edition
notes from our melbourne interior design studio, exploring materials, furniture, colour and art. we look at the choices that shape a room, share practical ideas for your home and consider the work of designers and makers who inspire us.
these articles are part of our design archive. older colour forecasts, product selections and event references reflect the time they were published.
a home that works for you and your pets
considered flooring, rugs and upholstery for a home shared with pets. practical furniture selection and interior styling insights from our melbourne studio.
melbourne makers to look at closely
when looking at furniture and lighting, it helps to spend time with the details: the way a timber joint is made, how a shade holds the light or how a stone edge meets its base.
looking inside two palm springs homes
sunburst palms and seventies sackley offer two different ways to bring furniture, colour and an outdoor setting together. featured around modernism week in palm springs, both are worth looking at beyond the appeal of their individual pieces.
finding a quieter place at home
materials, natural light and places to pause: reflections on a comfortable home, considered within a complete residential interior.
five australian artists with something different to see
art is often the part of a room that feels most personal. you may be drawn to a colour, a surface or something in the work that is difficult to explain straight away.
is it time to change the house or the way you use it?
five questions to establish a considered renovation brief, connecting spatial planning, comfort, bespoke joinery and materials with the character of the existing home.
five designs from stockholm to look at closely
five furniture and object references from stockholm design week 2021. a conversation between structure, surface and sculptural form.
small changes that make a room more inviting
a room can feel more inviting without a new sofa or a complete change of colour. sometimes the useful difference is a lamp within reach, a softer fabric against your back or a clear space for a favourite vase.
making room for grey and yellow
pantone’s pairing of ultimate gray and illuminating for 2021 puts a quiet grey beside a much brighter yellow. they do not need equal space to work together.
gifts chosen for the person who will use them
the best gift for a home is not always another decorative object. it might be a glass someone enjoys drinking from, a plant for the window they tend every morning or a vase they would never have chosen for themselves.
making an outdoor area easier to use
planning, furniture and final layers for an outdoor room that feels connected to the home, with materials selected for its particular setting.
setting a table people can enjoy sitting at
a restrained composition of dinnerware, linen and light, with room for conversation and the meal. reflections on a thoughtfully set table.
why it helps to see furniture in person
a photograph cannot tell you whether a chair supports your back or how a fabric feels against your arm. it can also make a substantial piece look much smaller than it is.
a few changes for a lighter bedroom
when the weather changes, you may want the bedroom to feel a little lighter too. start with the things you touch and use every day, rather than assuming the walls need repainting.
choosing a scent for your home
scent is a very personal part of a room. something you enjoy may be too strong for someone else, so try it with the people who share the space before making it a regular feature.
finding your own colours in the dulux palettes
retreat, nourish and reset: dulux’s 2021 palettes revisited through the relationships between colour, light and existing materials.
five australian furniture practices to spend time with
when furniture catches your eye, try to work out what you like about it. perhaps it is the stone, the way the legs meet the top or how the upholstery gives a generous shape a softer edge.
homebuilder and the decisions behind a renovation
an updated note on our 2020 homebuilder article. the scheme is closed; the lasting focus is a clear brief and coordinated renovation design.
asking better questions about materials
a product described as natural or recycled can be interesting without answering every question about how it is made or how long it will last. look beyond the first label.
seven ways to look at art and objects
a painting, photograph or small vessel can change what you notice in a room. sometimes it becomes the first thing you see; sometimes it rewards a closer look from a favourite chair.