Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2018 i Real Living Australia

CAN YOU HAVE TOO MANY VASES? I think not. There are so many different ways to arrange flowers, it’s only natural that you’d need a “wardrobe” of vessels to display them in, right? But if I had to limit myself to just three, I’d choose a bud vase for bedside posies, a short fishbowl for coffee table flowers and a tall cylinder for those big, special-occasion bunches. That said, spring is here and I’m mad for florals, so bring on the vases! This issue, we’ve found 92 of them for you to shop, starting at only $5. What’s your favourite way to display blooms? Take a pic for Instagram and tag us @reallivingmag. While we’re on the topic of a new-season refresh, now is the time to ditch all the…

THE ALVAR AALTO VASE ISN’T JUST FOR HOLDING FLOWERS. IT CAN BE USED TO DISPLAY FRUIT OR STAND ALONE AS ART THE YEAR IS 1937 and the name on everyone’s lips is Aalto – or as it was known back then, the Savoy – a glass vase that won first prize at the Paris World Fair. A year earlier, an architect by the name of Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto had entered the vase into a design competition held by the Iittala glass factory in Finland, which was looking for pieces to display in the World Fair’s Finnish pavilion. Aalto was an architect by trade, but working with glass objects offered an opportunity for him to explore his more spontaneous and creative sides. The vase was, in fact, one of many…

feelin’ rosy down to earth purple haze cool collection…

1. layer up If you haven’t already tried the layered rug look, take inspiration from this textural and visually pleasing example we prepared earlier. The trick is to choose rugs in complementary shades and patterns for a cohesive look. 2. in the zone Rugs are a godsend for open-plan spaces, helping to create defined zones by grouping furniture items together. As a general rule, the front legs of your sofas or chairs should rest on the rug for an anchored look. 3. soft landing Got hard floors in your bedroom? A rug placed next to the bed helps absorb sound, adds warmth underfoot and makes it a tad easier to get out of bed each morning, knowing your feet have a comfy landing spot. 3 flooring types to try Rugs…

smooth move A curved island bench softens the look and is a practical consideration for high-traffic areas – no sharp corners for clumsy cooks or kids. MODERN ELEGANCE THE LAYOUT If you love to entertain, this sleek and classic kitchen design is for you. A large island blends the kitchen and dining zones and encourages guests to pull up a stool while you put finishing touches on the meal. A pair of ovens at waist height are easy to access, but tucked just out of sight, adding to the resolved scheme. FINISHES Dark floorboards create an element of drama and elegance alongside the simple white cabinets and marble benchtops. A slender brass light – a contemporary touch – cleverly echoes subtle brass detailing in the island bench, door hinges and…

You’ll need: A mixed selection of dried foliage, vases and a block of floral foam. 1 Choose low-maintenance varieties that will dry thoroughly, such as pampas grass, cotton, wheat, eucalyptus, baby’s breath, twisted willow branches, tallow berry, lavender and sculptural twigs. 2 Experiment with different containers and textures. A straw tote or basket filled with rice flowers, lavender and bunny tail grass will lend a French provincial feel. 3 Dry your own blooms, selecting flowers that aren’t completely open yet (they’ll continue to open as they dry). Cut off unnecessary foliage, use string to group flowers into small bundles or leave as individual stems, then hang upside down in a cool, dark, dry place. 4 Insert floral foam at the base of your vase. Evenly distribute the tallest foliage first,…

we are family Charlie, five, lives with Jessica and her partner Beau Sherrard. Jessicabellef.com; @jessicabellef treats Charlie is a rugged little rascal who’s seen a lot of adventure in his short lifetime. Now, this sweet boy has found a home right where he truly belongs. Where did you meet Charlie? At an animal shelter in Western Sydney. He’d been through a few homes before being found on the street and taken there. He was a nervous wreck when we first met him. Luckily he’s chilled out since. What breed is Charlie, and why did you choose him? He’s a patchwork of breeds. Terrier mixed with kelpie and dressed as a German Shepherd. We wanted a cheeky dog who’d help us take life less seriously. Charlie was the perfect match. Is…

orange-brined chicken with freekeh, blood orange & fennel salad Serves 4–6Prep time 45 mins, plus preserving and brining timeCooking time 1 hour 30 mins 1 (1.8kg) chicken3 blood oranges, 1 quartered, 2 segmented1 head garlic, halved, plus 1 clove extra, finely chopped200g cracked freekeh½ Spanish onion, thinly sliced1 tbsp lemon juice1 tbsp blood orange juice1½ tbsp sherry vinegar60ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil2 baby fennel bulbs, thinly sliced on mandolin, fronds reserved¾ cup each (loosely packed) flatleaf parsley, coriander and mint PRESERVED BLOOD ORANGES 100g (1 cup) sea salt flakes2 blood oranges, halved, skin on60ml (¼ cup) each blood orange juice and lemon juice ORANGE BRINE 160g sea salt flakes55g (¼ cup) brown sugar55ml sherry vinegar2 blood oranges, halved1 lemon, halved1 head garlic, halved1 tsp each dried chilli flakes…

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SPICE TEMPLE Brewed in Melbourne, Chai Addict masala chai concentrates are made from organic spices including cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and clove, and come in two delicious blends. Mix with your preferred milk and serve hot or iced. From $25 for 300ml; Chaiaddict.com.au LET YOUR IMAGINATION BLOOM Just when we thought we’d seen it all, Barcelona-based design brand Octaevo creates a collection of paper vases! Made from water-resistant paper, each piece is expertly hand-stitched, gold foil-stamped and printed with colourful motives inspired by the Mediterranean. They make a thoughtful gift for your design-obsessed friends, too. $29.95 each; Milligram.com GRAPHIC CONTENT ITALIAN WALLPAPER COMPANY LONDONART HAS LAUNCHED FIVE NEW PATTERNS. DESIGNED BY ARCHITECTS AND INTERIOR DESIGNERS ANDREA MARCANTE AND ADELAIDE TESTA, EACH ONE IS CUSTOM MADE TO FIT ANY WALL. LONDONART.IT STAFF…

“MY WORK ALLOWS ME TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER LIKE-MINDED CREATIVES. IT’S PART OF MY PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY AND IT MAKES FLEURETTE WHAT IT IS” THE TERM FLORAL CHOREOGRAPHY SEEMS A FITTING WAY to describe the work of Christelle Scifo. After all, the creative director, consultant and stylist was once a ballet dancer, studying and living in Paris. Thanks to a childhood spent surrounded by a family of artists and gardeners, it’s little surprise that Christelle chose a creative path. “It happened gradually and naturally,” she reflects. “The art, flowers and fashion were always there, through part-time jobs and internships with brands and magazines.” She began styling after an injury put a halt to her dance career, and at 28 she launched Fleurette, a multidisciplinary studio involving set design, floral styling and…

who lives here? Laura Gauthier Petit, founder and creative director of Parisian fashion label Fête Impériale, her husband Pascal and their 11-year-old son Maël. Feteimperiale.fr; @laurairinap and @feteimperiale GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT, and none more so than Laura Gauthier Petit, who spent two years searching for the perfect family home in the Marais district of Paris. The fashion designer wanted somewhere within a few blocks of her fashion studio, her son Maël’s school and her husband’s restaurant, and she finally struck gold in the form of a partially renovated apartment on the sixth floor of an old printing works factory. “The building had been gutted and all that remained was part of the roof,” Laura recalls. “To get an idea of what the view from the future…

at home 1 Splice Boutique, Freshwater Just a few streets from my home, this boutique is my go-to for local fashion designers Zulu & Zephyr, Kacey Devlin, Bec & Bridge and Viktoria & Woods. Spliceboutique.com.au 2 Water Tiger, St Peters I stay up to date with Water Tiger’s deliveries via Instagram. When a new shipping container arrives filled with exotic finds from India or Turkey, I want one of everything (especially the large Turkish pots)! Watertiger.com.au 3 Mamapapa, Avalon Beach I always fall in love with something at Mamapapa. Owner Virgine Batterson’s eye for detail is truly exceptional. Mamapapa.com.au 4 Commune Bondi, Bondi Junction It takes a lot for me to leave my home on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, but I’ll venture to the Eastern Suburbs for Commune Bondi. I love their range of rustic ceramics,…

THE RULES OF DECLUTTERING are simple: get rid of any unwanted stuff, find an easily accessible place for the items that remain, and endeavour to keep everything in that place. No more hunting around for your keys/wallet/glasses each morning, rifling desperately through drawers to find a pair of matching socks or skidding on a Matchbox car that was helpfully left in the hallway. Instead, our stress levels dissipate and we get more time to do the things that we love – exercise, cooking, reading, movie marathons on the couch… you get the gist. Sounds heavenly, right? Here are 30 clever tricks to make this dream scenario a reality. 1 pack your bags Hang onto those cardboard tubes when you use up your paper towels or cling wrap, and use them…

1 DOUBLE DIPPING Even if your employer offers paid maternity leave, you can also access the Government’s Paid Parental Leave. The so-called “doubledipping” law wasn’t passed, so technically you can get both. How much leave and pay entitlement you get from your employer comes down to your employment contract. The Paid Parental Leave scheme, which is fully government funded, is paid for a maximum period of 18 weeks at $719.20 a week before tax (the national minimum wage). Parental Leave Pay can only be taken by one parent at a time, but if you go back to work and you haven’t used the full 18 weeks of leave, your partner can take the rest of the leave if they become the primary carer and are eligible. 2 DAD & PARTNER…

A BEAUTIFUL CONTRAST BETWEEN CHAOS AND CALM is what you’ll find as you weave your way through India. A relentless cacophony of beeping car horns, overwhelming flashes of vibrant colour and mix of intoxicating smells (both good and not so good) are matched with a friendly smile and generous offer of assistance at every twist and turn. But with so many enchanting and unexpected things waiting to be discovered around every corner, where do you start? Maybe it’s the heaving spice markets in Old Delhi, Agra’s breathtaking tombs and forts, a tranquil boat trip along the holy Ganges river in Varanasi or a magical lake palace in Udaipur. Read on for our insider’s guide to the best places to stay and eat, and the top things to see and do…

flowers boutierre girls & floral interiors Pair up contrasting styles If you have an antique or antique-look armchair THAT YOU JUST CAN’T PART WITH, team it with something modern like a minimalistic side table. The same goes for other pairings: BEDS AND BEDSIDE TABLES, DESKS AND LAMPS AND SO ON. Make the pieces work together through a common thread like a similar COLOUR PALETTE, MATERIAL OR SHAPE. Rework your existing pieces Love your new dining chairs, but THEY’RE NOT QUITE WORKING WITH YOUR OLD TABLE? If you can’t paint it, a tablecloth will work wonders – choose a COLOUR OR PATTERN that works with the rest of your home’s style. Be PLAYFUL WITH TABLE SETTINGS, too. Mix your Granny’s dinner set with super-modern cutlery for A BESPOKE LOOK.…

Fisher & Paykel know the size of your laundry shouldn’t mean you have to compromise on the style or efficiency of your appliances. Offering intelligent, intuitive design, their front and top loader washing machines and dryers suit busy lifestyles and modern homes, from studio apartments to spacious family residences. When space is limited, a washer dryer combo is a practical solution that’s easy to install and fits seamlessly into cabinetry. In tight spots, separate washers and dryers look sleek side-by-side or stacked, and for larger laundries, a top-loader with a capacity up to 10 kilograms is the answer to family-sized loads. Designed with world-first SmartDrive™ technology, Fisher & Paykel washing machines adjust the wash action so your clothes are always taken care of. Dryers with heat pump technology use a…

who lives here? Christine Bauer, an interiors photographer. Christinebauer.com; @christinebauerphoto IT’S HARD TO COMMIT TO JUST ONE INTERIOR STYLE. In the 22 years that photographer Christine Bauer has lived in her Munich home, its walls have witnessed the rebirth of baroque, a floral phase and a swinging ’60s period. And yet, her turn-of-the-century apartment feels impeccably composed. “At home, I try to bring together lots of different styles,” Christine says. FULL CIRCLE Rare pieces of vintage furniture from different decades fill every room, but what ties each space together are the pastel walls in soft shades of pink, aqua and mint. Christine prefers tonal combinations, so furniture and decorative items in complementary shades of blue and turquoise, and emerald and sage, are grouped together to create visual harmony. To foster…

This month we take floral inspiration and style cues from the 2019 Paris and Milan resortwear collections…

You’ll need: Drop sheets; electric drill or screwdriver; soft scourer; mild detergent; fine sandpaper; cloth; painter’s tape; White Knight tile & laminate primer, and laminate paint in colour of your choice; paint stirrer; paint tray; cutting-in paintbrush; roller 1 Clear benchtops and cover floor and appliances with drop sheets. 2 Remove drawer and cupboard handles using a drill or screwdriver. 3 Clean cupboard and drawer fronts using soft scourer and mild detergent. Sand lightly then wipe with damp cloth; allow to dry. 4 Use painter’s tape to create edges around back of doors and anywhere you don’t want paint. 5 Stir primer and pour into tray. Use paintbrush to cut in any edges or tight spots. Use paint roller to apply an even coat (not too thick) to one surface…

who lives here? Mariah Burton, interior designer and director of Folk Studio, and her fiancé Caleb Madder, a carpenter. Folkstudiodesign.com; @folk.studio___ MARIAH BURTON WILL BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU THAT renovating a property wasn’t something she and her fiancé Caleb had considered doing in their early twenties. But the young couple decided to embark on their biggest adventure to date when, in May 2017, they purchased their first home, an apartment in Dee Why on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Built in 1974, the space was dark, lifeless and “stuck in the ’70s”, Mariah says. “Think cigarette stains on the walls, vermiculite ceilings and a brown shag carpet.” Though the interior was rundown, it provided the perfect reno challenge, and despite their previous reservations, Mariah and Caleb were excited to tackle…

MIKARLA BAUER IS A SELF-CONFESSED flower freak. “I was surrounded by flowers from an early age. My grandmother was a florist and as a child I followed her around her magical flower room,” she says. After studying interior design, she took a floristry course and started a business with her husband called Wilderness Flowers. Based in Bangalow, NSW, Mikarla’s big old double-garage workshop overflows with flowers and foliage for events and weddings. “I love every aspect of my job,” she says. “My favourite thing is the flowers, the smell, shape, imperfections, magnificence.” Want to get more beauty and life from your next bunch of flowers? Read on for Mikarla’s top tips. What’s the best way to display a single stem? Choose a vase or vessel that complements and supports the…