interiors

The Block’s Gav and Waz, 10 years on

May 24, 2013 By John Clements Leave a Comment

Contestants on the very first series of The Block a decade ago, Gavin Atkins and Warren Sonin, otherwise known as Gav and Waz (and The Designer Boys), have come a long way. And despite moving to Byron to enjoy a simpler life, they’ve never been busier.

Designer boys Gav and Waz and their dog Charlie

Still working as interior designers for private clients, in the last 4 years, it is their wholesale art business, Designer Boys Collections, that has really taken off.

‘’We had always been successful at buying, renovating and selling properties together in Sydney and then we were selected for The Block in 2003 and it literally changed our lives forever,” said Gavin “The executive producers obviously realised that we had a talent for interior decorating and renovation and that we had (and still have) a very solid relationship.’’

Realising the opportunity to capitalise on their popularity, the first same-sex couple to appear on Australian reality TV started their business, Designer Boys, as soon as the show wrapped up. Initially, they focused on styling properties for sale, racking up more than 750 properties in less than 3 years! “The hands-on experience we garnered was just what we needed to take the business to the next level, where we focused largely on interior design and decoration for commercial and private projects.’’ [Read more...]

Tagged With: art, byron bay, designer boys collections, gav and waz, gavin and warren, interior design, interiors, reality tv, the block, the designer boys, wholesale art

6 top tips for pattern and texture in your home, by Abigail Ahern

May 24, 2013 By Jen Bishop 1 Comment

As you all know, I’m a huge fan of Brit Abigail Ahern and her bold, unconventional interior style, which tends to break every rule in the book, with gusto! I’m delighted she’s written these tips for Interiors Addict and shared photos from her home, and her sister Gemma’s, with us. “Pattern and texture are the herbs and spices of the decorating world,” she says. “They add instant pizzazz to a room, turning if from drab to fab in a second, and I am the hugest fan. The trick is to ditch everything you’ve ever been taught about combining. You won’t need to bring anything to the table other than the ability to think a little differently.”

Abigail’s pattern and texture tips

1. You can never (repeat never) overdose on texture. The more you add the more intriguing a room becomes. The key is to create as much friction as you can (bad in relationships, fundamental in interiors)! Mix rough with smooth, slubby with polished; it will never feel too much.

Abigail’s own bedroom is a textural feast! I love it!

2. You can mix as many patterns as you want (forget all that mumbo jumbo about combining small scale motifs mixed with large scale patterns). The game changer is to reign in the colour palette. Do that and you can mix to your heart’s content.

Fashion, interiors and illustration combine in Megan Hess’ first book

May 14, 2013 By Jen Bishop 4 Comments

These are three of my favourite things: interiors, fashion and illustration. And we all know I’m a big fan of Melbourne illustrator Megan Hess too. So her book, Fashion House, is pretty much the dream!

The Pucci room, from Megan’s book, Fashion House

Have you ever dreamed of living in a house styled by Tom Ford? Do you long for a Parisian suite worthy of Coco Chanel, or perhaps a Riviera escape fit for Grace Kelly? Megan has spent her life imagining and illustrating sumptuous lifestyles and decadent interiors from around the world. Fashion House (clever title, no?) is a lavish collection of her most beautiful rooms, inspired by the fashion elite.

Drawing on her experience creating iconic windows for Bergdorf Goodman in New York, illustrating for labels such as Chanel and Dior, and publications like Vanity Fair and Time, Megan’s combined her love of interior design (she’s married to an architect and I recently blogged her gorgeous home) with her signature illustrations to create a book that both celebrates style and helps you achieve it. From the Fashion Office and Grand Estate, to the Vintage Loft and Paris Salon, she also depicts the rooms of the Fashion Set – from Versace and Dior to Coco Chanel, Pucci and Jimmy Choo. [Read more...]

Tagged With: brown trading co, chanel, dior, dvf, fashion, fashion house, illustration, illustrator, interiors, jimmy choo, kerrie hess, megan hess, pucci, sex and the city

Preview of the new IKEA Stockholm collection

May 13, 2013 By Jen Bishop 4 Comments

It’s a little way off yet, but IKEA Australia will launch STOCKHOLM, a new collection of products with a focus on living, dining and sleeping solutions, in August.

STOCKHOLM is designed to add a warm and homey feeling through design that embodies both quality and comfort. Organic colour schemes are inspired by nature, like the lush greens and browns of fertile country fields. Organic shapes are paired with straight lines, adding a modern and distinctly Scandinavian touch. Materials like natural walnut woods run through most of the collection, as well as mouth-blown glass, bone china and warm textiles. The result is both contemporary and classic. [Read more...]

Tagged With: dining, flatpack, furniture, ikea, ikea stockholm, interiors, lounge, ola wihlborg, scandinavian, stockholm

14 gifts for mum: A Missoni Home candle

May 10, 2013 By Jen Bishop Leave a Comment

There are some candles (mentioning no names) out there that cost more than $100 and are nowhere near as beautiful as these. For an interiors addict, you can’t go past a Missoni Home candle to add a little luxe to your home in a way which will certainly stand out. Would your mum love to open one of these on Sunday?

There are five designs to choose from. [Read more...]

Tagged With: 14giftsformum, candles, chevron, designer, interiors, missoni, missoni home, space and lyda

7 Vignettes list will now be released a week early!

May 10, 2013 By Jen Bishop Leave a Comment

For all the diehard 7 Vignettes fans out there who love to start prepping before the monthly challenge starts, I have some good news! The list will now be released a whole week before the start date each month. To be the first to get your impatient, creative little hands on it, you’ll need to be signed up to my Wednesday newsletter. You can do so here. See you next month!

Tagged With: 7 vignettes, instagram, interiors, photo challenge, styling, stylist

West Elm stocks Aussie Etsy sellers in Bondi store

May 9, 2013 By Jen Bishop 1 Comment

One of the coolest things West Elm has been doing in the States for years, is supporting and selling the work of Etsy makers and sellers. And they’ve brought that to Australia, already stocking local Etsy sellers in the new Bondi Junction store.

Not many mega brands would give indie crafters and artists shelf space in their stores and I think it’s awesome! Read more about West Elm’s first Aussie Etsy partners here or visit the store.

Tagged With: art, bondi junction, craft, etsy, interiors, west elm, williams-sonoma

Go behind the scenes at The Real Store

May 9, 2013 By Jen Bishop Leave a Comment

Are you interested in your interiors being ethical and sustainable? Then go behind the scenes at The Real Store on 30 May and learn from its founder, social entrepreneur Virginia Bruce.

The Real Store, in Sydney’s Woolloomooloo, is a showcase for social, ethical and sustainable design and living. Its vision is to create a global brand that demonstrates the ability to merge profit, philanthropy, design and sustainability into a business model that focuses on ‘paying it forward’.

Daphna Tal, sustainable interiors consultant from Australian Living, will be interviewing Virginia at the evening event, where there’ll be food, wine and networking opportunities. [Read more...]

Tagged With: australian living, daphna tal, design, ethical, green, interiors, social entrepreneurship, sustainability, the real store, virginia bruce

The 7 Vignettes May winners!

May 9, 2013 By Jen Bishop 5 Comments

Every month since we started in January, 7 Vignettes, the Interiors Addict Instagram photo challenge, gets bigger and better and with its amazing community.

This month, we partnered with Melbourne store The Woodsfolk to offer a prize a day plus one overall prize. The overall winner this month, as judged by Amber Clohesy of The Woodsfolk, is boiledeggandsoldiers. Well deserved, as you can see by her entries:

“Her entries were consistently fantastic,” says Amber. “I’m really drawn to flat lay and her composition was really thoughtful. The chalkboard background gave them a really distinctive look, I knew who they belonged to even from the thumbnails. The objects used were really varied and I loved the different interpretations of each theme. If I had to pick a favourite from all her entries it was day 2.”

The winner for day 1 (hanging) was idknowhowshedoesit:

Amber said: “The image was so rich with the contrast of timber and greenery. The simple take on hanging herbs made it my day 1 favourite.” [Read more...]

Tagged With: 7 vignettes, flat lay, instagram, interiors, photo challenge, styling, stylist, vignettes

Nina Maya swaps fashion for interior design

April 23, 2013 By Laura Pietrobon Leave a Comment

Nina Maya isn’t new to the design business. For five years she worked as a designer for her own fashion label, which was stocked at Myer and worn by the likes of Jennifer Hawkins and Cate Blanchett. Yet it was while travelling in 2011 that Nina’s passion changed direction from fashion to interiors.

“I was living in London at the time and was lucky enough to spend some time travelling around the south of France. During these travels I became so inspired by all the incredible design museums and grand homes that it seemed like a natural progression… it utilised a lot of the same skills in colour and print.”

And so Nina Maya Interiors was born. Putting to use her studies in textile and design at the College of Fine Arts in Sydney, as well as skills learned while training at Owens & Co, an East London textile firm, Nina quickly found a knack for interiors and textile design.

Nina’s latest commercial project, The Paddington Inn

“My focus is entirely on interiors now. I loved designing fashion but really enjoy applying my ideas, colours and prints to a much bigger canvas. Designing interiors allows you to be much more free and less restrictive as long as you have an open minded client who is willing to explore new territory with you.” [Read more...]

Tagged With: fashion designer, interior designer, interiors, nina maya, nina maya interiors, textiles, the paddington inn