensibilities early and forever,” says Bianca.

Olive's larder
Olive’s larder

Something of an updated version of the aforementioned heirloom books, Bianca has paired a modern tale with Inga’s nostalgic illustrations to create a world that is not found in your standard storybook. “I believe that beautiful storybooks enrich all of us, design-wise – from the tiny kids who are gifted them to the grown-ups who get to shop for them and read them at bedtime,” says Bianca.

Olive's kitchen
Olive’s kitchen

And with a limited-edition print run, this book has arrived just in time for the festive season. “With only a few hundred copies crafted, it’s the antithesis of mass-market, and it makes a sweet Christmas gift.”

To celebrate the launch, Bianca has collaborated with Rotterdam based Miko Design who has has created a virtual Olive and the Larder shop in miniature. Simply jump onto Instagram where you can tap through the ‘shop’ to purchase an array of lovely Olive themed full sized products.

Buy your copy of the book online

Illustrations: Inga Campbell | Follow Bianca on Instagram

Immortalise your home with an illustration by artist Dawn Tan

We came across Melbourne illustrator Dawn Tan’s house portraits recently and felt they were too good not to share. Priced between $300 to $500 they’re affordable too and you know…
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Art Interviews

The artist who saved a house deposit by drawing houses

Georgia Draws A House

A qualified graphic designer, Sydney’s Georgia Norton Lodge was slogging it out at her branding agency day job when she began drawing houses. The impetus came when her sister, who was writing a book based in Sydney’s Annandale, needed an illustrated cover to embody the story.

“I started drawing all the neighbourhood buildings and houses, and when I finished, I realised they were pretty cute. I showed my friends and family and they all wanted theirs drawn,” says Georgia who consequently started an Instagram account ‘Georgia Draws A House’ which immediately grew a dedicated following.

“The account helped spread the word of my drawings between work hours whilst I couldn’t – it works full time for you, when you can’t!” says Georgia.

Georgia Draws A House
Georgia’s house illustrations have a nostalgic feel

What started as a side hustle now sees Georgia draw between 30 and 40 houses per week (50 in busy periods), and she has justifiably resigned from her desk job. “I gave myself a year to prove that the business could match my agency salary and I went to town in the evenings drawing,” says Georgia. And while Georgia is obviously talented, her branding background really helped spread the word.

“Before I took a leap of faith away from my full-time desk, I did a bit of guerrilla marketing. My parents live in Annandale, across the road from a park and the very popular Cornersmith café – the perfect spot to show off my work. One night, with the help of some amazing artists, I grabbed a ladder and a spray can and drew a large mural, the front of my parents’ house, on the side of their house,” says Georgia.

A social media frenzy ensued with the location now a popular selfie spot; the stunt also landing the artist a full page spread in the Sunday paper. “My phone blew up all day after I appeared in the paper. I went to work the next day and quit my job,” says Georgia.

Georgia in front of the mural she painted on the side of her parents' house
Georgia in front of the mural she painted on the side of her parents’ house

“Never in my wildest dreams would I think I could make a living drawing other people’s homes. Even after I had proved I could match my agency salary I was I was still terrified to leave my full-time desk,” says Georgia who is making the most of her success, for fear it will be short-lived.

“I feel very grateful to be able to call this my life but am also aware that it could disappear at any moment – hence my crazy working hours!” says Georgia whose prolific output means she works well beyond average hours, and has even saved enough for a house deposit.

Georgia Draws A House
Georgia draws for real estate agents too – her illustrations make unique settlement gifts for clients.

Georgia’s work is created with an Artline 200 Fineline 0.4 pen on Fabriano Watercolour Paper (Cold Press/25% Cotton), 300GSM), together with Google Maps. “My secret is that I use Google Maps, though some customers prefer me to work from photos, which is fine by me!” says Georgia who has drawn almost 600 houses to date.

“To order, you just visit my site, click ‘draw my house’, type your address in and voila! A little house portrait will be on its way to you in 4-5 weeks!”

Georgia Norton Lodge
Georgia Norton Lodge

Shop online | Follow Georgia Draws A House

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Art Expert Tips Styling

Fashion illustrator Kerrie Hess’ small space decorating tips

Small-space decorating doesn’t have to be hard! Australian illustrator Kerrie Hess shares her secrets on styling the cosiest of spaces to make your home the most inviting one yet! Say hello to a newly refreshed abode and goodbye to cramped and uncomfortable with her simple styling tips!

Create height

A great way to add instant style and space is with a wall gallery. A definite statement piece, a wall gallery draws the eye upwards and will give the illusion that your ceiling is higher than it really is. When styling your wall gallery make sure you plan it out, especially if you are hanging art in a smaller space. I always find laying the framed artwork on the floor and moving the art around until I’m happy with it is the best place to begin. During this process you will be able to see what art complements each other and place them accordingly. When spacing the artwork on a smaller surface area make sure to keep white space between the frames. This will make the artwork appear larger than it is. If your frames are very light and you forgo glass, you can use picture hanging adhesives to secure the frames. When choosing a colour scheme, stick to light or neutral colours that connect to the rest of the room. Hues of pink are great for adding a feminine touch!

Think multi-purpose

When decorating a smaller space think of the items purpose. If I can think of two multipurpose reasons for an item of furniture I will buy it. Ask yourself questions like, what functions does this item have? Can I store items in it? Can I move it to different areas of the house if need be? An ottoman is a great example, use it as a coffee table or extra seating in the living room all at once!

Forgo the coffee table

Cumbersome furniture such as coffee tables chew up space. Instead opt for stumps, ottomans, or side tables as a substitute for larger items. Not only will this make the room feel less confined and poky, but it will stop you from hoarding unnecessary items in the living room. If losing the coffee table is out of the question, choose a design with a glass top. This will let natural light bounce off the surface and will fool the eye into thinking there is more space than there actually is.

Keep colour palette neutral

When decorating keep your accessories in a colour palette that is light and neutral. This will dramatically expand your space. Think pastels, beiges, stones and light greys. To add impact, get creative and mix up fabrics and textures on rugs, cushions and seats. This subtle detailing will add interest and ensure all the colours don’t blend into one. 

Choose one large statement piece

Believe it or not placing one large item of furniture into a room can often make it appear bigger than it is. More often than not cramming lots of little items into a room can make it feel crowded. So instead of creating lots of separate nooks with several pieces of small-scale furniture, try filling a large portion of the room with one item. For example fill 80 percent of the living room with an oversized sectional lounge. Add a small side table and you have a warm and inviting space. Opting for a sectional lounge will allow you to change up the space as you please.

Kerrie’s illustrations have featured in Vogue, Tatler and Harper’s Bazaar. She has illustrated countless fashion windows, billboards, book covers, silk scarves, cushions and packaging around the globe. She is also the author and illustrator of style book Shoestring Chic. Kerrie has lived in London, Hong Kong and Paris and is now based in Brisbane.

Shop Kerrie’s prints online.

Categories
Art Interviews

Meet the two Aussie illustrators exploring the animal kingdom

While very different in style, these two Aussie illustrators piqued our interest recently with their gorgeous take on wildlife – one focusses mostly on native Australian wildlife while the other embraces the full spectrum of the animal kingdom.

Emu & Owl’s gorgeous work

“I actually studied photography. I did a bit of art at school, but it wasn’t until about four years ago that I realised I was okay at drawing! It all started with my boys, I drew the animals for the letters of their names. That was it and I just kept going and drew the whole alphabet,” says the artist Emma Lees of Emu & Owl. Using primarily a pointillist technique, Emma’s work is full of detail, achieved simply with black pen and good quality paper. Quite amazing really!

Emu & Owl’s alphabet letters – where it all began.

With animals and plants the main fodder for her work, Emma draws plenty of inspiration from her home in south-west Western Australia. “I do really love animals and plants, living near the ocean. I also get a lot of inspiration from the UK as I love William Morris and his wallpapers plus House of Hackney and Timorous Beasties,” says Emma.

Emu & Owl Mirror dory with shells illustration

“I have started drawing plants and have also started combining my photography into my drawings and merging the two on the computer which is bringing some colour into my work.  But I have to say I think my favourite thing to draw are fish. I recently drew a gurnard fish and he has a lot of character and turned out great. Fish are fun to draw – the weirder the better. Scales, fins, wings, gills!” says Emma.

Emu & Owl octopus tote bag

In contrast, artist Aleta Lederwasch’s work, under the banner of Animals and Botanicals, gave me a real nostalgia kick as it reminds me of May Gibbs’ iconic output. “I initially began this collection of Australian fauna illustrations to inspire and nurture my daughter Elke’s interest in nature. It has been a most beautiful experience to spark and share a love of nature and wildlife with Elke through art. With the release of these print collections I now hope to inspire and nurture a love and appreciation of Australia’s unique flora and fauna amongst many more,” says Aleta of her work that is produced with pencil, water colour, gouache paint and cotton archival paper.

“I love everything about animals. I am humbled by animals – watching animals living wild and free in their natural habitats grounds and inspires me at the same time. I feel connected to them and to the land and resources that we share we with them. Animals remind us of how incredibly adapted we are to the natural environment that surrounds us and how full of diverse beauty every living thing is. The seemingly infinite patterns and textures that coat our scaly, furry and feathery friends, and the incredible spectrum of colours that paint them,” says Aleta who is open to custom animal requests too.

Largely self-taught, Aleta attended Ron Hartree’s Art School in Newcastle, an experience she describes as more nurturing than instructive. “I would describe that environment as one which nurtured and inspired my creativity, rather than one of teaching. Ron provided incredible materials including oil paints to children and a wonderful space to create. When I turned eleven Ron invited me to his life drawing classes. There were guides there but I liked to do my own thing, so they usually just left me alone,” says Aleta.

I can see Aleta’s work looking very much at home in a nursery, and Emma’s too. “They are adorable pieces to enjoy in a child or baby’s room. They will bring colour, cuteness and character and at the same time may inspire and nurture a love and appreciation of Australia’s unique and beautiful wildlife amongst the little ones in your life,” says Aleta.

Shop Emu & Owl | Shop Animals and Botanicals

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Interiors Addict

June 7 Vignettes with Brown Paper Lemon

Brown Paper Lemon turtle decal

This month (June starts tomorrow, can you believe it?!) we’ve partnered with Nikki Hernan from Brown Paper Lemon, a regular participant in 7 Vignettes herself and someone who knows a thing or two about a good looking insta-feed!

Brown Paper Lemon's seahorse decals
Brown Paper Lemon’s seahorse decals

This month's themes, by Nikki
This month’s themes, by Nikki

Nikki says: “It’s such an honour to be this month’s 7 Vignettes guest judge. Brown Paper Lemon was born to inspire little ones to nurture nature and love the space they call their own. So this month is all about nurseries and children’s rooms. I’ve created childhood-inspired prompts to challenge and celebrate these very special rooms. Inspiration could be drawn from your children or grandchildren or revisiting your own childhood memories and the space you grew up in. I cannot wait to see all the love in your entries!”

sperm whale pillowcase
Brown Paper Lemon sperm whale pillowcase

Gold Coast illustration studio Brown Paper Lemon offers a range of home decor to inspire children to recognise and appreciate the world’s threatened creatures. “I envisage the more awareness and love created for them will protect and ensure these endangered species are here for many generations to come,” Nikki says. $1 from every product sold is donated to WWF Australia.

Brown Paper Lemon turtle decal
Brown Paper Lemon turtle decal

One winner each day will get a wall decal of their choice and the overall winner will receive a $100 Brown Paper Lemon voucher, a print of their choice from @onetinytribe and a @PrettyTidy_Roshnee grey dipped grid sack.

The fun starts tomorrow (Wednesday) for seven days. You need to tag @interiorsaddict and @brownpaperlemon and use the hashtag #7vignettes. All guidelines here. Please ask any questions in the comments.

Good luck and, most importantly, have fun!

Categories
Art Homewares

Beautiful illustrations for the Interiors Addict x The Envy Edit collaboration

Interiors Addict x The Envy Edit

A collection of daily drawings of all sorts of must haves, The Envy Edit is the brainchild of Sydney creative, Angelique Sloss.

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Interiors Addict x The Envy Edit

[contextly_sidebar id=”3iN6EFUD8HiVSBBdTLtfpZJ1abtm0jI1″]With a background in the fashion industry, Angelique had always had a strong affinity for drawing, however she had never seen it as something more than a hobby, until now. “Designing, illustrating and trend forecasting have always been apart of my 5-9. I love to keep busy and make sure my creative juices keep flowing. So with my latest venture I wanted to do something different. I wanted to combine my love of drawing and my Instagram addiction.” And so, The Envy Edit was born!

Illustrating items that reflect what is currently trending, as well as some of her all-time favourite pieces, Angelique draws anything and everything from homewares to fashion to food. And as a special treat, she has created three Interiors Addict x The Envy Edit illustrations. We absolutely love them!

Interiors Addict x The Envy Edit
Interiors Addict x The Envy Edit

Showcasing all her artworks on her Instagram feed, @theenvyedit, she also sells a selection of them as prints and greeting cards via her online boutique. Creating the illustrations with either markers, watercolours or pencils, no illustration has the same design process. “Each project is different. I usually start by analysing the purpose of the artwork then go from there. Majority of the time I use images saved in my phone as reference for what I am drawing. Having that by my side, I begin sketching up the image with pencil. I then choose what materials are best for the artwork.”

Interiors Addict x The Envy Edit
Interiors Addict x The Envy Edit

No longer strictly working in fashion, when Angelique’s not busy drawing she’s freelancing for a variety of brands. “Being in the creative world I juggle a few different roles. I am a freelancer for a few brands — working on their marketing and design projects — and I also lecture at one of the design colleges in Sydney: Karl Von Busse Institute of Design.”

Shop online.

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Art

Megan Hess’ Paris-inspired fashion illustrations

This women can truly do no wrong!

Lace Masquerade
Lace Masquerade

Megan Hess’ latest print collection LACE, features eight intricately detailed illustrations inspired by historical designer creations, fashion movements of the century and the stylish streets of Paris.

LACE COUTURE
Lace Couture

Coming in two sizes, each size is limited to 25 prints and retails for $275-to-495.

Lace Balloons
Lace Balloons

The giclee is printed on Canson Arches Museum Velin, a deluxe heavy weight 315gsm, cream coloured, slightly textured, hand-moulded rag. Each print is UV coated, and hand signed and editioned by Megan.

LACE CHANEL

Shop online.

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Art Expert Tips Homewares

West Elm watercolour workshop with Homedrawn’s Christina Banos

The lovely Christina Banos, who we collaborated with late last month, creates gorgeous illustrations of the homewares she covets. Pretty cool right?

christina banos homedrawn

Working under the pseudonym @homedrawn, Christina transforms her favourite homewares into gorgeous watercolour illustrations, and now she’s giving you the skills to give it a go yourself.

The West Elm Martini side table: 1/7 Homedrawn # Interiors Addict illustrations
The West Elm Martini side table: 1/7 Homedrawn # Interiors Addict illustrations

Hosting a workshop in West Elm’s Bondi Junction store on Thursday 28 May from 7-to-9pm, the event will see her cover the basic techniques and principles of watercolour so you can, in true Homedrawn style, produce your own West Elm original.

Ticket are $50 and include all workshop materials, refreshments and a small goody bag.

Buy your tickets now.

Categories
Art Furniture Homewares

Homedrawn: the girl illustrating the homewares she covets!

With expensive taste (but maybe not the budget to match!), Christina Banos began drawing all the beautiful decorating pieces and furniture she envisioned for her home.

Black_white_resized
Image by Nick Scott

As a graphic designer for Real Living, there was far from a lack of stimulus, and she began using all her spare time to bring everything from textiles to appliances, to life. “I find pieces online as well as in my favourite interior stores. I also like to flick through magazines for latest trends, inspiration and products. These items then translate onto paper, which I sketch. Some proving more intricate than others.”

christina banos homedrawn
Photo by Sonia Karagiannidis

Compiling her illustrations on her increasingly popular instagram, @homedrawn, it is the culmination of many years of interiors obsessing! “From a young age, I was always filling my sketch pad with drawings and doodles of my dream space. I would dream up floorplans, house designs, objects and constantly change my ideas, it was what I enjoyed doing, and still do!” Sounds like a proper interiors addict to us!

While she studied design, most of her illustration skills are self-taught, which led to a lot of experimentation when beginning Homedrawn. “My practice has changed over time. I started off with Artline pens and then began to add watercolours to my drawings. Now, my main preference is watercolour, however every now and again I do like a traditional pencil sketch!”

Our first of seven
The West Elm Martini side table: 1/7 Homedrawn # Interiors Addict illustrations

Photo by Sonia Karagiannidis
Photo by Sonia Karagiannidis

Interiors Addict collaboration

Here at Interiors Addict, we are big fans of Christina! So for a week, starting today, we will be sharing an exclusive new illustration on our @interiorsaddict Instagram every day. The drawings are of some of Jen’s favourite pieces. We also have some exciting collaborations set for the future, so watch this space!

WIN

For your chance of winning a set of flower bowls from Interiors Addict Shop in your choice of monochrome or black and fuchsia, simply share one of the illustrations this week, hashtag #interiorsaddict and #homedrawn and tell us why you love the piece in the drawing. Open to Australian residents only. Good luck! Find them on Instagram tagged #interiorsaddict and #homedrawn.

SAM_0652_1024x1024
Interiors Addict flower bowls in monochrome

For more on Christina.

Categories
Furniture Homewares

Frankie illustrator starts own wallpaper and textiles studio

Working as an illustrator for a number of editorial publications, including the super cool frankie magazine and Smith Journal, Sara Hingle longed to create something to call her own. With pen and paper in hand, she dreamt up These Walls, a wallpaper and textile studio that could cater for vintage-styled homes through to modern commercial interiors. Late last year, her idea turned into a reality.

Screen Shot 2015-03-16 at 1.42.20 pm
Photo: Reuben Gates. Styling: Bek Sheppard

“I started These Walls in August last year and it has been such a treat to be working to my own colour palettes and sense of aesthetic,” explains Sara. “The move into surface design was a natural one after a few of my illustration briefs in the recent years involved illustrating and designing repeat patterns; projects that both challenged and fulfilled my creative exploration.”

cushions-in-situs-4

With a varied range of products that aims to suit all tastes, Sara admits the aesthetic can be somewhat contradictory. “These Walls is neither feminine nor masculine — perhaps it is a little of both. It is understated and yet unique. It is relaxed and earthy but still, it is strong. And lastly, it takes inspiration from the contrasting visual worlds of structured minimalism, textured boheme and ethnic patterns.”

Screen Shot 2015-03-16 at 1.42.10 pm
Photo: Reuben Gates. Styling: Bek Sheppard

Designed and made in Australia to support our local makers, Sara is in charge of all aspects of the business, though illustration is the easy favourite. A time-consuming process, she starts by collating a pool of images and colours and then it’s straight to the moodboard.

“Before I start designing, I have a moodboarding session — this involves a cork board, music and either a coffee or a wine (depending on the time of day!). Once I have some clarity of stories, themes and palettes I start creating — this is a combination of working with pens, brushes, tracing, scanning and then colouring and working the repeat in photoshop. Finally, it’s design to medium time using a friendly bunch of local crafters and makers and there you have it, the range is made!”

bedroom-SW01

Shop online.

Categories
Homewares

Fashion illustrator Megan Hess’ exquisite serving trays

It’s no secret that we are a bit obsessed with fashion illustrator Megan Hess. From writing books to designing interiors she’s one busy bee, but it is her latest venture, exquisite serving trays, that we are talking about today.

Megan Hess interiors addict 2
Coming in two designs, each reflects Megan’s classic style and aesthetic. Made from beautifully lacquered wood, they features a suede bottom with accent stitching and cut out handles at the sides.

Megan Hess interiors addict

The first tray, the black and white Cocktail Party, is set in a chic Manhattan apartment filled with Megan’s signature characters, sipping champagne and gossiping in designer dresses. The second tray, the pink and gold High Tea Party, is set in a lavish Parisian tea house and once again sees Megan’s familiar characters, this time sipping tea and indulging in delicious French treats.

They’re almost too beautiful to put anything on!

Both trays measure 450mm wide x 305mm high x 60mm deep and are presented in an elegant Megan Hess gift box. They are $245 each and available for purchase via Megan’s website.

Categories
Art

Fashion illustrator Megan Hess’ new book: The Dress

We are big fans of Australian fashion illustrator Megan Hess here and I have two of her prints on my office wall. So glamorous and gorgeous! After the success of last year’s book, Fashion House, which featured stylish women in equally stylish interiors, this book focuses on the frocks. The Dress: 100 Iconic Moments in Fashion sounds just up my street!

oscardelarenta

The book is a celebration of iconic dresses throughout fashion history and details a select few of Megan’s favourites that have been memorable for one reason or another. Some illustrations have been sketched from the front line at fashion shows where the audience gasped with excitement as the most brilliant dresses sashayed down the runway. Megan has illustrated the dresses on all kinds of women throughout history from the world’s top supermodels to Academy Award-winning actresses as well as the First Lady of the United States.

Cover_the dress

Available for purchase  from 1 October and available for pre-order now. RRP $29.95. Online and through all good book shops.

givenchy

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Covet my coffee table

Covet my coffee table: with fashion illustrator Kerrie Hess

I’m not surprised this coffee table set-up is as glam and gorgeous as it is! It belongs to Australian fashion illustrator Kerrie Hess.

coffeetablekerriehess

“My grandma’s vintage blue sugar bowl which I use as a mini vase is something that I really cherish,” she says. “The Jo Loves perfume scent is Pamplemo which smells like fresh grapefruit and reminds me of my last trip to London.”

Kerrie’s own work, the Little Black Dress print, is almost sold out, so she’s enjoying displaying it while she still can!

Two of her favourite books are The Dressing Table by Clare Press and Things We Love by Kate Spade.

Got your eye on that print? You can buy Kerrie’s work online.

Tour Kerrie’s former Paris apartment and read her guide to the best places in the city of love.

Categories
Art

Peonies meet fashion in limited edition Megan Hess illustrations for Mother’s Day

We all love peonies, don’t we? They’re just the most beautiful blooms! And of course, we love frocks and fashion. So Megan Hess has struck gold with these limited edition drawings, featuring dresses fashioned from the flowers. Divine!

Dancing in Blooms

There are two to choose from, and they’re limited to 25 prints of each. So basically, don’t hang around!

Layered in Petals
Layered in Petals

If you’re not a mum and you want one anyway, I say go for it and treat yourself! Obviously, they’d make a great special gift for a mum, or anyone else in your life really.

Each image is printed on Canson Arches Museum Velin, a deluxe heavyweight 315gsm, cream coloured, slightly textured, hand-moulded rag. Every print is UV coated, signed and editioned by Megan, and measures 297 mm x 420 mm.

$275 each, unframed. Buy online.

Categories
Homewares

Illustrator Megan Hess collaborates with Designer Rugs

Everyone knows how much we love those illustrating Hess sisters at Interiors Addict. And following her recent forray into homewares with the release of a vase, Megan Hess has now collaborated with Designer Rugs on her own range. Not surprisingly, always elegant Megan has taken inspiration from a bygone age of glamour and refinement.

The Emperor's Pearls
The Emperor’s Pearls – 250cm diameter

megan hess portrait

The Vintage Jewels comprises three intricately detailed, hand-tufted, New Zealand wool and bamboo designs. “Creating my first collection with Designer Rugs has been one of the most exciting collaborations that I’ve ever worked on,” she said. “Standing here with the finished rugs under my toes, they are just as I imagined them to be; three illustrations brought to life by the finest artisans in the most beautiful wools, ready to fill a room with all the same inspiration that went into creating them.”

She adds: “I really wanted each design to tell its own story and be the anchor to everything that surrounds it. Like the conductor of an orchestra, a rug is often the piece that sets the tone and leads the other elements.

“I’ve always loved classic images from a bygone era where women wore elaborate jewelled turbans and sipped champagne! When designing the collection, I imagined beautiful rooms filled with antiques jewels, velvet chaise lounges, gilt mirrors and beautiful buttoned upholstery. The tones of gold, silver and peach felt very old-school glamour and reminded me of the classic Parisian Atelier.”

The Lost Vault — 200cm x 300cm (my personal favourite!)

The Lost Vault

The Palazzo Jewels — 250cm diameter

The Palazzo Jewels

So gorgeous, so Megan!

All the designs can be custom shaped, re-sized and re-coloured. They’re hand tufted from semi-worsted New Zealand wool with bamboo highlights. Now on display at Designer Rugs‘ Edgecliff showroom in Sydney.

If you haven’t already, check out our tour of Megan’s stylish Melbourne home.

Categories
Homewares

Affordable designer fashion for your walls from Megan Hess

If you dream of haute couture but your budget won’t stretch, the latest limited edition prints from Melbourne illustrator Megan Hess will let you have a piece of Valentino or Chanel for just $220.

Megan Hess valentino

Inspired by her years of drawing at fashion shows, Megan has selected her favourite dresses to feature in a new print collection, Couture Dresses.

Continue reading “Affordable designer fashion for your walls from Megan Hess”

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Travel

Kerrie Hess’s guide to the Paris hotspots

Yesterday, we were lucky enough to feature a tour of illustrator Kerrie Hess’s Paris apartment. Today, we share her guide to homewares shopping, eating, drinking and people-watching in the city of love. If you’re planning a trip, take note!

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Kerrie’s Paris: where to hang out

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House Tours Interviews Travel

Illustrator Kerrie Hess shares her Paris apartment and tips for style on a shoestring

I’ve been to Paris an impressive 14 times and have always dreamed of living in a Paris apartment. Talented illustrator Kerrie Hess has lived this dream. Luckily for Australia, she has recently returned home to Queensland, but she generously shared some photos from her stylish pied-à-terre with us.

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It’s a brave person who moves to the other side of the world to a country with a different culture, where they speak another language, but for Kerrie, it was a bit of a case of now or never. “I had been learning French for many years and a lot of my clients were in Paris, so, while my son Marcel was still only two, it seemed a great time to move to France.” They spent 18 months there before returning to settle in Brisbane’s Hawthorne, in time for Marcel to start school.

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The stylish Miss Hess (and yes she is the sister of fellow illustrator Megan Hess) works for such huge names as Chanel, Kate Spade New York and Louise Vuitton, so it seems most appropriate for her to have been creating her beautiful drawings in one of the most romantic and fashionable cities in Europe.

Continue reading “Illustrator Kerrie Hess shares her Paris apartment and tips for style on a shoestring”