To celebrate Incy Interiors’ 10th birthday, founder Kristy Withers has relaunched the brand’s iconic Spindle bedroom range. Previously sold between 2015 and 2019, the Spindle collection was a common fixture in celeb homes and even made it into our publisher Jen’s son Sebastian’s baby nursery!
The collection consists of the Penny Single Bed ($999), Penny King Single Bed ($1,199), Jude Bookcase ($599) and Jack Side Table ($499), all handcrafted from New Zealand pine.
Flashback: Jen used the Spindle change table in son Sebastian’s nursery back in 2015 in a custom aqua colour. It has followed him through various bedrooms since as a dresser, until deciding to share with his brother Charlie this year.
Followers of the leading Australian kids’ furniture brand have long been requesting the return of the popular design and it seemed fitting to re-launch the range during a milestone year. The Spindle bedroom range extends upon the classic Spindle Georgia Cot and Lucy Change Table.
Faced with challenges from health restrictions during the pandemic and lockdowns, Incy returned to its roots to pull off this product launch, working outside locked down LGAs. The campaign was shot in Orange NSW, where Kristy and her family live.
“It was serendipitous that due to Covid lockdowns we were forced to do the photoshoot in regional NSW where we did the original Spindle shoot,” said Kristy.
Incy Interiors’ new kids range: so stylish you could steal it!
You know how there’s those kids labels – be it fashion, homewares or furniture – where you just need to have it all, except you’re an adult and alas, nothing…
This new children's Chesterfield is rather gorgeous
When Incy Interiors launched a decade ago, the Australian children’s furniture scene was a rather bland and predictable one. Debuting with a range of retro style iron beds and cots, in a delectable range of on-trend colours, the Incy Interiors range soon became a favourite of design-conscious parents across the country – and it’s still going strong after ten years in business.
Incy Interiors’ iconic rose gold ‘Ellie’ cot
“I definitely underestimated the gap in the market and that first year was insane,” says the brand’s founder Kristy Withers who decided to launch the brand after shopping for a ‘big boy bed’ for her two-year-old son Oscar and being uninspired by the options.
Working in corporate marketing at eBay at the time, and travelling to the US and Europe constantly, Kristy was able to check out all of the amazing children’s furniture products that weren’t available in Australia. “After lots of talking about it, trying to get things made and researching, my husband finally said to me one day ‘for god sake just do it!'” says Kristy.
Incy Interiors’ founder Kristy Withers
That first year of business was so successful that even Kristy’s daughter was waiting in line for one of the brand’s covetable cots. “The year we launched I also had my daughter Polly, and she didn’t have a cot until she was at least six months old because it kept selling out, so I had to keep bumping her to the next shipment!” says Kristy.
The stylish range has since expanded to encompass around 70 products and is available across the globe with distributors in the US and UK and stockists in New Zealand, the UAE, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Kristy’s daughter Polly with a sofa from the new collection
And Kristy manages all of this from her base in Orange, where she resides with her husband and two children on 100 acres of land. “We lead a really simple, easy life in such a beautiful part of the world. Most of my team are based in Sydney so I have a great excuse to get back to the city and get my fix and catch up with my friends. I couldn’t imagine life any other way,” says Kristy.
The new collection features velvet in five lovely shades
As for the brand’s most popular product, it’s no surprise to hear that it’s the rose gold cot. “I don’t think there would have been Incy without our rose gold products. I have lost count of how many beds and cots we have sold. They are definitely our signature piece that are the perfect blend of classic but cool!” says Kristy.
This new children’s Chesterfield is rather gorgeous
And to celebrate Incy’s tenth birthday, the brand has a new range on the horizon too – slated to launch next month and pictured here. Central to the brand’s ethos, Incy believes that kids’ rooms are sacred spaces in which children can showcase their creativity and thus have launched a fully customisable range that speaks to this. With five velvet shades and two gorgeous, aged leathers, the range represents over 1000 exciting design possibilities.
Dark brown aged leather features in the range
“We are so excited about the massive new collection and we also have a new collaboration that I am really excited about, that has been in the works for two years. We have something really exciting happening every month of this year so strap yourselves in for some amazingness from Incy as we hit our second decade!”
Photography: Pablo Viega (shot on location at stylist Steve Cordony’s gorgeous Rosedale Farm)
Covet My Coffee Table: With Kristy Withers from Incy Interiors
While Incy Interiors’ Kristy Withers calls Central NSW her main base (she grew up there and moved her family back there recently), she maintains a small apartment in Sydney that…
The combined office and playroom is divided into zones
While it could be the stuff of nightmares, this gorgeous space manages to combine a home office with a little girl’s play room without compromising on style. The creation of Magdalene Liacopoulos of The Bebe Style Co., it’s shared by Courtney Bell, owner of kids’ decor brand Belle & Co. Living, and her daughter Macey.
The combined office and playroom is divided into zones
“The brief was to put together a combined office and playroom – a space where Courtney was able to have a functional and inspiring work area while still being able to care for Macey and having a shared spot where she is stimulated and happy,” says Magdalene.
Macey’s play area features a velvet mini mattress for reading and sleeping alongside her mum’s beautiful storage cases
“Courtney’s interior style is modern and classic and we wanted the room to be an extension of the rest of the home. Being a girl’s area, we added a feminine touch with the hints of blush pink,” says Magdalene – the most notable of which is the feature wall of removable pink marble-look wallpaper from Loaded Visuals.
The removable wallpaper is the hero of the space. I love this pink console from Adairs too.
“That was definitely a risk that paid off. We discussed wallpaper early in the design process and struggled to find a design that would tie in with all the furnishings and then I put forward the marble design and Courtney loved it! I think it finishes the room off beautifully and I couldn’t imagine the room without it.”
Courtney’s desk
A large room to fill, this presented its own challenge but Magdalene rose to the occasion by sectioning the space into separate zones. “The biggest challenge was probably the size – a big space can be a blessing and a curse – as it does need a lot of furnishings to fill the space. We achieved this by creating dedicated zones to help fill every corner.”
Desk details
The inevitable clutter that comes with children was another obstacle but one that Magdalene overcame with a variety of clever storage solutions including an Olli Ella ‘Pollie’ shelf where Macey stores her butcher’s paper. The lovely felt board above displays her creations. “Another challenge when working on a children’s playroom is finding a home for all their toys and we did this by ensuring there was plenty of concealed storage and baskets – as it can start to look overrun very quickly,” says Magdalene.
The craft zone
Macey’s play area also features a versatile Onyx & Smoke ‘Laysleepplay’ velvet mini mattress where she can read and rest and a gorgeous Incy Interiors velvet ‘Hugo’ settee that faces a large IKEA ‘Billy series’ shelving unit that features customised hardware from Anthropologie. Courtney’s IKEA Hemnes desk also features gorgeous custom knobs from the American brand as well as a West Elm upholstered dining chair.
The Incy Interiors settee is a highlight of the space
Gorgeous storage cases from Courtney’s own homewares brand also feature. Made from powdercoated metal sheeting and available in five colours with three different hardware options, they make a great addition to a little girl’s space. “I started the business because I kept seeing similar cases popping up on European Instagram accounts and became frustrated that we didn’t have access to them in Australia – as with a lot of beautiful interior décor and furniture, and if companies did ship here it was ridiculously expensive! My goal is to make beautiful, practical and affordable homewares available to the growing Australian market of interior lovers and decorators,” says Courtney.
At the weekend, Henley and Villawood Properties officially opened to the public to inspect the Good Friday Appeal charity auction home. It followed five months and 320,000 collective labour hours from over 400 tradies and suppliers.
It was a huge team effort by Henley, Villawood Properties and the generous trades and suppliers who volunteered their time and services. Year after year, they give it their all to create a stunning family home for one successful bidder to call home. This is all in aid of the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal, with the Henley double-storey Emperor 41, situated in Villawood’s boutique Waratah community, selling at a no-reserve auction on Good Friday 30 March – with 100% of the proceeds donated to the appeal.
Living room furnished by Early Settler with sofas, artwork, side tables, coffee table, accessories and more.
Dining area furnished by Early Settler and kitchen stocked by IKEA.
“It’s our 25th year building and donating houses to the Good Friday Appeal, and the whole team at Henley is enormously proud in being associated with such an iconic event, where the community really comes together for a feel-good cause,” said Henley’s managing director John Harvey.
Nursery furnished by Incy Interiors, GlobeWest, Willow & Wood and The Print Emporium.
To make Henley’s silver anniversary even more special, Interiors Addict was delighted to be asked to be involved. We called on our network of furniture and homewares brands to donate everything from art to sofas and a dining a table! Early Settler, IKEA, GlobeWest, Incy Interiors,Willow & Wood and The Print Emporium didn’t hesitate to give generously, allowing me to choose from their gorgeous stock for the house. And the lucky bidder will get to keep it all. That will make moving day easier!
The home has a spacious open plan kitchen/living/dining room furnished almost entirely by Early Settler. Kitchen cupboards are full of essentials from IKEA, who also furnished the guest suite and theatre, as well providing outdoor dining furniture. In the super sweet nursery, Incy Interiors donated a cot and change table while the rug and chair came from GlobeWest, the bookcase from Willow & Wood, artwork from The Print Emporium and cot mattress from Clarke Rubber.
“This year, we once again have a group of passionate and dedicated trades and suppliers who donate their time and resources in making this extraordinary build happen, some who have contributed to the cause since its inception in 1993 and others who have joined us along the way. Each contribution means so much to us, and adds immeasurable value to the worth of the home,” John added.
Guest suite furnished by IKEA
Dining furniture donated by IKEA
Beyond the gorgeous home, the lucky buyer will be moving to a peaceful oasis, surrounded by historic woodlands and conveniently located in close proximity to the Mickleham Town Centre and future primary school, while also in walking distance of the state-of-the art Childcare Centre within the Waratah community, due to open in early 2019.
Theatre furnished by IKEA
“We believe the sense of ‘home’ is so much more than what’s contained within a property’s boundary and we design our all our projects to instill a true sense of community, where people know their neighbours and greet them in the street. The Village Green, a large neighbourhood park with playground, will be integral to this and we’ll have an exciting 12-month calendar of events kicking off just after the auction,” said Rory Costelloe, executive director of Villawood Properties.
“A special thanks this year to Early Settler, IKEA, GlobeWest, Incy Interiors, Willow & Wood and The Print Emporium, who have come on board through Interiors Addict publisher, Jen Bishop, to style the house with all of the donated furniture and accessories included in the auction price.
“This house is packed to the roof with quality inclusions, donations, upgrades and of course, the feel-good factor and we can’t wait to meet its new family who get a beautiful new home with a whole heap of extra value,” he said.
The house is open for inspection every Saturday and Sunday (1-to-3pm) and Wednesdays (5-to-6pm), until 30 March at 13 Harfield Avenue, Mickleham Victoria.
You know how there’s those kids labels – be it fashion, homewares or furniture – where you just need to have it all, except you’re an adult and alas, nothing will fit! Well Incy Interiors is that label for me. Except now… they do stuff for adults. Win!
Their latest offering, Mod Collection, is supposedly for kids, but there are some products you could definitely steal for yourself. Featuring a desk, change table, side table and a quirky take on a loft bed; the collection has been inspired by modernist trends of the 1950s.
Each of the designs gives a nod to Hollywood glamour, with curved silhouettes and sophisticated hardware. The collection is made from New Zealand pine and aluminium, which is power coated in navy, white or chrome plated rose gold. Divine!
The New York loft style bed is ideal for maximising space in any kids bedroom. Inspired by the bunkbeds of yore, the design provides functional sleeping zones, additional height and a grand sense of openness. You can also complete the look with the Mod side table, which features two pullout drawers.
Also available is the Mod change table, with its slender silhouette, round corners and tapered legs; creating a soft, timeless look. Versatility is key with the change table converting into a dresser when needed. Team this with the Mod desk, which features two pullout drawers on a stainless steel frame. Both pieces can be used to decorate a children’s room (or an adult’s study!).
While Incy Interiors’ Kristy Withers calls Central NSW her main base (she grew up there and moved her family back there recently), she maintains a small apartment in Sydney that she visits on a weekly basis. And it turns out, its coffee table is quite the multi-tasker!
“The coffee table at our apartment is critical as it is our dining table, homework table, kids’ play table and my desk! The apartment isn’t huge and we use it as a base for our family plus extended family to stay whilst in Sydney. As a result, all our meals are eaten around that little coffee table!” Kristy converted the apartment’s dining room into a fourth bedroom.
The coffee table itself is a West Elm number and combines a marble top with a brushed gold base. “After visiting Palm Springs last year, I developed a complete obsession with everything mid-century and I was lucky enough to be able to bring the obsession to life when decorating my Sydney apartment,” says Kristy, who makes regular business trips to Sydney where she has an Incy Interiors office as well as the store in Chatswood Chase.
Styled with a series of her favourite things, the table features a Palm Beach coconut and lime candle which is Kristy’s signature scent. “I always have one burning at home, in the office and in the store,” says Kristy.
Three books sit atop the table – ‘Things I Love’ by Megan Morton, ‘Inspired’ by Lorna Jane and an Yves Saint Laurent tome too. “Megan Morton is one of my style icons – I couldn’t believe it when she suggested we do a collaboration together. Lorna Jane is my business hero – I love that she has taken a small business and grown it into a global company. Finally, the Yves Saint Laurent book just represents my love of fashion and design,” says Kirsty who loves styling with fresh flowers too. “On the coffee table is also a beautiful bunch of pink and white roses. I always try to have fresh flowers, it’s my one little luxury.”
Kristy with her daughter
As for styling tips, Kristy keeps it simple and believes in three key elements: “A bunch of flowers for beauty, a stack of books to spark conversation and a decorative accent such as a mini sculpture for interest,” she says.
Sorry I missed my lust list last week! We were moving and life just got a bit hectic!
DesignByThem’s Butter Stool now comes in a new light blue colour. I love the look of these stools and the fact they’re made from 80% recycled materials. Amazingly, the stool is made from a single piece of material which is folded together to become rigid and create the final shape! $319 each and available in nine other colours.
We bought a house last week (yay! Mortgaged for LIFE!) so I’m mentally decorating, renovating and furnishing already. One item on the shopping list for the new home is a solid timber dining table. Something simple and timeless which can withstand knocks and scratches from small people and even get better with age. I really like this Malmo table from Life Interiors, which is currently on sale. $1,274.15
I love the idea of a round one but it won’t work in the space. And marble tops are gorgeous but they’re not cheap and I just know someone will end up taking a chip out of it with something!
Our bedroom post with Darren Palmer last week reminded how important sheets can be to styling your bed. A pop of colour or pattern under your quilt can make a big impact! I’m loving the pink hue of these French linen sheets from WA brand Bedtonic ($339 for queen size sheet set).
If you like the style of bed those sheets are on too, did you know there’s a crazy sale happening at Incy Interiors and their super simple Megan Morton collaboration four-posters in black or cream are currently HALF PRICE. I have never been so tempted! Queen size is now down to $649.50. If your bed’s king size, their Sybilla velvet bedheads are currently a steal on sale too!
And last but by no means least, they’ve added some new customisation options (including vanity tops and two-tone vanity legs) to the drop dead gorgeous Issy by Zuster bathroom collection, available exclusively at Reece. If money were no object, I’d be decking out my new bathrooms in this stuff for sure. I’ll keep dreaming though…
Chatswood Chase is celebrating all things home at the Sydney north shore shopping centre this month.
And that’s not hard when they have some of our favourite furniture and homewares stores under one roof. During July, we’ll be sharing the creation of a different room suite each week, with everything used available from the centre.
Today, we’re kicking off with this gorgeous children’s bedroom. Watch the magic happen in the video below, then see a full list of where to buy everything.
It features pieces by some of my favourite stores for little people’s rooms, including Pottery Barn Kids and Incy Interiors, where pretty much everything in my son’s room is from! Although this is a little boy’s room, the bed, drawers and desk would work really well in a girl’s room too and are classic enough that they could last into the teenage years. I always recommend investing in the key pieces like a good quality bed and rug, and then have fun with more affordable styling pieces which you won’t feel bad about changing up every couple of years. And always remember that kid’s rooms need to be as practical and safe as they are good looking! How cool is the silver speedster from Kidstuff? As much a piece of decor as it is a fun toy!
If you’re at Chatswood Chase Sydney, make sure you head to the Style Hub on level 2, where they are featuring a different room setting each week this month, showcasing the latest trends for every room in the house. If you’re not in Sydney, don’t worry, because you’ll be able to watch all the videos here on Interiors Addict.
GO SHOPPING!
1.Bed by POTTERY BARN KIDS, sheets/cushions/quilt cover/throw by ADAIRS.
2. Bedside table by POTTERY BARN, digital clock by SMIGGLE, dinosaur night light by ADAIRS, interior clock by INCY INTERIORS.
3.Locker system & honeycomb shelving by INCY INTERIORS, shoes by COTTON ON KIDS, toys & accessories by KIDSTUFF, cushions by ADAIRS.
4.Desk & chair by POTTERY BARN, stationery & school backpack by SMIGGLE.
5.Silver speedster & assorted tin toys by KIDSTUFF, floor Ottoman by INCY INTERIORS.
6.Dresser by POTTERY BARN, clothing by COTTON ON KIDS, Paddington Bear by KIDSTUFF, garland cloche/beanbag chair/donkey plush & Wolf Pack hang by INCY INTERIORS.
7. Wall frame by ADAIRS.
Why not pop into Chatswood Chase this month, where there are all sorts of exclusives and in-store presentations for Homewares Month. More details.
Being a working mum is all kinds of things – a privilege, a challenge, a juggle – and with a baby about to turn one, I should know! What it isn’t is easy! In honour of Mother’s Day this weekend, I rounded up seven impressive women from the worlds of interiors, homewares and design to ask them how they manage to have – and do – it all!
From L to R: Chloe Brookman, Kristy Withers, Bel Kurtz, Andrea Rembeck Kate Pascoe Squires, Tina Clark and Alison Wyatt
KATE PASCOE SQUIRES is one half of homewares brand Kate & Kate, known for their beautiful blankets, throws and towels. She is also mum to Harry (6) and Helena (4). She started Kate & Kate with her sister in law Kate Pascoe when Helena was just six months old and Harry was two.
“It was actually the perfect time to start a business,” she says. “Although we both had our hands full, there was also lots of time spent feeding, walking etc – and a desperate need to take some time for ourselves and get out of that ‘baby’ headspace. Our business started organically, so there was no pressure in the early days. We didn’t know what shape Kate & Kate was going to take, and by the time we worked that out, the kids were a little bit older and we could dedicate more time to developing our strategy.”
These days, with Harry at school and Helena in pre-school three days a week, with the help of a nanny two days a week, Kate can get four solid days of work in. “I juggle through the other three days. I like to walk Harry to school in the mornings and spend time with both kids in the afternoons, which means there is a break in my working day – but for that freedom, I am happy to then jump back into it for a few hours at night.
“We don’t have any family in Sydney, so I came to terms pretty early on that paid help is my only option and I’m cool with that. Our nanny has been with us since Helena was born and she’s part of the family. At the minute, the strategy is working!”
While she did have the dreaded mum guilt, being proactive in making changes to allow her to spend more time with the kids has alleviated this. “It makes for very busy days, but I just felt as though I was missing out on too much and we were all suffering. My new mantra is, ‘I can only do what I can do!’ I am a very proud working mum. I want my kids to have privileges, but I need them to see that you have to work for them. There isn’t a money tree out the back of the terrace!
“I also think it’s good for kids to see that the world doesn’t always revolve around them – I can’t be there every minute of every day and you know what? That’s ok. They will be ok. It’s a good life lesson.”
While self-employment brings welcome flexibility, it also brings “giant” responsibility. “The buck stops with you. It can be terrifying and empowering. There are a lot of people to keep happy too – your employees, stockists, manufacturers, media etc. We run our own business, but that doesn’t mean we’re not accountable to a lot of other people. Running your own show isn’t all love hearts and sunshine (as it may seem on Instagram) — there are amazing benefits, but get ready for a huge slog, lots of spreadsheets and time away from your family.”
Kate’s top tips: Get help. Family is always best if that’s an option, but if not, get prepared to pay for it: nanny, daycare… don’t think you can do it all by yourself. If you can afford to, outsource the jobs you don’t like or don’t find rewarding. When you are juggling a family and a business, time is precious – don’t waste it!
ANDREA REMBECK runs kids luxury label Tutu du Monde and is mum to Alyna (11). Her daughter was actually the inspiration to start the business! “It has really grown with her, I started very small and nimble so I was able to juggle new motherhood with the challenges of a start-up and as she got older, it got easier for me to extend my work hours,” Andrea says.
Having an older child now, the juggle is a lot easier. Her husband works from home and does most of the school drop-offs and pick-ups which enables Andrea to have ‘proper’ work days. “I don’t have to pick up a lot of ‘undone’ work after-hours and on the weekend. When Alyna was younger, my husband was away overseas a lot on extended work commitments and with no relatives in Australia, I often had to juggle work, daycare, babysitters, etc. I used to work a lot at night. I had to fit it in where I could.”
There’s still the occasional bout of guilt though – mainly when she travels and can’t take Alyna with her. “However, I usually tell myself that a happy (and fulfilled) mother creates a nurturing and happy environment for her kids. I am a believer in old fashioned values and I think working sets a great example for your kids. They know it requires hard work and discipline to be a success and to fulfil one’s dreams. I don’t want my daughter to grow up and aspire to a Kardashian life.”
Andrea says it’s never too late to start your own business. “Maybe when you have young kids, it takes a little longer to get it off the ground and grow it, but with a good support network it’s possible, especially when the kids get a bit older. When Alyna was younger, I was running the business from home which helps, as you can work around nap times and you don’t have to commute. Obviously daycare and relatives can help a lot.”
Andrea’s top tips: Be organised and have a clear strategy. You don’t have endless amounts of time.
KRISTY WITHERS runs iconic kid’s furniture and décor brand, Incy Interiors and is mum to Oscar (7) and Polly (4). It was Oscar turning two and needing a ‘big boy bed’ which sparked the business idea and she found out she was pregnant with Polly about two weeks before launching Incy. It was a very welcome surprise after multiple miscarriages and starting IVF.
With both children now in school, Kristy admits life is much easier and she employs her sister as their nanny! “She picks the kids up from school and will take them home, do homework and have a bath. This is amazing as it means that when we get home we just hang out and have quality time together.”
When the kids were younger and Kristy was working night and day, she had more than her share of mum guilt. “It absolutely broke my heart that I missed Polly’s first day of pre-kinder because I was in the US at a tradeshow. Polly of course didn’t bat an eyelid but I am still not over it!
“I love that when Polly plays ‘pretend’ she is ‘working’. I want her to know that she too can be successful and doesn’t need to rely on anyone else. Both my husband and I have our own businesses and we work long hours. Our children understand that they have things other kids don’t because mum and dad work hard. Self employment is certainly a hard road as you need to be available to both your family and your business 24 hours a day and there is no one else to pick up the slack.” Being a mum should never put you off following your dream though: “Having children will only make you more organised and more ruthless with your time, which is a good thing.”
Kristy’s top tips: Divide your time. Whilst working from home I felt permanently guilty – if I was working I felt like I should be with the kids and if I was with the kids I felt bad for not working. I also just worked around the clock and felt like I didn’t get a break. The day that I got a separate office and started working specific office hours was the day I got my life back. Now I go to work from 9 to 5 and I try to limit any work that I take home so that when I am home I am present. If you are spending quality time with your children, the mum guilt definitely lessens!
ALISON WYATTruns Hepburn Hardware, an online store selling knobs and handles. She’s also mum to Zara (6) and Oliver (4). She started the business when she was on maternity leave with Oliver and Zara was 2. “I could see, in our situation, that working a normal 9 to 5 wasn’t going to work when our kids were at school. Zara was starting school in two years’ time so I had to make it happen within that timeframe. Fortunately it did.”
When the kids were small, Alison used childcare as she was still working her job in the city and running Hepburn Hardware by night. “Once Hepburn had enough traction, I left my city job, cut back their childcare hours and worked when they were asleep. It was busy at the time juggling two jobs and two small children, but it was a small price to pay for the balance we have now. These days I just work when they’re at school or kindy. My husband is also a shift worker and occasionally has days off during the week to do the school run etc. while I work.
“I wasn’t really into my city job and it made me feel guilty being away from my kids for something I wasn’t passionate about. Leaving your child in tears at daycare isn’t a great way for your family to start the day. Now I work when they’re at school/kindy or asleep. Separating work time from family time has been the lynchpin, because if I try to combine them, I end up doing both badly. I tick the business along in the school holidays, so I can spend as much time with them and then ramp it back up during term time. I’m also able to drop them off and pick them up from school every day, which has also been a guilt saver.”
Showing your kids you have drive, determination and commitment is a great lesson, according to Alison, who says her own parents set a really good example for her. “Allowing my kids to see you can have an enjoyable working life, in a less generic way, will hopefully open their minds to the possibilities out there. Your outlook on work can have a big effect on your outlook on life, so I’m keen to show my kids a positive one.”
Wanting more flexibility was a big motivator for her to start the business in the first place. “It’s a lot more work involved when you’re out on your own, but you can do it around whatever your family is up to. I’ve never worked harder in my life but I’m spending the most time I’ve ever had with my kids.”
Alison’s not the first in her circle of friends to have started a business after becoming a mum. “We’re all doing very different things but use each other as sounding boards for ideas and problems. I found working on my own challenging, as I have always preferred to work with a team, so having a good network of women me has given me amazing support. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Alison’s top tips: Lists are my biggest saviour. I use an app called Evernote on my phone. It’s a great way to get whatever is in my head down onto an easily accessible platform. Then when I get a chance to do some work, I can do it fast and efficiently. At the end of each night, I add what I need to do the next day, so I don’t go to bed thinking about it.
CHLOE BROOKMAN is one half of children’s furniture and homewares business, Olli Ella and mum to Tennyson (6), Arlo (4) and baby Nell (pictured). “When I started Olli Ella I had just had my first child, who was 10 months. Olli Ella was absolutely inspired by motherhood, and to this day it affects the products that we design and produce.”
If you’d asked her how she balances motherhood and business before Nell came along, Chloe would have told you that she works during school hours, and tries to be as effective as she can in that time. “These days, though it’s done mainly through an iPhone, during feeds. “I haven’t quite figured out how to navigate the balance of work and family with three little ones but it’s early days still and I’m sure we will get there!”
She’s managing to put things in perspective when it comes to feeling guilty about being a working mum. “I had a real moment a couple of weeks ago when, after picking the boys up from school, I found myself shut in our room with an unsettled baby girl, I knew that my boys needed me, I had a mountain of emails to troll through (it wasn’t going to happen any time soon) and I hadn’t started on dinner. I felt like I was falling short, that my little boys were suffering because I had spread myself too thin. And then I had this thought; I thought to myself that when I look back on my own childhood it is more of a feeling, than remembering specific days. I thought that with my kids, sure there were going to be days when their mama was far less than perfect, days where I couldn’t play with them as much as I wanted to, or forgot to help with homework, or lost my temper quicker than the situation deserved. But it’s the foundation that counts, that their home is full of love, play and music. And that I am a great mother most of the time, and to forgive myself the moments when I do fall short. Because hey, we are human!”
More than setting the example of being successful, Chloe wants to show her kids that you can love what you do for work. And as for thinking you’ve left it too late to start your own thing after you’ve had kids, Chloe says it’s the best time to do! “Something happens after having a baby, it’s sort of a shift in perspective that makes you re-evaluate everything. Things that were important to you before, might not be so anymore, and things that you never imagined would be of interest or concern to you, suddenly are. There’s a joke in my family that after every baby I have made a major life decision. After my first baby I started Olli Ella, immediately after my second we moved from London to Sydney, and now with Nell we have just opened a third office in Los Angeles. It’s never too late to start a business and sometimes taking time away from your job, like for example, on maternity leave, is the perfect time to incubate and hatch a new venture.”
Chloe’s top tips:Have a sense of humour, wine, and embrace the chaos because it is crazy and awesome. These are undoubtedly the greatest of times.
TINA CLARK started luxury wardrobe storage brand Sagitine and is mum to Sabine (6) and Gisele (3), also known as Gigi. The business name is a combination of hers and her daughters’ names. Wanting to be at home with her girls more spurred former trader Tina on to start her business.
As a single mum, she has a full-time, live-in nanny. “I realised early on that I couldn’t manage on my own. Sabine is at school now and Gigi is at daycare three days a week. Working from home is a bit of a struggle on the two days when Gigi is at home.”
Of all the women we interviewed, she’s the only one who says she doesn’t suffer from mum guilt. “I always think I’m doing the best I can and that will be ok! I sometimes get the dad guilt and worry that my kids will get angry with me when they get older as both their dads are donors. But I think it’s very important for kids to see their mothers work as it creates ambition, drive and independence.”
When Tina worked as a trader she couldn’t even get time off to take Sabine to her first day of daycare. “It was just impossible! This gives me the flexibility to work at my own pace and be actively involved in dropping off and picking up my children when I need to.”
Perhaps feeling the pressure to provide more as a single parent, Tina warns to be careful about the finances and the time it will take to become profitable. “Let’s just say I was a little naive in hindsight about the realities of setting up a manufacturing business.”
Tina’s top tips: Keep smiling and don’t worry too much if the house is a mess! Try not to feel guilty about missing out on events at school as it’s impossible to do everything. Best to commit to a handful of things that you can 100% dedicate yourself to and do them well.
BEL KURTZ runs Petite Vintage Interiors and is mum to Holly (5) and Asher (3). She started the business when her second was just six months old. “After being on maternity leave for over two years, I definitely had a desire to focus my attention on something else in addition to my small people. At the start, I was able to easily fit the work hours required around the girls but as the business grew I went from working in nap times and evenings, which was quite manageable, to working through the day with them at home. This became more challenging as they grew older and gave up their naps! It was really hard to take client calls with two screaming kids in the background but I look back on that time and smile because I was able to indulge my passion for design while staying home with my daughters.”
Now Holly has started school and Asher is at kinder three days a week, she has more child-free hours. “But the time between school drop off and pick up would have to be the shortest hours in the day! My husband pitches in around the house in the afternoons between 4pm and 7pm for dinner and homework and then I’m back in the office most evenings after the girls have gone to bed. I always have my phone on me so if we have after school activities that leave me sitting in the car for extended periods, I can get onto emails.”
Bel accepts the mum guilt as being quite normal, particularly if you feel like your business is pulling you away from your family. “It helps to have a supportive partner with a flexible job who can be there if you can’t, or even grandparents who might be able to attend events that you’re unable to get to due to work commitments. The best thing I can do is admit to myself that I’m doing my best to juggle everything and I just can’t do it all. When things are a little quieter on the work front I try to attend as many events as possible so I don’t feel like we’re missing out so much.”
Bel watched her mum work hard in her own business and says it taught her she could chase any dream she had. “Hard work and determination do pay off and I think that’s a great example for our daughters.” When it comes to starting your own business, she says you just have to start! “Set a small goal and just squeeze in every spare minute that you have to try to reach it. It might be something as small as selling 10 products or getting 500 followers on Instagram! Don’t be too hard on yourself and don’t measure your success on the success of others. Small wins lead to bigger things!”
Bel’s top tips:Prioritise your own health first. Have a family planner that includes your intended work hours for the week with dedicated family time. I always make sure I have 45 minutes with the girls before bed for stories and cuddles. Build a great support network of trusted babysitters, you never know when you might need them. You don’t have to say yes to everything, on the work front and the family front. If you can, outsource.
Children’s furniture just got even more stylish with the arrival of Incy Interiors’ new range of velvet bedheads, ottomans and sofas. You heard it here first!
An unusually glamorous textile choice for children, the velvet range draws inspiration from the Elizabethan era and comes in a moody palette of dusty pink, teal and indigo.
“We wanted to create a collection that helps us step back in time with a little vintage charm,” says Incy Interiors founder and designer Kristy Withers of the opulent range.
“There’s something timeless and eternally alluring about velvet – it’s a fashion stalwart that we’ve applied to our modern-day designs.”
Perfect for a toy room, or a great addition to an adults’ lounge room, the kids sofa (142cm x 67cm x 56cm) is plush and practical and we love the clean lines combined with the velvet finish.
The tufted king single bedhead, with its chic vertical lines, would see your little one from the early years to beyond – it would be just as fabulous in a teenager’s bedroom.
And not to worry, the beds come in king size too, so adults don’t miss out!
After two years and over 1,000 articles(!), my time at Interiors Addict has come to end. It truly is bittersweet. To think I started as the editorial assistant, still at uni, working one day a week and feeling very out of my comfort zone… and now I’m here, the outgoing features editor, off to tackle the big bad world as a news producer at Sky News. Goodbye cushions, hello current affairs, business and politics (wish me luck!).
So to mark my departure, I thought I’d do one more list post. Below, I’ve put together my favourite interviews, from the motivational and heartfelt to the hilarious and oh so juicy.
Maisie Callcott is one inspiring teenager. Starting her business at the mere age of 12, the now 16-year-old runs Maypole Design, an online business selling wall hangings, rope-based jewellery and accessories and clay bowls. They’re beautiful and crazy affordable.
Now this was one interview I was quite nervous about. I made Jen read it and then re-read it again. After all, you can’t have any grammatical errors in an article about the editor-in-chief of Vogue Living, Neale Whitaker! He talked all things The Block, life in magazine-world and his many varied inspirations.
I had the fortune of interviewing Shaynna Blaze on more than one occasion, but this interview was certainly my favourite. As a Block judge, resident designer on Selling Houses Australia, author and so much more, Shaynna got very honest as she opened up about her favourite contestants, copping flak and how she juggles it all.
What a life Jeff Leatham has led! As the go-to florist to the stars, he’s designed floral arrangements for some of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities and his stories, unsurprisingly, are juicy!
There’s nothing quite like a story where someone loses it all but bounces back stronger and better than ever. It makes for some good motivational reading and the story of Claire Falkiner, founder of Merci Perci, is just that. Losing her job just days before Christmas and two weeks before her husband lost his, she decided to change paths and is now a successful artist doing what she loves.
With so many homewares businesses out there it can be hard to stand out from the crowd. But one small business which has been able to do so is Hunting For George, who recently celebrated their fifth birthday. So it seemed only natural we ask: how do sisters Jo Harris and Lucy Glade-Wright do it?!
While I’ve interviewed many interior designers it’s hard to compete with the impressiveness of Jeff Copolov, interior design director at Bates Smart. With the firm having a 162-year-old history (now 163!) the projects Jeff has been involved in are absolutely jaw-dropping.
Demian Carey Gibbins has a story many will envy. Feeling like his corporate career was ruling his life, he decided to hand in his resignation and return to his childhood love of painting. Having been a finalist in a range of renowned awards, his most interesting venture has been coordinating a successful exhibition of Bali 9 ringleader Myuran Sukumaran’s paintings.
The making of Incy Interiors is quite the fairytale. Starting with humble ambitions, founder Kristy Withers began the business when after a fruitless search for a bed for her son she decided to design one herself. Now, she’s runs a business of 13 people, has a new flagship store in Sydney’s Chatswood Chase and sells both kids and adult furniture.
No one likes to talk cleaning, but for Murchison-Hume we will make an exception! What started as a local Sydney business has now well and truly gone international, but founder Max Kater’s mission has remained the same: for her products to be the trifecta of safe and green, looking and smelling great and performing well.
Look, all I know is that an expensive bedroom and an inexpensive one can share common goals. Whoever let money stand in their way anyway? Money can be a burden as much as it can be a bonus. So how can you style a bedroom on a budget? Here’s how:
1. Air! What an obvious one to kick off with, but for me, air flow and air quality is the hallmark of any room. Keep windows open, air fresh and your linen and your bed partners will love you for it.
2. Be extravagant. A large four-poster bed will fill your room in a grand modern way that no other bed will! Trust me. I wake up thinking I am a modern-day princess every day of the week in mine. I can’t tell you how wonderful and glorious the limited edition Four-poster Bed from Incy Interiors is.
3. Linen wheat heat. I swear by Bella Casa’s Heat Packs, which are made from Italian linen, filled perfectly (not under stuffed) in all my kind of tones (soft lilac, ivory, navy and Belgian greys) and can be both warmed and frozen!
4. Let there be light. Bedside lighting hand in hand with overhead lighting is always a good thing. A bedroom can never have enough task lighting if you ask me. I basically live in my bedroom as if it’s the living room, so I am feature heavy. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t use all my lights during the night-time.
5. Fragrance. Good bedrooms smell good. Make no mistake, this is the unequivocal universal truth. Anti-mould, pro-gardenia every time (or insert your own negative/positive here… for instance anti-sport socks, pro-geranium)!
6. Housekeeping. Realise that good bedrooms are made by good housekeeping. A bedroom is only as good as the person who took the time to make the bed and tidy the space.
— Megan Morton is a prolific stylist, designer, author and founder of The School.
Appealing to homewares and fashion enthusiasts alike, this Christmas season the magic of Incy Interiors and Tutu Du Monde will come together for a one-of-a-kind pop-up shop.
Launching this Saturday at Incy Interiors’ Chatswood Chase store, both mothers and daughters will be wowed by Tutu Du Monde’s The Wonder Hour collection, whilst sipping on French Moet champagne and enjoying the sweet delights of LADURÉE macaroons (respectively!) in a visually spectacular setting. What’s more, face-painters will add a little more glitter to those gorgeous faces.
Styled by Leonie Barker, the Incy Interiors shop will come to life with fairy lights, garlands, lavender and all things festive. A beautiful accompaniment to The Wonder Hour collection, which features garments available from sizes infant to tween, and a dazzling selection of accessories. Silvery beads will be splashed across ruffled bodices, crystals will peep from fabrics and jewel-bright hues and ethereal pastels will adorn the collection.
Open until Christmas Eve, the launch party runs from 12-to-3pm. But better yet (and what can be better than free champagne and macarons?!), we are giving away a Very Merry Tutu Dress (above) and a Crowning Glory Feather Headband, so your little girl can feel like a princess just in time for the festive season. For you chance to win, all you have to do is fill out the form below by 5pm Sydney time on Monday 23 November 2015.
Being that Sebastian moved out of our room and into his own room at the weekend, it seemed a good time to finally share the nursery with you!
I never took much interest in children’s rooms until I fell pregnant last year, yet when I started to plan Sebastian’s nursery (and before I even knew if we were having a boy or a girl), I was surprised how quickly I knew what I wanted and how that didn’t really change!
I’m exposed to the latest and greatest in children’s homewares and we have featured so many achingly cool and trendy baby rooms on Interiors Addict but I knew my baby’s nursery wasn’t going to be one of them. Not only am I not hip and trendy, but I knew I wanted something classic, timeless, simple and serene. And I suppose, being English, that influenced my idea of what a nursery should look like.
Navy, my favourite colour, was always going to feature, whether we had a boy or a girl, and I just love it paired with mint. If we had a girl I was simply going to add touches of coral or pink. This is how I justified my choice of the navy Emerson cot from Pottery Barn Kids. The design is solid, timeless and practical in that it can convert to a toddler bed later. I didn’t fancy timber and white just didn’t seem special enough when I knew I was keeping everything quite simple.
I always wanted a few key, quality pieces in this room and they are the cot, the rocker chair (otherwise known as the most comfortable rocking, swivelling, back-supporting chair in the world ever!) from Pottery Barn Kids and the beautiful Lucy change table from Incy Interiors. When it came to picking my colour for the table (they give you many options or you can even go completely custom) it just had to be this gorgeous green. It’s another piece which met my requirements of solid (painted timber) and timeless. The change table top is easily removed later for it to become a chest of drawers. Who knows, I may steal it for my own room later down the track…
To tie it all together I needed a rug for the timber floorboards. Again, I wanted it simple but not too boring and I think I found the perfect thing is this jute rug (hardwearing and neutral) with a navy (just enough navy!) border. Bingo! I have to say that if ever a shop embodied my idea of gorgeous nursery style, it has to be Pottery Barn Kids. Spot on!
I wanted a few pops of gold to add interest and I bought the Dandymoon wall flag after seeing it on Instagram. I chose the wording ‘then there were three’ and remember looking at it a lot while I was pregnant, trying to get my head around the fact there would actually be three of us soon! I absolutely love this room. It is the calmest most lovely sunny spot with its big window onto the front garden. Damian and I both spent a lot of time in that chair while we waited for the big day, contemplating the life-changing event ahead! And now our son is here and 4.5 months old and it’s like we were never without him! I bought the Fromage La Rue (love everything they do!) heart light for myself way before I was pregnant but could never find quite the right place for it. It’s the perfect night light!
I’ve so far neglected to mention the wallpaper which everyone comments on. Being a renter does limit what you can do to an extent but removable wallpaper was just the thing and I was keen to try it once and for all. This is the (large) trellis design from The Wallsticker Company in grey. It’s worth mentioning that it is more blue than grey in reality, but luckily we had a boy and it works well anyway! Most interior projects in our home fall to me (it’s my department) but being heavily pregnant, Damian had to take care of the application. While it took plenty of patience (and maybe some swearing), it wasn’t that hard to put up. That said, we had very varied results depending on the walls. Some look great, one is very bubbled and those bubbles aren’t going anywhere no matter how many times we pop them. Ah well…
We’re lucky that this room had built-in open shelving perfect for storing and displaying children’s toys and bits and pieces! I’m not going to pretend to be a stylist but it has been fun arranging it all. I deliberately haven’t made it too ‘done’. They’re toys after all, not ornaments! It’s a bit like a toy shop in there as you can see, and some of mine and Damian’s favourite childhood toys and books are in there too.
Anyone who knows me knows I love a bit of bunting and this custom string was a gift from small business Bunting By Design. The Winnie the Pooh painting was a gift from my talented mother-in-law who says she always knew her little boy was going to have his own little boy! I would love to add more art and shelving to the walls but being a renter and with removable wallpaper to boot, it isn’t really advisable!
The curtains are a ready to hang pair from Freedom. If I wasn’t renting I would have done something fancier with a blind and sheers over the top. And while I claim not to be a trendy monochrome nursery kind of girl, I couldn’t resist the Sac en Papier (and it’s great for storage) as seen in the most stylish kids’ rooms! I bought mine from Norsu Interiors. The fab gold painted tree trunk side table is from Two Girls and a Container and was stolen from the living room.
It’s so nice that Sebastian is finally in here (after outgrowing his bassinet in our room faster than we anticipated!) and perhaps now my husband will stop referring to it as “Sebby’s toilet” seeing as nappy-changing has been its main purpose up until now!
Decorating a nursery is so different and so much more fun than any other room in the house! You could very easily go overboard because there is so much great/cute product out there! I did try very hard to restrain myself myself and keep this a calm and uncluttered space though and I feel like I’ve achieved that. I hope you like it!
Disclosure: The cot, rug, chair, cot mobile, navy and white striped buckets and silver nappy caddy were gifted by Pottery Barn Kids in return for coverage on the blog. The following items were also gifts: change table from Incy Interiors, ‘We Made a Wish and You Came True’ print from My Sweet Prints, belly basket from Olli Ella, Sebastian wire sign on shelves from Planet Joy, wallpaper from The Wallsticker company, blanket from Gather Kids, hippo in cot from Nana Huchy, round cushion from I Love Linen, cushion on chair from Madras Link, cot sheet from Goosebumps Boutique Bedding.
If you’d like to know where I bought anything else, please ask in the comments!
Thank you to Melissa Webster from The Gather Collective for being a sounding board for my ideas and selections and to my husband for ‘hanging’ the wallpaper! I’d also like to say a big thank you to everyone (there are too many to mention) for their kind words, messages and gifts for Sebastian, which we genuinely appreciate.
Planning a nursery?
This Saturday 26 September, Pottery Barn Kids stores are holding nursery style events from 3 to 5pm. Join them for the ultimate event for new and expecting parents! Enjoy refreshments, complimentary nursery design advice and 10% off your purchases. RSVP to your local store today!
Each week we shine the spotlight on some of Australia’s best designers, artists and stylists and have them share with us what’s making them tick; anything from the best gift they’ve ever received to their favourite holiday destination. Today we chat to Kristy Withers, founder of designer kids furniture brand, Incy Interiors.
Kristy and her children Oscar and Polly
1. Who is your favourite musician?
Okay this is super embarrassing but it would have to be Garth Brooks. You can take the girl out of the country but you can’t take the country out of the girl!
2. What is the best gift you’ve ever received?
I know it is cliché, but it would be my children. They are my entire world and they have taught me to be patient, honest and, after a recent $300 iTunes charge, why I need internet security!
3. What is your favourite cafe?
The Old Mill, Millthorpe. It’s in my little hometown and the owner trained with Adriano Zumbo and she does the most amazing cakes. It isn’t ideal as it’s only two blocks from my house.
4. What’s your go-to recipe?
Playdoh! As I always have the ingredients and it keeps my daughter Polly entertained for hours.
5. What is your favourite piece of furniture?
My son’s Oscar bed as it was the reason I started Incy Interiors in the first place. My son still sleeps in our original sample.
There’s no doubt about it: a great bed will not only give you a great night’s sleep but also (and we’re all about the looks) look fantastic too. Pick well and invest wisely we say, and buy something which will last you several years. Here are 10 of mine and Jen’s faves and they’re a varied bunch!
The rose gold Eden bed by Incy Interiors ($999 for queen size) is both classical and timeless. Expertly crafted from sturdy and strong metal we absolutely LOVE it. You will have seen this one in countless magazines!
Another one from Incy Interiors (because we just can’t go past it), the clean simple lines of this new take on the Four-Poster bed (a design collaboration with stylist Megan Morton, from $1,299 for queen size) really make for something unique. Now you just have to pick your colour (custom available)!
I’ve seen the Bailey Bed from Green Cathedral in person, so I can attest it’s an absolute stunner! Constructed from American oak (in either natural oak, ebony or whitewash finish) and beautiful Shibori-dyed leather hides (available in a range of patterns or most Pantone colours), you really have the utmost flexibility when it comes to the design. Available in limited release, prices start fro, $3,099 for a queen. It’s not cheap but it’s not just any old mass-produced bed either.
Upholstered in a feather grey fabric, the Mod Upholstered Bed ($999 for queen size) from West Elm features a slim silhouette, angled solid wood legs and welted details along the corners.
Of course, you can add a bedhead to your existing bed to make it a showstopper and while upholstered bedheads are now nothing new, we think the options at Heatherly Designs are stunning. Our latest favourite is the Lincoln, with the option of horizontal or vertical lines and your choice of fabric. Price dependent on size and fabric. They also sell upholstered bed bases.
Another great bedhead option is the Maddison from BedNest. Glamorous, strong and more than a little bit sassy, the angled, tapered side wings are studded in either antique brass or silver. Stunning in plain velvet or a geometric pattern, there are a magnitude of fabric and size options available (price dependent on choice).
While we’re talking bedheads, Mexsii’s are works of art and not for the faint hearted. The Nomadic Heart is my favourite. How cool is it?! Price on application. Custom options available.
Upholstered isn’t for everyone and some people love good old fashioned timber. Perhaps not surprisingly, you can find the traditional style Ashby Sleigh Bed at Pottery Barn, in rustic pine or rustic mahogany. From $1,974 for queen size.The Asta Bed by Blockheads Alisa and Lysandra beautifully combines the rawness of timber and the softness of fabric to create a contemporary and sophisticated look and feel. Available from Forty Winks in four colourways, the queen size retails for $2,199.
Australian online-only business Sonno, have a small but great value range of simple upholstered beds. Queen size from $499.
What kind of bed have you got? Which of these is your favourite?
We’re not ones for suggesting you buy things just because everyone else is or because they’re trendy, but there’s a reason these 10 great products are popping up in kid’s rooms all over the country. They’re not just fun but great design and they’ll help you create a space both you and your children fall in love with. Do your kids have any of these in their rooms?
Available in a variety of colours to suit girls and boys and different ages, this is a super cool, simple design, which can be accessorised as much or as little as you like (think fairy lights, pompoms and more). It’s available in a cheaper cubby version and a more expensive cot-to-bed version too.
Introducing junior collections of their iconic fair trade, handwoven creations — shrinking them down to kid size and adding colour — was a super smart move by Armadillo & Co, because they’re constantly used by stylists in nurseries and little people’s bedrooms and playrooms. Any of these rugs is a safe, classic, hardwearing bet, which will last your child many years.
Everything’s a little more chic in French, non? This monochrome paper bag (literally) is seen in the corners of the coolest nurseries. Great for tidying up toys or storing the less the decorative items like nappies! It’s in English on one side and French on the other. And it’s only $15! I don’t know why it works so well and has been so popular, it just does! Monochrome, typography, simplicity and affordability all add up to make this a must-buy! Paris and New York-based graphic design studio Be-Poles were onto a winner with this one.
Image via Peastyle at notonthehighstreet.com click for details
We’ve seen these popping up everywhere lately, and not just on little ones’ beds! It’s pretty hard to do something new with cushions, but these really stand out. I have one on my own wishlist (for my room, not Sebastian’s nursery!)!
You may have seen this Swedish fella’s apple and tomato friends in all the coolest nurseries too. A very affordable way to get art on your kids’ walls. A3 size so will fit standard frames.
As rockers go, this one is seriously design savvy and won’t look out of place in the stylish or minimalist interiors! Sebastian was very lucky to have been given one of these by some lovely friends who knew I might not love all the primary colours that come with parenthood! It starts off life as a rocker chair and later, when they’re older, you attach the animal (is it a sheep, is it a horse?!) and it becomes a fun toy.
Just like in grown up interiors, books are a great way to add colour and interest to a room. Even better, with this perspex bookshelf, your child can see the covers of their books and will be able to easily pick out which they want. Makes reading even more appealing!
If not the Declan, then most Aussie first-time mums have one of Australian brand Incy Interiors’ gorgeous cots on their wishlist. Better still, most of their furniture comes with the option to have it custom coloured (pretty much any Dulux shade) to perfectly match your scheme. No subtle neutrals here (unless you really want them, of course)!
It’s official: every kid’s room needs a teepee these days! Great for a reading corner or a place for imaginative play and they look great too. there are many on the market now but we love this Klea Baby one because of its simple aesthetic which will blend in with any room scheme and can be accessorised to your heart’s content in any style.
Is there anything more exciting about sharing a room with your sibling than the prospect of bunkbeds?! These aren’t cheap but they’re certainly a good looking option. thanks to not being too ‘kiddy’ they’ll last you years. At this price point you’d expect solid Tasmanian Oak and Australian made. Meets all domestic safety standards.
Which must-have kids’ room homewares would you add to this list?
Here at Interiors Addict we are big fans of Incy Interiors. Their furniture is nothing other than beautiful, so we knew their new workspace wouldn’t be any different. We were right!
Located in an old flour mill in Bathurst, founder Kristy Withers actually stumbled upon the space two years ago, when she used it for a photoshoot. “When we did the shoot, it was a big open space in need of lots of love. It was dirty, freezing and had no internal walls, but it completely made up for the sub-zero temperature and dirt with its rustic charm.”
Jump forward a couple of years and with the Incy Interiors team having to be out of their old office pronto, Kristy couldn’t think of any better space to call home work! “I returned from a trip to China on the Monday and we needed to be out of our old office on the Friday. We already had one of the desks from the recent Life Instyle trade show, so it all started with the desk. We made a decision as a team that the space would have a scandi/neutral theme with copper accents and from there we sat down and figured out all of the elements. 10 days later we had a fully decked out office.”
Clean and clutter free: “I have a severe case of OCD so this is my idea of heaven!” Kristy didn’t realise how important a beautiful workspace was, until she had one. “We have only been here for three weeks and I can already tell the entire team is energised and excited about coming to work and all of the opportunities available to us.”
Primarily used as an office, customers are more than welcome to pop in, say hi and pick up an order. And with Kristy originally having discovered the space for a photoshoot, she is keen to take it back to its roots. “The space is perfect for photoshoots so we are planning on doing them here weekly with the products we will be focused on for that week.”
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