Tag: styling

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Interviews Styling

An interview with stylist and interiors writer Heather Nette King

Heather Nette King’s enthusiasm for styling and interiors is palpable and so inspiring. Brave enough to make the move out of an unfulling career in PR to try her hand as an interiors writer and stylist, it’s safe to say she’s never looked back. These days you’ll mostly see her gorgeous work in the Melbourne homes pages of Sunday Life and she recently took on her first official interior decorating job after spending years advising friends and family on what to do with their homes.

Heather Nette King blue

Having always dreamed of working on an interiors magazine, when Heather and her family moved to Sydney, she quit her PR job and was starting to contact the editors at her favourite titles to see if they’d take on an unpaid intern, when she got a very lucky break. “I was given a trial period producing the home pages for Sunday Life magazine. They knew I could write, so I had to source and shoot some fabulous homes so they could see if I had what it took to do the rest of it. I am forever in debt to the wonderful Aleksandra Beare (then the art director at Sunday Life, and currently acting creative director at Inside Out) who gave me this lucky break. Five years on, I am still doing these home pages. I get to visit the most incredible homes and talk interiors for hours – so I am like a pig in mud!” Her advice to aspiring stylists is to team up with an aspiring interiors photographer and “just get shooting”. Build up a portfolio then start knocking on doors.

Heather Nette King fluro

And although she feels very fortunate, Heather’s a great believer in making a change when it’s needed. “I really don’t get it when people stay in jobs, or any kind of relationships for that matter, when they are not happy. Like everyone, I find change a bit daunting, but sometimes you just have to back yourself and jump!”

Heather Nette King
Heather Nette King

Writing about how people live in their homes gives you an amazing insight into the human condition, she says. “Honestly, during interviews, I have sobbed along with someone who was describing how their grandfather smuggled just one possession out of a war zone, and I have laughed until I cried with other people describing their renovating experiences. The common denominator is how important our little patch of space and our belongings are to us, and it’s an honour to get the chance to do justice to people’s stories.”

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Interiors Addict

7 Vignettes is back! With Belle’s Steve Cordony

Belle's Steve Cordony

Rumour has it some of you are practising and prepping already! Such is the excitement for the second round of 7 Vignettes starting on Saturday on Instagram. I’m delighted to welcome Steve Cordony, Belle’s interior design editor and stylist extraordinaire as our new judge, and to thank Down That Little Lane for providing a $100 voucher for the winner. But you know it’s mostly just for fun. Any prize is just an added bonus!

Steve Cordony
Steve Cordony

Still not quite sure what a vignette is? Steve explains: “I like to think of a vignette as a small cluster of objects or things that have meaning or resonate an emotion or memory. Items collected from travels, objects found in the most obscure places or that one amazing piece you have been coveting for months.

“I style vignettes constantly to give inspiration for a trend or project I am working on, and I am constantly changing vignettes around in my home. Usually atop a stack of my favourite books on a shelf or my bedside or coffee table, then adding layers of objects and collectables to create a three dimensional mood board.”

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Interiors Addict

Cool Edie’s team up with Murobond on glam and fun paint range

The ladies at Cool Edie’s are the latest stylists to team up with Murobond on their own paint range, and very cool it is too.

Jane Frosh and Lucy Weight have come up with four colours: a matt black (of course), a gold, an almost-emerald green (how on-trend) and a peach.

“We wanted a set of colours that really represented the Australian interiors industry as it stands and our Cool Edie’s approach to styling. A matt black (Cool Edie’s Religion), because it directly reflects on Cool Edie’s, our religion if you will. Who doesn’t love a matt black? It neutralises all other colours and adds a tough, chic element to any interior.

“The gold, well, does that need explaining?! Gold is a sense of humour, a touch of glam, a pop of insanity, hence the name Confetti Bomb. Boom! It just reeks of fun and parties and frocks and laughter.

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Interiors Addict

And the winner of 7 Vignettes is…

Shelley Ross! (or should we say @shelleyrossxoxo?) CONGRATULATIONS!

Here’s my favourite of her vignettes…

Our judge, stylist Kara Rosenlund, said: “It was such a great week on Instagram; everyone’s commitment and thrill to be be part of such a challenge was really inspiring. It was such a privilege to see into everyone’s homes and lives and read their special and sentimental stories about pieces from their homes and their loved ones.

“Thank you so much to everyone who participated. It brought such an overwhelming sense of community and friendship into the instagram world, I didn’t want it to end.”

There wasn’t even meant to be a prize but we were so impressed we decided to award one! Kara has put together a box of lovely styling treasures for Shelley and I’ll be sending her an Interiors Addict candle.

I must say I was overwhelmed by the success of 7 Vignettes. I’ve run, and taken part in, Instagram photo challenges before, but this one was extra special. There was so much sharing and community. Everyone really encouraged each other and everyone had a go. Some people didn’t even know what a vignette was when we started. Some found out about it on the last day and still managed all 7 vignettes in 24 hours! Amazing! Between us we shared more than 2,000 images! So much enthusiasm, talent and just a lot of great feeling! I had warm fuzzies all week, especially when I kept getting gorgeous little messages like these!

I was so sad it had to end (although I was worrying about the RSI in my right hand from constant scrolling and liking!) I’ve decided to make this a monthly challenge with a new set of words and a new guest judge each time. The next will start on 2 February with the lovely Steve Cordony from Belle magazine. Look out for the new list of words on Instagram. Just keep looking under the #7vignettes hashtag or like Interiors Addict on Facebook so you’ll be sure not to miss it.

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Interiors Addict

The Interiors Addict 7 Vignettes challenge

There’s something seriously cool going on over at Instagram, have you heard? It’s called 7 Vignettes in 7 Days and it’s my latest Instagram photo challenge in collaboration with stylist and queen of the vignette, Kara Rosenlund.

On day one, we shared nature…

nature

On day two, colour…

colour

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Interiors Addict

The 7 vignettes in 7 days Instagram challenge with stylist Kara Rosenlund

One of Kara's vignettes

I’m excited to announce Interiors Addict’s latest Instagram challenge: 7 Vignettes in 7 Days!

You can probably guess what this one’s all about, but I’ll spell it out anyway. Each day, from this Saturday, you must snap a vignette inspired by the corresponding word on the list. It’s a bit more interactive than usual because I’m guessing not many people have 7 vignettes in their home or, if they do, they probably don’t fit my list exactly! So it’s time to have some fun and be creative, play stylist, and maybe create some new and lovely focal points in your home!

One of Kara’s vignettes

Not everyone knows what this French word actually means, so I asked super stylist Kara Rosenlund, a veritable queen of the vignette (seriously, she makes it look so easy!), to explain. “A vignette to me is essentially a unique visual short story,” she said. “It’s told through using an arrangement of smaller objects gathered together to tell a tale that is only yours. It can be as simple or as grand as you like; a pile of seashells in different sizes gathered from a distant seaside trip laid out on a shelf, to a Metro ticket, a small plastic tacky Eiffel Tower and a Champagne cork from Paris treasured as souvenirs on a mantle.”

I couldn’t think of anyone better to judge the winner of this competition, which, as always, is just for fun, than Kara.

Not surprisingly, she has vignettes everywhere in her own home, but they’re not just for stylists. “They are super fun and super easy and are generally inexpensive and can be easily rearranged when you feel like a change. Adding a vignette gives you a reason and allows you to display your favourite bits and found collections in a way that tells a story and may remind you of certain things.”
Another of Kara’s vignettes
Kara adds: “On the home front they work really well if you have a difficult area or awkward shelf that really isn’t performing too well (we all have them); arrange a vignette and your eye will be catching the beauty in no time, transforming the drab spot.” There really is no better way to give your space personality and depth, and to reveal something about you.
Stylist Kara Rosenlund, the judge of our Instagram challenge
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Interiors Addict

Life Instyle teams up with Jane Frosh & Lucy Weight of Cool Edie’s to launch Style Lab

I’m beyond excited about the latest initiative from Life Instyle. Style Lab is a new interactive concept, in collaboration with Jane Frosh and Lucy Weight of styling house, Cool Edie’s. I love those two and their work!

The concept will be unveiled during the trade fair’s first event of 2013, held at Sydney’s Royal Hall of Industries & Hordern Pavilion from 21-to-24 February.

Style Lab will explore the elements of style and creativity through a series of changing scenes, designed and created live each morning by Jane and Lucy. “The importance of creativity and style has always been at the heart of our events,” says exhibition manager, Amelia Coote-Harris. “We’re excited to introduce an interactive element this year and to be teaming up with the Cool Edie’s team, who share our passion and vision.”

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Interiors Addict

Prop Hire Online is for sale. Any takers?

Stylist Jenni Booth is selling her business, two years after creating the first ever online prop hire store.

“As a busy stylist, it is one of the things I dreamed of finding while scouring for props on the internet late into the night,” she says. “So in January 2011 I launched Prop Hire Online. “Along the way it has evolved into so much more than just a place for stylists to hire props from. Now it is a stylist supplies shop, where kits and tools of the trade can be purchased, a directory for stylists assistants and the online shop, G-Sale, is a garage sale of props that I no longer have a need for and want to pass on.”

Photo by Pia Jane Bijkerk

As a a freelance stylist for 18 years, Sydney-based Jenni has scoured the globe for props. While setting up Prop Hire Online, she has juggled a fulltime freelance styling career and working on a new (as yet secret) venture. “While I am extremely proud of what I have created with Prop Hire Online, it is time to pass this onto someone who has the same passion for styling and props as I do, but more importantly, the time to run it.”

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Interiors Addict

Mr Jason Grant reveals sneak peek of his book: A Place Called Home

Here’s the first peek at stylist Jason Grant’s first book, which he revealed yesterday will be called A Place Called Home.

Published by Hardie Grant, it’s due out in April next year. Looks good, eh?

Photo by Lauren Bamford
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Interviews

Why Abigail Ahern loves Australia and our obsession with interiors

The legendary British interior designer Abigail Ahern was blown away by the reception she received while in Australia recently, describing it as “the best thing I’ve done to date”.

Her masterclasses at Megan Morton’s The School were a sellout. “We sold 90% of the seats within the first few days of putting them on the site,” says Abigail. “I was so overwhelmed, flattered and delighted by the response. The Australian people are so warm and friendly. I was blown away by how many fans we have in Australia. I had an absolute blast and cannot wait to get back over to do more.”

We don’t have to wait long for our next Abigail fix either, as she has just been confirmed as a speaker at February’s Decoration + Design trade fair in Sydney.

Abigail says our climate makes Australian interiors different. “In Northern Europe we spend far longer inside than outside and our light is very different. Being soft we can dabble with dark sludgy hues much more easily (something which I am pretty obsessed with).

“Australian interiors tend to brighter and lighter and tend to hone in on one vibe, whether that’s traditional or contemporary or rustic and in Europe I think we tend to mix far more different periods and styles in more of a kaleidoscopic, ad hoc way. Obviously a lot of that has to do with geography and accessibility of stuff.

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Interiors Addict

My article on staging in Hills Lifestyle magazine

Hills Lifestyle asked me to write an article for the magazine on the growing popularity of home staging in Australia and I interviewed Naomi Findlay from SILK Home Staging & Styling.

You can read it here on page 35.

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Interiors Addict

Megan Morton’s new book: “All my tricks and best of all, all my treats.”

Stylist Megan Morton’s much anticipated second book Things I Love, is finally out today. Hooray! You may have been getting into the spirit already over on Instagram where Megan and I have been running a seven-day photo challenge (winner to be announced any day now). If, for some BIZARRE reason, you’re still not sure whether to go out and buy it, I’m here to tell you a little more.

I’m lucky enough to have seen a copy already and it really is something special. Not that I’m surprised. Everything MM does tends to be a bit magical.

“While it is definitely a book, it really is so much more,” she says. “You see there is a cut out and keep section. We will call them postcards but they are so much more than that!” (One of them has a pineapple on it, yay! I’m having an argument with myself over whether to tear them out or not! Yes, I know tearing them out is the whole point!). “Do you remember cutting up your magazines and collaging your folder? Well I wanted to regain that sense of wonder I had for magazine pictures and create some you could cut out, frame, collage, fill a pinboard. Because it really is the essence of styling.”

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Interiors Addict

Guest post: Abigail Ahern’s Sydney masterclass

Aussie stylist Jane Frosh with Abigail Ahern

Abigail, after a horror 48-hour flight from London, arrived in Melbourne hours before her first round of masterclasses and then flew on to Sydney to deliver her class again at Megan Morton’s The School to a room full of Sydney (and New Zealand!) based designers, stylists and interior fanatics.

Aussie stylist Jane Frosh with Abigail Ahern

Abigail is a fun, creative, headstrong soul who scoffs at rules and appears determined to break them. She doesn’t take herself or her branding too seriously which, I believe, is part of her charm. Her talent is outside the box and unconventional.

Her constant references to Alice In Wonderland had the group hanging off her every word. She mixes up scale and proportion, adding friction and grandeur to an interior. Her moody, muted colour palette is both rock & roll and also warm and comforting.

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Styling

Stylists set up cool new Sydney studio

Lucy Weight (left) and Jane Frosh of Cool Edie's

Stylists Jane Frosh and Lucy Weight have teamed up to open a new studio, Cool Edie’s, in Sydney.

Lucy (left) and Jane at Cool Edie’s in St Peters

Jane, who just finished a job at Sydney’s hottest new hotel, QT, is excited about the collaborative creative space in St Peters, which she calls a “one-stop styling shop”.

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Interiors Addict

Sunday Snippets: the best of the week in interiors

  • I shared this competition from the Life InStyle trade fair which I’m judging alongside Mr Jason Grant and Lucy Feagins of The Design Files blog. Have you entered yet?
  • I enjoyed interviewing Melbourne interior designer David Hicks, who just opened an LA office and had some great stuff to share about design.
  • I launched my competition with Wicked Wix to win a year’s worth of candles and the good news is, you still have until noon on Friday to enter. What are you waiting for?!
  • Ex Real Living style director Mr Jason Grant offered Interiors Addict readers an EXCLUSIVE opportunity to join him for a VIP shopping tour around Sydney, visiting his favourite stores with him and learning stylist secrets. There’s still time to book your place for next week.
  • I featured a cool new product that lets you hang plants upside inside. No, I don’t really understand how it works either, but it’s pretty clever!
  • A stunning Art Deco inspired bar opened in Melbourne’s Brunswick on Friday night and I shared some snaps with you beforehand.
  • I reviewed this lovely book New Vintage by stylist Tahn Scoon.
  • I spent Saturday morning at a session with super stylist Megan Morton about putting the love in your home. It was awesome. Read all about it. Her home is in the current issue of Vogue Living. Well worth a look.

This coming week I’m looking forward to attending the Writing about Interiors, Style and Design evening class at Sydney Writers’ Centre. I know I shouldn’t really need it, right? But I think you can always learn something new and it’s great to hear other people’s perspective on things.

What are you doing this coming week? Jen x

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Interiors Addict

Inspiration via Megan Morton

This morning I went to Megan Morton’s free workshop at Moore Park Supa Centa with a couple of girlfriends and we had a great time. Considering she is such a rockstar in the Sydney styling world, MM is incredibly down to earth and a great presenter, as people are when they’re passionate about a subject.

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Interiors Addict

New Vintage by Tahn Scoon

I recently received this beautiful book from its author, Tahn Scoon. To be honest, my first thought was “nice but hmm… not really my thing,” but on closer inspection, it really is. When I see the word vintage I sometimes worry this actually means hipster and that’s not me, plus I live in a pretty modern apartment so although I love old things with some character and history, the vintage look, so to speak, doesn’t always work for me. If you’re like me, don’t stop reading because this book is, fortunately, for you too! In fact its subtitle ‘The Homemade Home. Beautiful Interiors and How-To Projects’ explains it much better.

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Interiors Addict

Megan Morton herself to teach at her own school

Megan Morton’s The School has been getting rave reviews all round with a range of people running classes on such fabulous topics as making flower bombs and tassel garlands. Now (what we’ve all been waiting for, let’s admit it) Megan herself is set to share her own secrets and tips in a series of day-long masterclasses.

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