Ikea Bedroom

I’m not a frequent visitor to Ikea as the stores, which get bigger and bigger every couple of years, are not usually that close to me geographically. But I was keen to visit the new store in Tempe to check out the size of the shop and to see what’s new.

Ikea Entertainment Unit

When I lived in Hong Kong, Ikea was a staple destination for setting up house. The store was located in Causeway Bay and as most of the residences in Hong Kong were small, one had to be really clever about storage which is something Ikea do really well. Also, most expats were in Hong Kong for a two or three year initial contract, so Ikea products were selected as they were relatively cheap and it wouldn’t matter if they didn’t last more than five years.

Ikea Kitchen with Mirrored Splashback

My recent trip to Ikea, confirmed that this is pretty much still the case. They do great looking items at good prices but I find the quality is just not there. If you’re looking for something that will last for many years, like my sofa, then Ikea is not the most ideal retailer for you.

Ikea Wall Unit

However, I do like the way they set up the rooms so you can see all the components and it’s a great place to visit if you are looking for ideas. It’s also great for kids furniture if you are wanting something to tie you over until they get to the next stage and require (deserve) something a little more sturdy.

Ikea Bunk Bed

And then of course there’s all those decorator pieces at the end of the Ikea stores. Tea Lights, glass vases, photo frames, plates, trays and glassware are all well priced and can add a touch of colour to your home.

Ikea Desk and Stationery Folders

Like all furniture, I think it looks best when mixed with items from different places to give a personal look to your interior decor rather than buying everything from the one place.

Ikea Iron Bed

Enjoy your week.

If you would like assistance creating a unique family home with a mixture of furniture and decor pieces, contact us for an online or in-person consultation.

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Just dropping in to wish you a happy Wednesday and a pinch and a punch. February already!

via funnydogsite.com

I’m off to the Australian International Furniture Fair today. I’m looking for some sofas for clients and occasional tables which can always be a bit tricky.

Selection of Sofas and Occasional pieces

Decoration and Design is incorporated into the Trade shows these days and I do find myself spending more time in there looking at all the pretties rather than strolling the aisles looking at beds and wall units.

Beds on dispaly via demotix.com

And then of course, I’m going with my partners in crime and no doubt will bump into others I know, both vendors and viewers. So the social aspect of the day is well worth the outing.

Elegant Dining Room via Pinterest

I’m booked in for the seminar with Martyn Lawrence Bullard and it’s always great to hear designers of note speak about their work and career. I enjoyed listening to the interview the girls from The Skirted Roundtable did with Martyn so I’m super excited about hearing him live.

Mexican Retreat via Pinterest

I have my swag of business cards, paper, pen and camera (mind you, there’s usually loudspeaker announcements warning us that photography is banned) and I’m ready for a great day.

Morrocan Bedroom via Pinterest

Enjoy your day whatever you’re doing.

If you would like assistance choosing furniture for your home, contact us for an online or in-person consultation.

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Schumacher Chiang Mai Dragon fabric available from Inside Out Colour and Design

Today marks the beginning of the Year of the Dragon which is the most auspicious sign in the Chinese zodiac.

Interiors by Inside Out Colour and Design

I remember when we were living in Hong Kong and I was pregnant with my daughter, all the local Hong Kong Chinese would tell me how lucky I was to be having a dragon and that she was going to be very strong. Naturally they would’ve liked it better if she’d been a he, but I was happy no matter what.

Asian Decor items available from Inside Out Colour and Design

The dragon represents success and happiness, so let’s hope 2012 is a good year for us all.

Interiors by Inside Out Colour and Design

There’s lots of dragons to check out in Sydney over the next few weeks – Komodo Dragons, Dragons in Artefacts, the Blue Dragon and Musical Dragons.

Antique Huang Huali Folding Chair and Framed Antique Bound Feet Shoes

If you would like assistance choosing colour and decor for your home, contact us for an online or in-person consultation.

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I live amongst Californian Bungalows and Federation homes in Sydney’s North Shore and many of them have undergone renovations over the last few years to accommodate the families that have moved into the area.

It’s interesting to see the colour palette moving towards grey rather than brown which is what the colour forecasters have been predicting.

Most of the houses subscribe to my 3 colour formula and I must say, I think the homes look smart with a light, medium and dark colour.

It’s a shame this homeowner hasn’t read my blog or decided to spend a nominal outlay on a Colour Consultant to get the overall look just right.

This was the house before via Google Street View and I really think it would’ve benefitted from a dark colour on the barge boards (they’re the wide boards at the top of the gable). Alternatively, the shingles could’ve been painted a colour between the dark grey and the white.

Remember a Colour Consultation is the cheapest part of repainting your home but will make all the difference.

If your home is brick then the brickwork is considered a colour so you only need to choose two colours. What do you think – two colours or three?

If you would like assistance choosing exterior paint colours for your home, contact us for an online or in-person consultation.

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It’s such a hectic time for everyone. Apart from finishing off the Christmas shopping, we have a number of December birthdays and I have been helping to celebrate and trying out four new restaurants in Sydney.

The first was The Winery in Crown Street. I’d been there earlier in the year for lunch and although it’s been around for a while thought the family might like to see the quirky decor.

We also went to a new local Italian restaurant. The decor there was very sleek, which in my mind doesn’t really suit the Italian food. I imagine Italian food to be more comfort food and therefore want the decor to be more cosy and homey. The red and black glass mosaics on the stark white walls were out of keeping for me.

I tried Pony Dining at Neutral Bay too. What a great space! And the food and service were excellent. Lots of use of timber on the inside made the decor very warm but it still had an air of sophistication.

Then one last birthday was celebrated at Felix in the city. It’s a little spot of Paris right in the heart of Sydney. Food and service were great and the decor was so very authentic.

I’m still helping clients with Colour Consultations before Christmas as they have painters lined up for early in the New Year and I have been buying bed linen for another client.

But the highlight of the past ten days would have to be my darling daughter being appointed as girl School Captain for 2012. We are all so proud of you sweetheart.

I’m going to now, officially, take a few weeks off to celebrate Christmas and New Year and recharge the batteries after a very busy year. I trust you have an enjoyable holiday season. I thank you for joining me throughout 2011 and look forward to your company again in 2012.

See you soon.

If you would like assistance with colour or decor for your home, contact us for an online or in-person consultation.

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Click on image for source

If not, you will love this. The wonderful people at Have You Met Miss Jones are having a clearance sale. I’ve been coveting her Christmas decorations this year and will be hoping to get my hands on three (remember, things look better in odd numbers) of the Woodland Deer. Sale starts at 9am today and continues tomorrow too.

Click on image for source

And while you’re in the area, pop in next door to KAS Australia to stock up on new bedlinen and other soft furnishings for all those rellies coming for Christmas.

KAS Bedlinen

There, that’s sorted a few more presents for you. Have a fabulous weekend.

Click on image for source

If you would like assistance creating a harmonious environment in your home, contact us for an online or in-person consultation.

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This weekend they are clearing out all their discontinued fabrics and you can grab yourself a bargain.

Linens are under $30 per metre and Silks under $20!

Head over to their Sydney Showroom at 15 Boundary Street, Rushcutters Bay on Saturday and Sunday.

***Sorry, I’m having a few technical difficulties and can’t upload any of the pretty pictures.***

If you would like assistance choosing fabrics for your soft furnishings or upholstery, contact us for an online or in-person consultation.

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Our house has cork flooring in the kitchen and living room and personally, I can’t wait to rip it up. It was very popular in the 1970′s and is warm in winter and soft underfoot. It’s also great for camouflaging any dust and dirt.

Our cork floor

Cork comes from a medium-sized evergreen oak tree that forms a thick bark. This bark can be harvested every 9 years or so to produce cork. As no trees are destroyed to produce cork, it is a very sustainable product.

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Most of us will be familiar with cork flooring and of course the stoppers used in wine bottles. Although these days corks rarely appear in wine with the advent of screw top bottles. French monk, Dom Pierre Perignon was the first to use cork to seal his champagne in 1680.

Cork stopper

Cork is also used in noticeboards, table tennis rackets, buoys, dart boards and shoes.

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And last weekend I saw cork lights from Benjamin Hubert. These lights look great hung in a cluster.

Cork Jewellery Making and Float Lights at Great Dane

Later in the day I noticed this cute little side table made from cork, at Space. It is by Jasper Morrison and comes in a range of shapes and sizes.

Vitra Side Table at Space

So, do you think cork is making a comeback or is it just a case of being attuned to something and then noticing it everywhere?

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Firstly there is the launch of the Boutique Markets. These markets originated in Brisbane and are gradually taking over all the capital cities. The offerings look great.

Markets in Sydney

Then in conjunction with the Boutique Markets is Mathildas Market aimed especially at babies and kids. Both of these markets are being held at The Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park.

And if you’re looking for some new bedlinen to set you up for spring, you must head to the KAS Australia Warehouse sale.

Winchester from KAS Australia

So what are you up to this weekend? Whatever it is, I hope you have a good one.

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We started our day at Reece who always serve a fabulous breakfast. Orange juice, Bircher muesli and Brushetta with smoked salmon. All while checking out the new range of toilets and basins.

via Reece website

Next door to Reece at Surry Hills is Poliform. They have my dream wardrobes as well as other furniture items. Their Miele display kitchen was getting a workout and we were able to give our stamp of approval to the egg and prosciutto rolls that had just come out of the oven. Mmm mmm!

A short courtesy bus ride delivered us to Great Dane at Redfern. The showroom was full as guest designer Benjamin Hubert was about to explain his design process.

Great Dane

Tait Outdoor is right next door to Great Dane. I love their outdoor range. I’m not sure if it was coming out of a cold wet winter that made me think everything was so colourful or whether it was more colourful than past releases.

Colourful umbrellas

The street outside these showrooms was set up like a market with stalls providing an array of food options.

Market stalls

We then ventured further south to a specially leased warehouse that housed a number of displays. I love it when I find a new supplier or one I hadn’t used for a while. Giati Designs were showcasing their range of outdoor fabrics. 100% solution-dyed acrylics are guaranteed sunfast, durable, scrubbable, stain and mildew resistant. I hadn’t seen them before.

Range of outdoor fabrics

Also in the same venue was Bloom with their wonderful lit planter pots. These make spectacular talking pieces on a deck or in a courtyard with their warm glow in various colours. And they’ve recently released cubes in various sizes which make great outdoor seats.

Bloom Pots and other shapes

And next to Bloom was Wallcandy with a great range of wallpapers. I loved the shoe wallpaper.

Wallcandy Wallpapers

We left Waterloo and headed to Chippendale to Insitu. They have a great range of chairs for all occasions. Insitu had a lovely lunch set out so naturally we had to oblige. We enjoyed the atmosphere of the showroom for a while as we ate and planned our next port of call.

Lunch at Insitu

Hub Furniture was the place to be by the looks of the crowds in the showroom. A selection of rugs, lamps, sofas and chairs were on display as well as some funky homewares.

Favourite light fitting from Hub Furniture

Our last stop of the day was at Alexandria where we looked at Cosh Living, Ke-zu, Splash and Space before we headed home foot-sore and weary.

It was a great day, as usual, and fabulous to be able to see so many design precincts and showrooms all on the one day. Thanks to the organisers for arranging such a wonderful day.

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