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Exciting news: Interiors Addict is off to Europe for 6 months!

January 20, 2014

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I wanted to share some exciting news with you. In just under 2 months, my husband and I will be taking off to Europe for 6 whole months! Before you panic, first things first, the blogging will continue as usual! Interiors Addict will still be your one stop shop for everything about Australian interiors, homewares and personalities. But, in addition to this, I’ll be bringing you inspiration and finds from all over Europe, and especially the UK, too.

paris 2010

As most of you know, I recently married Damian and I’m originally from the UK. Before we settle into domestic bliss, a mortgage and parenthood, we’ve decided (after much deliberation) that now is our last chance to do something just for us and get the travel bug out of our system while it’s easy (of course you can travel with kids but it’s definitely easier and cheaper when it’s just you!). Added to this the fact that I can technically work from anywhere with a good internet connection, and it seems to be a no-brainer! I’ve employed my new assistant Olivia Shead to be my eyes and ears here in Sydney though, just to cover all bases!

We will be based out of London and Wiltshire with my relatives and it will be a great opportunity to spend quality time with my family and friends, who I’ve lived on the other side of the world from for the past 6 years. As and when work allows, we’ll be jetting off to Europe and exploring as much as we can. We have no concrete plan and will play it a little bit by ear. But that just adds to the adventure, right? We”ll also spend a month in the States and I couldn’t be anymore excited to FINALLY get back to New York. We’ll be back before you know it, in September.

olivia protrait
Editorial assistant Olivia Shead

We are VERY excited to say the least and the next 6.5 weeks are going to absolutely fly by with reader events in Sydney and Melbourne, a blog redesign, writing Greg Natale’s first book with him and much more to do before we leave. Needless to say I have no time to plan where we’re going to go so I’d love your suggestions of must-visit European cities!

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Do I recommend a timber vanity top? A big fat NOP Do I recommend a timber vanity top?

A big fat NOPE! ๐Ÿ’ง 

Which is why we have recently covered ours with a Caesarstone top (thanks to @justinplace_sydney for the advice and supply) and the sweet RELIEF of not having to worry about this high traffic area anymore, I'm telling you!๐Ÿค—

Doesn't matter what they tell you or how many times it's sealed, I'm not sure it's a great idea in a room which is so, well, wet!

I love having the warmth of timber in the bathroom and it's a beautiful piece, but timber on the top? Never again.

Ours probably lasted a year (if that) before it started to go downhill (and we want a good decade out of a bathroom, right?!). 2.5 years on, everything else in this bathroom looks virtually brand new and the water marked vanity top was really letting the side down and making me sad!

But I'm so pleased with this solution, I have to say! Took the plumber less than an hour to remove the sink, install the top and connect the sink back up. We didn't need to move the tap and it isn't too close to the basin.

The kids are allowed to brush their teeth and wash their hands (liquid soap ๐Ÿฅด) in here again and I can leave my hair straightener on there with gay abandon ๐Ÿ˜†

The reflective surface (which I can clean with whatever I like!๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป) brightens the room up too!

Next week I'll tell you what I really think of my brass tile trim too ๐Ÿ˜‰

#interiorsaddictbathroomreno2 #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno #timbervanity
Is there a more decadent and delicious soup than F Is there a more decadent and delicious soup than French onion?

I think not!

Grab the recipe on the blog this morning via link in bio.
Get to know me! I haven't done one of these in YE Get to know me!

I haven't done one of these in YEARS so there's possibly thousands of you who don't know my back story. Here's a few things you may not know about me!

โœ”๏ธ I'm English ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ and I moved here (just for one year) back in 2008๐Ÿ˜† 

โœ”๏ธ I can't end the day without a bath, even if I get home really late or on a really hot day. It's a mental health thing and my happy place. ๐Ÿ› 

โœ”๏ธ Before becoming a blogger and running my own small business, I was a journalist from the age of 18. My favourite news gathering times were as a newspaper crime reporter (bit different to interiors!) ๐Ÿ““ 

โœ”๏ธ I once worked at New Scotland Yard in London ๐Ÿš” 

โœ”๏ธI had an interview at Oxford (didn't get in!) but chose not to go to uni at all after being offered a job on the local paper #universityoflife ๐Ÿ˜

โœ”๏ธ My mum died when I was 3, I have an excellent dad and one sister (younger) in the UK โค๏ธ ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง 

โœ”๏ธ At school, my favourite subject was French ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท and I was head girl ๐Ÿค“๐Ÿค“

โœ”๏ธ I'm addicted to โ˜•๏ธ , long hot baths and๐Ÿ’„ (been wearing it since I was about 14!)

โœ”๏ธ I'm not a phonecall person and will never ever pick up an unknown number. Ever. They can leave a message ๐Ÿ˜

โœ”๏ธ My favourite cuisine is Japanese ๐Ÿฃ ๐Ÿœ and Damian and I honeymooned in Tokyo and Venice 

โœ”๏ธ I have zero design qualifications. I just started blogging about my passion, which is trying to persuade everyone to #heartyourhome That was 11 years ago...

โœ”๏ธ My favourite tipple is a good GnT or๐Ÿท 

โœ”๏ธ Cheesy as it sounds, ๐Ÿ’โ€โ™€๏ธbeing a mum is my absolute biggest joy in life ๐Ÿง’๐Ÿ‘ฆ

โœ”๏ธ I will never give up my old school paper diary! Has to be A5 and week to view ๐Ÿ“– 

โœ”๏ธ My official surname isn't Bishop. I kept my maiden name for work after I got married but changed it for everything else. Often confuse myself!

โœ”๏ธ I didn't get my Ps until I was 37 and I'm still a terrible parker ๐Ÿ˜ฏ ๐Ÿ…ฟ๏ธ

Hope you feel like you know me a bit better ๐Ÿ˜˜

๐Ÿ“ธ @vanlowvanlow
Blue, green or lilac? ๐ŸŽจ @nood_co coloured con Blue, green or lilac? ๐ŸŽจ 

@nood_co coloured concrete basins is a great Aussie business success story. Although co founder Matt Di Costa first found fame as one half of Matt and Kim on The Block, he hasn't relied on this to build his brand.

โ€œWe are very honoured to have been a part ofย The Block, and all they have done for us. I am, however, a believer in letting the product take centre stage,โ€ he says.

Read our interview with Matt via link in bio now.

๐Ÿ™Share your favourite colour basin in the comments!

#colouredconcrete #noodco #colouredbasin #blockheads #the block #bathroomtrends2022

Pic 1 by @naibudesign_ and 2 by @twostyleinteriors
I'd love to see more colour in Aussie interiors! I'd love to see more colour in Aussie  interiors! ๐ŸŽจ 

At the end of the day though, it's a matter of personal taste. I love pops of colour but it's not for everyone. 

We couldn't resist featuring this Canadian house tour today. The amazing Kelly Green  hutch (swipe) was an upcycled $200 find ๐Ÿค—

Head over to the blog via link in bio to see the rest including one of the best playrooms we've seen in ages!

Project by @in.house.design
๐Ÿ“ธ @philcrozier
Create an unexpected city oasis with an emphasis o Create an unexpected city oasis with an emphasis on light and nature.

That was the brief for the conversion of a corner shop and a warehouse bakery into a luxury family home in Sydney's Newtown. And how about the library?!

Take the tour of this very special @annacarindesign project on the blog now, via link in bio.

Pic: @justinalexanderphoto
The things that excite me as a 40 year old ๐Ÿคญ N The things that excite me as a 40 year old ๐Ÿคญ

None of us enjoy laundry (OK, there are a few of you out there who do. Weird!) but we have to do it. And often. So if your laundry bin can be as good looking, functional and space saving as this, then why wouldn't you?!

I've lost track of how many baskets I've thrown out because they've gone soggy or mouldy. They look pretty, sure, but they're not fit for purpose and they're often messy and overflowing.

Here's what I love about his @brabantia_australia one:

โœ”๏ธ ventilation holes
โœ”๏ธ no need to remove the lid for small items plus it hides your dirty laundry from view
โœ”๏ธ easily removable and washable inner laundry bag that velcros back on 
โœ”๏ธ corrosion resistant so fine in bathroom or laundry 
โœ”๏ธ Brabantia make things as sustainably as possible
โœ”๏ธ compact, sleek, European design
โœ”๏ธ 10 year warranty
โœ”๏ธ tall and skinny so takes up less floor in my tiny laundry

The Rolls Royce of laundry bins? I think so ๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿป

TOLD you this was going to be exciting!

Now I need to know, do you have your laundry basket in the bathroom, the laundry, every bedroom? We used to have one in each bedroom but moved to the laundry-only situation which I much prefer (one for colours and one for whites). My boys know to put their used clothes in the bin in the laundry each night and they're 7 and 3!  #raisingfuturehusbands

#gifted
"Living rooms are important spaces where our publi "Living rooms are important spaces where our public and private lives intersect."

So says stylist @nataliewalton in her gorgeous new book Style, the Art of Creating a Beautiful Home.

"They are where we gather to welcome guests and entertain. But they are also where we decompress and relax at the end of the day. Increasingly, they are open-plan spaces and need to work within a greater scheme. Bringing all the elements together cohesively requires care and consideration. And, if you want a space that lives up to its true potential, make it personal and create with conviction."

Read an extract, the chapter on elevating your living room, on the blog today via link in bio.

Published by @thamesandhudsonau Pix by @chriswarnes 

#livingroomdesigns #nataliewalton #coffeetablebooks #designbooks #interiorsbooks #livingroominteriors #elevateyourspace
Kids and husband messing with my vignettes again๐Ÿคจ

PS. The coaster was RIGHT THERE ๐Ÿคช
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About Jen Bishop

Jen Bishop is our owner and publisher and an experienced journalist and editor. Interiors Addict has been her full-time job for more than 8 years. She is married to Damian and mum to Sebastian and Charlie.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarTegan says

    January 20, 2014 at 8:53 am

    That is such wonderful news Jen. Lucky things! Very much looking forward to reading about your adventures and new interior design discoveries from around the world. Having lived in Scandinavia previously I highly recommend travelling anywhere there for brilliant design expecially Copenhagen. Royal Design has a new store just opened in Gothenburg, Sweden which looks amazing on instagram and even easier is 100% Norway in London when they showcase new and upcoming really interesting designers each year. Hope you get a chance to see them.

  2. AvatarJasmine says

    January 20, 2014 at 9:27 am

    How exciting jen & good idea to do pre babies & mortgage ! Look forward to your posts even more!!

  3. AvatarFi Longmire says

    January 20, 2014 at 12:15 pm

    How wonderful Jen. I am so jealous. Definitely better to do before kids. You must go to Old Salzburg. It’s so gorgeous with all those old shops and they have a divine Christmas shop too. Love it!

  4. AvatarRachel @ Reality Chick says

    January 20, 2014 at 12:21 pm

    SUPER exciting. I hope you have time for a coffee before you go! No dramas if not ๐Ÿ™‚
    Can’t wait to follow your travels via IA X

  5. Avatarparisgirl says

    January 20, 2014 at 1:51 pm

    Exactly the right thing to do! We have always travelled with the exception of when the kids were young. Now we occasionally travel with them and they are in their late 20s. You are going to have a ball and get so many more experiences than you can even imagine. Lucky you!!!

  6. AvatarAllison says

    January 20, 2014 at 2:29 pm

    Yay! Top of my list for shopping would be Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Berlin, Malmo in Sweden… and in the Uk visit Stamford, an adorable town near Cambridge. And Bath! Mucho jealous and can’t wait to see what you find!

  7. AvatarPetra says

    January 20, 2014 at 2:58 pm

    What wonderful news and the perfect time to do it as newly weds. My husband and I went on our second honeymoon last year (only a year after getting married) and went to the places we were both dying to see. Spain! The south like Seville is just gorgeous and you cant go past Valencia where beauty is just everywhere. Florence, Italy is another favourite, sitting by the river on the wall with a bar across the road serving you cocktails at sunset… Enjoy!

  8. AvatarTheLoverList says

    January 20, 2014 at 3:37 pm

    Jen, I’m so excited for you and Damian. I can highly recommend San Sebastian (Spain) & Amalfi Coast (Italy) for visiting.
    Now we’ll all be looking forward to your European adventure posts! xx

  9. AvatarMarijana says

    January 20, 2014 at 7:42 pm

    Great news! Sounds exciting!
    Being from Switzerland I would recommend a trip to the little Chocolate country. Highly recommended is a trip with the Glacier Express through the Alps and visiting Zermatt/Matterhorn. Two words: Stunning scenery!

  10. AvatarRebecca G says

    January 21, 2014 at 12:17 pm

    So exciting! Yes you can take kids with you when you travel, but it is a lot easier when it’s just you. I would recommend Salzburg in Austria – such a beautiful city ( you have to do the ice cave tour and the sound of music tour). The Cinque Terre (a group of 5 towns on a cliff side) along the north west coast line of Italy is a must – google it and you will see why. Also, Florence is such a pretty city – the large garden there is amazing and has the best view over the city and country side.

  11. AvatarLaura says

    January 22, 2014 at 9:37 am

    how exciting! totally agree, it’s the perfect time to go.

    I’m a Wiltshire girl too! You don’t meet them often in Sydney…. Hope to see some rural pics back on the blog

    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      January 22, 2014 at 9:55 am

      Oh hi fellow Shire girl! Where are you from?

      • AvatarLaura Preston says

        February 5, 2014 at 9:31 am

        Oh forgot to come back. I grew up in Marlborough and also lived in Corsham for while. How about you?

  12. AvatarAnnette says

    January 22, 2014 at 10:32 am

    How exciting!! Good for you and Damian.

    I’m looking forward to meeting you @ the Melbourne event Jen.

  13. AvatarAlison says

    January 22, 2014 at 8:43 pm

    Fab news! You’ll make memories that will last for the rest of your lives ๐Ÿ™‚

    Apart from Paris and Venice (who could go past them!), I’d also suggest Prague, Ljubljana (in Slovenia) and Monet’s garden in Giverny, France – all amazingly beautiful!

    I might see you on the plane as we’re heading over to London for our honeymoon in 6.5 weeks ๐Ÿ˜‰

  14. AvatarRebecca says

    January 24, 2014 at 8:38 am

    Exciting! I agree with Alison, Ljubljana is a fantastic little jewel, with beautiful day trips nearby (Lake Bled). The Cinque Terre in Italy is also gorgeous.

  15. AvatarFreya says

    January 28, 2014 at 11:20 am

    Wow what a jam packed year!! Looking forward to meeting you at the Melbourne reader event at the Haymes Centre!
    I embarked on my life long dream overseas to my dream location last June, I’ve drooled over since 12 and it was even better in real life … It really is heaven on earth…
    The Greek Island of Santorini!!
    Enjoy! xo

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