CUSHION / THROW / PRINT / PENDANT LIGHT / PILLOWCASE / BED / BEDSIDE TABLE
HURRICANE / CHAIR / QUILT COVER SET / ROUND CUSHION / MIRROR / BENCH / TRAY
My apartment is for sale!
My one-bedroom apartment in Chermside is up for sale! Here’s a full home tour. It’s going to be sad saying goodbye, but I’m excited for what the future holds, and eventually buy a house.
After just over two years of living in my apartment, I’ve decided to put it on the market. Why? Well it’s only one bedroom and as both my partner and I work from home, we need the extra space. I also crave to have a proper backyard and garden. I thought it would be a good opportunity to share the full home tour with all of my readers – and well who knows, maybe one of you might be in the market for a lovely new apartment!
I’m really happy with the final look – when we moved in it was a standard cookie-cutter apartment (like most off-the-plan apartments in the area) that lacked personality or soul. What it did have going for it was a great flow in the open-plan living/dining/kitchen area, dual-access (via the front door and courtyard) and soaring ceilings over 3 metres in height. With a few tweaks, now it feels much more contemporary and I think that’s due to things like updating the kitchen by changing the kitchen splashback, cabinetry handles and tap, adding shelving to the study nook and living room, installing a vertical garden in the courtyard, and removing the oyster lights in every single room to either pendant lights or downlights.
I have decided to list the property through BuyMyPlace.com.au as I don’t love the idea of paying a real estate agent a whole lot of money to do something I can quite easily do. I can feel the eye rolls from real estate agents reading this lol, but honestly, would I get someone else to sell my car or my computer? No. So why is it different for houses? And yes it’s 100% legal to sell your own home – you still need to have lawyers draft up the contracts, so I don’t see any difference. I just won’t be paying any commission. I will be on hand at open for inspections, and well, who is better equipped to answer questions about the property than me, the home owner.
If you’d like to take a look at the real estate listing click here. Also there will be two open inspections this weekend for anyone looking to buy a spacious one bedroom apartment in Chermside.
Top Finds: Dining Chairs
1 WOVEN CANE / RATTAN
Kulu chairs from Uniqwa Furniture Photography Villa Styling / Design Donna Guyler
Bistro chair from Provincial Home Living
There’s something timeless about a cane or rattan chair, don’t you think? They look great in just about any style home including coastal, boho or Hamptons-inspired interiors. When I first laid eyes on this dining room designed by Donna Guyler (pictured above) I was immediately drawn to those gorgeous Kulu chairs from Uniqwa Furniture. They really do add a lovely natural element to the room.
I also adore these bistro chairs from Naturally Cane in Maddy Evennett’s home pictured below (as featured in the new Winter edition of Adore).
This other bistro chair option from Provincial Home Living (pictured opposite) is also a great option if you’re looking to achieve a classic coastal/Hamptons vibe.
Bistro chairs from Naturally Cane Photography Tanya Zouev / Styling Maddy Evennett
And here's 6 more great cane/rattan dining chair options...
1 ST TROPEZ CHAIR / 2 PACIFIC CHAIR / 3 HOFFMAN CHAIR
4 CANE CHAIR / 5 BLEND CHAIR / 6 CEBU CHAIR
2 VELVET
Daphne and Lucille chairs from GlobeWest
Jane chair from West Elm
If you’re looking to add a touch of elegance to your dining room, a velvet chair is the way to go. It’s luxurious, soft, and also a great way to inject some colour into your interior.
GlobeWest have a number of velvet pretties – their Claudia dining chair (pictured below) comes in dark green, navy or grey. Meanwhile their Daphne and Lucille chair in navy velvet (both pictured above) are more oh-so-glamorous options. I can't decide which is my favourite!
I also adore this Jane chair from West Elm (pictured opposite) – it comes in a lovely soft blush colour or this vibrant teal pictured, and well those brass legs offer a touch of glam too.
Claudia chairs from GlobeWest
Here are our top 6 favourite velvet dining chairs...
1 MID-CENTURY CHAIR / 2 TORINO CHAIR / 3 HALO CHAIR
4 FENNY CHAIR / 5 CLAUDIA CHAIR / 6 DAPHNE CHAIR
3 LEATHER
Seth chairs from Clickon Furniture
Canteen chair from Industria X
Whether you go for real deal or a faux look-a-like, leather chairs can bring a nice warmth and masculinity to any dining room. Whether your style is contemporary, coastal or industrial, there’s a leather chair to suit you!
The Seth chair from Clickon Furniture (pictured above) is a great option – it has curves in all of the right places and a super slick black sled base.
If it’s something a bit more industrial in style, Industria X’s Canteen chair (pictured opposite) is a winner. And its powder coated metal frame can be painted in practically any colour you fancy.
Woven leather chairs are another popular option – these are a perfect match for coastal homes. The Seed chair from GlobeWest (pictured below) is a personal favourite of mine.
Seed chairs from GlobeWest
These 6 leather dining chairs have caught our eye...
1 BOSTON CHAIR / 2 HUDSON CHAIR / 3 SLOPE CHAIR
4 SADDLE CHAIR / 5 FENWICK CHAIR / 6 STRAPPING CHAIR
Cosy rugs for Winter from Early Settler
The quickest way to warm your home this winter is adding a cosy, textured rug. These beautiful new rugs from Early Settler are not only on-trend, but soft underfoot.
Photography Mike Baker / Styling Heather Nette King
Chirala Bark hand-blocked rug pictured left (150 x 240cm) $299 / Marakesh Trellis hand-tufted rug pictured right (240 x 300cm) $699
Bohemia Peeko hand-tufted rug (150 x 240cm) $499
Pebbles hand-woven rug (240 x 300cm) $999
Creating a cosy winter atmosphere doesn’t require a big budget – just big ideas. And it all starts from the ground up, which is the essence of Early Settler’s 2018 rug collection. Both contemporary and traditional, the warm, welcoming rugs are ones you can literally sink your toes into, as you gently ease into the peace that comes with returning home.
Here is a few of our favourite styles from the new range – we’re equally impressed with the styles on offer and the affordable price tags. Shop the collection by clicking here.
Marrakesh Peacock hand-tufted rug (150 x 240cm) $399
Nomad Diamond hand-tufted rug (240 x 300cm) $799
Aston Milan Palm Springs Style Home
I’m always swooning over Aston Milan’s home designs, so when I discovered their newest display home is situated at The Surrounds in Helensvale on the Gold Coast, I just had to visit. Here’s a little look inside.
Photography Mark Zeidler
Looking at display homes on the weekend has become my new favourite hobby. It’s a chance to dream about my future home and get inspired by the various designs. It’s also a great way to quickly figure out what you like and what you don’t like. For me, I love homes with high ceilings, the kitchen and living/dining zones situated at the rear of the home looking out to the backyard, and large sliding windows or bi-fold doors that bring the outdoors in. This particular home called The Desert (part of Aston Milan's black label collection) ticks all of those boxes and is probably the best interpretation of Palm Springs-style that I’ve ever seen in Australia. Everything from the elegant furnishings through to the breeze block wall outside, to the palm tree atrium in the centre of the home, screams Palm Springs.
If you’re looking for something fun to do this weekend, I recommend checking this home out in person – it is truly amazing, and so much better in person (the master suite with dressing room and bathroom was amazing and probably as big as my one bedroom apartment)!
Trend: Velvet Garden
ART / PENDANT LIGHT / TRAY / PINK CUSHION / GREEN CUSHION / QUILT / BENCH SEAT
TURTLE / CANDLE / SOFA / RUG / POT + PLANT STAND / VASE / COFFEE TABLE
NEW HOTEL: THE COLLECTIONIST
Malmo room by Willis Sheargold
Sydney’s newest hotel – The Collectionist – is offering a custom experience for its guests, with each and every room completely unique in its design. Here’s a quick tour of our favourite rooms.
Photography Terence Chin
Grigio room by Willis Sheargold
Nasim room by Pattern Studio
When I was a kid I used to love ‘choose your own adventure’ books, so when I discovered that The Collectionist (located in Camperdown, Sydney) seems to offer a similar experience for hotel guests, I was sold! This whole concept really excites me because a) It’s different, and b) I love the idea of choosing a room that reflects my taste. The eclectically designed hotel offers an individual experience, opting away from standard ‘cookie-cutter’ décor. The Collectionist commissioned the talents of seven designers from four leading design studios, and 13 artists, to create 39 individually designed rooms and lobby space.
Rita Velour room by Amber Road
Rita Velour courtyard by Amber Road
The design teams credited with bringing The Collectionist concept to life include Andrew Cliffe from The World is Round; Yasmine Ghoniem and Katy Svalbe from Amber Road; Susie Willis and Matt Sheargold from Willis Sheargold; and Josh Cain and Lily Goodwin from Pattern Studio; while the overall construction has been managed by Unita.
Benni Hasheeh room by Amber Road
Benni Hasheeh room by Amber Road
The Maritime room by Willis Sheargold
Cloud Runner room by The World Is Round
Instead of rooms being allocated, guests are invited to peruse available rooms on check-in and choose their room based on the style, colour, texture and design – just as they would a work of art. Genius! This is a revolutionary change to the traditional hotel check-in process, where rooms are pre-allocated; and to room design, where the variety is limited. The Collectionist’s digital booking process is carried through at check-in with access codes to rooms communicated via email and SMS. However, the personal touch remains an important element with social drinks hosted by a bartender between 4pm and 8pm. Rooms are priced from $200-$260 per night depending on the size and whether an outdoor space is included.
The Drawing Room by The World Is Round
Celeste room by Pattern Studio
Pepo Melone room by Willis Sheargold
Space Crush: Prado
I’ve always known Portugal was home to some amazing interior designers, so it was no surprise when I discovered Prado restaurant and adjoining grocery shop was designed by Portuguese-based Arkstudio.
When I first clapped eyes on Prado Restaurant on Instagram, my jaw dropped to the floor! I was swooning over every aspect of this amazing restaurant, everything from the lighting to that delightful deep minty green painted on the walls and the high ceilings adorned with greenery. And then I discovered Prado also have their own boutique grocery store, and that’s when the swooning really began. Oh my mind is bubbling away with ideas, I could see how these colours and textures could translate well into a residential home – perhaps in a kitchen/dining space. But enough of my babbling – have a looksy for yourself – enjoy the inspiration!
Toowoomba City Guide
My partner and I spent last weekend in Toowoomba, exploring the beautiful parks, street art-filled laneways and stuffing our faces with tasty culinary delights! Here’s my guide to a fun gourmet weekend away in the Garden City (just an hour and a half drive from Brisbane).
Photography Mark Zeidler
I have to say, Toowoomba is not what it used to be. Once a sleepy country town, it has undergone a massive rejuvenation in recent years and is a pretty hip place to be now! There are plenty of amazing eateries, cool street art in the various laneways and you can even do a spot of retail shopping too thanks to the brand new Grand Central shopping centre.
I was super impressed with Walton Stores – a laneway precinct filled with a diverse range of casual dining options. We ate both lunch and dinner at Junk – an Asian street food restaurant, and I can happily report the food was absolutely delish!
The streets throughout Toowoomba city are filled with laneways – made more charming now by all of the street art covering the buildings’ walls. Toowoomba have the First Coat International Art Festival to thank for the city’s large scale murals from artists all across the globe. It’s fun to stumble across all of the various murals and they certainly make the city more vibrant!
It seems almost every suburb in Toowoomba has some form of beautifully landscaped park or garden – and two you should definitely check out are Queens Park and the Japanese Gardens at USQ. Pack a picnic lunch and take in the leafy surroundings. If you’re headed to Queens Park and love heritage homes, take a walk around the surrounding streets. There are some gorgeous homes and well worth a sticky beak! And if you’re a flower enthusiast like myself, you’ll want to visit in September for the Carnival of Flowers.
Located in a narrow laneway off Ruthven Street (one of the main streets in Toowomba’s city centre), Ground Up Espresso Bar is THE place for coffee in Toowoomba. I can attest their breakfasts are equally tasty, and that’s partly thanks to them using the best sourdough in town (from cult-like bakery The Baker’s Duck). The service was also warm and friendly. If we were to move to Toowoomba, this would be our regular breakfast hangout spot.
We also had breakfast at Emeraude – a micro region eatery in the sleepy town of Hampton (a half hour drive out of Toowoomba). The food was absolutely divine, and well worth the drive. All of the fruit, vegetables and meat are sourced locally in the immediate region, making for the best (and freshest) gourmet experience you’re likely to ever have.
No trip to Toowoomba would be complete without a spot of shopping at Harolds Finishing Touches. Owner Aaron is such a delight to chat to, and has a carefully curated selection of homewares on offer. I highly doubt you’ll leave empty-handed. There are so many treasures to find in store. The good news for those of you who don’t live nearby - they also have an online shop!
Another cute store to check out is The Bungalow and Basket, and they have a great little coffee and cake bar inside too. And there are so many more cafes and restaurants than what I have listed here. We just didn’t have time to try everywhere – it definitely is a great excuse to go back for another visit. In fact, I’m even contemplating moving to Toowoomba. I can totally picture myself living there. And it doesn’t hurt that the housing is much more affordable than Brisbane. Has anyone else contemplated a country or sea change to a smaller city/town? I’m keen to give it a go. I’ve always said so long as there is a courier service and internet, I can work anywhere (as I work from home)!
Trend: Moody Blooms
ARMCHAIR / THROW / ART PRINT / BLACK & WHITE PRINT / CUSHION / LAMP
BEDHEAD / BEDSIDE TABLE / RUG / CANDLE / POUFFE / QUILT COVER