Categories
Homewares Shopping

Finders Keepers starts today: shop the markets from your sofa

Regular trips to my local markets have been one of the things I’ve missed the most during the pandemic. Thankfully, the famous Finders Keepers Markets are offering the opportunity to experience everything we love about markets from the comfort and safety of our own homes. The online event starts today (4 March) and continues until Sunday.

Elph Ceramics homewares

Unable to hold the markets in person throughout 2020, the Finders Keepers have drawn in tens of thousands of shoppers through their online marketplace. They have now added this dedicated market weekend to their calendar.

Breezy Bird Studio artwork

The Finders Keepers have filled their virtual aisles with your favourite brands, labels and businesses for you to peruse. Take advantage of the exclusive artist discounts and offers over the next four days.

More Than Ever textiles

After the unprecedented difficulty of last year, events like this are vital to not only get Australia’s vibrant create community back on their feet, but to allow them to thrive.

Turner + Turner timber homewares

If you’re aching to give your homewares a much needed refresh, The Finders Keepers will certainly have pieces to catch your eye. Visit the online marketplace from today until Sunday and take advantage of their event exclusive offers. Of course, you’ll also find fashion, accessories, gifts and more too!

Categories
Expert Tips Outdoor & Exteriors

Houseplants online: how to buy and sell them on Gumtree

There’s been an enormous revival in the popularity of houseplants. Previously relegated to the 1970s, indoor greenery has exploded back into fashion! Driven largely through the increased focus on wellness, and often seen styled beautifully on social media, cultivating your own indoor jungle oasis can seem daunting.

Image: Leaf Supply

But there are plenty of beautiful, healthy, and well-established plants that you can grab for a local bargain online. Or, alternatively, if you’ve become an expert propagator, you could look at selling your own plant babies!

Amanda Behere from Gumtree Australia shares the following advice:

Selling: 

  1. Propagate plants: Think about any plants at home you could divide and propagate to sell separately – veggies, ferns and houseplants are great options! To propagate, just take a stem or healthy leaf clipping, place in clean water and give it extra sunlight – it usually grows strong healthy roots within a month. Succulents are a great option for this and very popular on site, with over 4,000 listings.
  2. Money does grow on trees: When your ferns or growers are due for a trim, don’t just throw their lengths in the bin – sell plants as cuttings or ‘off-cuts’ as some people enjoy buying them for the challenge, or want to buy clippings for a small price. This also helps someone else in their green thumbed adventure! Some examples here and here.
  3. Patience pays off: Mature plants can make some serious money. If you bought a cheap plant at the supermarket and it has matured into a beautiful home feature, it can be sold for more money. Many people want to buy ‘interiors-ready’ plants for styling, so you can sometimes double the price. See a larger plant here.
  4. Know your item value: Know the right price (or approximate price) for what you are selling. Simply search your plant type on Gumtree before posting to get your price right and this will increase your chances of selling!

Buying: 

  1. Do your research: Dedicate time to research what’s out there to help you understand the average price of similar plants. Search by style and category and both new/used plants to see the best options for your budget. 
  2. Ask questions: Get to know more about the plants by asking sellers questions about the species, their specific needs, and any questions you might have about its Gumtree description. It is also important to ask for images of the whole plant to ensure every part of it is healthy or as per its description. 
  3. Keyword searching: The number of plants on Gumtree can be overwhelming, so to whittle down your options, make sure you search via keywords to find the exact plant you are looking for. If you search ‘plants’ in Gumtree over 16,000 listings pop up so be specific based on what you are looking for – for example searching ‘Philodendron’ brings up 300 listings, which is much easier to sift through! 
  4. Package deal:  Some buyers will generally be selling more than one plant, so ask if they have anything else available and see if you can get a deal if you buy more than one.

Tips such as these are accessible to people of all skill levels; from those of you who are dedicated to cultivating a lush jungle paradise in your own home, to those of you who just want to add a few splashes of greenery to a room. Either way, finding the right plants for you and your home has never been easier.

Categories
Bedrooms Designers Furniture Homewares Styling

A look inside world first accommodation experience with Etsy

Last month we reported on the exciting collaboration that saw online marketplace, Etsy.com, takeover the junior penthouse in Melbourne’s The Cullen hotel. And now we have our hands on the gorgeous pictures!

Screen Shot 2015-04-16 at 8.44.29 am

Styled and photographed by creative team Marsha Golemac and Brooke Holm, who hand ­picked products from Etsy’s Australian community to transform the penthouse, botanical designers Loose Leaf finished off the space by styling the suite’s accompanying leafy courtyard.

Screen Shot 2015-04-16 at 8.44.45 am

Screen Shot 2015-04-16 at 8.44.52 am

“Etsy at The Cullen is a unique collaboration,” explains Marsha. “We see that bringing together local design, art and luxury as a rare combination that makes for an exciting and challenging opportunity. We’ve sourced products from Etsy designers and artists across Australia to create a ‘home away from home’ hotel setting. We wanted to enhance what is essentially a studio apartment style space with exceptional designs from Etsy, to create an environment that is considered, tasteful and bursting with character.”

Screen Shot 2015-04-16 at 8.45.32 am

Screen Shot 2015-04-16 at 8.45.10 am

Products from almost 40 Etsy sellers from around Australia were selected for the project ranging from furniture and artworks to bed linen and ceramics. The transformation showcases Etsy’s offering of unique products for use in everyday living. It also demonstrates how even the smallest living spaces can be elevated using an affordable selection of items thoughtfully designed and made by Etsy’s online community of makers and curators.

For more information.

Categories
Competitions Homewares

First ever Etsy Design Awards launched here in Australia. Will you enter?

In very exciting news for the Aussie design scene, online marketplace Etsy, has launched its very first Etsy Design Awards here in Australia.

Etsy Design Awards 4

Celebrating the people and talent that make Etsy a growing destination for creative and vibrant design, sellers will be recognised for their work across six categories: Community’s Choice, New Talent, Business As Unusual, Art and Illustration, Home and Lifestyle, and Fashion and Accessories.

Winners will be treated to a host of prizes designed to amplify their businesses, including a trip to Etsy’s headquarters in New York, a personal business consultation from creative business mentor and musician Clare Bowditch, coverage on the Etsy blog, a dedicated post on Etsy’s Instagram page to its 176,000 followers and a feature in Inside Out magazine’s December issue.

Entrants will be judged by a panel of design experts who will be looking for unique, high quality design and craftsmanship. Judges include editor-in-chief of Inside Out Claire Bradley, interior stylist, author, and blogger, Jason Grant, Clare Bowditch, and Etsy’s global creative director, Julia Hoffman.

Eligible Etsy sellers have until 12 September 2014 to enter. The winners will be announced on 10 November.

Find out more information about the categories, prizes and application requirements here.