school – The Interiors Addict

On our trip to Amsterdam last month, we stayed in a really cool coverted school called, not surpisingly, The College Hotel! But it was much more stylish and comfortable than the name might suggest!

I love a bit of hotel luxury but I’m more interested in boutique accommodation than the predictability of international hotel chains. The College ticked all my important boxes: interesting interiors, a very large and comfortable bed, friendly and attentive (but not over the top) staff, coffee-making facilities (don’t roll your eyes, caffeine is important!), free wifi and a full size tub!

Sadly, there was no snow on our visit but the sunshine was very welcome!

With just 40 rooms, the four-star hotel feels intimate and cosy. I can’t fault the location, 15 minutes door to door by tram from Centraal Station in the leafy, quiet and fashionable Zuid (south) area, and even closer to the museums.

Read the full review on the Expedia blog.

Read more about what we got up to and what we recommend in this great city, in the Interiors Addict’s Guide to Amsterdam.

sponsored by

At home with Lumiere Art + Co’s Emma Cleine

Many artists never make a viable business from their talent and passion. It’s a tough gig. But former school teacher Emma Cleine is bucking that trend with Lumiere Art + Co and her story is inspiring. Today, she shows us inside her charmingly understated Mornington Peninsula home and tells us about making what she loves into her full-time job.

Emma cleine lumiere art + co — Emma Cleine of Lumiere Art + Co, at home on the Mornington Peninsula

I’ve watched the Lumiere Art + Co brand go OFF in the last year and recently had the pleasure of meeting Emma. Her work is now very recognisable due to it being stocked by some amazing retailers and featured on the recent series of The Block Sky High. She’s now branched into homewares too with her textiles and ceramics.

But Emma, who is based on the Mornington Peninsula, never thought this would be her full-time job. In her early days as a maker, she created paper bunting from vintage books and sold it at markets. “That’s how I started! Oh, and paper covered blocks. They were cute and took me a long time to make. From there I just moved on to other things.”