This year I have had the pleasure of working on a project very different to any other I’ve undertaken – the design of Auckland’s first co-living space, The COH. A concept popular in big cities around the world, co-living is the trend of living with other like-minded people in a space that encourages its residents to interact together and create community. This version of communal living is designed with young working professionals in mind, each having their own bedroom but sharing kitchen and living spaces.
We’re super duper excited to find out we’re one of five to make the shortlist for Best International Interior Designer Blog at the Amara Interior Blog Awards 2019. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in London during November.
“That’s great” you might say “but tell me more about these awards.”
The brainchild of English retail giant Amara and their belief that bloggers are an integral part of the interior design community, the awards were introduced in 2013 as a way to celebrate and engage with the most authoritative and respected bloggers in the interior design industry. Each year the campaign has grown in size and now in its sixth year, the 2019 awards will be bigger than ever.
The blog awards are made up of a series of phases throughout a three month period, beginning with nominations & voting. Judges’ views combine with the public vote to give the blogs in each category an overall score. The top 5 in each category are then shortlisted. The process culminates at a beautiful awards ceremony in London where the lucky winners are crowned.
Thank you to everyone who has read our blog and special thanks to those who took the time to vote for us. We are honoured to be counted amongst such talent!
To find out more about the shortlisted blogs, visit Amara Interior Blog Awards.
It’s a favourite in restaurants and a must in caravans but built-in seating in the dining area, called banquette seating, has truly and successfully transitioned into the home environment. Popularised in the 50’s and 60’s, banquettes are a little bit retro but modernised today with refined materials, designs and details. There is something so cozy and intimate about banquette seating and we know that it’s always the first spot to be full at restaurants. They can run along a single wall or fit within a corner or alcove proving an incomparably efficient way to fit a lot of seating into a small space, even awkward ones! Build storage into the area under the bench seat and it’s a double win on space efficiency. There is plenty of opportunity to add comfort, style and personality with upholstered cushions on top and enjoy the flexibility of adding dining chairs or benches if you want. Whether your home is low on space or you’re just looking for the best way to use what you have, banquette seating really does make a lot of sense.
Colour perception is deeply personal and has a tangible effect on how we feel both mentally and physically. So colour choices for your home should always be about what you love, the mood you aim to create and the purpose of the space. That said, colour trends are interesting to watch and undoubtedly influence our choices be it on a conscious or sub-conscious level.
Prompted by a move back to Auckland my clients undertook a substantial renovation of their home in Glendowie – a late 1960’s weatherboard and concrete home with the bones and potential to cater for a busy family’s varied needs. It has been a joy to join them on their renovation journey and help bring their dreams and visions for their reinvented home to life.
The thought of rattan might take you back to your Nana’s porch but this natural and durable material is making a huge comeback. Not seen in such volume since the eighties, classic rattan is being reinvented in modern and stylish forms.
It is perhaps best known for bringing a laid-back beachy vibe to an interior, but sophisticated reinventions look equally at home in more refined spaces too and across many different design styles, from contemporary to classic, French Provincial to Scandinavian.
It mixes well with existing pieces of furniture and brings a valued layer of texture and warmth – particularly striking juxtaposed against harder surfaces such as stone, concrete and mirror.
Easily adapted for all rooms and budgets, from small accents like trays, wall-art and baskets to large statement-making furniture. It’s versatile to use from the backyard to the bedroom and has evolved to include bedheads, drawers, tables, chairs, daybeds, pendant lights, cots, baskets and much more.
And definitely not restricted to it’s natural colour, rattan responds well to a myriad of colours and finishes – striking in black, laid back whitewash, warm walnut or painted colour for a truly customised outcome.
Winter’s chill has hit, but the colder temperatures are no excuse for being blue. Adding warmth and depth to your home interior with rich tones and soft, inviting textures will make you love winter like never before. Here are my top 5 tips to warm up your home this season.
WALLPAPER – I LOVE it and the power it yields to completely transform a space with personality, individuality and style. From large dramatic designs to subtle depth and dimension created by small patterns and textures, the ever-increasing choice available is exciting, if not a little daunting. If you are tempted to incorporate wallpaper somewhere in your home, read on for my top tips on finding the ideal wallpaper to complement you and your home’s personality.
I love the use of the classical herringbone pattern in the modern interior. Herringbone tiles are a great way to add a little movement, texture and a touch of the unexpected to any space – consider tiled floors, walls in kitchens, bathrooms and even fireplace surrounds. If you prefer to keep it classic, a simple white tile and crisp white grout is your best bet. For a more contemporary look think cool neutrals, natural textures and marble. Or go for real impact with a vibrant pop of colour in a high gloss tile or a dark moody colour contrasted with a lighter grout line.
With a vast array of choice, tapware has been elevated from a functional must-have to an opportunity to add major style factor. Sexy black tapware has been a steady trend for some time now and shows no signs of slowing down. It makes a stylish and confident statement that is contemporary yet classic. Paired with white bathware to create a monochromatic room the contrast is striking and sculptural. Soften the contrast by combining with warm metallics such as copper and brass and the balance of timber tones. It will accentuate the veins in marble for a sophisticated look and works equally well with raw industrial elements of concrete and burnished metals. So, will it date? In my opinion, if it relates well to the other elements in the room, black has timeless style.