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Samsung’s acclaimed Lifestyle TV range is now bigger and better

Your dreams of a big-screen experience just got better as Samsung’s acclaimed Lifestyle TV range has expanded to now include the 65-inch The Serif and the 85-inch The Frame. Now anywhere in your home, from the lounge room to the bedroom, you can enjoy a bigger, more immersive experience. Blending design, style and big screen picture quality with the individual aesthetics of your home.

The Frame

The Serif’s functional design means it can be easily placed anywhere in the home, while The Frame’s unique art mode enables your TV to either disappear or stand out in any room. As Australians continue to invest in big screen TVs – with 85-inch now the fastest growing size – and many placing a greater emphasis on design and multi-purpose function, the expanded range is a welcome addition to meet the demands of in-home entertainment across the country.

The Serif
Created in 2015 in collaboration with globally renowned French furniture designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, The Serif is a mastery of form and function. Inspired by the letter ‘I’ in a Serif font, it blurs the boundary between furniture and TV. Now, with a bigger screen, The Serif can provide an even more immersive viewing experience and blend into its environment.

Through NFC technology, the new model of The Serif also supports Tap View, allowing users to play content from a compatible smartphone on the TV screen by simply tapping the device on the sides of TV. The new 65-inch model now accompanies the current lineup of 43-inch and 55-inch models.


The Frame
Alongside new design forms and software updates across the range, The Frame brings the beauty of a TV when it’s on, and art when it’s off. The Art Store gives you access to over 1,400 artworks in 4K picture quality from iconic museums and galleries around the world. The Frame allows you to reinvent and refresh your space every day, turning your home into your personal art gallery.

This year, The Frame also features a slimmer profile and has new modern customisable frame options including; beige, teak, white and brown to blend into your room’s décor.

The 85-inch The Frame is added to the current lineup ranging from 32 to 75-inch models.

Samsung’s eco-packaging solution will also continue to be used across all TVs, to help responsibly manage waste, allowing customers to repurpose TV boxes into small-scale pieces of furniture. Both The Frame and The Serif also come with Samsung’s solar cell-powered remote, removing the need for disposable batteries.

65-inch The Serif retails for $2,699, while the 85-inch The Frame goes for $6,899.

Explore Samsung’s Lifestyle range

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Appliances Bathrooms Furniture Kitchens

Latest trends and must-haves for the kitchen and bathroom: July 2021

From Samsung’s latest innovations to sleek Scandinavian inspired washbasins, upgrade your kitchen and bathroom this winter with our latest roundup.

Bunnings Cibo Design Bathroomware: For the past few years, CIBO Design has worked hand-in-hand with Bunnings to deliver on-trend bathroomware that’s high on quality but accessibly priced. These vanities come in wall-hung or full-height styles and five popular sizes to cater for a wide range of bathrooms. All versions including soft-close doors and drawers with finger-pull handles. There are four basin colours to choose from including gloss white and matte pale pink.

Concrete Nation Petite Valencia Bathtub: With limitations on travel, bathrooms have become spa-like sanctuaries and the Petite Valencia, meticulously handcrafted by Concrete Nations’s team of artisans at Burleigh Heads, is set to bring a sense of absolute luxury. Small in size but big on style, the Petite Valencia retails for $5190.00 and is available in 13 signature colours.

Samsung French Door Refrigerator: Samsung Electronics Australia have expanded their French Door Refrigerator range, announcing six new models. The 7000 Series is packed with smart innovations, such as the new Beverage Centre with Autofill Jug that automatically refills every time it’s placed back into the fridge, making empty water jugs a thing of the past.  

Samsung Electronics Australia Smart AI Washing Machine & Dryer Range: They’ve also extended their Smart AI Washing Machine and Dryer range, bringing out three new washing machines and three new heat pump dryers in a range of sizes and a new black colourway. Available now at leading retailers.

Smeg Bean to Cup Coffee Machine: The latest must-have for every coffee lover, Smeg’s Bean to Cup fully automatic espresso coffee machine offers a simple and convenient solution for espresso, cappuccino, and latte enthusiasts. Create the perfect aromatic coffee at the touch of a button, while not compromising on flavour. 

Hisense Australia Dishwashing Range: Designed and manufactured in Europe, the new freestanding units are available in white, stainless steel and black, starting from $1,099.

Paco Jaanson Glam Wash Basin Range: Whether you’re seeking a built-in, counter top or wall mounted basin, the Glam range by Paco Jaanson creates a refreshing and minimalistic addition in any bathroom. It comes in 14 circular, square and rectangular styles.

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Appliances Design

Australian kitchen trends: Summer 2019 edition

When it comes to kitchens, summer seems to be the season of the surface. There’s a new marble-look finish from Caesarstone, five new colours from Laminex, new glass splash backs and a collaboration that makes pairing your kitchen bench top and paint colours even easier.

Stegbar splash backs: Stegbar has collaborated with interior designer and trend forecaster Marylou Cafaro to launch the Stegbar Create Splash backs Series, including mirror, metallic and colour collections. “The aim was to create understated refined spaces that speak to quality and longevity. A decade ago splash backs stood out, but now they need to blend in with the whole home design and be an integral part of the joinery and space,” says Marylou.

Stegbar 'Metallics' splash back range
Stegbar ‘Metallic’ splash back range

And while the glass splash back has fallen out of favour of late there’s no denying its appeal; a single pane of made-to measure glass per surface, the Create Splashback Series offers a seamless look, free from grout lines. Also, a special coating repels oil and water, removing the need for harsh chemicals and reducing cleaning time too.

Stegbar 'Mirror' splash back range
Stegbar ‘Mirror’ splash back range

Caesarstone Empira White: The new Caesarstone quartz finish ‘Empire White’ is the brand’s latest interpretation of authentic white marble and combines a white base with shadows and fine black veins. But unlike marble, it is scratch, heat, chip and stain resistant.

Caesarstone 'Empira White'
Caesarstone ‘Empira White’

The finish was used in the recent series of The Block where Deb and Andy combined it with shaker-style matte white cabinetry, brass fixtures and natural timber; a combination that resulted in the couple winning the competition’s kitchen category.

Caesarstone Empira White
Deb and Andy’s winning kitchen on The Block 2019, featuring Caesarstone ‘Empira White’

Smeg: One for the Dolce & Gabbana fans, Smeg has just expanded its ‘Sicily my love’ range (created in collaboration with the iconic Italian fashion designers) to include a stand mixer, slow juicer, and four slice toaster. Each piece is emblazoned with Sicilian symbols including golden yellow lemons, fiery red cherries and the intense cerulean blue of the Sicilian sky.

smeg X Dolce & Gabbana toaster
Smeg X Dolce & Gabbana toaster, $999

Smeg X Dolce & Gabbana stand mixer
Smeg X Dolce & Gabbana stand mixer, $1899

Laminex: Laminex has added five new colours to its ever-growing collection with two new woodgrains, two minerals and a reclaimed shade in the mix. The new colours include ‘Black Birchply’ (a very dark timber), ‘White Painted Wood,’ ‘Avenza Bianco’ (a classic Italian-style marble),’ ‘Urban Pezzato’ (concrete look) and ‘Reclaimed Denim Fibre’ which looks as it sounds.

Laminex 'Avenza Bianco'
Laminex’s new ‘Avenza Bianco’ is inspired by classic Italian-style marble

Of the line-up, ‘Reclaimed Denim Fibre’ is an interesting one given it’s made with offcuts from clothing production and captures the classic indigo look of denim jeans. Reused denim makes up 60 per cent of the finished product and the texture is jean-like too.

“Laminex is committed to sustainable and innovative design practices. In moving towards a waste-less future, we welcome the challenge to transform something that would otherwise have gone to waste into a value-added material with its own design aesthetic,” says Sacha Leagh-Murray, general manager of marketing at Laminex.

'Reclaimed Denim Fibre'
‘Reclaimed Denim Fibre’

Samsung: Samsung has expanded its fridge line-up with a new side-by-side range available in a choice of silver stainless steel or matte black. Interestingly, in response to consumer insights, the brand now offers over 20 black refrigerators across its range.

Samsung fridge

The fridges feature flat door designs, recessed handles and Samsung’s SpaceMax technology which uses high-efficiency insulation to keep the internal walls thin, thereby creating more storage space inside the fridge without increasing external dimensions.

There’s also the option of a non-plumbed water and ice dispenser model which is perfect for Aussie renters. You simply fill the 4.5 litre water jug inside and you’re good to go! Prices start from $2,099.

Caesarstone & Wattyl: Given that visualising colour and surface pairings can be a tough gig for the novice, Caesarstone quartz surfaces and Wattyl paints is the latest Australian interiors duo to collaborate in a bid to reduce the associated guesswork.

Wattyl 'Mermaid's Smile' paired with Caesarstone 'Airy Concrete'
Wattyl ‘Mermaid’s Smile’ paired with Caesarstone ‘Airy Concrete’

Homeowners can access a diverse selection of Caesarstone and Wattyl pairings alongside metallic tapware finishes from Sussex and door cabinetry from Polytec. The palettes range from crisp white and soft grey to neutrals, dark charcoals and black. Wattyl has also provided a couple of saturated hues, for the more adventurous.

Wattyl 'Turbine Grey' paired with Caesarstone 'Black Pearl'
Wattyl ‘Turbine Grey’ paired with Caesarstone ‘Black Pearl’

“Consumers can lack confidence in their ability to pull a successful colour palette together.  They want something that expresses their personality and has the sophistication of a designer-led project – but they are unsure of how to get there.  This collaboration has enabled Wattyl, Australia’s longest standing paint brand, to give some really creative – and practical – examples of customised colour pairings.  Ones that are foolproof and yet inspirational,” says Sarah Stephenson, colour expert and Wattyl senior brand communications manager.

Australian kitchen trends: Spring 2019 edition

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Appliances Art Design Smart Home

Samsung Frame TV now looks even better in art mode!

Samsung’s innovative television The Frame is back in a new and improved state this year promising greater elegance and increased functionality for users. The game changing television ‘turns Australian living spaces into a mesmerising gallery of curated art’ according to the brand and the second generation iteration looks even better than the first. It’s pretty much the only TV you’ll find Jen and I getting excited about!

Samsung The Frame

“The Frame has been designed to fit harmoniously into every Australian home and has changed the way many Australians think about the role of their TV in the home. It tackles the long-standing issue of a big blank screen that appears when you turn your TV off. Instead, your TV can now display an incredible array of local and international artwork that will enhance the appearance and ambience of your home,” says Hass Mahdi, head of audio visual for Samsung Electronics Australia.

Samsung The Frame

The second generation boasts an upgraded Art Mode meaning there are now even more artworks to display on the screen from the Samsung Art Store. The store houses a diverse library of artwork and photos from prominent museums, galleries and artists around the world including ‘The Albertina’ which is a leading Australian art museum. One of the world’s most prestigious photography agencies Magnum Photos is another source, as is Lumas – a Berlin-founded gallery of photography and art editions.

Samsung The Frame

I’ll admit, I’ve been coveting this television for a while – a friend has one and I was impressed by the screen’s matte finish when in Art Mode. You’d be hard pressed to tell it was a television!

Samsung The Frame

And in even better news for interiors lovers, the enhanced user interface allows you to browse the artworks based on the colour scheme of your room and you can search by a particular medium too. And once you’ve curated your favourite pieces you can then shuffle through them at pre-set intervals.

Samsung The Frame

“As a brand we’re dedicated to developing and enhancing the way our products provide people with an amazing experience. This year, we’re providing a fresh perspective on The Frame and delivering Australian living rooms a set of new features that display art in an incredibly compelling way,” says Mahdi.

Samsung The Frame

Prices start from $1799 for a 43-inch screen.

For more | My pick of stylish entertainment units

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Appliances Smart Home

Samsung study reveals changing face of Australian home

The results are in! Samsung have done some hefty research into the lifestyles of Aussie households to discover what trends really affect our lives and how we use technology to improve them.

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Out of the thousand that participated in the study, more than half (62%) identified saving money on bills as the most important benefit of a digitally connected home, followed by energy savings (45%) and convenience (43%).

Samsung also found that the average household throws away more than $1,000 worth of food each year, with NSW wasting about $1,475, almost double that of QLD! I know my household is a definite culprit. Also, as we’re coming up to the festive season, we spend two and a half times our average monthly food bill on Christmas entertaining (that’s a lot of honey glazed ham and prawns).

When it comes to entertainment, 55% prefer entertaining at home because it’s a good money saver, and 45% say it’s more sociable, not to mention flexible.

In terms of cleaning, 12 hours per week is spent on housework, and 33% believe technology will make their household chores easier in the future.

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Utilising these results, Samsung have released their Australians@HOME range to help households with everyday chores through Wi-Fi enabled home devices that can be personalised to specific needs. Products include the POWERbot VR9200 with vision mapping ($1,799), Ultra Large Capacity Washing Machine with auto detergent dispenser ($3,999), Chef Collection fridge with built-in tray for marinating meat ($7,999), and Chef Collection Vapour Oven with a full touch LCD screen ($2,999).

For more information.

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Appliances RENO ADDICT

Your guide to the latest laundry trends

With contestants on The Block teasing us with stylish yet functional laundries, it’s not surprising to learn that kitchens aren’t the only rooms enjoying a few tasteful remakes. The Good Guys Kitchens designer, Julie Hanover, shares the latest trends making waves in laundries.

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Custom built cabinetry It is becoming increasingly popular to renovate laundries in conjunction with kitchens, and built-in cabinetry is at the top of the trend to maximise space. Using your kitchen company to also design your laundry means you’ll enjoy complementing joinery, as well as saving time and money.

Concealed storage Tall utility cupboards for ironing boards and built-in solutions like baskets and hampers mean you can enjoy a stylish and clutter-free laundry.

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Fisher & Paykel 8.5kg Front Load Washer

Benchtops Gone are the days of the freestanding steel tub. Sleek Silestone benchtops dominate with their seamless built-in sinks, providing plenty of space for sorting and folding. Laminate benchtops will also do the trick (and be softer on your wallet).

Details It’s the little things that count, right? Although you don’t generally show off your laundry, you might have a reason to with the abundance of feature tiles and smooth, shiny handles on offer. Decorative and under cabinet lighting would help show off those stylish features as well as provide some much needed lighting to a generally dim room.

Appliances The main reason for the existence of your laundry is, of course, to house your washing machine and dryer. These come in many different shapes and sizes, and feature plenty of different functions, so it’s important to find the ones that best suit the needs of your household.

Samsung 8kg Heat Pump Dryer
Samsung 8kg Heat Pump Dryer

Washing machines To front load or to top load? That is the question. To save space, front loaders can be stacked on top of one another. A stacking kit can help save space not only by stacking your washer and dryer, but also by incorporating a handy pull-out shelf to hold your laundry items. With modern technology comes a hoard of available features, from steam eco washes to live Twitter streams (ok, I may have made that one up). Don’t get too carried away with all the extra features – focus on the functions that will best suit your lifestyle, such as size and water efficiency.

Dryers Dryers are expensive to run, so keep an eye on those little energy star ratings stickers when buying. The capacity of your dryer is determined by how much you want to fit in each load, with a larger drum size suiting larger households. Obviously, you don’t want anything that impedes on the functionality of the rest of your laundry, so keep in mind the space you have set aside for your dryer. If you’re not much of an ironer like me, a smaller but faster dryer will result in fewer creases (as well as a smaller energy bill).

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Appliances Kitchens RENO ADDICT The Block

Olivia visits The Block’s kitchens and shares her opinion and all the product details

So I’ll let you in on a little secret. A couple of hours before The Block reveals air, we get the photos of all the rooms. The problem is, we don’t get the judges’ comments, so I spend a good 30 minutes trying to decipher who wins. I must say I’m normally pretty accurate — though I will admit I did not see Josh and Charlotte’s 30/30 score for their master bedroom coming!

But my guessing game went into overdrive last week, when I got to see The Block’s kitchens in the flesh (days prior to the reveal). Judge Shaynna Blaze led the tour, and though I attempted on countless occasions to get her opinion out of her, she kept mum (you should be proud, Channel 9)!

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Shaynna and I

So below are all my views and all the product details, should you wish to try and replicate the kitchens in your own home.

Ayden and Jess: Modern traditional

Looking at the kitchen alone and ignoring how it fitted into the surrounding space, it was my favourite. I liked pretty much all of it bar the glass-fronted cabinets. I just don’t see them as realistic. People have mismatched dinnerware; it just seems so messy!

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On-trend and functional, the profiled cabinetry in a Stone Grey brought an element of sophistication and the benchtop choice of Silestone Lyra added a natural feel to the classically styled kitchen. Designed and built to entertain, Jess and Ayden opted for Electrolux appliances throughout the kitchen, as well as Breville small appliances and Oliveri taps and sinks.

H3_R8_JA_kitchen02

Dea and Darren: Urban glam

While I later found out how different my opinion was to the judges, the Double Ds produced my second favourite kitchen. And if you looked at the space as a whole (so the kitchen, living and dining as one), well then it shot straight to my favourite. Yes, the ‘goalposts’ were weird, but it was the only townhouse that actually had open plan living.

These 'goal posts' got a LOT of mentions and not in a  good way!

The kitchen is really the social hub of the home, executed through smart and functional design without compromising on style (though that mosaic tile splashback was a bit OTT). With Silestone benchtops in Cemento Spa and Pulsar, the appliances included an integrated Vintec Wine Fridge, a Bosch 762 litre French Door Fridge, a Bosch warming drawer, Oliveri sinks and taps and Breville small appliances.

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Tim and Anastasia: Modern monochrome

I found Tim and Anastasia’s kitchen layout quite bizarre, what with it being almost like two galley kitchens attached in an L-shape. Standing in it was very cramped, though that said we were 50 or so people there! However, what I did really like was how they connected their kitchen to the terrace with bi-fold windows; perfect for indoor-outdoor living.

The Block in Melbourne

Using contrasting colours and textures of black and white and gloss and matt, the kitchen focused on modern elements like handle-less cabinetry and used soft greys — of the Silestone benchtops in Lagoon — to help balance the monochromatic scheme. Appliances included the Delonghi oven and built-in combination microwave, with a Samsung 636 litre fridge, Breville small appliances and Oliveri taps and sinks.

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Josh and Charlotte: Minimalist

I totally agreed with the judges on this one. In person, I couldn’t get over the huge blank space behind the timber bench. It looked so unfinished and cold. Josh and Charlotte’s style is minimalism — which can be great — but I think this time it was taken too far.

The Block in Melbourne

Using crisp white cabinetry, offset by a raised cafe style timber bench and Titanium drawer fronts, the kitchen also included subtle marbling in the Silestone benchtop in Helix. To complement this, Josh and Charlotte used Fisher & Paykel appliances, with an integrated fridge and a gas and ceramic cook top, Breville small appliances and Oliveri sinks and taps.

The Block in Melbourne

Finally, a special thanks to The Good Guys for flying me to Melbourne and giving me a behind the scenes look at The Block. I loved it!

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Appliances

Samsung’s world-first Water Wall dishwasher

In a cleaning first, Samsung’s new Water Wall premium dishwater creates a powerful sweeping wall of water that extends to even the hardest to reach places.

samsung water wall interiors addict

Designed to provide users with versatility and a range of cleaning options, the Samsung Water Wall features up to six wash programmes and a high temperature rinse cycle, giving users the option to wash dishes at 65°C, helping to effectively clean those tough or tricky to clean dishes. The Water Wall FLEXTRAY continues to make life easier by allowing users to simply lift and insert from the top rack to easily stack and unpack cutlery straight into the drawer.

samsung water wall interiors addict 2

With an Energy Star rating, the Water Wall features a flexible half-wash option, a function that gives users the convenience of selecting just to have the upper or lower half of the dishwasher cleaned. A drying system, a first for Samsung, is also included, with the dishwasher door automatically opening after washing, allowing for steam and condensation to escape and assist with the drying process.

The Water Wall boasts a sophisticated design with stainless steel pocket handles and Star Display featuring blue LED lighting, to help ensure this dishwasher elegantly fits into every kitchen. Available now from Harvey Norman in two freestanding variant options, White and Stainless Steel, prices start from $1599.00. For more information.

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Appliances Kitchens

Samsung release their most premium refrigerator to date

Both their most premium and largest refrigerator to date, the new four-door Chef Collection from Samsung is all about bringing opulence to Australian kitchens.

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Including temperature control, large capacity and versatile compartments, the fridge was developed in collaboration with Samsung Club des Chefs, a global Samsung culinary initiative that brings together world-class chefs to inspire the development of next generation Samsung appliances.

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Some of the special features of the refrigerator include: Triple Cooling Technology (where you can control the temperature of three different zones of the refrigerator separately), the Fridge-in-Freezer compartment (which can be converted from a refrigerator to a freezer), the Chefs Pantry (a specific compartment that allows items like red meat and fish to be chilled at -1 degree) and the stainless steel Chefs Tray, that can be used for marinating meat and seafood and can be directly pulled out of the refrigerator and placed into the oven.

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With a total capacity of a whopping 1,028 litres, the Chef Collection has a modern and sophisticated feel and features a Miracle Display that highlights the temperature settings through blue LED lights that shine out of perforated holes in the steel setting. Additionally, the Chef Collection refrigerator features still and sparkling water, powered by SodaStream.

The Chef Collection refrigerator retails for $11,999 and is available from select Australian retailers. For more information visit Samsung’s website here.

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Appliances

A SodaStream in your fridge door thanks to Samsung

Imagine a shiny new fridge with a sparkling water dispenser in the door! It exists! Thanks to a new partnership between Samsung and SodaStream. Love it!

 Sparkling Fridge 01

The new French door refrigerator features an in-built sparkling water dispenser, the first of its kind available through retail outlets in Australia. The 890L 4-door model (SRF890SWLS) is ideal for entertaining with its large capacity, wide shelves and a convenient integrated gas system, powered by SodaStream, that delivers cold, filtered sparkling and still water straight from the refrigerator door.