C'mon Baby Light My Fire

Invita’s Kazan fireplace from Oblica  /  Oblica image credits: Photography Gavin Green  /  Styling Julia Green

Invita’s Kazan fireplace from Oblica  /  Oblica image credits: Photography Gavin Green  /  Styling Julia Green

As we edge closer to Winter, my mind has turned to all things toasty and warm. So snuggle in, ’cause this blog post is on fire!

So it’s probably too warm in Queensland (where I’m based) for a fireplace – with only mild winters. And whilst I’m thankful for all that sunshine, sometimes it’s nice to be able to pop on your pyjamas and cosy up next to a roaring fire – something I only ever do when I’m holidaying down south or inland. For those of you who are in the market for a fireplace I’ve rounded up some of my favourite freestanding wood heaters from Oblica. I love the sleek tubular design of Invicta’s Alcor pictured above – something like this would work great in smaller spaces thanks to its slim design. Invicta’s Kazan (pictured very top) and Skanthern’s Shaker designs are also great choices (that bench seat adjoining the Shaker one is genius). Click here to check out their range.

Looking for a stylish yet rustic way to display all that chopped firewood? Unearthed Garden have a number of beautifully designed, Melbourne-made options including the Square Stack, Wood Stacker and Baby Stacker (pictured below). All of their stackers are available in a rust patina, or your choice of powdercoat paint.

If I had a proper backyard, a fire pit would be high on my agenda. The idea of sitting around a fire pit at night, toasting marshmallows and sipping on wine sounds like my idea of fun. And when I think of fire pits I’m always drawn to the rustic kind for their country charm – like the Angelina and Molly (Mel)Drum designs from Robert Plumb, pictured.

Pre-order New Small Homes edition

With another season around the corner, it means another issue of Adore Home is almost here. Our Winter issue celebrates small homes and stylish storage solutions. Here’s a little taste of what’s inside...

Interior design Petrina Turner  /  Photography Annette O'Brien  /  Styling Julia Green

Interior design Petrina Turner  /  Photography Annette O'Brien  /  Styling Julia Green

Photography Anna With Love  /  Styling Lark & Linen

Photography Anna With Love  /  Styling Lark & Linen

In this issue, we check out four homes that make the most out of their petite sizes – whether that’s through installing custom cabinetry, creating a large void to give the illusion of space, or adding extra square metres on to the existing home. Our front cover home decorated by Petrina Turner, has turned a generic off-the-plan inner-city apartment into a gorgeous home filled with functionality at every turn. Custom made cabinetry, built-in bench seats with storage underneath, and a spare room that serves dual-purpose as a study and guest room thanks to a clever fold-up Murphy bed are just some of the clever solutions implemented.

Storage is always limited when it comes to smaller homes, and in this edition you’ll find over 80 smart storage solutions that are not only functional, but also beautiful. In fact, this issue inspired my recent hallway nook makeover (click here to check it out). So if you’re also struggling with finding storage or need some ideas for your small spaces or home, you’ll need to pick up a copy of this edition.

The Small Homes edition hits newsagent stands June 1 and is available for pre-order now in our online shop. Click here to buy.

Photography Hannah Blackmore  /  Styling Alice Stephenson

Photography Hannah Blackmore  /  Styling Alice Stephenson

Photography Tanya Zouev  /  Styling Paige Noelle

Photography Tanya Zouev  /  Styling Paige Noelle

My Hallway Nook Makeover

I recently tackled a small, underused nook in my apartment, with a fresh makeover. Now a spot for storing shoes, keys and handbag, it’s a practical yet stylish space in my home.

I think you’ll find in most apartments, there’s always some kind of weird, pokey spot that serves zero purpose or is hard to furnish because of the size. For me, that spot was a small nook (technically probably too small to be called a hallway), in between my bedroom and bathroom. Measuring approximately 1.1m wide x 1.8m in length, this petite spot was crying out for a makeover.

Prior it had become a bit of a dumping ground for shoes and bags. It wasn’t ideal, given that this space needed to be clear for the purposes of walking in between the two rooms. So I decided to investigate into shoe storage that looked stylish but that also had a super thin profile – as there was only a space of 18cm from the wall to the edge of the bathroom door – and I didn’t want to put something there that encroached in any way, into the door space.

I decided to purchase the STÄLL shoe cabinet from IKEA with four storage compartments that open up to hold shoes (or anything you want really). Each compartment fits 2-3 shoes, depending on their size and bulkiness. And with a depth of just 17cm and width of 96cm, it fits the space like a glove! Whilst it may be thin, there’s ample room for decorating the top – I’ve now got a spot for my keys, fresh flowers and other favourite decorator pieces.

hooks muuto wall dots adore home magazine blog stylish storage solutions hallway nook small spaces.jpg

So with shoe storage now being taken care of, it was time to add some extra storage – for things like my handbag, umbrella or even a scarf. Hooks seemed to be the obvious answer, and having lusted over Muuto’s wall dots for some time, I decided to take the plunge and purchase a couple in the white finish – one medium and one small size fit the wall adjacent to the shoe cabinet perfectly. Just take note that if the hooks aren’t being screwed direct into a stud, and into just plasterboard on its own, you’ll need to purchase a wall anchor. I recommend you get someone with experience to do this.

To finish the space off, I added a round Middle of Nowhere Flynn mirror with black frame (80cm size) from Life Interiors. I just love the look of it – simple and elegant. And on the floor, I used a HK Living bathmat from Kira & Kira (on the Gold Coast). It’s just the right size for a small space like this, and doesn’t look overly like a bathmat, more so like a Moroccan shaggy rug.

I’m so happy with this space – it really feels complete now. I hope I’ve given you some inspiration on how to transform your own small nook! To shop the look, scroll to the bottom of this post.

SHOP THE LOOK >

Felix Furniture’s new 2017 collection

Douglas bench seat

Douglas bench seat

Felix Furniture have released images of their stunning new collection. We
take a look at their new pieces and gain some insight into the boutique Melbourne-based brand.

Photography Stephanie Rooney  /  Styling Sarah Elshaugh, Maitland Interiors

Kork entertainment unit and Lilly coffee table

Kork entertainment unit and Lilly coffee table

Felix Furniture is a dynamic, yet small Melbourne furniture business, established in 2014 by Antonia Morrongiello and Ian Anderson; a couple who were inspired to follow their passion after years of making furniture for themselves.

Their new collection comprises a range of six new pieces of furniture. Plywood remains the signature, core material used within each of the pieces, with their Mota dining chair solely constructed in birch plywood. In addition, powder coated steel is featured in their new Lilly coffee table and Douglas bench seat. Cork – a new material the team was most excited about working with, features in the Kork range and includes an entertainment unit and buffet.

“Cork is an extremely undervalued material,” says Ian. “It comes in a range of incredible grains and colours and it is extremely sustainable. Cork is harvested directly from the tree once every nine years, allowing the tree to regenerate and continue living.”

Douglas bench seat, Stanley side table

Douglas bench seat, Stanley side table

Mota dining chair, Kork buffet

Mota dining chair, Kork buffet

The entire range is designed and made by the couple in their small workshop in Sunbury. “We really value the integrity of Australian designed and made products, so it is important to us to keep Felix local and source only from other small makers and suppliers in the community,” Antonia says.

You’ll find Felix Furniture’s products on display at The Makers Collective Pop Up Shop at 134 Bridge Rd, Richmond, Melbourne. Or click here to shop online.

Finding the Perfect Coffee Table

If you’re hunting down a new coffee table for your home, we’ve rounded up some of our favourites in natural timber, luxe marble and shiny metal.

1 NATURAL TIMBER

When it comes to coffee tables, timber options are probably the most popular. Their enduring beauty and timelessness means they’re a safe option when it comes to selecting one for your living room. Just be sure to go for classic, clean lines and ensure the colour is right. I personally love the look of a very pale timber or American oak. Timber (whether it’s real or a veneer finish) can instantly add warmth to a space.

Two great examples that combine round shape, metal frame legs, and a timber top are GlobeWest’s Flinders coffee table (pictured below) and Harto’s Eugenie coffee table (pictured above left). Each would easily fit into a contemporary or Scandinavian-inspired home. Something a little different, is Beeline Design’s Cuba coffee table – complete with a leather satchel providing the perfect spot for magazines, tv guides and all your other entertainment essentials.

LUXE MARBLE

I love a marble coffee table, in fact, I own one! There’s something about the natural marble vein that gets me all school-girl-giddy. If you’re after a luxe, sophisticated look for your living room, marble is the way to go. And if there was a perfect example of this, it would be in Laura Gummerman’s glitzy mid-century style den, pictured above. Here she’s used West Elm’s marble-topped pedestal coffee table, the combination of gold and marble has me weak at the knees. Super sexy right?

This Minimalista coffee table with marble top from Blu Dot (pictured below), features in the former home of The Block contestants Julia and Sasha (which we featured in our Aloha edition). I have this exact same style but with a white base in my own living room and I love its simplicity. The simple box like frame lets the marble top be the hero.

Photography Martina Gemmola  /  Styling Aimee Tarulli /  Interior design Julia Treuel  /  Minimalista coffee table from Blu Dot

Photography Martina Gemmola  /  Styling Aimee Tarulli /  Interior design Julia Treuel  /  Minimalista coffee table from Blu Dot

Looking for something that combines the beauty of marble with the warmth of timber? Harpers Project’s round marble coffee tables in low and medium size look great placed together as shown below in Kristine Jenkins’ home.

SHINY METAL

Anything shiny or metallic always instantly catches my eye – I’m like a bowerbird but for shiny brass things! If you’re also looking to add a bit of glitz and shimmer to your living room, you may want to check out these beauties. Freedom’s Hammered Drum coffee table in shiny copper finish (pictured above) looks super charming with pink furniture don’t you think? And speaking of pink, pictured to the right, is an image from Bloomingville’s range. Their Pretty coffee table in brushed brass from Clickon Furniture is simple in shape, and not huge in size, so it’s perfect for smaller size homes.

The Terrace coffee table from West Elm, (pictured below)  is so lovely that I had to share two images of it – featured in the beautiful home of blogger Ceres Ribeiro (of The Pink Dream blog). With slender brass frame, and three tiered levels, it’s the ultimate coffee table for those who have lots of lovely books and decor to display. More options below...