“Please contact me if you would like a consultation or further information about any of the products you see here at Decorum.”Archive for April 2010
Luxscaping
As I mentioned earlier, I went to Designex last week and was fortunate to hear Jamie Durie speak on trends for outdoor living.
The Outdoor Room
Jamie’s concept of The Outdoor Room is alive and well here in Australia. With our mostly sunny days, the garden has become an extension of the home. Similarly we are looking to the interiors for inspiration. As Jamie said, we are “luxscaping”.
An Outdoor Room by Jamie Durie
Numerous other cultures have been living outdoors for many, many years. Places like Thailand, Indonesia and Japan provide wonderful education for our relatively young country. The wind and sun can make it uncomfortable to spend too much time outside but now we have products that meet our needs and provide solutions.
We have wallpaper made from steel which can enhance a wall or create a division. Vertical gardens are the fastest growing trend thanks to the foresight of Patrick Blanc.
via Eco Concepts
Jamie also suggests that our gardens should not only look good but should taste good too. More families are concerned about the quality of the food they put on the table so if it’s grown in your own backyard it can provide shelter, protection and beauty into the bargain. Pear trees make a wonderful screen. Clever plant placement and selection will see a useful as well as decorative garden.
via Eco Concepts
One thing Jamie is adamant about is garden lighting. It’s true, our hardwork should be admired day and night, so a few lights along the path or highlighting a fantastic tree will enable the garden to be enjoyed even from the comfort of the cosy living room.
via Gardens At Night
One of the products on display around The Outdoor Room at Designex was sandstone cladding. This sandstone is 30mm thick on a bendable backing so can be wrapped around columns and walls and gives the appearance of something much more solid.
via ME Lighting
So with the onset of winter, now is the time to plan and plant your outdoor room so it’s ready to enjoy once the warmer weather returns.
Jamie has written a number of books which are available from my Book Shop.
My Top 3 from Designex
Last week, Designex was held here in Sydney. It is the premier “trade only” show for interior designers, architects and decorators. The location of the show alternates between Melbourne and Sydney each year.
There were loads of things to look at from both existing suppliers as well as some new ones. So I’ve picked out my favourite three to share with you.
The first stand I was excited about actually won the New Product Award at the show. Katsu Glass Design have just released Designer ArtGlass.
ArtGlass Splashback from Katsu Glass Design
You can choose from a wide range of designs and photographs to place behind toughened glass for feature walls and splashbacks. The images can be printed, painted or etched onto the glass to create something unique. Julie Patterson from Cloth has provided 11 designs from her range to be reproduced onto glass. It’s a great way to add a feature to your kitchen or bathroom.
Cloth Designs for Katsu Glass Design
The next “Oh wow” moment I had was at the stand “Designer Boys”.
Tribal Rhythm from Designer Boys Collections
Now Aussies who have had an interest in home decorating and renovating for the last few years will know these boys as Gavin and Warren from the original series of “The Block.” The boys moved to Byron Bay a few years ago and continue to provide interior decorating and styling services for clients on the Gold Coast and Northern New South Wales.
Red Fan Coral from Designer Boys Collections
They have also released a collection of fabulous art. Each piece evokes many feelings with strong lines, global textures and exquisite treasures all beautifully framed and ready to hang on your wall.
Tribeca I from Designer Boys Collections
There is also a collection of Giclee Prints which have beautiful colours.
Valentino I from Designer Boys Collections
And the third stand that caught my eye was the new range of rugs from The Rug Collection. Australia’s home-grown gardening guru, Jamie Durie, has assisted with the development of this range called Garden Room.
Summer Beauty from The Rug Collection
The bold use of colour, whimsical design exploration and a modern edge work in harmony to bring life to this new collection.
Flannel Flower from The Rug Collection
I had timed my visit to Designex well and was fortunate enough to hear Jamie speak at The Outdoor Room on what he believes will be the trend for indoor/outdoor living. Pop back on Friday to read what he said.
The Outdoor Room
If you are interested in adding any of the above products to your interior, Inside Out Colour and Design would be pleased to source them for you as the rugs and artworks are only available through architects and interior decorators.
Send us an email or call 0401440088 if you would like more information.
Remembering
Yesterday was ANZAC Day here in Australia and New Zealand. It is the day we commemorate the valiant, yet tragic events of the Australian and New Zealand Troops landing at Gallipoli on 25 April, 1915.
ANZAC Day Dawn Service in Solomon Islands
As a Girl Guide, I had attended many Anzac Day services but none was as moving as the Dawn Service we attended when we were living in the Solomon Islands.
Underground War Hospital in Honiara
You couldn’t help but be reminded of war in Guadalcanal. This was the scene of many bloody battles, where 38,000 personnel lost their lives, during World War II. Names like Bloody Ridge, Iron Bottom Sound and Red Beach provide graphic images of what actually went on here during WWII.
Kinugawa Maru at Bonegi Beach
We would dive weekly on a Japanese supply ship, now teaming with fish. The ship had been run aground in World War II, in a last ditch attempt to get supplies to soldiers fighting it out in the the thick and malaria-infested hills of the island.
Water Bottle and shell casing from WWII
There was a wrecked army jeep at the bottom of our garden and at the markets you could buy US Army dog tags that had been found by enterprising locals. I thought they were a bit spooky so instead, opted for a couple of Coke bottles date stamped 1942. I also bought an army water bottle and found a shell casing in the garden.
My Anzac Day Vignette
Growing up, “Uncle Alex” was an absent member of our family. He was infact my grandmother’s brother who was killed in World War I and from memory he wasn’t 20. The family was about to migrate from Scotland to Australia but Alex never returned home and so broken hearted, the family migrated without him. He was posted as missing on 2 November 1916 and was a member of the Glasgow Highlanders. I have his cigarette case, sketch book and medallion that was sent to the family after his death. His cigarette case still contains the Directions For Use & Care Of Tube Helmets.
One of Alex's drawings
So every ANZAC Day I spare a thought for not only those diggers who lost their lives at Gallipoli, but all soldiers everywhere who are providing us with democratic freedom.
Another drawing from Alex's sketchbook
Lest we forget.
Mixing Old and New
On Wednesday I was invited to Patina Antiques to hear Alexandra Gordon from Vogue Living share her insights from the 2010 Maison et Objet which is held in Paris.
Patina Antiques specialises in 18th and 19th Century French furniture and it was very sumptuous to sit there for an hour or so, sipping champagne and hearing of the new trends and releases from Paris.
19th Century French Canape from Patina Antiques
Some of the trends Alex noticed included continued use of metallics. I thought this might be coming to an end after the GFC when metallics could be seen to represent wealth, but apparently not.
Metallic fabrics from Westbury
Florals were popular especially in fabrics and no-one does florals quite as good as Sanderson.
Roslyn from Sanderson
Blue was around in all items from furniture to light fittings. The other designers present discussed whether blue was popular because Pantone had announced Turquoise as the Colour Of The Year of whether blue represented the melting ice and lack of water the planet is experiencing. Blue is the most popular colour of the spectrum so maybe it was just safe to present items in Blue.
Blue Touches from Marriott Interiors
The other interesting trend Alexandra reported on was the influence of Asian motifs. We felt this wasn’t such a “new” trend in Australia as Asia is so close and we have been taking our decorating (especially our indoor/outdoor) inspiration from Indonesia, Thailand and China for many years.
Orissa from Jim Thompson
It was fascinating to look at images of a number of new furniture pieces which were released at the fair but we had difficulty trying to place them in the homes here in Sydney.
Bite Me chair by XO
Textured Sideboard by Dust Deluxe
I’m heading to Designex today to see what new products and trends are being released onto the Australian market. Have a good weekend and check back next week for my wrap up.
Cushion Fan
One of the last things I do when decorating a home is to scatter some cushions.
Daybed cover and cushions by Inside Out Colour and Design
I love cushions and find them a great, cost effective way to add some colour and pull a whole scheme together.
Custom silk cushions by Inside Out Colour and Design
I might buy some ready made cushions that aren’t too expensive if they are to sit on a sofa in the family room.
Custom and Ready Made cushions by Inside Out Colour and Design
Or I might use some of the curtain fabric and have the cushions custom made if they are to sit on a bed. That way the window coverings ties in with the bed and creates some repetition which is one of the principles of design.
Custom cushions by Inside Out Colour and Design
So to help celebrate my new Facebook Fan Page I am giving away a pair of cushion covers.
Master Bedroom by Inside Out Colour and Design
If you are on Facebook, all you have to do is go to my Fan Page and click on the Become A Fan button. I will draw the winner on 6 May which is my Blogiversary. A birthday and you get the present!
Custom Cushions in embroidered silk by Inside Out Colour and Design
There are three sets of covers and the winner can select which pair they would like to help decorate their home.
Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
Whilst you’re there, sign up to receive my monthly newsletter which is full of tips and advice on colour and design.
Good Luck!
Give me a home among the gum trees
Here we are, Monday again. Did you have a nice weekend?
The House's Study
I dragged the family along to Burke’s Backyard on Sunday afternoon. I’ve been talking about the 30 days of home and entertainment that is currently happening here in Sydney. Well the organisers have taken over a warehouse at Waterloo and converted it to their headquarters. Inside there are display rooms set up along with a kitchen classroom, market area and lecture room. The carpark has been converted to Burke’s Backyard.
The House's Living Room
For those of you who don’t know, Don Burke was the original lifestyle guru in Australia and for many years the nation would sit down to watch his one hour television show primarily on gardening but also touching on other backyard ideas like entertaining, cooking, pets, children’s play areas, etc. As with many of the television shows, a magazine was born and whilst Don no longer graces our televisions on a regular basis the magazine comes out each month.
Espaliered Kaffir Lime Tree
It’s amazing what they have done with the carpark. The area is a concrete slab yet for this month it has been converted into a relaxing oasis. There’s a chicken coup, pergola, raised platforms, paved areas, fruit trees, lavender bushes, magnolias, vegie patch and grass. (Ok so the grass is synthetic but it’s very realistic looking and feeling.)
Pergola and platforms
We sat and listened to the Lifestyle Editor of the magazine explain some of the trends of today’s garden which is pretty much everything they had in the space there.
Lush green grass on top of concrete
There is a big trend towards growing your own fruit, vegetables and herbs and instead of having a dedicated vegie patch, you can mix them with ornamental plants to create a blended garden. Growing vegies in a raised bed is also a good idea as it’s less back breaking when it comes to tending and harvesting. The display garden had the vegies growing in water tanks sitting on the ground.
Vegies grown in water tanks
If you have a large garden, consider breaking it up into smaller more manageable spaces that can be used for different purposes. Living and entertaining in our gardens has become a way of life. Whatever goes into a home can also go into a garden – day beds, pizza ovens, kitchens, fireplaces.
Outdoor entertaining via The Kitchen Place
There’s no limit when it comes to entertaining outdoors.
Kidili
This week I attended one of the Coco Republic Lifestyle Series Lectures held at their new design centre in Alexandria which also houses the new Coco Republic Design School.
The guest speaker was Karen McCartney, Editor for the last 10 years, of Inside Out Magazine. Karen addressed the topic “What Makes An Interior Work” and illustrated her points with lovely images of a New York Apartment, an Australian Beach House and an apartment in Paris.
Australian Beach House
Karen agreed that decorating is hard. Television shows indicate that it can all be done in a weekend but in reality it should be created slowly and filled with treasures that create passion and interest.
via Point Click Home
I was pleased to hear that Karen, like me, believes the most important aspect of decorating your own home is to stay true to yourself and decorate for you and your family, not the latest trends. Many people get carried away on different tangents when they enter the decorating arena because there are so many choices and new products and ideas coming out all the time. It’s important to keep focused on your original plan.
Karen also talked about a new room in the house I had not heard before – the Kidili (pronounced kai-de-lie). It’s that big room that many renovators add to older houses, a combination kitchen, dining room and living room.
The problem can be that there’s lots of wall space and no character with these rooms. Many have the tendency to become one big barn. It’s a good idea to maintain a neutral palette and add colour and texture to create interest.
via Australian House & Garden Photographer Simon Kenny
There was a question about this room being a concern because the messy kitchen is visible to all, but there are always ways of hiding the mess by clever screening and furniture placement. They are great for families with children as everyone is in the same space and the children can be easily supervised.
Not sure where this one came from. I had it in a tear sheet.
What do you think, do you like the Kidili or do you prefer separate rooms?
PS. Karen credited Queensland architect Timothy Hill with introducing her to the phrase.
Luxury Living at PYD
Did you have a nice weekend?
I visited the first day of 30 days of home and entertaining on Saturday at the PYD Building in Waterloo.
The PYD Building was opened about 2 years ago and is a designer’s supacentre. Flanking Philip, Young and Danks (PYD) Streets in Waterloo it is the home to a number of unique home decorating and furniture stores. The man behind the building, Geoff Clark, felt Sydney was lacking a Design Hub. New York has the D&D Building and now Sydney has PYD!
On Saturday all the showrooms were buzzing with displays from outside suppliers as well as food and wine merchants. It was certainly the place to go.
I caught Patisse chef, Vincent Gadan demonstrate how to make a Croquembouche. I could’ve sat there for hours listening to that wonderful French accent!
Supplier of exquisite door handles, Mother of Pearl and Sons hosted a display by Sweet Art Cakes which was just delectable.
With electricity prices about to skyrocket in New South Wales, I was intrigued to see the new energy saving lighting by Koda Lighting. Another really ugly energy efficient solution, I thought. Boy was I wrong.
These new light fittings can be retro-fitted to spaces that once housed halogen downlights and will provide a much stronger more evenly dispersed light.
Whilst the fittings are expensive at the outset, their 20 year life expectancy with no maintenance and little electricity consumption really make the choice a no-brainer. The fittings also come in swivel options for lighting artwork, recessed wall lights for stairwells and hanging bars for over benches and tables.
All in all, it was a great start to the festival. Have you booked to attend any events?
I Like Chinese
Just a quickie today, I’m afraid. Short week, school holidays and family house-guests are my excuses.
We decided to meet my husband in the city today for lunch. I chose a restaurant that was easy to get to and wouldn’t entail a mile long walk for us or him. Din Tai Fung fitted the bill. We all like Chinese food and as he was on limited time, we wanted something that was quick. You can’t go past the Chinese for quick, tasty food.
Anyway, that’s not what I wanted to tell you about. Look at this screen.
It’s the wall between the dining area and bar. There is perspex sheets between two columns and all these bamboo steamers have been glued to it. Don’t they form an eye-catching feature?
Underneath the counter is this artistic display of rice bowls.
And further along they have used Chinese Soup spoons.
A group of items certainly has more impact than one or two and it made me think yet again, that you don’t have to just hang art or photographs.
What interesting things have you seen grouped together and hung on a wall?
What Colour Was Your Egg?
I hope you had an enjoyable Easter.
Do you think the colour of the egg you received says anything about your personality? Nearly all the eggs I received were wrapped in light pink paper or packaging.
Now I’ve never really considered myself to be a pink girl. Pink is soft and innocent, not really words I would use to describe myself.
Pink accents in a lounge room via Country Living
Leatrice Eiseman in her book “Colors For Your Every Mood”, says pink is red with much of the passion removed. Hot Pink, maybe, as it has the dynamism of red and is more assertive.
This shade of pink, which was introduced to the world in the 1930′s by fashion designer Schiaparelli, is more whimsical and trendy.
Pink soothes rather than stimulates. In fact, research shows it can reduce anger – which is why it is often used in prisons. I could understand if they were from my daughter as she is definitely a “pink” girl. But these were from my husband.
Bedroom by Inside Out Colour and Design
So knowing all this I wondered if he thought I should be girlish, soft and sweet? As a Colour Consultant, I certainly considered the colour of the packaging for my purchases.
via Wife Style Files
No, that was the only colour in the shop!!! I should’ve known better.
What colour egg did you receive and does that colour epitomize you?
