Interior design and styling, homewares, furniture, home appliances and the personalities behind them
It’s hard to believe these handmade, fair trade pieces from Nicoya Furniture start life as twigs, isn’t it?
That’s right, they’re made from rattan and palm tree twigs, hand inlaid into resin, for a very unique end result. These pieces are the latest additions to the range. [Read more...]
When Nikki Freeman and Sam Bailey left on a whirlwind mini-break to Indonesia they didn’t realise they would come home with a new and exciting plan. What started out as a “frantic” four-day trip to Bali to source homewares and unique products for their own home renovations, ended as a business trip, and the idea for Two Girls and a Container was born.
Friends for 12 years, Nikki and Sam combined their interior design, art and home renovation experience and launched their online store early this year, with a focus on unique, interesting and eco-friendly products. Although the fateful trip was their first together, Nikki and Sam have been travelling to Indonesia for years to source products for their own homes.
Nikki says she had often thought about how she could bring unique materials and homewares back home for other Australians. “I’ve spent a lot of time over the years thinking of how to turn it into a business.” [Read more...]
I’m a huge fan of Kirstie and Phil’s Location, Location (I grew up on the stuff in the UK, where it was HUGE), so I was keen to check out Kirstie Allsopp’s latest show, Kirstie’s Vintage Home.
Following on from the success of Kirstie’s Handmade Showdown, the queen of craft (and real estate) takes on hopeless homemakers and turns them into handmade heroes. She shows them how, with a little bit of vintage inspiration, their own fair hands and that little bit of extra homemade magic, they can transform their houses from shabby to chic. In today’s disposable culture of cheap furniture and trying to keep up with the latest trends, it’s a really nice message. And I think the idea of mixing vintage finds with newer pieces in your home, as well as getting back to basics with old-fashioned crafts, is alive and kicking in Australia. [Read more...]
Australian owned and 100% Australian made, Tait is one of Australia’s longest standing designer-manufacturers of indoor/outdoor furniture. To celebrate 21 years in business, Tait is offering 21% off all products, including orders, for 21 days, starting on Tuesday (21 May).
With a total of 20 different ranges – all designed, prototyped and manufactured in-house – Tait’s versatile furniture options can be found right across the country, in home, hospitality and commercial settings. In my opinion, they’re some of the coolest outdoor pieces around. [Read more...]
With a background in graphic design and a passionate eco sensibility, Pete Dobson has launched his own label of recycled glassware. He collects wine and beer bottles from bars and restaurants in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs and hand cuts and polishes them to produce glasses, tumblers, carafes, and vases.
Tumblers made from beer and wine bottles
The eco-friendly aspect of his business is important to Pete, who can be found on a weekend scouring local bars, restaurants and cafes in Coogee for bottles. “I think there are more than adequate amounts of new products on the market,” he explains. “I love the idea of owning something with a story – reusing something that has already had one lifetime.” [Read more...]
Just like its name, Rabbit Trap Timber is unique. It’s a family run furniture business that produces handcrafted pieces from individually chosen, recycled materials; no table, stool or bench is quite the same.
Initially inspired by “a few pieces of timber full of rusty nails” – and a heap of character – Rabbit Trap Timber is now a full-time job for Justine Taylor and her husband Rabs in the NSW Southern Highlands. “I love it,” Justine says.
Central to their business is a commitment to the environment. The pair source material from old cattle yards, wharves and demolished warehouses, turning it into furniture that will “last another lifetime.” Offcuts become share platters, chopping boards and pilgrim stools, and the sawdust even goes to local farmers.
With sustainable design practices gaining momentum, basket weaver Sarah Powell is bang on trend with her new venture, Find Your Happy. “The majority of my designs start with rescued or found materials,” she says. “I love giving materials a second life. I can often be found scouring op shops, recycled centres and even my husband’s shed for ‘potentials’.”
While many basket makers work with natural materials, Sarah laughs that her preference for manmade materials stems primarily from laziness, as natural materials require preparation to work with, whereas manmade materials such a rope, wire, nylon, and paper are all readily available.
“By working with recycled, manmade materials, it allows me to also address sustainability and the fact that we continue to over produce things. I like to think by rescuing materials for my baskets I’m doing my very small bit in helping reduce landfill.” Having studied textiles design at the University of Wollongong, Sarah was drawn into the world of photography, and initially chose to pursue this medium as a career. She spent most of her twenties travelling the world, documenting what she saw with her camera. [Read more...]
How cool is the award-wining design of The Book Shelf? Yes, it’s a moveable bookshelf in the shape of a giant classic book. It’s also sustainable, made in Australia and on castors, which makes it easy to move, even when full of heavy books.
Winner of a Sydney Design Award last year, it has a dark brown recycled mahogany cover, chiseled sides to represent the pages and two page-like sides painted in milk paint to give it the authentic touch. The two ’pages’ are connected with a flexible hinge so that the angle of the open book is adjustable to fit into any corner. [Read more...]
I’m really excited about these new Boucherouite rugs from Morocco, available in Australia with free shipping from Fossik. It’s been a while since I’ve seen some really unique rugs at this price point.
Boucherouite, (pronounced boo-shay-reet), is a rug style specific to rural tribes of Morocco. Hand-loomed by Berber women from recycled remnants including cotton, synthetic fibres, Nylon, Lurex and occasionally wool and plastic, they’re colourful, one-of-a-kind creations.
Unlike most European techniques, the boucherouite, also known as the rag rug, is not based on a predetermined pattern or design. Rather, it is created at the whim of its weaver. It would be equally at home on a wall as it is underfoot.
Will 2013 bring terrible trends in décor, will it break new ground or will it just be more of the same? Here’s what Eco Chic founders Cris Bucknall and Paula Breckman are predicting will be big this year.
Manly swagger – we have seen a lot of fondant shades, delicate touches and feminine finishes over the last three years, so it’s not surprising the pendulum is swinging in favour of the men in our lives, who probably prefer leather to lace. Expect pinstripes on walls and on fabric, dark leather making a return, and a gentlemen’s club flavour emerging for lounge rooms and libraries. Check out our Darcy range of sofas and armchairs.
Golden sunshine – yellow and gold will be prominent tones, used especially for accents and accessories, sometimes even for large items such as sofas. Gilding on wallpaper and for details on pictures and mirrors will be especially popular. Eco Chic’s sunshine inspired outdoor rugs are the perfect accent homewares in golden shades.
Feathered friends – animals, birds and feathers will still feature prominently. It’s amazing how long this bird trend has lasted! This year it’s hello to gaudy parrots and peacocks and goodbye to owls and ostriches. Feather details are tipped for the top and elephants forecast to be big!
