The home tour you loved

The dreamiest kitchen design

The most inspiring studio

The tastiest treat

b e a u t i f u l h o m e w a r e s , b e a u t i f u l l y p r i c e d

The best ideas for stylish storage

The most useful interior design secrets

INSPIRED. t h e t e m p l e & w e b s t e r m a g a z i n e

VOL 1

Temple & Webster’s Editorial team bring you the inspiration, ideas, expert advice and brand insights you need to create a home you love. We review the year that was and pick the best of the 263 posts published on the T&W Journal in 2015.

www.templeandwebster.com.au

02 The best ideas for stylish storage

04 The most useful interior design secrets

07 The home tour you loved

11 The dreamiest kitchen design

16 The boldest decor colours

20 The style guide we studied

22 The most inspiring studio

25 The expert advice we all needed

28 The week in pictures we all wanted

33 The most festive feast

35 The tastiest treat

INSPIRED. t h e t e m p l e & w e b s t e r m a g a z i n e

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Journal 2015

We believe storage can be stylish, and T&W’s Adam Powell created this practical and pretty shelf to prove it.

1. Decorate

Sure, most of your shelving will look functional, but don’t forget to add a few decorative treats. A single bloom in a small vase upgrades a jars of pens and rubber band ball to vignette status. You

could also try a small potted plant, a frame or a small décor piece. Think of these as little hero items – they’re your chance to include a colour, shape or material that makes the rest look good.

2. Group your collections

Adam’s collection of twine spools was pretty enough to be featured, so it went into an open basket – and of course it absolutely makes sense to keep the same types of items together. Less attractive items like shoes should stay in closed baskets or boxes.

3. Mix it up

This shelf works decoratively because there is a good mix of consistency and variation. Adam played with proportion by placing one of two identical baskets on its end – allowing for easy access and another display opportunity.

THE STYLING SERIES

STORAGEWe share 8 ideas for making your storage both functional and beautiful.

Are you a meticulously organised person, with a place for everything and everything in its place? Well, this post is not for you – and actually, we’re not sure we can even be friends anymore. This post is for the rest of us, who sometimes struggle to find things we know we have (hello, sticky tape) and who tend to stuff things in already full cupboards for want of a better solution.

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4. Stack your books

A stack of books offers many styling opportunities. Adam sorted his collection by size and created some diagonal angle action with two opposing towers. Stacking by colour also works, or if you already have lots of colour, stack the books pages outward for a neutral element.

5. Use a basket

Large baskets can hide a multitude of sins – shoes in the hallway, magazines in the sitting room and toys, well, everywhere. Find a home for extra cushions and a throw, easily accessible when the weather turns cold.

6. Be practical

Baskets or boxes with handles are perfect for items which might need to be moved around the house – wrapping

paper and ribbons, sewing gear, cleaning equipment or craft supplies.

7. Art matters

If you don’t want to (or can’t) commit to hanging art, propping a piece or two on top of storage shelves lifts the look from functional to considered, with the advantage that you can swap them over whenever the mood takes you. Try overlapping a couple of framed works of different sizes.

8. Save the best for last

After you’ve included all your functional items, find vessels and décor items which tie in with the tones and textures already there, and create a display to top it all off. Make sure you use a variety of heights and shapes to keep the eye moving, and remember 3 is the magic number for grouping items.

A single bloom in a small vase upgrades a jars of pens

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Image by Tom Ferguson

Juliette Arent, Arent&Pyke

Rugs help delineate and define spaces – and are particularly useful in providing softness and comfort in living spaces that have hard flooring. Here we have used a beautiful handknotted Tibetan rug from Robyn Cosgrove Rugs in a deep inky blue. It grounds the space and defines it for its purpose, and pays special attention to complementing the tonal values in the timber in the furniture and on the floor. We always ensure that the rug is apppropriately proportioned so that when all the chairs are out, they are all still sitting on the rug.

Image by Derek Swalwell

Adelaide Bragg, Adelaide Bragg & Associates

We added a Stipple Sisal colour natural rug from Don Currie Carpets to ‘ground’ and ‘relax’ the room. The floor boards were very dark and I wanted to lighten the room as well as to add texture and layering against the soft furnishings. We normally set rugs 30-40cm off the walls. This allows for the floor boards to still be visible and to add scale with a large rug.

The most useful

design secretsRug secrets from our favourite interior designers.

Choosing the right size rug can be tricky, and sometimes the answer is larger than you think. We asked 5 interior designers to share their advice on relating your rug to your space, and how to place your furniture.

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Brendan Wong, Brendan Wong Design

A generously sized rug will make the room feel bigger by accentuating a larger footprint. I position large sofas partially on the rug and armchairs entirely on the rug, which visually pulls together the furniture into a well grounded grouping. In rooms used by families, large rugs also provide space on which children can sit on the floor. If in doubt about the size of a rug it’s always better to go larger as smaller rugs can easily look lost and underwhelming.

Image by David French

Katie Uther, Katie Uther Design

I chose this rug because it has a lovely texture and colour that worked well within this extension of a classic country home. The colour also provided a good contrast to the dark stained timber floor. A rug can really ground a group of furniture that would otherwise seem to float around. I like to size the rug so it extends half way under the sofa or chairs. Sometimes pieces won’t work half on / half off, so there is no hard and fast rule. I will, however, always size a rug large enough to overlap the furniture setting in some way.

Romaine Alwill, Alwill Design

I chose the rug because it reflected the client and grounded the space. The contemporary weave of an Ikat pattern was really suited to the design concept for the whole house. The colours were earthy and rich. I wanted the rug to sit under the sofa but leave some room at the side for circulation.

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Journal 2015 Journal FEB 2015

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How would you describe the style of the White Room?

It’s a mix of curated vintage items collected over many years, brought together in a pure white floor to ceiling space. A touch of industrial with a Scandinavian feel, perhaps? I am struggling to fit it under one heading to be honest.

The space is a mix of luxury (French linens) with vintage pieces, often worn and aged. Is this contrast something you strive for, and why?

I absolutely love the mix of old and new. The older vintage items always seem to shine even more with their tattered edges, peeling leather and faded old frames. I have always loved old for the character it brings – I love that age on furniture is more beautiful than the new because the character is there, it has a history and a past life. The crisp French

linen adds to it all, and makes it casual but lushly extravagant at the same time.

The White Room has a very consistent look throughout. How important do you think consistency is in interiors?

I love and must have consistency throughout. I love a theme and if you were to walk through the White Room and then cross over to the main warehouse space (my home), you would see that it all ties in. White walls, white floors, a beautiful mix of fabrics in hessian and raw calico, vintage pieces in natural timbers, faded rugs, a little bit of old French furniture tied in with some industrial pieces and so on. I think it’s common sense to make your home consistent – to me, it’s a must to walk through the front door and have a common theme flow through all the rooms.

The home tour you loved

Lynda GardenerDecorating with vintage

Melbourne’s Lyn Gardener is best known for her incredible eye for vintage, showcased through her Albert Park emporium Empire Vintage and her interior decorating firm Gardener and Marks. Her Daylesford property, The White House, is much in demand for holiday accommodation, and now she has opened The White Room in Fitzroy. We get to the bottom of her unique style…

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You’ve worked with a very limited colour palette. What is the secret to making this look work?

I think because I have only chosen 2 to 3 colours – whites, greys, naturals and some blacks – it’s quite easy and I don’t think you can go wrong. If, for example, I added yellow somewhere, I would have to add a few different items in the same colour to make it all work and make sense of the room.

How do you hope people will feel in The White Room? What do you think is key to creating a feeling of comfort in a space?

So far I have been overwhelmed with the response to the White Room; everyone has mentioned the cosy, homely feeling and the attention to detail. The room features a central bed which is luxuriously covered in the best linen, heated concrete floors warm the room in winter and there are one-off pieces highlighting every corner. There

is every comfort required, both beautiful and practical, in one small studio room in the heart of very cool Fitzroy. I guess I have thought of all the features that I personally look for when I stay somewhere special.

You have honed your eye for (and collection of) vintage furniture and items over many years. What advice would you give to someone who wants to decorate in this style?

Just be strong and use your items as a feature in the room. Most vintage pieces have character and will be the first thing people will take notice of in a room. Have your own style by collecting what you love so you can show who you are through your collections. You may start with a theme as I like to do – one portrait form the 1880’s turned into an entire wall of male portraits and now makes an amazing statement as soon as you walk in the door. Try not to have too many styles going on in every room; aim for a consistent style and make sure you put your personality into it all. Have fun!

Your collections, gathered over time, add personality and interest to the space. What are your top tips on displaying collections?

I love collections, and to me more than 3 of anything is the start of a collection. For example, I collected the glass domes displayed on a table in the centre of the room, and I feature even more collections within them, like old cutlery in bowls and gorgeous 100 year old books. I have always loved paintings on walls and I group them in themes. In my bedroom it’s all old oil paintings of the sea or landscapes with old tainted, faded gold frames, featuring hints of blues to tie in with the bed linens and theme of the room. My advice is to

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try and theme your collections and group like with like – that way it really is a statement. If it’s glass bowls or milk glass or ceramic vases you love, for example, have shelves made and feature every single one of them in rows. Every corner in my home seems to have some collection I’ve put together from my travels or markets around the world. It makes me happy to have all these memories around me.

Does your personal style change over time, and how do you adapt your interiors to suit?

I have always collected old, from a very early age. Over the years my style has changed, but I have never changed my habit of collecting old wares. My first home was a rustic country house with old painted original furniture. I then moved to a large warehouse where I went for a very industrial and masculine look. From there I moved to where I live now – a very white warehouse I

decorated 15 years ago. It started out very feminine with lots of authentic French furniture whites, florals and pale colours. Over the past 4 years I have changed to a mix of old and a touch of new – I’ve taken all the florals away and have charcoal linen couches, a mix of rugs on the floor from a trip to Turkey with an overdyed mustard rug overlapped by a textured raw sisal rug. Male dark portraits fill the wall as does industrial lighting that features in many corners of the rooms. I use tarnished silver wares and more muted tones and colours.

Are there any items or elements that you simply must have an every space you decorate?

Yes, something collected and found that is an old item with all its original character – always! That will never change for me.

Images by Lisa Cohen.

There is every comfort required, both beautiful and

practical.

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The dining area features a large artwork and ClassiCon Selene pendants.

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Congratulations on your Belle / Coco Republic Award for Kitchen Design. Tell us about the winning project.

I was asked to design a beautiful open plan family kitchen in a Sydney Harbour foreshore home. The brief was to include a kitchen island with bar height seating, a separate dining area, a walk in pantry and ample room for food preparation, generous ovens and refrigeration. For me, the kitchen is the soul of the house and so I chose to locate it in one of the most appealing areas of the home — complete with panoramic views of the harbour and the local reserve, and a backdrop of magnificent Angophora trees. Another important consideration was the kitchen opened directly onto the main living area and while it needed to function practically as a work and preparation area, it needed to look attractive and

blend in seamlessly with the adjoining room. This was achieved by designing beautiful hand stained bespoke oak joinery that wrapped around the whole space, incorporating a large walk in pantry. In spite of this openness the preparation and cooking areas of the kitchen remain private and discreet. A walk in pantry, freestanding and wall ovens, large fridge and even an in wall television are located discreetly out of sight but still within the main kitchen area.

At the end of the kitchen large sliding windows open up to the view and were an obvious location for built in oak timber banquette seating stained in the same hand painted finish as the rest of the joinery. The dining table is slim enough to enjoy casual intimate weekday family meals but extends at both ends to entertain a larger group.

The dreamiest kitchen design

Justine Hugh-JonesHer kitchen design secrets

Justine Hugh-Jones is a Sydney interior designer with a beautiful and sophisticated aesthetic. She was recently awarded a Belle Interior Design Award for Kitchen Design for the kitchen pictured above. We asked for all the details, plus her advice on how to approach a kitchen redesign or renovation.

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A beautiful pair of copper ClassiCon Selene pendants add an elegant and decorative touch. The wall above the dining table and the end of the island were designed with the inclusion of art and wall sculpture in mind. These artworks elevate the tone and functionality of the kitchen to another level and add a beautiful inclusion of colour, form and texture. The colours and tone of the kitchen finishes were kept contemporary, light and fresh. A wall of white hand glazed Morrocan tiles add texture and discreet pattern and the Calacatta marble bench tops are of a beautiful soft hue.

In spite of this openness, the preparation and cooking areas of the kitchen remain private and discreet. A walk in pantry, freestanding and wall ovens, large fridge and even an in wall television are located discreetly out of sight but still within the main kitchen area. The dining area features a large artwork and ClassiCon Selene pendants.

How do you approach a kitchen design – is there a particular order in which you consider the different design elements?

The kitchen is the hardest, most challenging, most expensive room in the home to design but also one of the most enjoyable and rewarding, as it’s the most important! The challenge comes from creating a great design that works on a practical level but also looks stunning. I always start with the floorplan and layout and work at getting the most out of the space in every conceivable way. Once the layout works then the visual design comes later. There are so many design styles that you can develop for a kitchen but there is generally only one layout that works its hardest to be the winner. That’s the rule for me of designing a successful kitchen.

Justine’s Sydney kitchen features a stained timber island.

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Which materials do you choose to work with again and again, and why?

Such an easy answer: natural materials win hands down every time for me, along with stainless steel. Combining the two together is a match made in heaven!

What was important to you when designing your own kitchen?

My own kitchen was open plan to the rest of the living area so it needed to look as beautiful as the furniture in these spaces. I wanted to invest in quality tactile finishes that suited the rest of the room. I designed an open style island and glass fronted cabinetry out of beautiful stained timber and stone that took centre stage but then around the perimeter had more practical cupboards and drawers that were very simple in design with a stainless steel bench top. Stainless

steel is a chefs dream and I’m always slightly wary of people that tell me they love cooking but the fingerprints on stainless steel drive them insane. The two for me don’t sit very well together.

I also like to see all of my beautiful dining glassware and crockery . It makes me happy to see all those gorgeous pieces and I would hate for them to be behind closed doors. It’s also an inviting sign to welcome friends into your kitchen for some good home cooking. The sight of what is to come…it’s the same concept as an inviting open bar.

What do you think is the best starting point for the kitchen user?

Really think through how you live in and use a kitchen, draw up a concise brief as to what your requirements are and walk through the space in your mind over and over again before you commit

Natural materials win hands down every time.

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to a design. Being honest about your needs is a good starting point. If you are big entertainers and great cooks then investing in quality appliances and two dishwashers will stand you in good stead. If you eat out a lot however and are rarely at home don’t over invest in a space that rarely gets used.

Many people respond to concerns about resale value by keeping everything white. What do you think of this approach?

I’m afraid you are asking the wrong person that question as I totally disagree with the all white approach. I have to admit I do love white in my interiors but there are so many other great colour choices out there for kitchens that have more depth than just white. I think it would be advisable to stick with a neutral colour but this can range from all shades of white to grey to black to natural timber.

To what extent do you find your clients are led by trends? Are you a fan of inspiration sites like Pinterest?

Yes maybe we all get influenced by trends to a certain extent but it’s what you do with them that counts. Pinterest in particular is a great design resource tool and one I love using. There are literally thousands of different ways to design the look of a kitchen and maybe this is what is hard as a designer with the relationship with their clients. Once you have agreed on the design concept you need to stick to it as you will keep seeing new ideas on all of these sites that cause your mind or judgement to waiver. Trust your designer and don’t listen to or be swayed by too many other influences.

What 3 pieces of advice would you give to someone planning a kitchen renovation?

1. Engage the services of a professional who has experience in designing kitchens.

2. Australia is a world leader in restaurant and bar design. Soak up great design and the use of innovative finishes on your own doorstep whenever you are out for dinner or having your morning flat white!

3. Think about how the kitchen looks as a room as well as a functional workspace. Artwork, sculpture, lighting and gorgeous vessels are a lot more beautiful to look at than a Thermomix and a bread maker. Be challenging in adopting a more creative, beautiful approach to kitchen design as well as a practical one.

Justine believes open

shelving is more inviting.

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The kitchen was oriented to maximise Sydney Harbour views.

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Tell us about the creative process behind bringing Ginger & Smart’s Arcadia collection to life in an interiors context?

I created concepts based on 3 prints from their Arcadia collection, and then we worked very closely with Alexander & Genevieve to refine them. Once we were all happy, Heather Nette King and I curated all the interior décor, working very carefully to ensure it reflected Ginger & Smart’s brand and collaborating with the designers to ensure each piece was a reflection of what the Ginger & Smart woman may have in their own home.

How did you interpret the Arcadia collection – what was the ‘mood’ you were looking to achieve in the home?

The Ginger & Smart Arcadia collection was diverse, feminine and pretty but also had a sense of underlying strength. Alexander & Genevieve had communicated that the collection represented a balance of opposing elements that resulted in harmony – this was what I really wanted to have translate in the interiors and I think that’s what you see in the end result.

The built in shelving in the living space, featuring the deep blue/black of Dulux Metalise is so striking. Decoratively, what are the considerations for using dark colour in a room?

It is a brave move to use darker colours, but every time I’ve done so or encouraged someone else to, the result is amazing. Dark colours such

Designer Bree Leech’s tips

decorating with bold colourBree talks to us about working with a bold colour palette inspired by the prints in Ginger & Smart’s A/W15 Arcadia collection.

If you’re in any doubt that interiors follow fashion, here’s real life proof: a Melbourne interior created by Dulux colour expert and interior designer Bree Leech and stylist & writer Heather Nette King in collaboration with Australian fashion duo Ginger & Smart.

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Image – Lisa Cohen

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as Metalise can make rooms feel more spacious, ugly ceilings disappear or just add much needed drama to a space. In this case the ceiling was not the best feature of the room but once it was painted many of its faults were hidden and it provided the perfect backdrop to showcase Ben-Tovim Design’s beautiful copper chandelier.

You also used teal and turquoise in the living room. Can you share any advice or ‘rules’ for finding a balance between different colours in a room?

Similar undertones are the key to using different colours in a room but still creating a harmonious space – to keep it simple, use colours from the same family. In this case blues and blue greens work together effortlessly. The other important factor is the proportions – work out what you want to highlight in the space and focus on using colour to achieve that. If you are struggling

to pull together a palette, you can be inspired by fashion in the way we have. Look at your favourite print – what are the colours used and what are the proportions? Try reflecting this in your space through paint and décor. If it already works in the print it will work in a room as well.

The ombre effect on one wall and above the mantelpiece is like a work of art in itself. How was this applied?

This is a professionally applied affect created with the use of a spray gun and layers of different colours, carefully balanced. For the super keen DIYer, you could try to achieve this by using 1 colour in different strengths from dark to light but I do recommend if you want to recreate this look to speak to a Dulux accredited painter to discuss what can be achieved.

Image – Lisa CohenImage – Lisa Cohen

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Metallic accents are featured in both the darker and lighter spaces. What do you think they add to each?

Metallic accents always add an element of luxury – in this case it also reflected the signature colour of the Ginger & Smart brand. The accents add something special to lift the space to the next level. I think they work especially well against coloured backgrounds – like copper and rose gold against pink or dark blue – it’s a gorgeous effect.

Which is your favourite room in this home, and why?

Too hard – I love them all for different reasons – the cocoon-like space of the bedroom with the feminine touches of florals, the surprising pink hues in the light-filled kitchen and the luxury created with colour in the living space. It is the perfect home in that each room suits a different mood, and you can imagine

yourself moving through the spaces as the day progresses.

When in doubt, we all revert to white or neutrals. What’s the least scary way to start experimenting with colour at home?

I think at first with accessories – introduce some colour that you think you might love – most people will find it builds from there. Try painting furniture items that need a new life – I think this becomes addictive, once you see the transformative effect a coat of paint has you’ll be looking around for the next thing to paint and it wont be long before you build the confidence to paint a door, a wall and then a whole room. If you really want to use colour but just can’t quite pull it together, I highly recommend engaging a professional designer – most people are surprised by how affordable a Dulux Colour Consultant can be — they can provide the confidence you lack and the end result you are after.

Similar undertones

are the key to using different

colours in a room.

Image – Lisa Cohen

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THe Provincial Cross Back Chair

It all started when cane from Asia found its way to English and French furniture makers in the 17th century and found popularity as a bug-free alternative to upholstery. Yes, really. Then, French cabinet maker Michael Thonet perfected a method of bending light timber with steam, providing a lighter alternative to the heavier, carved styles of the time. We love this chair’s relaxed elegance – the cross back and curved braces provide both stability and a pretty decorative element.

The style guide we studied

chair stylesOur guide to 5 popular chair styles

We’re chairly sure we’ve sold most kinds of seating options that exist in the entire universe over the past four years. But we’ve never really delved into the different styles, so here’s a look at 5 popular chairs…

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The wingback chair

It all started in winter. The high-backed chair with wings is thought to have been developed in the early 1700s to create a cosy ‘snug’, keeping out cold draughts and protecting the sitter from too much heat from an open fire. We love the way this chair has evolved – designers the world over have riffed on the wingback for hundreds of years. Think Arne Jacobsen’s iconic ‘Egg’ chair, and Jaime Hayon’s more recent ‘Ro’.

The danish dining chair

It all started with organic functionalism. Say what? In the early to mid 20th century, Danish architects and designers focused on uniting form and function. Decoration for decoration’s sake was shunned in favour of beautifully understated timber furniture designed with comfort in mind. Hans Wegner, Arne Jacobsen and Borge Mogensen designed chairs that are still revered and widely copied today. We love its clean lines and quiet good looks. Think Cate Blanchett, not Lady Gaga. Lean, even spare, the gentle curves of these chairs evoke an organic feel.

the butterfly chair

It all started in Buenos Aires. Architects Antonio Bonet, Juan Kurchan and Jorge Ferrari Hardoy designed the chair in 1938 – it’s sometimes called the BKF chair or the Hardoy chair. Immediately popular, it didn’t take long to reach iconic status and has been part of MOMA’s collection since the 1940s. We love the simplicity. The chair was based around a timber ‘campaign’ chair – so named because it ws easy to fold and transport. The simple tubular frame allows it to sit lightly, while rich and sturdy leather ticks the box on comfort.

The tub chair

It all started with jazz. Between the wars, the jazz age heralded a streamlined approach to design and a focus on luxurious wood veneers and exotic materials. The low-backed tub chair, with its clean curves, was an Art Deco hero and still has currency today. We love a low chair in a conversation area. Don’t forget a side table for your cocktail.

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Sibella Court wears many hats, literally and metaphorically – interior stylist, product designer, historian, globetrotter, creative director and, of course, retailer. She opened The Society Inc in Sydney after a 10 year stint in New York and she calls it her ‘home to hardware, haberdashery and a treasure trove of oddities and curiosities’.

Always ahead of the curve, Sibella has moved her headquarters from a terrace in Sydney’s Paddington to a sprawling warehouse complex in St Peters.

The terrace becomes an Airbnb which is decorated in her inimitable style and showcases Australian made furniture and products – all revealed to those that stay in a menu of product for sale.

The Society Inc moves to a generous space of classic warehouse construction – the worn timber floors, corrugated iron-clad walls and exposed ceiling structure providing the perfect backdrop to flourishes of carefully curated styling.Victoria Baker and I paid Sibella a pre-Christmas visit and, overcome by a retail rush, longed to leave with one

of her vintage velvet cushions, eye-painted timber chairs and a selection of ceramics under one arm. She advocates living life as a pirate and I wanted to behave like one – pillage and run away with the goods. Instead I quietly handed over my credit card for a beautiful ceramic bowl which will make its recipient very happy.

The space allows for a gratifying play of scale, from small objects to the luxury of a four poster bed (left), covered in exquisite leather that has been treated by Shibori Textiles to create a fascinating tactile finish. The eye motif (right) recurs throughout the space, both applied to surfaces and seating and in the creation of objects themselves.

The most inspiring studio we visited

Sibella CourtSibella Court’s new warehouse space for The Society Inc.

Karen McCartney visits Sibella Court’s new warehouse space for The Society Inc, her retail store and creative home.

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Heavyweight vintage linens with the mark of heavy mending are hung beside a Little Dandelionwool-covered chair and a Sibella designed feather-filled cushion (left). Dangerous slogans (right) incite one to become a pirate – not to be taken literally!

The hardware range becomes a wall display (left) and is shown alongside graphic industrial tools (right). A massive cuttlefish wall hanging sits in front of a chalkboard wall marked with crosses (left).

A large open bookcase helps divide the retail space from her office where the business of being Sibella Court takes place. New hospitality projects are hatched, products designed and plans for expansion into the New York scene are cooked up in an atmosphere of unbridled creativity (right). The eye motif recurs in small objects in timber and painted onto ceramic spoons – the theme of protection runs through the space via the symbol of the eye.

Sibella’s range with Murobond paints is applied directly to the painted brick wall and its muted shades provide a backdrop to a Balinese boat filled with cushions – the floral ones by New York based photographer and textile designer Martyn Thompson (left). A sketchily applied paint swatch looks like it has been there forever, adding to the patina of the newly occupied space.

Follow Sibella on Instagram @sibellacourt

The Society Inc is open Monday – Saturday 10am – 4pm at Precinct 75, 75 Mary St, St Peters, Sydney.

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She is a florist of considerable note, and her small Potts Point store is a mecca for those in search of beautiful and thoughtful arrangements, whether for a huge event or a personal celebration.

We asked her to share some tips on working with three different vase shapes.

Saskia has been visiting the flower markets for over 20 years, as well as creating weddings, events, installations and many, many individual bouquets. Her favourite flower is (of course) the Magnolia Grandiflora after which her business is named, and her pet hate is dirty water. We asked her first for a few basic tips applicable to whatever flowers or vessels you’re working with, and then for advice on working with round, squat and cylindrical vases.

SASKIA’S TIPS

• Cut at least 3cm off the stems of cut flowers or foliage when you get them home from the market or store, and strip away any greenery that would be under the water line in your chosen vase. Change the water in an arrangement every 2 – 3 days. It’s easiest if you have two people – one to hold the arrangement and one to empty and refill the vase with cold water. Take this opportunity to pick out any dead flowers.

• Long stemmed flowers which are a little past their best can be revived by cutting the stems much shorter (this makes it easier for water to travel up the stem). Rearrange in a low vase and you should get an extra 3 – 4 days out of them.

• If you’re not a confident arranger, start simply with masses of one kind of flower.

The expert advice we all needed

How to arrange flowerswith Saskia Havekes of Grandiflora

In any review of 2015, we couldn’t leave out the day when Saskia Havekes of Grandiflora arrived at the T&W studio with a van full of incredible flowers.

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• Always make sure your arrangements look generous, and take time to separate and spread the flowers and stems so they have room to breathe.

• Don’t fill the vase right up to the top – it’s not necessary (and not elegant!). Do make sure all your stems reach the water level.

• If you don’t like the pollen on lilies, pick off the anthers (little stems inside the flower) before they are coated with pollen. If you leave it too late and get pollen on clothes or fabric, start with sticky tape!

1. The sphere

Plants used: Celosia, Prospero roses, ranunculus, pink hydrangea, variegated sweet pea

Choose flowers or foliage as a base – think of these as the bones of your arrangement – and tie them together to form a strong, supporting anchor.

Arrange more beautiful blooms higher, to make a feature of them. Think of your arrangement as a landscape, and include a variety of layers and heights to give the eye somewhere to travel.

Remove thorns from roses using a rose stripper (available from florist supply stores), or a tea towel. Don’t be too rough or you’ll damage the stems.

Remove any marked or imperfect petals or leaves. Check your arrangement regularly and cut out any flowers which are past their best.

If you’re having a party or celebration, recut and change the water of your arrangements on the day – they tend to lose energy over time and this will revive them.

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2. The pail

Plants used: Pomegranates, pepper tree, pink and cream flowering gum, hydrangea

Use the lip of the vase as a support and lean stems against it. Trailing foliage works well when it has somewhere to rest.

Use the height of the vase as a guide for the length of the stems, and always cut a little longer than you think. It’s easier to re-trim but impossible to extend!

Don’t be afraid to snip off a few leaves to better display flowers or berries. Flowering gums may need cleaning up – the caps look striking and sculptural even without the fluffy stamens.

You could recreate this arrangement with foliage from your own garden and a few store-bought blooms. Natives (and foliage) will generally last longer in the vase than cut flowers.

3. The cylinder

Plants used: Lotus, trailing amaranthus, Phalaenopsis orchid, palm leaves

Always cut stems on an angle so they don’t sit flat against the vase – this means it’s easier for the plant to drink. Cutting some shorter allows for a variety of heights.

Allow the flowers room to breathe, don’t cram them in. Flowers are always more beautiful when they are arranged loosely, in a natural way.

For this style of vase, it’s best to keep your arrangement simple and sculptural. The trailing plant helps to hide the vase – it’s in a supporting role, not the star. Tall vases are inclined to blow over, so place them somewhere safe.

Tidy up the edges of leaves if you need to. Large palm leaves work as a strong base, and can also be used to support (and show off) more delicate flowers.

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The week in pictures we all wanted

Claire LloydGreek Island Home

Photographer, author and creative Claire Lloyd spends much of her time on the Greek island of Lesvos, documented so beautifully in her book My Greek Island Home (available in today’s sale event). Claire and her partner, artist Matthew Usmar Lauder have also created My Greek Island Guesthouse, a retreat overlooking the Aegean Sea. Here she shares a slice of her enviable island life…

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Journal 2015

Imagery is my language and I the way I communicate.

It doesn’t matter whether I am creating a nurturing living space, taking a photograph, filming a moment in time, designing a brochure, painting a picture or serving a meal, I create imagery that moves beyond the one-dimensional, offering a living, breathing, sensory experience.

What I know about myself is that I love the smell of jasmine, sunshine, the sea, family, friends, creating nurturing spaces, flowers, light, animals and making people laugh. I also love nature, living with an artist, the colour white, soft fabrics, food, travelling, taking photos that ignite emotion, living in a community and finding beauty in the smallest detail.

Portrait on right by Carla Coulson

This is the entrance to My Greek Island Home Guesthouse, a place I created to share. It’s a pretty little house high up in the village with views to the Aegean Sea. The house is filled with natural light and is a serene and nurturing space, a great place to retreat to. On the right is

me with Mavroula, who was one of our rescue dogs. Mavroula was on a chain in the Greek countryside but she now lives very happily in the UK with lots of land to run around and patrol. There are horses too, who are her new best friends.

My Greek bedroom (left) is my favourite room in the house. The room is only small but it’s filled with the afternoon glow of warm sunshine. When I wake up I instantly feel happy, and happy is a great way to start the day. The chandelier came from a friend in London and Matthew made the wooden bed. It’s a treat sleeping on something that has been made especially for you.

My favourite fabric in the world is linen and I have to admit to having quite a lot of it. I wear linen pretty much every day and I love to sleep in it too. Linen sheets are an addiction. I have lovely old French ones and beautifully woven new ones. Here (right) is a stack waiting to be ironed. The texture is fab.

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The strong brush strokes and colour in this painting by Matthew Usmar Lauder move me. It captures the Aegean Sea perfectly.

I am a great lover of flowers and surround myself with them whether I am in London, Greece or Sydney. I really enjoy photographing them even when they have started to wilt. These hydrangea (left) have now dried out but their colours are fabulous. This photo has a painterly quality; it was shot in my Sydney apartment. The flowers came from my favourite Sydney floristGrandiflora (right). You can see by peeking into my Sydney flat that white and light are important wherever I am in the world.

Image by Nathalie Priem

This is the sitting room of our West London apartment – it sits above a pub. It has three enormous south facing sash windows, which flood the room with light. There is a fireplace at each end of the room. The large black and white painting above the fireplace is by my partner Matthew Usmar Lauder. I love the scale and strength of his painting. The small jewel like painting in between the windows is also by Matthew.

Sometimes at the end of the day I walk the dogs to the water where small Greek fishing boats sits on a very still Aegean Sea. The colours at this time of day are breathtaking. I LOVE Greece and My Greek Island Home. One of the joys of living in a Greek village is conversing with the locals. My Greek is not great but I love having time to be able to stop and chat. There are

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certainly plenty of opportunities for chatting, especially when spring arrives and the locals open up their shutters and come out from behind closed doors (right). This is a picture I took of one of our neighbours; she looks so small sitting in the shadows. The colour of her dress and apron sit perfectly with the metal gate.

I love entertaining and especially making things look pretty. Matthew made our dining room table and the benches at My Greek Island Home; they take up a large part of the small room. Here the table is set for lunch with flowers from the garden, old cutlery and linen napkins.

The porcelain jugs are from Turkey by my friend Tulya Madra. Meet Sweetie (right) our first rescue cat; we decided to keep her. Sweetie runs our house and gets very out of sorts when a new dog, puppy, cat or kitten, enters our garden – which is rather too regularly. Since we have lived in Lesvos we have rescued and re-homed a number of dogs and cats. They have been sent as far away as Chicago. They all have been given the love and care they deserve.

This simple little bedside shelf (left) was another great find by Matthew. The vase was my mum’s, so it has sentimental value. The hydrangea is from the garden and the candle is from a collection by my friend Louise in London at The Stanley Supply Store. I have rose quartz by my bed because it represents love.

Images by Claire Lloyd except where noted.

Follow Claire on Instagram @clairelloydloves and @mygreekislandhome

Sometimes at the end of the day I walk the dogs to the water where small Greek fishing boats sits on a very still Aegean Sea. The colours at this time of day are breathtaking.

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Journal 2015

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Journal 2015

The most festive feast

a Christmas feastwith seafood and sangria

We styled this Christmas table just for your dining delight. It’s a casually elegant mix — layered linens with organic-inspired patterns contrasting against the gleaming copper cutlery and crystal glassware. It works if your Christmas is headed outdoors, but you still want to create a special setting.

To complete the scene, our food expert Jono Fleming shares his recipe for salt & pepper squid with a spicy kick, and a refreshing prosecco cocktail that could easily work any time from breakfast onwards…

Salt and Pepper SquidIngredients

½ bunch of mint3 shallots2 teaspoons Chinese 5 spice2 teaspoons salt1 teaspoons white pepper100g plain flour400-500g of fresh squid, or squid tubes, (you can get your fishmonger to clean them for you)2 cups vegetable oil, or enough to fill a medium pan to around 8cm4-5 small red chillies, sliced

Preparation

Pick the leaves off the mint and wash them. Slice the white parts of the shallots down the middle and slice into 3cm strips. With the green parts, cut into small pieces on an angle. Place the mint and shallots into a small bowl with iced water, set aside.

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In a mixing bowl, add the 5 spice, salt and pepper and flour, mix together and set aside.

With the squid, cut the hoods into triangle shapes, and score lightly in a criss cross pattern. This will help the squid curl up when fired in the oil. Pat dry with a paper towel and coat them in the spiced flour mix.

Heat the vegetable oil on the stove to about 190 degrees, and fry the squid in batches until golden brown. They will cook pretty quickly, in about 2 minutes or so. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and rest on paper towels. Throw the chilli slices in with the last batch and remove when they are a bit blistered, which should take about 2 minutes.

Drain the mint and shallot, toss together along with the cooked chilli and season the cooked squid to taste.

Prosecco Sangria with cucumber mint syrupIngredients

1 bottle Prosecco, chilled1 cucumber10 mint leaves1 cup of caster sugar1 cup of water

Preparation

Peel and slice the cucumber. Wash the mint leaves and set aside.

In a small saucepan, add the water and sugar and on a medium heat, stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the cucumber and mint and continue on the heat for 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and set aside for about 10 minutes. Strain and pour into a small jug and place in the fridge overnight. The longer the mixture sits the better the flavours will mix.

To serve, pour about 2 teaspoons of cucumber syrup into each flute or glass, top with Prosecco and garnish with a slice of cucumber, some mint and a few blueberries.

Summer

favourite!

Photography – Denise Braki. Styling & food – Jono Fleming

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Journal 2015

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter, melted2 tbsp water¼ tsp vanilla extracta pinch of salt2 tbsp cocoa powder3 tbsp caster sugar4 tbsp plain floura pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)a pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)

Preparation

In a mug, mix the melted butter, water and vanilla extract until combined. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until the mixture is smooth.

Put in the microwave and cook for 1 minute. Remove (be careful, the mug will be hot!). Top with a dollop of ice cream and enjoy!

The tastiest treat

The 1 minute mug brownie

Our food stylist Jono Fleming describes this amazing little dish as a ‘food hug’. We were a little sceptical until he demonstrated it in the T&W studio, and now we’re true believers.

Assuming you’ve got all the ingredients in your pantry, you can have a warm, fudgy brownie in your hands within three minutes. True story. Your kids won’t believe their luck – add ice cream and it’s a weeknight dessert to be proud of. Adults might enjoy the chilli kick of cayenne pepper.

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