“Please contact me if you would like a consultation or further information about any of the products you see here at Decorum.”Posts Tagged ‘Outdoor entertaining’
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.
Cabana Club
Last year my daughter and a handful of her friends met once a month for a Book Club. It was really an excuse for a weekend play-date alternating at each members home.
This year the same group has created the Cabana Club. Again they go from house to house each month building a temporary cabana in which to hang out and drink mocktails. (Where do they come up with these ideas?)
Mocktails being served
The inaugural meeting was held at our home on Saturday afternoon and fortunately we were having a last burst of summer weather so the girls could play in the pool.
Inaugural Cabana at our house
So while the girls were chattering and dancing, eating and sipping, I searched the web for pool cabanas.
Something simple like this one from Landscape Designers Good Manors
Or perhaps a structure adjacent to the pool for entertaining, relaxing and cooking would be wonderful and really extend the living areas of a house.
via Australian House and Garden. Photographer Steve Ryan
A bite to eat between tennis and the pool.
This cabana has it all - fire, lounge seats, dining table and kitchen.
This cabana by Mabley Handler is decked out in summer colours
The girls would love this at the bottom of the garden. A fully equipped house just for the pool.
This is my favourite and belongs to cyclist Lance Armstrong. It looks very cosy.
What did you get up to this weekend?
Tablecloth
This time of year here in Australia, life seems to go at a slower pace. The kids are on extended school holidays and many of the adults take leave at this time too. Long, summer days are filled with relaxing at the beach or around a pool and sharing a meal outdoors. I have been noticing this table in a few places lately and it caught my eye again as I was catching up on my magazine reading.
Tablecloth Table
I love how the table looks like it is already dressed with a runner or cloth. No wonder it’s called “Tablecloth”. The vibrant colour choices are a great idea too adding some fun to your outdoor space.
Available Colours
You can have a more detailed look here.
Alex Perry & Electrolux at Saturday in Design
Alex Perry, Australian Dress Designer to the stars, was guest speaker at Electrolux during Saturday in Design. What a fabulous bloke. It was just as if he was sitting down having a chat to us all. Alex was espousing the virtues of the Electrolux Drier amongst other things. I was amazed to learn that he had trialed it for a weekend prior to accepting the alignment offer and threw in a $10,000 evening gown. The gown was on display still in one piece and still with feathers and sequins attached!
Alex also spoke of the design of the laundry and how it should not look like a utility room. I’d have to agree with him there. We spend thousands and thousands of dollars on our kitchens making them somewhere we like to be yet the laundry is forgotten. We can spend many hours there so why not include a TV to watch while we iron. Alex also spoke of the similarities between fashion designers and interior designers and architects. People often get comfortable in what they know. It is the role of the designer to push them out of their comfort zone, they should take people to another place. Designers tend to know ideas and different ways of thinking to keep new and alive.
Electrolux Shiny black kitchen
The Electrolux showroom was full of wonderful products that make life easier. They have just launched a new black fridge and had it set in an all black kitchen. This is a result of the predominance of black at Maison et Objet earlier this year. My photo of the black kitchen didn’t come out very well as it was looking into the light. Sorry about that!
Electrolux and Jamie Durie Outdoor Kitchen
Whilst we’re on the subject of kitchens, this outdoor kitchen had everything a man (and woman) could want. Burners, barbeque plates, wok space, and even a cooktop at the table. The advertising blurb says it’s not just a piece of furniture or a utilitarian space – it’s a new concept in outdoor living. The little pots at the front could be used for herbs so the man of the house can add a bit of flavour to his piece of meat.
Tetsuya was about to demonstrate the Electroluc Induction Cooktops but our bus arrived and we whisked away to our next stop.
Lunch Anyone?
Would you like to stay for lunch?
It’s a beautiful day in Sydney today and I went and looked through a house that was For Sale. The outdoor dining area was just gorgeous and one I would love in my own home. On a day like today, I could see my family and friends whiling away the afternoon at this table. With a sink, dishwasher, barbeque and wine fridge within arms reach what more could you ask for? I think what appeals most is that it is a “Man’s” kitchen. What a great place to spend Mother’s Day tomorrow? Dream on.
