Styling Dilemma : Flowers v. Greenery

Surely nothing beats a beautiful bloom, whether it is a vase overflowing with flowers in a single colour, an organic native bunch (Poho Flowers arranges some of our favourite natives) or a simplistic single stem. 

That said, greenery on its own packs one heck of a punch. 

Source: Poho Flowers

So which do you choose? 

Choice largely depends on budget and time; time to change the water and snip the ends of flowers regularly. 

Personally I use a mix of both. At home I love to use white flowers, and a lot of them. My go-to is a massive vase filled with the humble daisy or lilies smack bang in the middle of the dining table. Every now and again I mix it up and plonk in a massive fig branch or two for drama and height. 

Source: The Design Convention

In other areas of the house, such as the girls’ rooms, I use smaller bunches of pastel coloured flowers in smaller vases. 

When styling properties, I switch it up and opt for greenery alone. It has a longer life span and if the property is vacant the water doesn’t need to be changed as often as flowers. That was until the dried flower movement came along.

Source: One Kings Lane NY

Dried Flowers

Low fuss, long-lasting, pollen-void bunches of dried flowers have fast become a trend and wow have dried flowers come a long way since the eighties. 

Everbloome is a Melbourne based florist that creates gorgeous dried flowers  designed to last up to seven years. You can choose a basket of flowers to arrange yourself, or pre-arranged masterpieces with or without a vase. The acrylic wall-mounted vase in raspberry is simply beautiful and may just have to find a way into my shopping cart. 

Source: Everbloome

Source: Everbloome Raspberry Acrylic Vase

During Melbourne’s lockdown last year, Tallulah and Zane was created. Based in Hawthorn, founder Courtney creates beautiful arrangements that really last. The mini’s are adorable, but my favourite would have to be Tessa. 

Source: Tallulah and Zane: Tessa

Source: Tallulah and Zane: Mini

Which ever type of floral arrangement you choose, be sure to keep in mind colour, texture and height of the arrangement for each space you are styling. 

A few tips for arranging real flowers: 

• Always trim flowers at an angle

• Remove any foliage that will be below water level 

• Use a clean vase

• Refresh the water daily

• Give your arrangement some flower food

• Use fresh, local, and seasonal flowers

• Incorporate unexpected elements

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Online Consultations with TDC studio

When life gives you lockdowns...you head online.

While we're all staying safe at home you can still plan your move or seek help with refreshing your home.

We've opened up online consultations to chat through any help you may need with your property.

Send us an email at hello@thedesignconvention.com.au for details and to schedule a session.

Stay safe Melbourne x

Best of the Press: Summer

There is something wonderful about Summer, the days seem long and there are many more opportunities to find a quiet place to sit, slow down and open and magazine. And that’s exactly the thing I did this Summer. In fact, I read so many magazines, that I thought I’d share the best of the press for those of you who perhaps don’t share my magazine addiction.  

First up, there is a new title on the market; Design Anthology (technically it was launched in Hong Kong previously but this is the first Australian Edition). This beauty of a magazine is glorious. Suzy Annetta and her team have done an amazing job with this publication. The curation of interiors, art, architecture and travel is en pointe. There is a beautiful showcase of antipodean designers and craftspeople and the pottery of Damon Moon is one stunning example. This range is called Thrown and was made as a dinnerware series for the JamFactory collection. His pieces are hand thrown, glazed and fired in the JamFactory studio. 

Fete/Life has always been one of my go-to titles, the styling and photography is clever and appears simple, which is a credit to superb styling and a sharp eye. Jane Cameron and Annabelle Kerslake have extended this beautiful brand and have recently launched Fete/Events. They have an exclusive venue in the Adelaide Hills which they style in their signature simple, monochromatic and seamless approach. I clicked through and read their online brochure (you can see it here) and boy it looks stunning. I am just trying to dream up a reason to have a party in a different state to where I live…

They’ve also showcased the Base To-Market bag (which I received for Christmas) it’s made from washable paper (yep, seriously). It’s reusable and eco-friendly and made to withstand daily use. It’s super comfy to carry as it has sturdy cotton straps that fit over your shoulder. I love it.

Adore Home had a bumper Summer edition. Vivian Panagos’ house was a standout to me with the use of the Gabriella mirrorby Sarah Ellison. This rattan and curved top mirror is bound to be popular, in fact I have seen it in several instagram accounts this Summer. It’ll bring a relaxed but not shabby style to a room, I’d pair it in a white room (who am I kidding, my entire house is white) or even pop it on a pink, mustard or navy wall. If you live in the city I’d keep it away from other rattan furniture though so it has room to be stylish, too much rattan together can tend to look a little beachy.

Inside Out had one of my favourite houses of the Summer. Leah Henricks’ renovated home in Sydney had the most beautiful palette of natural colours, the sage green kitchen is inspiring. Sometimes earthy tones can look a bit dull but the lighter shades of green add interest and softness to a white kitchen.

The children’s room decoration spread ranged from funky fun to tween dream, but it was the fir baby spread that caught my eye. For starters there was the divine Rachel Castle bed linen (the fern print is one of my all time favourites) and when paired with the teal Camomile London quilt the palette became ‘quiet’ and very soothing. The pop of peach in the clay light by Lighting Collective was a master stroke. A white light would have made the wallpaper over power the bed and a rattan lightshade would have been fighting for attention with the bed too.

The other article that resonated with me was the design profile on Poho Flowers and its owner Ed West. I love a florist with a signature style and Poho Flowers is one that has a contemporary edge to a heritage feeling and classic bouquet. Jump on over to follow their instagram feed…you’ll soon be adding a little more colour to your weekly floral arrangements. In fact, Ed made a great point when he said to trust your florist…how many times have we popped in to the florist and asked for a ‘white’ bouquet, or reached for flowers we know we love…maybe it’s time to ask them to ‘surprise you a little’.

Real Living had a fabulous selection of wellness reads in their book recommendation section. It’s definitely worth checking them out, I have the new Aesop book on my wishlist. Not only are they one of my favourite brands for the home, the linen bound book showcases a rare peak into one of Australia’s iconic brands and is bound to be seen on many a coffee table this year.

Kristine Standnes’ home restoration in Italy of an 18th century farmhouse is possibly the best family heirloom that I have ever seen. The house has been in the family for three generations and Kristine has seen it through a renovation that will ensure it lasts for many more. With a less-is-more approach to decorating, this home has rustic Italian charm coupled with Scandinavian design. It’s refreshing to see a renovation cast aside trends and really respond to the bones of a building.

Home Style showcased the newest New Zealand Interiors book Our Spaces. this stunning book takes the reader room by room through some of New Zealand’s most stylish and inspiring homes which are spaces that are relaxed yet refined, modest yet modern. It’s both aspirational and instructional with over 400 beautiful photographs, alongside hundreds of ideas and insights pulled from each space.

The interview with Sophie Rowley is fascinating. Sophie is a material designer who helps companies find solutions for recycling their production waste. Sophie believes that waste is the only growing resource and instead of extracting more of the planet’s finite resources, it’s time to work smarter with the waste we are producing.

Planted, Adore Home’s title for plant lovers showcased inspiring small garden by Harrison Landscaping. By dividing a garden into various levels and areas the space can appear much bigger and become more usable. It’s something that I used to find hard to wrap my head around, but then we did this in our first home (I will upload some pictures shortly) the results were so good. We had places for dining, relaxing and areas for the children to play. We are now starting to turn our attention to landscape designs for our current home and will be doing this again. I love the idea of being able to pop a pool in to our back garden, have a grass area, decking for dining, a fire pit for winter and not to forget that the children have asked for a basketball half court (between you and me I am currently playing around with the idea of making an indoor one – watch this space), and it’s this image below that showed me that I may be able to have everything on the list.

Outdoor Ideas

With Spring promising warmer days and longer evenings my attention has been turning to our outdoor entertaining space. I have two garden areas on our property, a large square patch of lawn as the front garden (yet to be landscaped) and another rectangular lawn that is North facing at the back of the house.

North facing brings with it long periods in direct sunlight so we need to factor in room for shade and escape from the burning Melbourne sun in summer time.

Currently we have a decked area with an area for eating and entertaining, a bbq and my studio in the garden. The studio was once attached to the house when we bought it (you can read about that here) but once we craned it out of the way, we popped it into the back corner of the house where it is currently in a temporary spot while I am dreaming up new studio design. 

We do have plans to extend the home at the back by adding a large rectangle to the house and this becoming a kitchen and living room. However, for now (well this Summer at least) we are planning on extending the decking area so we can entertain more comfortably outside this summer. 

Love a bit of Monument Paint! It makes the green of the plants pop.

We’re going to extend the decking to the house where newly installed steel framed crittal double doors will open out from the minimal kitchen. 

We’ll be laying a new lawn and paving an area to the side of the studio to be both a basketball court (sans painted lines) and a space for skateboarding. I’m currently working on the moodboard and layout so will share them when they are completed. 

For now…let’s turn to pinterest for a bit of inspo. 

These are my favourite inspiration images from Pinterest (make sure you’re following me for all sorts of ideas…I pin most days so there are always new ideas being added).

Dark fence, vivid green planting and a stunning bench seat.

Here's my colour palette: concrete, timber, dark paint and greenery.

I am thinking of cladding the studio in skinny timber like this...the monument paint will become a shadow between the gaps.

Interpreting Spring Trends Into Your Home

Spring has arrived here in Melbourne and with it comes sunlight, heat and relief from one of the coldest Winters in 30 odd years. 

A new season brings with it a notion of excitement and hope and a flurry of cleaning and decluttering our homes. While we live fairly minimally here, I too am a rather large fan of changing the home up for the warmer seasons. It’s time for me to pack away the heavy woollen throws on the sofa, change the orange blossom Carriere Freres candle for a lighter scent (Tomato is my absolute favourite- definitely worth exploring this range if you haven’t already) switch out winter blooms and heavy greenery for bunches of all white flowers. 

Glossy magazines have hit the shelves with trend reports for interiors this Spring and while I personally don’t think you have to scrap everything you own and start new each season (nor do I think the magazines are actually suggesting this), it’s okay to step back and get an essence of the market and see if, and how, you want to bring this into your home. 

Let’s have a little look at the major trends that are popping up. 

Burnt Orange Linens by themodhemian.com

1. Burnt Orange

Richer hues are becoming the go-to shade over the warmer months in our homes. While many use small pops of colour throughout their home the brave are leaning towards larger investment pieces of furniture in a bold way. Burnt orange is a suprisngly versatile shade that works brilliantly with millennial pink, teal and indigo blue, and of course, crisp white if you want to create more of a fresh and clean look.

Biophilia in the living room by Dwell

2. Biophilia

Plants have been used as an accessory in homes for years so this is really nothing new, other then the type of plant we are bringing in, the volume of greenery and thefts we are keeping them in. 

Plants have amazing health benefits and if you haven’t already seen it, this is an amazing Ted Talk about growing your own fresh air. Kamal Meatte outlines the types of plants that can help clean the air and how many are required per person. 

Some of the trending plants are the humble, easy to care for, cactus, crocodile ferns, Anthurium, Coffee Plants, Snake Plants and Alocasia. 

Ceramics by cherrykitchencabinets on Pinterest

3. Ceramics

Pottery has been around forever and seems to be in and out of ‘fashion’. Today, with the rising popularity of Scandinavian hygge and Japanese wabi sabi there has been a resurgence of making ceramics. These days, colours are slightly muted or richer, glazes are more matte and shapes are slightly more organic and thinner in profile.

Spring is a season of promises and new beginnings and everyone seems a little more joyful and ready to socialise after a Winter of hibernating. Home spun ceramics used on the dining table are now collected from a number of sources, rather than everything exactly the same from the same store. Plates and bowls don’t necessarily match, rather they work together through tonal qualities. Perhaps it is one colour referenced in each item, or you have bowls from one artisan and plates from another. Investing in a large low bowl is one way to embrace the trend as it can be used for garden salads, pasta dishes, bread rolls, fruit salads  or even as a piece of art on the dining table. 

Ceramics are also being used to soften spaces. Bathrooms are often white and clinical (though that is changing as they are more commonly becoming sanctuaries for relaxation and self care and the finishes are hand made tiles and layouts promote space and calm – but that’s a topic for another post). Ceramics are used as planter pots for greenery, vessels for toothbrushes or small dishes for soaps or jewellery to rest in when washing your hands. Ceramics have a tactile nature to them and in a  bathroom encourage slowing down.    

Linen bedding by parachutehome.com

4.  Soft, tactile finishes

Delicate details are tipped to become popular this season through the use of tassels on towels, feathered ornaments, floaty ballet prints adorning walls, cloud style light shades and lighter colours of velvet upholstery. 

Tactile finishes give a sense os beauty and a level of interest in what can be a limited colour palette (think white, greys, blush pinks and natural tones). 

This is one of the easiest styling trends to introduce into your home this season. Switching out cushion covers on the sofa, or replacing a wooden through for a linen version can all help to make a room feel lighter and optimistic. Curtains can be switched from heavy velvet winter versions to floaty puddling-on-the-floor linen versions. Dressing your bed in linen sheet and duvet sets is my absolute favourite thing to do. In fact, once we made the swtich from cotton bedding to linen we have never looked back. We use linen sheets all year round and change the colours each season. This Spring we’ll be sleeping amongst light grey sheets, navy pillows and mustard cushions.  

For more ideas on how to interpret this year’s Spring trends into your home, be sure to follow me at The Design Convention on Pinterest here. 

Hello There

My name is Marie. This is a space where I explore the world of design and retail by delving into interiors, curated spaces, trend forecasting while also seeking out new products.

My background is in consumer marketing where I have focussed on consumer psychology, brand strategies and the world of design while also exploring my love of minimal aesthetics. I am driven by my curiosity. I love hearing brand stories and understanding why they exist.

I welcome the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded brands and individuals. From time to time you may see a sponsored post on this blog and when you do, I will be sure to give you the heads up.

So sit back, relax and follow me here on the blog, pinterest and instagram for a daily dose of interiors inspiration.

Book Love

Spring is just around the corner here in Melbourne and with that comes an avalanche of books being published in time for the gift giving seasons that will follow. 

On the weekend I spent a few hours in the studio with the intention to tidy and restyle the shelves but as it so frequently happens I found myself leafing through magazines, and books getting giddy with ideas for our renovation. There are a few books that I pop back to time and time again so I thought I would share them with you today. 

The Art of Simple by Eleanor Ozich. 

I love this book. It makes me feel serene just looking at it. I found it super inspiring, not only by the way of recipes and practical decluttering tips, but its beautiful photography of real spaces inside Eleanor’s home which she shares with small children!

This is Eleanor’s third book where she embraces her quest to cherish life’s simple pleasures. She moved with her family to the outskirts of the city. She also includes instructions for making natural beauty products and household cleaners, which promise to cost you less and be kinder to you and the environment. Brace yourself, she has one of the nicest laundry baskets ever which resulted in my spending hours online trying to find the same one (hint: search for french market basket with leather handles).

The Scandinavian Home by Niki Brantmark. 

I am a huge fan of Niki’s blog, My Scandinavian Home, and when this book can out in 2017 I just had to gift it to myself. 

Scandinavian homes are renowned for their distinctive style and attention to the simple, form and function. Home owners are inspired by light (they enjoy an abundance of it in the Summer and very little of it in Winter). This book is a collection of beautiful homes and Niki takes us through the subtle changes of urban loving to country homes to rural retreats. 

The Kinfolk Home by Nathan Williams. 

You need to be sitting with a tasty beverage in hand and a candle flickering beside you to read this book. It’s an inspiring read with a peek into 35 different homes to show case slow living at its best. Each of the homes and the residents inside share their principles of simplifying their lives, reclaiming leisure time and cultivating a community. The photography is second to none and if I could live inside a book, it would be this one!

It’s Beautiful Here by Megan Morton. 

I attended one of Megan’s Styling Masterclasses last year and it changed my life. 

I sat with her for a day and was so inspired by the joy, passion and spirit of her that I promptly went home (well I didn’t really, I stayed and chatted to her for a while after the class) and drew up a plan of what TDC could be. If you get the chance, I whole heartedly encourage you to attend one of her classes, not only for the amazing wealth of information Megan shares, but just for the joy of spending a day with one of the happiest people I have met. But be warned, she’ll ask you some hard questions about your goals and dreams and will press you for an answer. 

If you can’t get along to a workshop, then definitely buy/borrow/read Megan’s books. It’s not often that books sound like their author in real life, but these gems do. Not only are all of Megan’s books beautifully photographed but the tips and insights shared by Megan are invaluable. 

It’s Beautiful Here is packed with homes that make your heart skip along with the stories of the people who live there. It’s so different in interior style to all of the books mentioned earlier in this blog post, but it is deliciously inspiring so I just had to include it. 

Enjoy!

How to find your interior style

Summing up your interior stye can be somewhat intimidating. Especially when you like a little of everything and when it’s all plonked together in one room it doesn’t fit nicely into one ‘theme’.  

Knowing what you like will help you navigate all the options when you are hitting the streets and purchasing furniture and accessories, and will also make creating a harmonious and stylish space so much easier. But loving a little of everything isn’t nearly as intimidating as not knowing what you like at all.

If you are sitting in this camp, then read on my friend because I have a few tips and tricks that will help you gain an understanding of how your personal interior style comes about.

Let’s start with Pinterest. Pinterest is an amazing tool (I like to think of it as a visual discovery engine) that helps you curate a bunch of images that you love but they don’t have to be limited to home interiors. When working with clients, I always start here. First up, make yourself an account (if you don’t already happen to be one of the millions of daily Pinterest users). Then make the following board:

1. Things I Love

Now click away and pin all of the images you like. Anything that catches your eye, it could be a colour, a room interior, a holiday destination, a font, a pattern, a piece of furniture or even a plant. 

When you have spent an hour or so pinning hop up and make yourself a cup of tea, or a glass of something special. High five yourself in the knowledge that you are now on the way to knowing what you love. Done that? Good. Now we are going to dive in deeper. 

When you pin something, below that image (when you scroll down) is a handy little cluster of suggestions for you…Pinterest, helpfully, has noticed what you have pinned and has rounded up a bunch of other like minded images that may resonate with you too. Start clicking on these. Now be warned, this is the start of a Pinterest tangent…once you start clicking on these images Pinterest suggests even more and then you can be gloriously lost in the world of interiors for hours…trust me, I’ve been there…many times. 

When you have kept this up for as long as you can muster. Take a break. Like, a few days, your brain will need it. 

Now sit back and take a long look and hard look at what you have pinned. Are there common colours? Similar styles of furniture, or types of room interiors you have clicked on. Are you drawn to natural textures, what are the common threads that tie all of your pins together? If this is all too much, then make the following boards and populate them with only the images you have pinned (don’t be tempted to add any more new pins at this stage). 

1. Rooms

2. Furniture & Products

3. Exteriors

4. Colours

When thinking about what colours you like, one hot tip is to take a look in your wardrobe (the clothing inside, not the actual piece of furniture). Do you wear mainly neutrals? Black? Navy? Patterns? Bright colours? Pastel colours? Kate Watson-Smyth from Made About The House fame starts here too. When you consider what you wear daily, it’s easier to imagine what colours you’d feel most at home with. 

Modern Interior Style

Now it is a case of assessing what you have pinned. Have your rooms got clean and crisp lines with a simple colour palette with metal, glass and steel? Then Modern may be what you like.

Minimal Interior Style

Neutral, airy and streamlined rooms and furniture void of clutter? You could be leaning towards Minimalism.

Industrial Interior Style

Unfinished, raw materials, old timber with exposed brick and lofty ceilings? Perhaps Industrial is where you feel most at home.

Mid Century Modern Interior Style

Fuss free, pared down forms with organic shapes and simple fabrications tickle your fancy? Sounds like your loving Mid Century Modern.

Scandinavian Interior Style

Simple, understated, light colours (ahem…let’s be honest, it’s probably only white) natural textures and wide plank flooring is distinctively Scandinavian.

Traditional Interior Style

Rooms with classic details, rich colours, ornate details with elaborate furnishings and lots of layering are very much a Traditional vibe.

Bohemian Interior Style

Can’t see any common themes, other than a riot of colour, mist mash of everything with vintage furniture and global influences (think loom rugs and Moroccan bits and bobs) then perhaps you like Bohemian styling.

Shabby Chic Interior Style

Feminine, soft, delicate spaces with distressed furniture and a bit of lace here and there? That’s known as Shabby Chic.

Hollywood Glam / Regency Interior Style

Perhaps the rooms are a little over the top with opulent and dramatic design and a little sparkle? Then that my dear is Hollywood Glam (or Regency).

Coastal Hamptons Interior Style

Or perhaps the rooms are light and airy with beachside blues and greens, striped cushions, white sofas and natural finishes. This is classic Coastal Hamptons. 

Once you have decided which of the above styles you tend to lean towards (and it may be two or three) then type that description into Pinterest and see if the clever suggestions that pop up resonate with you. If the images make your heart sing, then you have found your style. If not, then try another. It’s all about trial and wrror until you find a look you can use as inspiration fro your own home. I tend to like a Scandinavian, Minimal, Parisian aesthetic. It’s something I refer to as ‘cool, calm and collected’. 

Once final thing, it’s okay to change your mind from one day to the next. Style is something that evolves and changes depending on your lifestyle and the influences around you. 

Feel free to pop over to Pinterest and follow my boards. I actively pin most days and am forever refining my style and falling in love with new goodies. 

Enjoy!

Top Finds from Denfair 2019 Melbourne

DENFAIR is three days of discussions with industry leaders and an outstandingly beautiful showcase of design products and installations in Melbourne.

I like to go each year and wonder if it is possible to move in and live at a design convention space? If so, I think I may have found my dream home…pity this temporary dreamland only lasts for three days.

There were so many great products and brands on show which make it super hard to narrow down to a few favourites. But I found a few, so let’s dive in… 

Presenting Peggie...my favourite product from Denfair

My favourite product was a peg wall called Peggie. At first glance, Peggie appears to be a simple and earnest system. Pegboard. Pegs. Panels. Shelves. But there’s more to Peggie than just her looks. The locking mechanism at the rear and the grooves in the pegs mean shelves, rails and mirrors can be added with ease. 

She comes in white, oak, ply and black allowing the design to integrate, or stand out, in your home or workspace. I plan on having her in our home near the door to our garden. Peggie, in white with oak pegs, will  take up a whole wall next to an exposed brick wall which is also right next to our black steel framed doors (don’t worry I will do a full post on the rear entry of our house soon…the steel doors actually arrive today which is super exciting!).

Sway floor lamp by Nick Rennie for Made by Pen

Next up is Sway. I worked with the Made by Pen team when they first launched with The Dog Room and love these guys. Susan and Michael have an amazing work ethic and collaborate with some incredible designers to showcase Australian design around the world…hence Sway by Nick Rennie.

Sway is a floor lamp with no cords or power cables. Oh yes, you read that right…no cords people! The lamp has a charging station which allows the lamp to be fully mobile. To be able to have a lamp in the middle of a living room (or any space really) that integrates into an open floorspace and works with a minimalist’s vision is a dream come true! And it’s not just me that loved it, Sway bagged the Best Australian Product at Denfair. 

I think the Grenache Wine System by Jaron Dickson is simply stunning. Made in either Tasmanian Oak or black this is one classy cube. Actually, this little beauty can be extended by adding several together.

Jaron’s philosophy lies with the great designers of the 20th century that had little interest in decorative elements. His approach is pure and functional.  Jaron was awarded an Emerging Designer Award at Denfair as part of Front | Centre. 

To support and promote new Australian design, Front | Centre was created. providing  a unique opportunity for designers at the early stages of their career to present their commercially viable work and access a powerful business platform while mapping out a new frontier in Australian design. I cannot wait to see what they do next. 

Saturday InDesign

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending Saturday InDesign and spent an afternoon with an amazing friend in some of Melbourne’s most incredible design stores.

Saturday Indesign is a series of collaborative installations dotted around Melbourne. There were talks, exhibits, interactive installations and workshops and they were all set in the best design showrooms around the city. 

My standout favourite was Gaggenau in South Melbourne where we not only took part in a great foodie workshop (read that as one amazingly jaw-dropping grazing table with a fabulous glass of bubbly or two) but we also got the chance to design our own Dekton work surface by Cosentino. Imagine having a custom work surface in your home!

Gaggenau is renowned for its luxury, simplicity and authenticity in design using stainless steel and glass within their kitchen range. The company is over 300 years old but consciously thinks long term. Their timeless pieces ensure you can create a dream kitchen that will last not only through differing interior trends but because of its performance too. 

A Gaggenau kitchen is one where you would have an emotional response to. Not only are they breathtakingly beautiful, everything is so well designed and intuitively placed that you know when you  reach for a knife to cut bread, cheese from the fridge, or a pot to cook dinner, the layout, along with ease of drawer and cupboard openings all works so effortlessly. Appliances are hidden away but easy to access. They really are kitchens full of domestic bliss. 

The South Melbourne showroom is a dream. A mix of black steel doors and windows, exposed red brick and reflective black surfaces. It was moody and inspiring. I could quite happily move in at any stage. I definitely recommend a visit.

Gaggenau also produce a magazine celebrating design, craftsmanship, people and places. You can get some more Gaggenau inspiration from Pinterest here. 

Brand Love : made.com

It’s not often you hear a retailer say that they think the high street and expensive designer brands give consumers a bit of raw deal and that customers are the ones left paying for everyone’s margins - but that just what made.com did. 

So they have taken a stand and are taking on the high street to offer customers original furniture design at affordable prices. 

Here's how they do it differently:

• made.com have no physical stores. No middlemen. Just a passionate team bringing a new way to buy furniture: cutting out the fuss so you can get beautifully made pieces at a price to suit you.

• Every 7 days, they combine all the orders for a piece of furniture and put them into production. By only manufacturing what's been ordered, they reduce their costs. And pass the savings onto the customer.

• Without the middleman made.com connect consumers directly with designers, saving them up to 70% off prices at leading retailers – based on closest equivalent products in design and functionality, but which may differ in other respects, such as finishes and materials. 

• They also work with fresh design talent to create a unique furniture collection and then source the best craft people to make it n(often the same people who make products for top high street brands).

How refreshing is that? There’s nothing we like more than seeing a brand challenge the conventions of their category.