Displaying posts labeled "Sponsored"

The days are getting warmer and the holiday season is just about to hot up. It’s almost Summer in Australia and New Zealand! Is your home looking washed out after winter? Does it need a little zhush before family and friends get together? Have no idea where to start? Luckily I had the chance to ask Korryn Bentley, homewares buyer at Freedom to help with a few timely ideas.

What are your quick and easy tips for breathing fresh life into your home for Summer?

I’m a fan of overhauling my winter block out curtains with fresh white sheer curtains. It’s inexpensive, quick and easy and will make a striking impact to your room.

I’m also getting my green thumb on and doing a freshen up in the garden and repotting my planters with new colourful petunia’s. That burst of colour is the perfect ‘WELCOME HOME’ – and even if you’re just potting up some succulents, your pots can add the pop of colour – perfect for Summer.

What trends are strong this season?

All things oak! For so long oaks and lighter colour timbers have been dressing typically coastal looking homes – but the rules have changed and we’re seeing the soft tone of oak as a great anchor in home interiors for monochromatic colour palettes of black and white or fun combinations of bold statement colours. It’s new, it’s fresh and I love it.

It’s that time of the year with lots of financial strains. What’s the light on cash but big on style piece from Freedom? You know, that piece I will love, love, love but won’t feel guilty about buying.

The Trigon Floor Rug – at only $229 it’s a steal! Triangles are the new Chevron for Summer and we have the product that covers this off entirely – made of wool, it is easy to take care of and instantly brings bold style into the home – and it’s a bargain!

Speaking of love, what is your favourite piece from Freedom‘s Summer Collection?

Brunch in Zest – Summer to me is all about outdoor breakfast after a swim and this is perfect for that. With the sand still on my toes, I can hang out on my balcony with a good magazine, a fruit salad and I might as well be on holidays. I can feel it now!

This is a sponsored post in partnership with Freedom.

THIS POST IS SPONSORED

Being organized, especially in a small space, is SO important. I know all too well, living in a space that’s under 1000 sq ft with NO closets. NONE. Not having a spot for everything makes me crazy. Having 2 jobs keeps me really busy and when I get home, I need things organized and out of sight to maintain my sanity. One of my organization projects was my dressing room. It was done on the cheap as a temporary project and worked out really well but I cannot wait to have a proper dressing room with SPACE and a spot for everything. California Closets are a company I have grown to love over the years and will be scoping out their closet design solutions as they carry everything you could need in styles ranging from traditional to modern. To have shelving for all of my footwear from boots to pumps, long and short hanging space, drawers for storing undergarments (right now I use storage boxes – really not ideal) and jewelry and belts….oh the possibilities!!!

California Closets don’t stop at closets – they even have storage solutions for garages, entryways, media centres, wall beds, pantries and offices. Could I ever use a decent office set up! Right now I use a tiny desk stuck in the space between the end of my kitchen cabinets and the side table next to my sofa. These guys have home office design solutions that will create the perfect spot for each and every pen, paper, bill and other crap that seems to accumulate around your desk. *sigh*

This post is in partnership with California Closets but all opinions are my own.

I have been at a loss with what to do with my dining room. It’s been a couple of years since we painted it a rich, dark blue and since then… nothing. We never use it. It’s a passage way, a sad old table used as a dumping ground. But that’s about to change. When one of our advertisers, RelaxHouse, offered to send me some bentwood chairs to try out I jumped at the offer. Dining room you’re getting a shake up.

After I stripped the room of all furniture (and boxes and assorted crap), I moved in a cowhide and my old trestle table. We (hubby, a friend and lots of bossing opinions from me) hung a wooden bead chandelier I had left in its wrapping since March. And then I waited for the chairs to arrive. Not very long as it turned out. A couple of days after ordering, two boxes with my beauties arrived at my door. The Vienna 18 and the Le Corbusier B9 Armchair, both white, both with natural wood socks, both seriously sexy. The chairs come directly from the Polish factory (founded by Thonet’s son) that has been creating them for well beyond 120 years. The quality and finish are fabulous. But there was one problem. I wanted to use them all over the house. Dining room, kitchen table, hallway, office, even in the bathroom.

I have settled on my original plan. I’ll be picking up a few more to complete the set and I think they will work as a perfect foil against the dark blue walls. But maybe I should get pink, or yellow, or green. That’s my next problem. The chairs are available in a rainbow of colours as well as a black and natural socks combo. Decisions. Decisions. Then there are the Czech made Brokis lamps and lighting. Yum. Might have a get one of those too!

This post is in partnership with RelaxHouse and Huset but all opinions are my own.

Brisbane locals will have the rare opportunity to explore 71 of the city’s most historic and architecturally unique buildings when they open their doors for the fourth annual Brisbane Open House. This free event provides visitors with the rare opportunity to discover a wealth of architecturally diverse, well-designed and historic buildings in Brisbane. Held over two days on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 October, BOH 2013 promises something for everyone. Guided and self-guided tours encourage participants to explore, re-examine and engage with Brisbane’s built environment – opening eyes and minds to good design and curious spaces. You can find out more at the Brisbane Open House website.

Winter is almost over in my part of the world. Hooray! Summer is on the way. This time of the year is about beautiful sunny days, making the most of Australia’s great outdoors and, of course, entertaining family and friends. What better time to banish the old white crockery to the back of the kitchen cupboard and shake things up with Freedom‘s bright and bold new tableware. There’s Sorrento, organic shapes in knocked-back hues of Seafoam, Nougat and Duck Egg. Jett is totally tactile with retro shapes, matte exterior and high gloss interior. Colour is big this year and Jett is available in Midnight Blue, Pomegranate, Stone and Canary. I’m a sucker for the Drift range. Think hand painted stripes and drops while Impressions allows you to layer up your everyday plates with boho ikat patterns.

How do I know all this? I have to come clean 😉 Freedom flew me to Sydney and wined me and dined me and provided wonderful company (magazine editors, stylists and fellow bloggers). A stylish restaurant (The Sailor’s Club at Rose Bay), stunning scenery and a beautiful summery table full of Freedom‘s wares. Fabulous styling by Mr Jason Grant. Thank you Freedom for a wonderful day! The fact that I love your new range isn’t because I drank too many Bellinis. It’s because it really is fantastic. Available in store now.