petrified wood – The Interiors Addict

Just what is petrified wood?!

I’ve noticed petrified wood furniture popping up here and there recently and it’s really unique and unusual! Abode Bazaar on Sydney’s north shore is the latest store to hand select and stock some pieces.

But what exactly is it?! I consulted my good friend Wikipedia to discover that petrified comes from the Greek root petro meaning “rock” or “stone”; literally “wood turned into stone”. It’s the name given to a special type of fossilised remains of vegetation. It is the result of a tree or tree-like plants having completely transitioned to stone by the process of permineralisation. All the organic materials have been replaced with minerals (mostly a silicate, such as quartz), while retaining the original structure of the stem tissue.

Two Girls and a Container, bringing new homewares to Australia

When Nikki Freeman and Sam Bailey left on a whirlwind mini-break to Indonesia they didn’t realise they would come home with a new and exciting plan. What started out as a “frantic” four-day trip to Bali to source homewares and unique products for their own home renovations, ended as a business trip, and the idea for Two Girls and a Container was born.

Friends for 12 years, Nikki and Sam combined their interior design, art and home renovation experience and launched their online store early this year, with a focus on unique, interesting and eco-friendly products. Although the fateful trip was their first together, Nikki and Sam have been travelling to Indonesia for years to source products for their own homes.

Nikki says she had often thought about how she could bring unique materials and homewares back home for other Australians. “I’ve spent a lot of time over the years thinking of how to turn it into a business.”