Taking place this weekend, the Home & Giving Fair is the ideal trade event for retail buyers, store owners, interior designers, stylists and event planners.
With over 350 exhibitors across the gift, home, fashion, jewellery, kitchen, outdoor and stationery categories, it promises to be an exciting event filled with the latest and greatest in interiors.
“As the only industry led gift and home trade event in Australia, retail buyers can expect the best buying environment possible to source new season ranges,” says Wayne Castle, CEO of the Australian Gift & Homewares Association, the company running the event.
Popular in past years, visitors can expect to see the Design Life Sydney exhibition and the Fair Trade Zone where retail buyers can source handmade and artisan items from across the globe.
Plus, our very own Jen Bishop will be imparting her expertise with two sessions in the Retail Seminar Series tomorrow (Saturday) and Monday. Other presenters include stylist Megan Morton, Di Swinbourn of COLOURDOT and the Sydney Design School and Marketing Funnel Specialist Grace Lever.
From PR to e-commerce, business growth funding, visual merchandising, trends, marketing, styling and customer service, the sessions are a great offering for small to medium businesses.
A trade only event, the Home & Giving Fair runs from tomorrow until Tuesday at Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park. You do not need a ticket for the seminar series. Click here for more.
Celebrated interior stylist and author Megan Morton has used the latest dusty pink and purple Sheridan range to illustrate her unique colour theory.
The stylist’s ‘Three Degrees of Colour’ theory not only supports the range, but it’s a great method for anyone to employ when using colour in the home. Basically, you need to consider the room and adjust the levels of colour accordingly, whether it be the ‘accent a little, ‘enhance some more,’ or the ‘immerse yourself in colour’ approach.
“A beautiful home works when all the rooms and spaces have a holding palette – tones that hold them together beautifully. You can then use a little amount of your chosen colour in one room, be slightly more heavy handed in another and go fuller strength in another without the fear of over-colouring,” says Megan.
For example, given its functionality, a bathroom usually only requires a touch of colour and towels will usually provide this. The lounge room, however, requires that bit more – think layers of coloured and textured cushions on the sofa. The bedroom is the perfect space in which to go full-tilt with your chosen colour – think a feature wall and complementary cushions on the bed.
“Your instinct needs to play a part which is why colour palettes are such a hard one to copy from a Pinterest image,” says Megan, who always considers the entire space before starting on a project. “When it comes to the use of colour, you must consider the floor and wall tones as well as the external elements should the room enjoy windows looking outward. Rooms are never just four walls and a roof – they frame the outside world.
“My colour theory works across all tones in the same way that eyeshadow application works. Sometimes you only need a little, sometimes a bit more and some occasions require a lot! Ultimately though, you should always consider the room’s mood, tone and usage.”
Rugs wield so much power. They can: ground a room, add warmth, texture and colour, reduce echo, define a space, play off existing palettes and they also feel great underfoot.
But just how do you choose a rug? Do you go for a larger rug? A round rug? A colourful rug? Neutral? Wool? Jute? It can become overwhelming if you don’t know the rules to buying a rug to suit your home – that will last.
Brendan Nash, west elm Bondi’s home stylist, knows his way around rugs! Every day he works with customers to create beautiful homes. With an eye for accessories, together with his know-how on the how-to when it comes to rug shopping, he can help you go from bare floor to brilliant in just five easy tips.
Size. Don’t skimp! Size is important. Size is THE most important. A large rug can make a small room feel larger! How your new rug fits your space will completely change the way it feels.
As a general rule, I tend to go for the largest size that you can comfortably fit, that you can afford, and fits proportionally with your existing furniture. The legs of your sofa and your coffee table should always land on the rug which will help the space not only feel a little more finished, but also give the illusion of more space. Buy larger – a small rug can look really mean in a large space. Unless it’s a hallway – then a rug runner is perfect.
And always, always measure up before you go shopping. I also really love when customers bring a photo of their room with them. It helps me visualise how the rug is going to work within that space.
Style. What’s the look you are trying to go for? Take a look at your room and your furniture – then decide what direction you want to go in. Are you after a woven natural fibre rug that works back well with your light and airy home, or are you after something a little more wild to complement your eclectic style? Either way, rugs are generally an investment piece so it’s important to get something that will complement your space.
Consider shapes too – if you have a round dining table, a round rug will work to accentuate that statement piece. Patterned rugs work really well with glass top tables for extra visual interest.
Practicality. Think about where the rug will live, and how you live in the space. Does durability factor into your decision? Jute’s a great option – and so is wool! Is it a high traffic area? Go for wool. It’s easy to maintain. Bedroom comfort? Think about who will use the rug, how often it’s used and the upkeep factor to help guide the material and style you decide on. Plus nice soft rugs always work well in the bedroom.
If you have an open floor plan – a rug really helps to define spaces. A rug has the power to anchor the space – and differentiate between living, dining and relaxing areas.
Budget. Sometimes what we dream of and what we can afford are two very different things. My biggest advice is to set a realistic budget on what you can afford but will still very much fit the brief. A rug will live in your space for quite some time – and therefore should be seen as an investment piece. Shop smart! Invest in a good quality product that will stand the test of time. Like anything, it’s easy to get swept away in the moment, and the next thing you know – that vintage persian rug from Sotheby’s is on its way to you! Think calmly and pragmatically, and plan out your purchase.\
Try before you buy! To give you an idea of the dimensions of a rug and how that size and shape looks in your home, map out some painting tape and newspaper on the floor – exactly where you would place the rug, to give you more of an idea whether that size will work. This gives you a better idea of dimensions instead of having to visualise.
Given rugs always look different in your home than they do in store – lighting, furniture and your space will all factor into how the rug looks – west elm offers customers samples to take home and try before committing.
We’re excited to tell you about an event we are part of this year, for aspiring and existing home stagers. There’s no doubt about it, home staging is growing in size and credibility as a profession in Australia and it’s no longer seen as just faffing about with cushions! These days vendors, and real estate agents, are realising they can add thousands to their sale price by employing the professionals at making homes more stylish, appealing and saleable.
Naomi Findlay of the Institute of Home Staging, one of our resident experts on sister site Reno Addict, is the brains and enthusiasm behind this major event in Sydney in June. The owner of successful business Silk Home in the Newcastle and Hunter Region of NSW, she is passionate about educating people who want to learn how to sell their home, or other people’s homes, for more, and professionalising staging in this country.
There’s a whole host of great speakers planned and I’m excited to be one of them! I hope to see you there!
Find out all about it and get your early bird ticket pricing here.
Like us, we’re sure many of you have experienced procrastination when it comes to a DIY home painting project. Akin to a fitness challenge for home renovators, Taubmans has partnered with interior design authority Shaynna Blaze to encourage Australians to get back to the paint pots.
Walls in Taubmans Bristol Harbour Mist
While many people cite a lack of painting skills as a reason for their procrastination, others have difficulty even choosing a colour as they can’t imagine the final result. The ‘Paint in 8’ program, starting on Tuesday (9 February) is designed to remedy this by giving people the confidence to paint, all in eight weeks.
“Many Australians feel their homes should be a reflection of themselves, but they often come unstuck as to how to turn their goals into reality. Paint in 8 keeps people on track by making sure the process is comprehensive and stress-free over an eight-week period,” says Shaynna Blaze.
Walls in Taubmans Abstract Quarter and Blue Fog
The step-by-step program is designed to motivate and mentor would-be painters. From style advice to colour selection, the buying of tools and practical advice on painting, the program is ideal for those that want to undertake a painting project but just can’t get started.
Walls in Taubmans Surprise Party
“Our research found that while people procrastinate and fear the painting task at hand, half actually love the social element of painting alongside family and friends,” says Nadine Miller-Vachon, Marketing Director of Architectural Coatings ANZ.
Heavily in-demand as a stylist, you can now get a splash of Steve Cordony’s distinctive style at a fraction of the cost, with the arrival of his limited-edition cushion range. And you heard it here first, so don’t hang around as they’re not mass produced and the boutique collection is sure to sell out fast.
Made from fabrics that Steve has collected on his many exotic travels, the collection features silks and velvets found in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar and markets all across India to linens from South Africa and Indonesia, as well as fabric remnants from Steve’s own projects.
“I started off just collecting fabrics for fun and then realised I had way too many,” explains Steve. “I decided the best use would be to make cushions as I love changing up the look of a space with just a switch of the soft furnishings.”
[contextly_sidebar id=”QaFE2UoJpMEyXMJ4DpNruYWFoYxi2vdJ”]With two ranges, there is the cool collection, on sale from today (Friday), and the warm collection which will soon follow. “With these two groupings of colours and patterns you can easily mix and match to create your own look. I also love different, quirky size cushions rather than just the standard square, so the collection features a wide range, including smaller lumber cushions, which are my favourite to layer and play with scale and proportion.”
Made by John Turvey who produced the cushions all by hand, they all beautifully blend contrasting fabrics, with many cushions featuring a different pattern on the front and back.
A long-time aspiration for Steve, this has been a true passion project. “It has been a dream and this little limited edition project was more personal than work. It was fun going through all of my fabrics I have been collecting for five years and reliving memories from my travels.”
Following the success of her pop-up at The Yellow Housein Potts Point, nomadic Sydney stylist, Kaspia Warner, is bringing her collection of tribal homewares and jewellery to the former Garden Life store in Surry Hills.
Featuring products from her online store, Kaspia’s Caravan, the range includes hand-sourced wares from some of the world’s most remote outposts. The pop up will showcase beautiful Afghan blankets and rugs, handwoven baskets and rope beds from villages in the Safed Koh ranges, Turkoman tribal jewelery, intricately carved Swat Valley walnut furniture and Raj-era antique windows and door frames from the Hindu Kush.
The collection will be complimented by a range of Garden Lifeproducts including plants, Moroccan ceramics from Tamagroute and Tiznit, vintage cous cous platters, antique Turkish planters, beldi glass hanging lamps, stools and more.
Running until January 2016, the pop up opens everyday from 10am-to-5pm at 357 Cleveland St, Redfern.
Each week we shine the spotlight on some of Australia’s best designers, artists and stylists and have them share with us what’s making them tick; anything from the best gift they’ve ever received to their favourite holiday destination. Today we chat to Naomi Findlay, owner of design business Silk Home and the International Institute of Home Staging, and resident expert on our sister site Reno Addict.
1. What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
My first travel journal before I took off around the world for four years. It helped me find the joy in story and travel, creating memories that now, as a mum of four, I cherish reading.
2. What’s your favourite book?
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom and The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch are my faves. They are full of simple and grounding reminders on the key things that are important: trust, respect and love.
3. What’s your go-to recipe?
San Choy Bow. It is so simple to make, so fresh and bursting with flavours. But the best part is, it is super quick and the whole family gets to get messy eating it with our hands.
4. What’s your favourite shop?
Surprisingly I am not a shopper at all. I am generally forced to buy clothes, shoes and jewellery by those close to me (Jen included!). But I do have a small weakness driven by necessity for good boots from Wittner.
5. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Nothing is unachievable if your really want it, so just believe and you will thrive! This has and still does apply to anything I do in life. It is generally ourselves that get in our own way, so once you believe you can then you can!
It was while working in fashion, prior to becoming a mum, that Clare O’Donoghue’s painting became more than just a hobby.
“It started with my colleagues ordering pieces and then their friends,” explains Clare. “After the birth of my first baby 18 years ago, it become more and more busy and now in the last three years, ridiculously busy, with three more children added and doing a lot of work for interior designers and stylists.”
Now working as a full-time artist, whilst juggling her other role as mum of four, Clare has had a life-long love affair with art. “I am a self-taught artist, although I have always loved art… in primary school I would sneak into the art room at lunchtime! I did a super short-term fine arts school stint, but in the end I just wanted to do my own thing.”
[contextly_sidebar id=”WieQtPojRNbJE7wPAKQnU6ojd81FGHsj”]And clearly that approach worked, with Clare’s artworks proving so popular, she was offered the opportunity to turn them into homewares. “I was approached by Nerdia Hansen about 18 months ago, regarding them using my paintings to create soft textiles. So we selected some portions of my paintings, which were then printed on gorgeous textured linen and turned into cushions. I have also started to create lights, which are combining my paintings with lighting and fabric to create table lamps, wall lamps and pendants.”
With her homewares and prints available via her online shop and a range of bricks and mortar stockists, Clare also makes one-of-a-kind mixed media commissions. “I use inks, pastels, perspex, acrylic, collage and paper, as I love using different mediums to create different textures and looks and creating layers. When it comes to creating art I cannot say I have a particular formula I follow. If it’s a piece for a client I usually have a brief which may require some concepts, but all my other work just leaps almost uncontrollably onto the canvas tweaking the entire way with lots of standing back in between!”
With no grand plans for the future, Clare just hopes she can continue doing what she loves; making clients’ spaces feel good and most importantly, creating colourful, functional artworks that can positively affect the world. “It’s tricky to pick my proudest moment, but the feeling that comes with donating pieces to charity and someone admiring my work enough to bid, and then that money actually making a difference to someone’s life or foundation. Well that makes me feel really proud.”
Meeting ten years ago while studying at RMIT, product designer Nick Rennie and stylist Nina Provan had always shared very similar views on design. Often brainstorming ideas and collaborating on projects, it wasn’t until early this year they decided to turn those late night discussions and fervent design sessions into a business, ni.ni.creative.
Nick and Nina
“We provide products for today’s lifestyle – objects that are luxurious, have quality and a touch of detail for home and the discerning design lover,” explains Nick. “Our initial collection consists of our Cross leather bags and the Kumo and Tab cushions, and while at the moment the range is small, there are plans to increase the offering in the very near future.”
With the duo having designed their Cross leather bag some years ago, it was the compliments from friends and family that saw them bring the bags into production. Clean and simple, with leather that softens beautifully over time, they’re just as comfortable used at the gym or on a night out.
These, coupled with the Tab cushions, made from leather and fabric with a cute little tab on the side and the Kumo cushions, which feature beautiful 3D woven fabrics by Dutch and Danish companies, Febrik and Kvadrat, make up their debut collection. “Our range is all about designs that are sleek and contemporary, tactile and timeless,” says Nick. “Importantly, all our products are handmade in Melbourne, something we are really proud to achieve.”
Aside from working on their own businesses, Nick and Nina are currently developing a number of new ni.ni.creative products, these include some more bags as well as homewares and lighting. And if their debut collection is anything to go by, we can’t wait to see what’s next.
Each week we shine the spotlight on some of Australia’s best designers, artists and stylists and have them share with us what’s making them tick; anything from the best advice they’ve ever received to their favourite holiday destination. Today we chat to Kara Rosenlund, photographer, stylist and author of Shelter — How Australians Live.
1. What is your favourite cafe?
The Sourced Grocer in Teneriffe, Brisbane. It is quintessentially QLD with a mix of indoor and outdoor dining, and I can never go past the smashed avo on toast.
2. What is your favourite holiday destination?
Satellite Island, Tasmania, which features in my new book, Shelter — How Australians Live. I just love its remoteness. When I go on holidays I want to feel alone and have a moment to be at one with my thoughts.
3. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Cut once. Measure twice.
4. What’s your go-to recipe?
It’s a chicken and leek pot pie. The recipe is from artist Anita Mertzlin, whom I met when visiting her home for Shelter, hidden away in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range. There is lots of thyme which gives the dish an incredible flavour and it makes you look like you’ve tried harder than you really have!
5. What is your piece of furniture you own?
A glass display cabinet which is an old Australian piece I picked up in rural Victoria whilst on the road. It has pride of place in my home and is filled with my ceramics. It’s a piece which has already travelled many miles.
To celebrate the launch of her first book, Shelter — How Australians Live, photographer, stylist and storyteller Kara Rosenlund will be hosting pop up events in Melbourne (22 October), Sydney (29 October) and Brisbane (14 November).
Kara
For a gold coin donation to the Country Women’s Association, everyone is welcome and you’ll be able to buy a signed book and purchase prints from Shelter, with Kara taking the opportunity to mingle with guests and share insights from her incredible adventure.
Also at each event, 12 images from the newly released book will jump out from the pages in an exhibition showcase. Selected by Kara, the prints are a tight summation of the year-long journey she took in bringing the book together.
A celebration of quintessentially Australian landscapes and interiors, Shelter spans the vast array of spaces that people call home. From abandoned, decaying cottages to repurposed shipping containers and cliff-top hideaways, the book is a visual feast, documented in Kara’s honest and poignant style.
“Shelter began as a creative idea and quickly evolved into a year-long adventure which saw me travel from one corner of the country to the other – taking in some of the most remote parts of Australia,” explains Kara. “I was welcomed into people’s homes with open arms and relished hearing their stories, which formed the stories accompanying each chapter.”
Can’t make it along? To purchase a copy of Kara’s book or prints visit her online shop. To register for one of the pop up events visit her website.
Each week we shine the spotlight on some of Australia’s best designers, artists and stylists and have them share with us what’s making them tick; anything from the best advice they’ve ever received to their favourite holiday destination. Today we chat to Megan Morton, prolific stylist, designer and author and founder of The School.
1. Who is your favourite musician? Lloyd Cole and the Commotions.
2. What is your favourite holiday destination? I hate it when people say amazing places (who doesn’t love Sicily, Paris and India?!) but unequally love Tasmania and Queensland.
3. The best gift you’ve ever received? My three children.
4. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? If you’re going to do something, just do it well.
5. What is your favourite piece of furniture you own? At the moment I love my new four poster bed from Incy Interiors and I have made it my own with grey dipped socks. It also makes for a great bed-robe! I air my maxi skirts seasonally on its handy four posts.
Our recent post where bloggers shared a favourite corner of their home was so popular, it got us thinking who else’s homes you’d like to take a peek inside. And surely stylists would be top of the list? We asked seven of our favourites to kindly give us the tour…
Steve Cordony: “With the little time I get to spend at home, this is my favourite spot. The light streams in through windows and I grab and iPad or magazine, curl up in the cushions and shut off. Bliss!”
Lucia Braham: “I think it’s pretty predictable that the favourite corner of anyone’s home would be a place where your favourite pieces accumulate, right? I love this sun drenched spot for the multitude of lovely memories it evokes. The mantle is home to a small collection of my global flea market finds and a self portrait my mother drew in 1974. The chair was a bargain purchase which I restored myself and had re-upholstered in remnants of Belgian linen. The un-fired clay wall hanging is by Sydney artist Angela McNay, and I picked up the Pendleton rug, direct from the Wool Mill in Portland, Oregon, on a recent trip. This spot is a little insight to my travels overseas and I love it for the crazy mix of vintage, contemporary, antique and handmade.”
Jessica Bellef: “Owning a wall of shelves had been a dream of mine for so long, a sign that my stylist/hoarder tendencies are on the extreme end of the spectrum. My custom shelving was designed and built by my fiance’s dad and I, quite soon after my fiance and I bought our house. Running almost four metres across and housing favourite books, records and objects, I love how the shelves fill the space and compliment our 1970s home. And yep, our poor dog Charles Barkley is sporting a very undignified cone on his head in this shot. The little guy had surgery recently and he is now on the mend. The tail wags again.”
Aimee Tarulli: “My favourite corner of my home is my bedroom. It’s my quiet, calm sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of my day to day life! I love the soft layers of Cultiver linen on my bed in pastel shades, it’s so cosy and I get up every morning and just want to jump right back in. I’ve added lots of layers and texture through linen and velvet cushions and my favourite throw from Tribe & Co giving my room a lush, inviting feel. This is the spot I look forward to getting back to after a long busy day!”
Photo by Red Rabbit Photography. Click for details
Adam Powell: “”I’m enamoured by the theatricality of lighting so at night, this little corner comes alive. My newest addition is the lava lamp; time to bring them back I say! It’s hard to miss my obsession with colour, especially against that amazing chalkboard wallpaper.”
Julia Green: “I love my dark walls and how everything seems to pop with colour against them, including this photographic artwork print from Lumiere Art + Co.”
Photography by Annette O’Brien, table and chairs by Huset
Sophie Thé: “My favourite corner is the cockpit of my boat, where I can seat, read and daydream while looking at the world go by.”
Anyone with even a vague interest in styling will have heard of Sibella Court and The Society Inc. so there is bound to me much excitement at the news that her former shop in Sydney’s exclusive Paddington has been listed for sale this week. Always thought you’d love to live inside the pages of one her books? Well, now you kinda can… if you have a spare $1.6million.
The terrace at 27 Alexander Street was the part-time home and former shop of the celebrity stylist, known the world over for her eclectic style. Having recently moved to a much larger warehouse space for her work in St Peters, listing the Paddington property on Air BnB for a short while, it is now up for sale.
The space is Sibella through and through and personally I would love to see it bought by someone who embraces that rather than renovates it into something slick and new-looking! But as I’m not in a position to buy the two-bedroom, one-bathroom home set over two floors, I’ll have to let the lucky buyer decide!
It’s in a lovely, leafy, quiet corner of sought after Paddington (on a block that straddles the address of 18 Stewart) and open inspections take place tomorrow (Saturday 12 September) from 11.30am-to-12 noon. It is being shown to buyers decked out in quintessential Sibella vintage finds and collectibles from her travels and will appeal to those who love her quirky look. Frankly, it would have been criminal to clear out this magical space and stage it for sale in the mainstream way.
The Victorian high ceilings are strung with old naval rope and ladders, while the floors and staircase are painted to brilliant effect (no doubt with colours from her own range for Murobond). Those who relish found pebbles and driftwood will adore the designer bathroom, which feels ‘live’ from the pages of one of Sibella’s many design books.
Outside there’s private a courtyard, laundry terrace and on the street, garden beds planted with strawberries, geraniums, nasturtiums, and blossom.
I am full of envy for whoever snaps up this enviable, unique pad in a wonderful Sydney location!
As well as being an interior stylist and author, Sibella, who became a mum last year, is also a product designer, historian and creative director. Her hospitality spaces include Hotel Palisade, Old Joe’s, The Pines, Mr Wong, Palmer & Co, El Loco, MsG’s & The Fish Shop. Last week, her new television show, Restoration Australia, aired on ABC.
Sibella has spent much of her life exploring the globe for inspiration. Formerly a homewares stylist in New York, she has a knack for discovering new artists, designers and products for her much loved shop, The Society Inc. (now in St Peters). Her wanderlust can be seen in all the personal spaces she inhabits and in her many things accumulated over 20 years of shopping!
27 Alexander Street is being sold by Shannan Whitney and Darren Pearce of BresicWhitney, a lifestyle property group that responds to the energy and emotion of inner Sydney. Over the last five years, it has sought to break the mold as a residential property group, by welcoming a new conversation about inner-city living.
Journey from Heart to Home is the latest Shannon Fricke bed linen collection, inspired by travels from the desert heart to her coastal home.
We love her perfectly undone bed looks and this linen makes it easy to recreate that yourself.
A palette of indigo blues, earthy nudes and seawater greens are designed to mix and match so you can create a bed that is individual, free spirited and made with love.
Available from September 2015 online, at Harvey Norman, Domayne and selected Adairs stores nationally.
With her fresh, modern aesthetic and Instagram following of almost 400,000, TV personality and fashion and lifestyle blogger Rebecca Judd was a natural fit for collaboration with Australian manchester and homewares giant, Adairs.
“I wanted to create something that my own followers would love. Being an Adairs customer, I knew what they were about and I think with my own personality and style, it was a perfect marriage,” says Rebecca.
The limited edition Rebecca Judd Loves Home Republic range, with its on-trend colours, prints and textures, brings a seasonal update to Australian homes. Mint and blush pink are accented with pops of navy and yellow in stylish prints and textures.
“Style to me is really important, especially in the interiors space – it’s a really good opportunity to reflect your own personality,” says Rebecca.
The range includes four fully reversible bed linen designs, complementary wall art and soft furnishings – all in versatile mix and match designs.
The range encompasses childrens’ bedrooms too with Judd’s children Billie and Oscar providing inspiration for the Rebecca Judd Loves Adairs Kids range.
If there’s one thing we know our readers are just dying to know, it’s where stylists shop, so we asked Jason Grant to share his top retail spots in Sydney.
The Society Inc Warehouse by Sibella Court
Sibella has a style and eye like no other and her store is her in a nutshell — head here for all kinds of wonderful from my super stylist friend. http://www.thesocietyinc.com.au
Mary Street, St Peters, NSW 2044
Photo by Jacqui Turk for Interiors Addict
Chee Soon & Fitzgerald
The original small store — I love their mix of new and old, modern and vintage. Still one of my favourite stores. http://www.cheesoonfitzgerald.com
173 Regent Street, Redfern, NSW 2016
Small Spaces
Sarah of Small Spaces offers a unique take on art and objects for the home with a focus on small spaces — lots of one of a kind design with a simple clean aesthetic. http://www.small-spaces.com.au
674 Bourke Street, Redfern, NSW 2016
Koskela
Sydney’s biggest showroom with a focus on local designs. Head here to see an amazing edit of local talent. http://www.koskela.com.au
1/85 Dunning Avenue, Rosebery, NSW 2018
DEA store
A feast for the eyes with a focus on handmade and one of a kind. Head here for all kinds of things, especially lots of awesome tableware and ceramics with a wabi sabi (Japanese vibe in a not obvious way) slant. http://www.thedeastore.com
146 Regent Street, Redfern, NSW 2016
Table Tonic
Louise offers a super cool edit of must-haves for your home. Head here for all kinds of the latest cool stuff. http://www.tabletonic.com.au
Shop 6, 20 Avalon Parade, Avalon Beach, NSW 2107
West Elm
My favourite major retailer, I can’t go here with out picking up some cool accessory to add to my home/props collection. Their modern aesthetic and good pricing win me over every time. http://www.westelm.com.au
Bondi Junction and Chatswood Chase, Sydney
Readers meet Darren Palmer at one of our events at West Elm Bondi Junction
Terrace Outdoor Living
A great edit of all things for the outdoors. Lots of cool accessories, plants and more. http://www.terraceoutdoorliving.com.au
47 Queen Street, Woollahra, NSW 2025
Opus Design store
The new Opus two-level store offers a huge selection of home and giftwares with something for everyone. http://opusdesign.com.au
354 Oxford Street, Paddington, NSW 2021
Becker Minty
An awesome high end retailer with a chic edit for the home, and of course they stock Kelly Wearstler here in Australia. http://www.beckerminty.com
7/81 Macleay Street, Potts Point, NSW 2011
Mark Tuckey
Worth the drive to Avalon on the Northern Beaches, head here for their signature collection of locally made timber furniture. http://www.marktuckey.com.au
303 Barrenjoey Road, Newport, NSW 2106
Coco Republic
This is more (big) showroom than store but they also stock another favourite USA designer/brand of mine, Jonathan Adler. Head here for his signature colourful and fun collection and any store than has a cafe (L’Americano Espresso Bar) as part of their business wins me over for a coffee pit stop! http://www.cocorepublic.com.au
34 O’Riordan Street, Alexandria, NSW 2015
Bludot
My favourite American furniture/design store in downtown Sydney, I love their modern design and fun attitude. Head here for affordable design. I love popping in and visiting the team for a laugh or ten. Their Toro chair is one of my favourite things at home. http://www.bludot.com.au
1/69 O’Riordan Street, Alexandria, NSW 2015
Jardan
Another Aussie favourite, head here for an awesome collection of locally made and designed furniture and homewares with neat clean lines and a modern aesthetic. http://www.jardan.com.au
21 Dunning Avenue, Rosebery, NSW 2018
We hope you enjoyed this list. Which stores would you add?
