Brown. We’ve take you for granted. We’re sorry, but we’re glad to see you again.

You’re the colour of the earth; where we get our food. You’re coffee, chocolate, wood, leather, and puppies. Maybe we’ve said in the past that you’re our least favorite colour because well… there are some unpleasant brown things. But let’s forget about that now!

We’ve been captivated with shades of grey in our homes for a while now – from cool light greys on the walls paired with a grey marle sofa and grey concrete floors. Those Scandinavians sure know how to create gorgeous Pinterest-worthy images of chic spaces, featuring a lot of black, white and grey, so we totally jumped on board. Now we’ve lived with grey for a while and well, it doesn’t have all the feels we want in our home. Grey can be cold, drab and it can sometimes feel a bit depressing. Even a blush pink cushion isn’t lifting the mood. We thought that we wanted all grey everything,  however, colour affects our mood without us even knowing. There are some colours we just feel better being around.

The very idea of ‘colour trends’ is divisive however I would argue that they are unavoidable. As much as there are trends in food, music and fashion: interiors are not immune. What we’re seeing now is a move away from cool grey and into the warmer brown tones as our new neutral. This is partly thanks to the trend for seventies furniture and interiors we’re experiencing right now, with brown a major trend in that decade!

People are craving more warmth in their homes, so we’re starting to welcome back brown in its many shades and tones. Sepia tones take on a nostalgic quality. Khaki is practical. Cognac is luxurious, and sienna is earthy.

Of course, we never experience one colour in isolation, it’s about how you integrate it into a wider scheme. When it comes to brown, stay close to other natural colours and avoid primary saturated colours. Brown is a very easy neutral to live with and works so well with some other favorites such as peach, terracotta, amber, mustard and through to greens. Use brown with black and you’ll create a rich luxurious mood, whereas brown with white looks contemporary and fresh.

There’s no need to be afraid of brown! Read on for some great examples on how to incorporate it into your home, as your new neutral.

On The Walls

Brown isn’t the easiest colour to use as paint on walls. This is where texture is the key – Italian-style decorative plaster effects are having a moment right now. For a more DIY take, dare I suggest the Suede Effect that was so popular in the 90s!? Get out your rollers, brushes and wipers, and go for shades of beige, mushroom, parchment or ochre. The lighter beiges are a beautiful warm base to layer on more neutral furnishings.

On The Furniture

Your brown leather sofa is like your cool, laidback Chris Hemsworth, compared to your sleazy shiny black leather Ron Burgundy sofa. You know what I mean?

Rich earthy shades of brown through to cognac and tan leathers are always a good idea for sofas. Look for slouchy, matte, soft leather, which will age beautifully, rather than tightly upholstered and shiny.

Naturally Brown 

Brown is the natural colour of many materials used in our homes. Nothing creates warmth and atmosphere in a space more than timber paneling on the walls and ceiling.

Rebecca of Lëyer has used a grey washed Western red cedar for the ceiling and walls in their timber cabin by the beach, whereas Mim Design has used a dark stained timber veneer joinery and brown marble in the MLB Residence to create a luxurious yet warm interior.

Have I convinced you that brown is a colour that is really easy to live with yet? It feels warm and atmospheric, and is endlessly versatile – from rustic all the way through to luxurious.

The Brooklyn Arts Hotel in Fitzroy is a beloved local institution, that owner Maggie Fooke has evocatively described as ‘like staying at your favourite Auntie’s house.’ After co-purchasing the property in 2006 with another family, and subsequently converting the guest house into the Brooklyn Arts Hotel – Maggie shares with us her reflections on this iconic site, before she wraps up operations early next year. 

Maggie explains ‘my idea was to make accommodation for people interested in all the arts, including conversation, activism and philosophy.’ The hotel developed after years of soul-searching and Maggie’s realisation that ‘for the rest of my life, I wanted people around me, that I like.’

The Brooklyn Arts Hotel became a hub for creative thinkers from all disciplines, and word of mouth and friend recommendations proved an incredibly successful way to grow a business. Maggie succinctly explains ‘people like me liked it!’ 

Maggie’s own love of ‘the sound of people coming and going’ and enthusiasm for introducing guests to each other also cemented the Brooklyn Arts Hotel as a location for big ideas, and big rambling conversations. Maggie has previously owned the 1854 Theatre Royal and the 1923 Green Gables in Castlemaine, and describes being drawn to the energy of prominent historic buildings. ‘The only way to get that energy, like wrinkles, is to have a life.’ 

From initially managing, housekeeping, washing, coordinating bookings and maintenance, to later working full time and part-time – the Brooklyn Arts Hotel era is coming to a close for Maggie. With a background in architecture, landscape architecture, horticulture and film, and a list of interests and expertise as long as the phone book, we are excited to see what Maggie turns her attention to next.

In the mean-time, Maggie is looking forward to lots of farewells as guests come back for a final hurrah before closing the doors for the last time early next year. With a heart side of sass, she adds ‘I’ll miss almost everyone.’

We’re sad to say goodbye to this incredible Fitzroy icon, which is on the market! Perhaps a wealthy benefactor would like to preserve to integrity of The Brooklyn Arts Hotel building? See the full listing here! 

Sitting atop a former machinery building in Sydney is a true secret garden, challenging the norms of inner-city living.

Granted, this is no ordinary project. This garden is just one element of architect and director of SJB Adam Haddow’s incredible self-designed penthouse apartment.  

The apartment is located on the top floor of a recently created development, occupying two adjacent, former industrial buildings on Redfern’s Cleveland Street: the 1889 New York and Brooklyn Tobacco, and the Demco Machinery Company added in 1938. The site offers rare views across the Sydney skyline, right through to the Blue Mountains.

Creating a home this special called for a spectacular garden to match. Enter Adam’s long-time collaborator, William Dangar, founder of landscape design practice Dangar Barin Smith. William designed this garden on an area spanning the building’s original goods lift enclosure and emergency fire stairs. His intention was to create an outdoor space that truly felt like a place to live, rather than an apartment simply surrounded by greenery.

This new private garden sits adjacent to the building’s main outdoor area, shared by all other residents. Included are several zones encouraging entertaining, lounging by the outdoor fireplace, and even open-air bathing. The use of Eco Outdoor’s Endicott Split Stone natural stone flooring tiles wrapped in native dichondra repens (kidney weed) helps soften the edges of these zones, and create a lawn-like look without the maintenance. ‘The aim was to maximise the feel of the outdoor spaces by creating individual areas that lead to one another, but are visually separated by vegetation. This made the space feel generous and added interest throughout the site,’ William says.  

Choosing plants appropriate for the location and restricted depth (40mm) of soil was among the biggest challenges of this project. Native plants were predominately selected to encourage local wildlife, and give the garden the best chance to thrive.  ‘Being a rooftop space with limited water, soil and protection from the elements, plants had to be resilient to high winds and exposure,’ William says. 

The rooftop of the Demco Machinery Company building today is a far cry from what it was several decades ago (it was once used for test driving tractors!), but its current purpose is equally practical. William and Adam’s clever use of urban land highlights the opportunity inner-city buildings can provide towards supporting local fauna, to the benefit of all. 

SJB’s design of this project took out the residential category at the prestigious international INSIDE Awards in 2017.

Eco Outdoor specialises in natural stone flooring and walling, together with outdoor furniture and fabrics to create an inspiring life outdoors. Eco Outdoor is committed to innovative products that maintain integrity and quality and possess an organic aesthetic that transcend style and age gracefully.

Jasmine Mansbridge’s paintings depict striking geometric forms, of portals, stairs and architectural shapes in clean minimalist lines. Think Louis Barragan meets M.C Escher, where the Mexican architect’s colours palette and arch-filled designs are realised as impossible sites that defy our understandings of both time and space.

Jasmine’s upcoming exhibition, Your Time For The Moon, explores the limits, potentials and cultural understandings of time, on both a local and global scale. The title comes from the idea of the world turning, and passing on the time for sleeping to the alternative hemisphere. In the same way that it is always cocktail hour somewhere in the world, it is always someone else’s ‘time for the moon.’

The artist explains ‘when one is pinned to a singular location, time feels static, a day followed by night. But my travels over the last little while have changed how I feel about time and my notion of it.’ She expands ‘if you really think about time, it is the thread that underpins our entire human existence. Time is everything. Everything time gives, it takes away.’ 

If you would like to enter into one of Jasmine’s windows into time in motion, Your Time For The Moon is showing at 19 Karen Gallery on the Gold Coast, and opens this Saturday!

Your Time For The Moon by Jasmine Mansbridge 
19Karen
24 August – 28 September
19Karen Avenue
Mermaid Beach
Gold Coast, Queensland

As a self confessed longtime lover of ‘Cali cool’ interiors‘, this was surprisingly my first trip to Los Angeles! With the opportunity to launch my brand with luxury homewares and lifestyle retailer Hawkins NY, I found myself based in Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) in close proximity to the Arts District, where their LA store is located. Here I discovered a different side of LA – a raw and gritty version of the California experience that was eye-opening, interesting and at times confronting.

It’s easy to imagine the glamour of Los Angeles. The one that we have grown up seeing in movies and TV, and we certainly experienced this as we worked through our list of things to do in LA. Gentrification and dilapidation in equal measure is the best way to describe DTLA. It’s a city of juxtapositions – culturally rich but with some serious social issues, with homelessness being the most confronting of these. Breathtaking Deco architecture, in some cases transformed into abandoned parking lots, exists on the same block as new boutique hotels. A thriving global food scene with some of the best cuisine I have ever experienced is alongside $1.50 tacos on street corners. European designer fashion brands open their retail spaces next to pawn shops, a proximity that would be unimaginable in most major cities around the world.

If you’re looking for more of a travel experience than just your standard holiday, then add a few days in DTLA to your trip. Rather than get caught in traffic visiting on day trips, I would suggest staying here to really soak in the full experience.

Downtown LA Theatre District

Stretching between 3rd and 9th on Broadway, the Theatre District houses 12 theatres built between 1910 and 1931. What struck me most about this area was the incredibly ornate Art Deco architecture. The glamorous facades that once welcomed Hollywood royalty are set against the now raw and gritty streets of DTLA.

There was some serious Marquee sign appreciation going down making it feel a bit like the set of a movie!

DTLA Theatre District
Between 3rd and 9th on Broadway 

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Another diamond in the rough, the Walt Disney Concert Hall designed by revered architect Frank Gehry was a gift to the city of Los Angeles from Lillian B Disney. Located at the corner of First Street and Grand Avenue, the concert hall is recognised as an architectural and acoustic masterpiece that has forever changed the musical landscape of Los Angeles. If this city had a heart, this is it! It has revitalised the area socially and is an exciting architectural statement built in Gehry’s signature ‘silver sails’ style. Well worth a visit.

Walt Disney Concert Hall
111 S Grand Ave
Los Angeles, CA 

Tartine

In short this place is basically ‘bread porn’. I mean, who doesn’t love a good bakery!

The Tartine team are some of the most influential bakers in the US. Opening first in San Francisco in 2002, they recently opened their newest manufactory at ROW DTLA (a smattering of retail spaces, pop-up shops, restaurants and offices) where they bake the most wonderful selection of wood-fired artisanal bread and pastries, pizza and ice cream.

Set within an elegant open plan industrial building, the venue transitions between bakery to restaurant, bar and marketplace where they sell cute local ceramics, cookbooks and charcuterie. With its pink facade and elegant, relaxed interior brightened by loads of natural light filtering through large warehouse windows, Tartine ticked the interiors and culinary boxes simultaneously!

Tartine ‘The Manufactory’
757 Alameda St, Suite 160
Los Angeles, CA 90021

Bestia

Bestia is literally, the BEST Italian I have ever eaten! This restaurant is a must-visit and all about the food, but you will definitely need to make a booking a couple of weeks in advance to get the time you want. Our setting was at 9.30pm, but hey! We were on LA time.

Located in the Arts District, you kind of feel like your Uber driver doesn’t know where he is going when you drive around the industrial streets. All of a sudden, you arrive to find a thriving eatery with as many staff as customers. The industrial space was the kind we dream about in the Australian property market but can seldom find anymore. We ordered a shared-style menu of antipasti, pizza, pasta and meat and then proceeded to eat way more than was necessary! Of course.

The service was impeccable and the vibe was loud and exhilarating. The most memorable part for me was the hand made pasta – I had never experienced pasta that fresh and tender. A foodie’s heaven!

Bestia
2121 E 7th Pl
Los Angeles, CA 

Firehouse Hotel

Situated in LA’s Arts District, The Firehouse Hotel is as the name suggests – a boutique hotel built within an old Firehouse. With just nine rooms and an adjoining restaurant, it has a warm and laid-back feeling to it. The interiors are trendy, unexpected and fun, celebrating local designers with each room themed a different colour.

We had two lovely meals at the indoor/outdoor restaurant which focuses on American style dishes. A great place to enjoy a cocktail in a cool and relaxed setting. It feels kinda local.

Firehouse Hotel
710 S Santa Fe Ave
Los Angeles, CA

Ace Hotel

The most exciting thing about the Ace Hotel DTLA for me was the 13 storey Gothic architectural icon in which it is housed! Built in 1927 as a film studio founded by Charlie Chaplin the building was inspired by La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Such a pleasant surprise, particularly once I learnt about its history.

The rooms feel like you are staying at your ‘cool LA artist friend’s’ apartment. With a vintage/industrial aesthetic, they are small but cosy with a moody colour scheme, concrete columns and chipboard walls. All the little details that make you realise you are staying somewhere that has real vision for the styling and art direction.

On the rooftop, there’s a very busy plunge pool and Insta-worthy rooftop bar, situated high-up within the Gothic facade of the building. You’ll enjoy panoramic views out over the city. It’s is definitely a must-visit at sunset for a cocktail.

Ace Hotel
929 South Broadway
Los Angeles, CA

ROW DTLA

A creative district thoughtfully re-imagined for creative spaces, retail and art. The antithesis to the American Mall, ROW is a conceptual shopping experience, located within an architecturally impressive row of former industrial buildings. The businesses here have been carefully curated as a unique shopping experience full of exciting young creative brands in fashion, interiors and art, as well as great cafes, restaurants and bars. You can take a ceramics class, do yoga or even get a facial!

Well known sneaker store Bodega is worth a visit, hidden behind a ‘fruit market’ facade which pays homage to the former produce factory the store is located within. It’s a hidden gem.

Hot tip! If you go on a Sunday you can also experience Smorgasburg LA. An artisanal local LA food market, that is adjacent to ROW.

ROW DTLA
777 Alameda Street
Los Angeles, CA

Hawkins NY @ ROW DTLA

Hawkins NY is the exclusive retailer for my brand in the US – so I may be biased – but they really are one of my favourite homewares stores, which is why we ended up there! Offering a beautifully curated collection of ethically sourced, high-quality pieces at reasonable prices. Originally from New York, Hawkins are famous for their gorgeous bed linens in earthy tones, which they merchandise impeccably alongside local lighting design and handmade glassware.

When it comes to homewares stores in LA this is one of the best. You will certainly find something to bring back in your suitcase. My credit card statement is proof of that!

Hawkins NY
767 South Alameda Street
Los Angeles, CA

There are unfortunately plenty of poorly extended period homes on Australian streets, but this project shows all hope is not lost! Project 12 Architecture have successfully redesigned a California bungalow that maintains its weatherboard façade, while introducing more natural light and practical spaces.

Home to a young family, this property is a considered, functional home that ‘surprises, delights and is a joy to live in,’ according to Project 12 Architecture principal, Aimee Goodwin.

A driving factor of the design was the need for more light to mitigate the southern orientation of the site. In response, Project 12 Architecture designed a new two-storey addition featuring a skylight void to invite in natural light throughout. ‘We removed the oddly planned 80s rear extension to provide a two-storey volume that would accommodate the key living spaces on the ground floor with two bedrooms, bathroom and study area above,’ Aimee says. This new structure is visually in contrast to the façade’s original design features, materials and colours, and instead incorporates recycled brick, charred timber cladding, and metal perforated screens. Large glazed doors at the rear disappear entirely into the wall cavity to connect the interiors directly to the backyard as required.

Significant re-planning was also undertaken to the rest of the house to enable a more rational and functional layout. For example, a discrete mudroom entry has been added, providing an immediate, practical home for bags, scooters and general daily mess associated with family living! The existing front door now functions as a more formal entry leading past the master bedroom, study and utility rooms. These ‘adult’ spaces are physically and acoustically separated from living zones and children’s bedrooms. ‘We wanted to make sure we gave our clients a home that responded to the demands of the daily routine of work, kids, and the clutter they bring, and was an easy and calm space to live in,’ Aimee says.

Not only is the renovated home more practical than ever, efficient planning means less of the site is occupied to allow for a larger backyard!

Aimee attributes the success of the project to the trusting and open relationship formed between the client (who were living overseas throughout most of the build), the contractor and her team. 

Melanie Stapleton + Katie Marx, Flowering Now

Flowering Now was an ephemeral exhibition of innovative and abundant floral installations, from thirteen Melbourne florists. A personal project initiated by Melanie Stapleton of Cecilia Fox and Katie Marx, the collective show explored the interplay of transience and longevity – radiant blooms were celebrated alongside the process of gentle decay.

This collaborative project brought Melbourne’s flower community together to explore their practice, sharing a love of nature in ways that defy traditional understandings of floristry, and created a space for local florists to experiment with original ideas free from commercial demands.

Pomp + Splendour, Way Of Flowers

Pomp + Splendour were commissioned by local Melbourne fashion label, Obus, to create a series of floral arrangements to complement the colours and style of the Autumn 2018 collection.

Using autumnal seasonal botanicals like emerald beaded amaranths, persimmon fruit, privet berry, rosehips, native firewheel flowers, and crab apples, Pomp + Splendour created four unique pieces to pair with a variety of different outfit combinations. The addition of unusual tropical flowers including bird of paradise, pitcher plants, anthuriums and various orchids added an unexpected contrast to the seasonal Victorian botanicals. Delightful drama, depth and playfulness!

BESS, Wildflower Trollies

Utilising discarded trollies as a frame for a deconstructed flower stall, this project by NSW florist BESS makes use of found objects to create a portable base for long-lasting and dried Australian native wildflowers. The paper daisies, kangaroo paw, grasses and blueberry ash all came from the entrant’s family’s Australian native wildflower farm at Mangrove Mountain, New South Wales.

Candy MT, Marigold Motel

Locally grown flowers were used to create an intimate yet expansive installation for a wedding in Bali – as a surprise for the bride and groom! While floral materials were limited in Bali, Candy MT used varieties that would be locally available, and not imported. 250kg of marigolds and 150kg of petals were treated almost like sand, created dunes that engulfed and flowed through the other plants. An added degree of difficulty was the fact that all this had to be created internationally with no connections, personal transport or language!

Soil, Hattie Molloy

Soil is a conceptual installation in the floral artist’s shopfront to create an evolving sculptural form that is also a living, growing organism. A self-initiated project, Soil is comprised of three cubic metres of soil in Hattie’s Collingwood shop, with a single white plinth rising out of the earth to display one of her signature artistic arrangements. Hattie sprinkled clover seeds through the soil so that sprouts starting peeking out over the course of the installation. Soil was designed to push the boundaries of how people perceive floristry.

Tweed Twigs, A Study Of Beauty

Making a statement about an ongoing societal obsession with beauty and size, a diverse group of women are adorned with floral headpieces that represent strength and vulnerability. Tweed Twigs created floral designs that reflected each woman, observing and exploring floral forms that defied the norm.

Good Grace & Humour, Lotus Leaf Lamp

An elegant, self-supported installation of dried lotus leaves and dried hydrangea by Good Grace & Humour, designed as a counterpart to glitzy display for a group of celebrants who provide an alternative wedding experience. Lotus Leaf Lamp was created in contrast to the rest of the stage decoration, which included draping metallic tinsel, neon signs and hanging lights, providing a strong, calm presence and focal point.

Interflora is the proud sponsor of the TDF Design Awards Floral Design Category. To check out the local Interflora florists near you, click here! 

The owners of this property approached architect Ricci Bloch with a vision to turn their California Bungalow in Rose Bay into their ‘forever home’. Ricci describes how they wanted a home to grow old in, all on one level, but that also retained the bungalow appearance from the street view. The architects took a ‘whole-of-site’ approach, that incorporated the landscape, internal replanning, and creating new connections between the garden, sky and renovated home. 

The renovation reconfigures the internal planning to transform the front of the home into a zone for sleeping and working, and the rear for entertaining. An open but distinct kitchen was designed, complete with scullery, laundry, appliance nook and cocktail bar. The kitchen and living room are also given a new connection to the lush back garden. 

At the rear of the home, the architects added a single-story painted brick extension. The old and the new elements of the building are distinguished through the use of materials, where darker timbers are introduced in the new dining, kitchen and living space – contrasting with the light oak joinery in the front bedrooms. To provide continuity, rich ironbark floorboards provide a unifying path throughout the home. 

The material palette takes inspiration from a Palm Springs Modernist aesthetic, with a focus on natural timber, ceramics, concrete and stone. The renovations also emphasise this architectural influence, in highlighting the pre-existing extended horizontal lines, white-painted brick walls, and garden pockets. 

Ricci explains that this renovation was largely successful as a result of the client’s desire to retain the original structure of the home, and keep to one storey. She highlights ‘the commitment to working with the existing fabric, rather than designing it out of spaces, have actually made the spaces better and more beautiful.’ 

For Ricci, this project is important in showing the value of adaptive re-use. She explains ‘in a street where similar period bungalows are being replaced with massive houses, this project makes a virtue of spatial quality over size.’ By working at a human scale, and following a ‘soft conservation’ approach, this renovation demonstrates the beauty of updating older homes, bringing new futures while keeping a history alive.  A forever home, that celebrates its past. 

It isn’t often that you open a shed door and happen upon an entire living, working, storage and making enterprise – all within an architect-designed microclimate. But enter the western edge of the Longhouse in Daylesford, and – once you have moved past tractors and farm machinery – you open out into what architect Timothy Hill describes as a ‘surprisingly lush haven.’ 

The project started when Ronnen Goren and Trace Streeter purchased a 20-acre parcel of land that overlooks Daylesford, Hepburn Springs and Mount Franklin. Despite the sweeping views and beauty of the site, the environment proved difficult to manage. Extreme weather variations, strong winds, lack of water and ravenous local wildlife (!) meant that the couple’s vision for a site of food, family, and design was placed under threat. 

Ronnen approached friend of 30-years architect Timothy Hill, to find a way to make the hostile environment into a site that supported their ambitious plans. Keen for a challenge, Timothy designed a 110m long shed, with internalised agricultural, hospitality and residential functions all housed under one (incredibly long) roof. 

The Longhouse places a contemporary spin on Palladian style architecture, where all functions are housed within a single symmetrical building. In this modern reimagining, visitors move past the tractors, and the building opens out to a central kitchen and cooking school, a reception area, planting beds, The Lodge (the owner’s residence) and The Stableman’s Quarters (guest house nestled in a mezzanine pod). Timothy explains that this historic model ‘emphasises how much – or how little – you need for a few people to survive and thrive. A handful of animals, enough water and year-round crops.’ 

In order for this protective sanctuary to work, Timothy transformed the elongated shed into a microclimate, that provides an environment that is ‘mellow and calming whatever the weather.’  The passive house design ensures thermal stability, below the translucent glass-reinforced polyester skin of the shed. Incredibly, the 1050sqm roof harvests rainwater, which allows the garden to grow, with ample left over for bushfire defence. 

This giant greenhouse is designed as an unbelievably impressive engineering feat – and the interiors well-and-truly keep up their end of the deal! The materials are practical and robust, with resilient Australian Cypress Pine used for barn doors, walls, surfaces, planers, seating and decking. Timothy also designed the living zones according to colour theory – celeste (sky blue) for The Lodge and blush tones for The Stableman’s Quarters ‘so even in the depths of cold, grey winters – there is an uplifting sense of blue skies and long sunsets every day.’ Like permanently living in a James Turrell artwork!  

This overview barely scratches the (100m long) surface of this all-encompassing property. We haven’t even covered the space-age orange grouted bathroom, slip glazed clay bricks, or the future plans to move off-grid with solar panelling and battery storage. But as Timothy explains, ‘the experience of the whole, is far greater than the sum of its parts.’  A whole world, under one roof. 

Project Collaborators


Architects and Interior Design: Partners Hill  
Passivehaus Consultant: Passive House
Builder: Nick Andrews Construction  
Shed: CV Sheds
Shed/Greenhouse Cladding: Ampelite

My mother-in-law Angela’s family’s version of this southern Italian classic was always a rather simple but satisfying one: tomato sauce flavoured with garlic and basil, layered with cheese (scamorza was always their favourite, but you can also use mozzarella), and, of course, ziti: long thick tubes of pasta. But the way you’ll often find it alla Pugliese is with the hearty additions of lots of little polpettine (hazelnut-sized meatballs), or sometimes even slices of hard-boiled egg, sausage, prosciutto or mortadella.

I like to stick to the family’s simple version with tomato, basil and scamorza for a weeknight meal.

Ziti Al Forno (Baked Ziti)

INGREDIENTS

Serves 6 

80ml (2 ½  fl oz, ⅓ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced 
400g (14 oz) tomato passata (puréed tomatoes) 
Handful of fresh basil leaves 
300g (10 ½ oz) ziti 
250 g (9 oz) scamorza or mozzarella, thinly sliced 
50g (1 ⅓ oz) pecorino, grated 

METHOD

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. 

In the meantime, begin preparing a tomato sauce by heating 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a saucepan over a low, gentle heat. Add the garlic clove and infuse the oil for a couple of minutes, then add the passatta and about 250 ml (8 ½ fl oz/1 cup) water. Season with some salt and pepper and bring the sauce to a steady simmer over a medium heat. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Just before taking off the heat, add about 5-6 basil leaves. Set aside until needed. 

Once the pot of water is boiling, add the ziti (they are rather long, so break them in half if necessary to fit them in the pot). Cook until al dente, referring to the packet instructions (minus 1 or 2 minutes of cooking time). Drain and toss the ziti with the sauce until well coated. 

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). 

To a 20 x 30cm (8 x 12 in) baking dish, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and about 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce. Now add half the ziti and (if using) scatter over half of the sausage – broken up into small pieces and, if you like, rolled into small meatballs – half of the scamorza and half of the pecorino. Repeat with ziti, sausage and cheese, finishing with the remaining olive oil. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until you can see the sauce bubbling around the edges and the top has formed a nice golden crust. 

Eat! 

This is an edited extract from Tortellini at Midnight by Emiko Davies. Available from Hardie Grant Books. 

Kimberly Amos and Stephen Eakin of The Atlantic Byron Bay moved into their Brunswick Heads home in 2015, after discovering the site on a bushwalk. The property belonged to family friends who used it for camping, and Kimberly and Stephen ‘immediately felt the calm and isolation, while still being only 15 minutes from Byron Bay.’

Incredibly, they built their home inside an old pig feeding shed (!) that had existed on the property for over 20 years. Kimberly explains ‘as we discovered views of the bay and the lighthouse, we created loft rooms for the boys to overlook the ocean.’ The home is designed with a big rustic kitchen (for feeding hungry teenage boys!), and the exterior is painted with a deep charcoal, to cover the patchwork of corrugated iron and give a unified aesthetic.

The aesthetics of the interior are influenced by the many winters the family has spent in the United States, in mountain towns. Kimberly explains the family’s love of barns and cabins has helped inform the interiors here, decribing the aesthetic as ‘rustic Colorado ranch house.’ 

The cosy quality is enhanced by the introduction of a huge Canadian industrial fireplace, that channels warmth up to the loft areas. Many of the walls are painted with Dulux Domino, as a way to mask dirty finger prints (!) and create a moody, intimate feel. Meanwhile, bold geometric artwork by talented HSC student Hunter adorns many corners of the house! 

This warmth is accentuated through the use of reclaimed timber and vintage finds. Old bridge timbers from nearby Bangalow were introduced to support the mezzanine. While beach side living doesn’t often conjure an idea of a mountain hut, this home shows that Brunswick Heads can be both cosy and beachy breezy. A touch of California dreaming, on the Northern New South Wales coast.

The creation of the Yeronga House presented a blank canvas in every sense of the word. Not only was the project a new-build, it was also the first project to be designed by Lisa Breeze’s architecture practice, and intended for a family with two recently born sons. 

Lisa was actually first engaged for the project back in 2012, but it took a number of years before getting the home off the ground (literally), while the owners started a family and kicked various career goals.

‘Because of this, the brief changed from ‘we’d like to live in a house’ to ‘we’d like to live in a house, and it now needs to be a luxe yet low-maintenance family home for us and our two young boys’, recalls Lisa. 

While elements of the design changed along the way to accommodate the growing family, there was a consistent desire to frame views of the Brisbane skyline. Achieving this was one of the most challenging parts of the project due to strict height regulations in the area and the nature of the site.  

‘It is skinny and irregular in shape, and slopes steeply in two directions,’ says Lisa. ‘The challenge then becomes fitting the spaces in, working the circulation, and ensuring connections to the outside are practical, all while avoiding excessive height and bulk.’ 

Lisa’s approach to overcoming these issues was to create multiple levels throughout the home, along with pitched ceilings that provide internal volume without excessive height. The kitchen and living areas are positioned on the middle layer of the home, while the sleep and play zones are located on their own floors. ‘This helps define open-plan living spaces and alters the perspective as you move through the home,’ says Lisa. ‘Everyone in the family has their place for retreat.’

In keeping with the home’s context, historic Queenslanders were an obvious design influence from the outset. ‘It’s probably a cliche, but the historic Queenslanders are a really important reference point for design in this climate,’ Lisa explains. ‘Verandahs, eaves, screens, and outdoor spaces serve a very specific purpose for Brisbane living.’ Another classic Queensland element is the surrounding subtropical greenery, which Lisa says grows so big it could feed dinosaurs!

The external material palette was kept classic and simple. Aluminium cladding with a horizontal pattern (a subtle reference to the weatherboard facade of traditional Queenslanders), and composite battens (that offer the benefits of timber without the maintenance) consolidate the design.

Lisa has been fortunate to enjoy this home after its completion when visiting the clients, who are old friends. ‘Their home launched my practice, and is one of my proudest achievements,’ she says. ‘Architect ‘Aunty Lease’, as I’m known in these parts, always has a home away from home when she travels up North!’

This renovation by Kennedy Nolan takes a gentle but decisive touch in transforming a historic home by architect Anatol Kagan in Studley Park, Kew. The owners of the 1950s home had a deep appreciation of the original architect’s vision, and valued the home’s architectural and historic value. However, having lived in the property for several years, they ‘were also aware of its eccentricities and limitations’ and were keen to match its nostalgic charm with contemporary liveability.

Kennedy Nolan approached this renovation with a desire to preserve the beauty of the original design, while also updating the space to reflect a contemporary mode of living. 

The first step for the architects was to research Anatol Kagan’s work, and then remove the additions that had changed the identity of the home over the years, ‘to reveal the original intention of the design.’ While the beauty of the home was something the clients and architects wished to retain, the layout was ‘eccentric and strangely inefficient.’ Kennedy Nolan carefully adapted the zoning and circulation, and increased the connection between the home and the garden. 

Aesthetically, the renovations took inspiration from Melbourne modernism, translated into a contemporary form. The colours, material and details capture the restrained mood of post-war austerity. The green kitchen offers a nod to the era of  ‘Mad Men’, while remaining firmly rooted in Melbourne now. Interior elements, including the study shelving that was specified by the original commissioning Bell family were retained and restored. 

The final move was to emphasise the link between the indoor and outdoor spaces, without overriding the original 1950s design, which emphasised clearly delineated zones. At the front of the home, the terrace was expanded to create a welcoming space and a connection between the front yard and the home. The best of the past, re-configured for the now. 

Tara Bennett sources the pieces for her Surry Hills shop, Provider Store, from all over the world, but in particular Scandinavia and Japan. ‘The first time I landed in Japan in 2014 I was so taken back at how their designs are made to last. They’re so well thought out and not as disposable,’ she says. ‘I wanted to bring those values home.’

Four years later, and Provider Store is an important part of the neighbourhood. Customers swing by to give Pocari treats, the elderly man across the road loans her his tools, and people stop in for coffee and chats as much as they do gifts. ‘Pocari’s become my store mascot,’ Tara laughs. ‘I can’t post a picture of her unless she is physically in the store now as people turn up and get real disappointed if she isn’t there. She’s started to think she’s the boss of Provider.’

Tara is drawn to makers who have mastered their skills over time. A family in Japan’s Shiga, east of Kyoto, for example, has been making shino-yaki pottery, with its scorch marks and thick textural glazes, for more than 30 years. ‘They have three fire kilns in the backyard that the uncle, the master potter, built,’ she recalls. ‘After he makes his pieces by hand, they are loaded into the kilns and for 10 days they are fired. The temperature can’t drop during this time so someone monitors it like shift work.’ Turns out there’s slow, and then there’s slow. ‘You see a lot of this in Japan,’ she adds. ‘Right down to their brooms and odd household items that we wouldn’t really put much thought into.’

Next month Tara will return to Kyoto where she’ll spend her days wandering the antiques market near the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, riding along the Philosopher’s Path, and meeting with new and old makers. ‘When I’m sourcing new and exciting things for the shop I feel totally in my element,’ she says.

Tara is a firm believer that you don’t have to be ‘creative’ to create something by hand. Provider Store holds workshops where you can pour your own soy wax candle into a perfectly imperfect Japanese vessel (their Komorebi candle, in particular, smells like a Japanese pine forest). Once the candles burn out you’re left with an ergonomic tea cup, which you can return to the store to refill. ‘It’s good for the brain and soul when you can learn a new skill,’ she says. ‘Especially one that makes you step away from a phone or computer and use your hands.’

Provider Store
Monday, closed
Tuesday – Friday, 10am-5.30pm
Saturday, 10am-5pm
Sunday, 11am-3pm
381b Riley Street
Surry Hills, NSW

Sasha Titchkosky is one of those rare people who emits the most radiant, positive energy.  Our conversation was so brilliant, and I left feeling completely inspired about the incredible opportunities that come when companies embed social impact into their business.

After originally training as a lawyer and accountant, in the year 2000, Sasha left the corporate world behind to launch Koskela with her husband, Russell.

From those humble beginnings almost 20 years ago, the company has grown to a nationally recognised brand, with a team of 30 staff, a huge 2000 square metre showroom in Sydney’s Rosebery, and a strong customer base across both commercial and residential interiors, and more recently, the education sector.

Koskela believes that great design can be used to effect social change, and have demonstrated this, with their decade-long commitment to collaborating with Indigenous Australian craftspeople. This wide-reaching commitment has seen Sasha and her team travel to some of the most remote parts of Australia, working to develop handwoven lighting and homewares with Indigenous communities.

This month, Koskela are celebrating ten years of social impact, with the release of ‘Ngalya’, a spectacular new lighting range that brings together artists from six art centres around the country. Each piece combines ancient craftsmanship techniques with contemporary design, all whilst creating real income earning opportunities for Indigenous creatives.

It was an absolute joy to speak with Sasha, and to hear first hand about how Koskela has been able to develop longterm, meaningful and profitable social impact projects. Truly inspiring stuff!

Notes + Links

You can learn more about Koskela and their social impact projects here.

You can also follow them on Instagram at @koskela_

Sasha offers some brilliant advice for other Australian companies looking to embed social purpose into their business, in this story we prepared earlier!

This is the 34th episode of our TDF Talks Podcast – thanks so much for listening! You can browse all or revisit any episode here.

1. Get social

Remember when photos weren’t perfect and social media was actually about being, well, social? One of the best ways to enjoy Instagram while also building your business is to get social. How? By sticking around after you post for at least 15-20mins to comment and engage with your audience in real time, sending clients / customers surprise voice and video messages in the DMs, talking about things NOT just related to your product and/or service, shouting out people who inspire you, and starting real conversations that promote debate by asking questions rather than shouting scripted marketing messages.

Using IG Story tools such as the poll, countdown, ask a question and this or that, will help increase engagement and also your knowledge of who your customer is, and what they most want. On the grid, things like running competitions, asking customers to use a branded hashtag and/or send a DM can help your exposure. Likewise, utilising the full 30 hashtags (in the first comment) and location tags (even creating your own unique one i.e. The Universe) can help your brand get seen by people who are not otherwise following you. (Remember to change up & test hashtags regularly!)

2. Be consistent

Jasmine Star is a California-based photographer, business strategist and go-to guru for all things Instagram. With more than 300K organic followers, she suggests the biggest thing small biz owners can do is be consistent. ‘So often we get in our heads about posting the perfect picture and writing the perfect caption that we make it so unnecessarily hard, overwhelming, and “just-forget-it-I’m-over-this” that sometimes we just don’t post at all.

The best thing you can do for your business is show up every day on Instagram, and connect with followers in a place of service to them, not from a place of perfection for you.’

3. Make instagram your #inspo

We all know about comparisonitis, but who we follow and engage with as small biz owners is completely within our control. Make Instagram a place of inspiration for you by following accounts and people that either bring you energy, are examples of your ideal customer and/or are potential brand collaborators.

Likewise, make your account a place of inspiration for your audience by creating posts that are a mix of value-based, people-based and brand-based. Some people use a 4,3,2 formula to do this on a grid, meaning 4 out of 9 posts are value-adding (tip, tool, recommendation, quote), 3 are about you / the people behind the business (humanising your brand) and 2 are about your product/service (how to use, testimonials etc.). By doing this you’re not using the platform simply to sell, but to share and build real connections.

4. Work with the platform, not against it

Instagram is a business, so it makes sense to embrace their changes, rather than bemoan them if you’re using their service. While there’s no doubt IG will move into a similar “Pay to Play” direction as Facebook, you can still utilise the platform now without paying for reach.

Pay to Play ‘is not a matter of IF, but WHEN’ says Star, ‘And while it’s tempting to get down about it, I take the opposite stance:  I want to maximize my time on the platform, build as much as I can, leverage it today because I learned from what happened (and is happening) on FB. Instead of looking at the glass half-empty, I look at a glass filled with opportunity and the chance to make the most of it.’

A more recent tactic from the ‘gram is to heavily promote IG TV posts on the discovery tab and in the feed, so making these (along with stories) part of your marketing is key. How? According to Star, there are three ways to engage your biz audience by utilising videos on IG TV:

• Clearly outline the purpose of the video (this is called the “promise”, what they get as a result of watching).

• Articulate a pressure point (i.e. How to Organize Your Work Day) and offer 3-4 tips (this is called the “solution”);

• Have a clear Call To Action (this is where you invite them to DO something, like leave a comment/click to buy/sign up for a newsletter/etc).’

5. Don’t play in borrowed playgrounds

While IG is a fantastic tool for small biz owners to build their biz and engage with their audience, you should always be looking at how you can guide people from that platform to one you own. Social media is always a borrowed playground; the rules can change anytime so never build a business solely on these platforms. Guiding people to a place you own may look like asking them to sign up to your email, download a freebie, purchase an item, attend an event, come in-store or visit your website. The sooner you can connect with customers (past, present and potential) on a platform you own, the better.

Fiona Killackey is business consultant, author and mentor for My Daily Business Coach. You can sign up to her weekly email full of small biz insights and tips here.

 Jasmine Star is a photographer and business strategist and a guru at Instagram for business. Check out her own Instagram here. 

Evi O was one of the first artists gallery founder Kitty Clark ever showed at Saint Cloche, and the relationship has clearly gone from strength to strength. Kitty explains ‘championing emerging artists and connecting them with new collectors is important to me, as I believe that we cannot have a thriving art scene if we do not invest in emerging artists.’

Evi’s work is distinctive for its use of vivid, eye-catching colour. Her work depicts semi-abstracted shapes, often inspired by natural forms, animals and plants. In Fantasia, Evi continues to explore these vibrant forms, synthesising a kaleidoscope of colour and pattern into one diverse, uplifting body of work.

The exhibition will be opened with a special panel discussion on the topic ‘Colour is my superpower’ hosted by Tim Ross, and featuring a stellar line-up of panelists – veered fashion designer Linda Jackson AO, iconic artist Ken Done, next-level crafter Rachel Burke, influencer Taline Gabriel and interior designer Yasmine Ghoniem.

To get your head in the zone, pop on Evi’s Spotify playlist for full immersion into her colourful world!

Fantasia by Evi O 
Saint Cloche Gallery @ Sydney Contemporary
September 12th-15th 
Opening night panel September 12th, 7-8pm

The Barrington Eco Hut is designed by Fresh Prince, a design and building practice with a particular passion for designing tiny eco houses. The firm is committed to exploring how small dwellings can allow Australians to spend time in remote, picturesque locations, without disturbing the surrounding environment.

Barrington Eco Hut is the practice’s latest tiny project. You’ll find no phone reception or Wi-Fi here, just 14 square metres of interior space (less than a third of the size of a typical one-bedroom city apartment!) and the surrounding riverbanks.  The brief from the client was simply to create a self-contained, off-grid cabin with minimal impact on the environment. 

While many architectural projects take years to come to fruition, the entire design and building process was completed in about six months, with the use of prefabricated construction.

‘Prefabricated construction is great for remote sites because the construction process can be streamlined without the hassle of getting materials and tradespeople to and from the site,’ says Fresh Prince director, Alice Nivison. ‘We love it because it also means we have a centralised space where we design and build, the materials are looked after and off-cuts are stored for later reuse, and we can work in any weather.’

The design of this particular project was tailored to its specific site in Barrington Tops, NSW, about two hours drive north-west of Newcastle. 

‘Although the general orientation was preconceived, the prefabricated nature of the cabin allowed us to manoeuvre the dwelling on site, making micro adjustments to capture the best views and ambience in real time, and find the perfect spot,’ says Alice. 

Eschewing a ‘cookie cutter’ design approach, Fresh Prince began the design process from scratch in order to determine what was truly essential. The resulting project frames the surrounding views from the living and sleeping areas, with a more private outlook towards the adjacent woodland from the bathroom. Double doors open out towards the river, creating a feeling of expansiveness despite the dwelling’s tiny interior footprint. Continuous built-in joinery also removes the need for additional furniture.

Among the eco-friendly features of the cabin are an integrated off-grid solar system, rigid foam insulation that creates minimal air gaps (as wool insulation can shift during transport and over time, causing weak spots in the thermal performance), a composting toilet; and carbon-neutral Weathertex exterior cladding. 

‘We hope that through exploring these tiny designs, we can inspire people to rethink the amount of space they need in their homes, and through this, live a more simplified life,’ Alice says. 

The Barrington Eco Cabin has recently welcomed its first guests. Find out more here.

Sophie Gandar – Milou Milou

An alternative to fast-fashion, this vibrant though minimalist bedlinen is fully custom (colours/sizes). It is created from durable 100% flax linen, much of which is ‘dead stock’ over-ordered by global corporate fashion brands.

Seljak Brand – Closed Loop Merino Wool Blanket

A closed-loop, recycled merino wool blanket made from off-cut materials bound for landfill, which is also recyclable at the end of its life. They are made at Australia’s oldest and last fully-integrated wool mill.

Contain Design Studio – Milk In Glass

Tackling the war on waste by bringing back the returnable 1L glass bottles of the past, this world-first, crowdfunded design encourages “drink, return, refill, repeat”. Ergonomic in form, it features an FSC recycled paper collar for essential information and incorporates brand glass mould of the dairy’s logo, eliminating non-recyclable labelling.

Champ Design – Puzzle Placements

This interactive tableware is manufactured in Melbourne from recycled tyres and new durable rubber, using low-emission techniques. Practical yet playful, the designs protect and prolong the life of surfaces.

The Better Packaging Co. – comPOST Packs

The rise of e-commerce has resulted in increased plastic postage packaging, which horrified the designers and compelled them to design a sustainable (yet fit-for-purpose) courier satchel. Certified home compostable as well as being partly made from renewable plants, their design, in seven sizes, is distinguishable in its bold, opaque black, with distinctive slogans like ‘I’m a Real Dirt Bag’.

Candice Choma, Eyre Cup

A utilitarian ‘eco-preneurial’ response to throw-away culture, particularly at festivals, this collapsible cup is made from soft food-grade silicone. It also featured a handy D loop for attachment, promoting every day, all-day use.

BeetBox – BeetBox Glass Lunch Bowl

This reusable and 100% recyclable bold three-piece design features strong tempered glass yet is featherlight, with a unique membrane seal (air/liquid-tight). It fosters pack-a-lunch culture, minimising waste and improving user health.

NRN Architects – Walkerville POD HouseTwo

A home created from existing prefabricated pod structures, that have been ‘stitched together’ to create a comfortable holiday home that maximises rainwater collection, solar energy generation, natural light and outdoor space.

Seed & Sprout – Fresh Food Storage Bundle

Everything you need to eliminate plastic form your fridge and freezer, all the while keeping food fresher. This storage bundle of silicone solutions is plastic free, toxic-free and air-tight.

Carter Williamson – GRID Education

Created as part of a school STEM program, this pre-fabricated, modular, sustainable housing solution is highly adaptable, suitable for residential or commercial applications to disaster zone deployment.

Trias – Three Piece House

Designed for a downsizing retiring couple, this sustainable design for a modest two-bedroom home and studio balances its compact footprint with height, light, and volume.

The Sustainable Design Award is supported by Mercedes me store Melbourne.

Mercedes me is a certified carbon neutral café and event space, a hub of creativity where contemporary café culture meets Mercedes-Benz lifestyle. A vibrant concept space where art meets innovation, design meets entrepreneurship and sport meets community leadership. A place to build new relationships and experience great events. Created to connect, designed to share, made to inspire.

Located east of Scone in New South Wales, this Belford Park property is a farmstead that has been in the Bell family for almost three generations. Melbourne-based Louy Bell, who has previously worked for interior design firm Adelaide Bragg, happily traveled back to reinvigorate the interior fit-out for her historic family home.

The design was envisaged to provide sanctuary and ‘respite after the long and physically demanding days’ on the working agricultural farm. The aesthetic deliberately captures the historic qualities of the home, while offering a fresh and contemporary take on farm living. The objects and finishes needed to be robust, to ‘endure all of the things that come with the farming lifestyle.’  Sisal rugs, leather upholstered sofas, ceramic stools and cushions that echo the colours of the surrounding landscape were selected for their robust materiality and connection to the farm environment, creating gentle transitions between interior and exterior.

Existing heritage furniture take centre stage here, enlivened by a few carefully selected contemporary pieces to sit alongside the historic. The classic country look is given a modern spin with a refined palette of soft blues and grey tones. Louy explains, ‘the property experiences the true extremities of the Australian climate, and by using a cooler tonal scheme I wanted to create a relaxing and calm environment.’

Louy and her family made a conscious effort to support local businesses as much as possible, particularly due to the fact that Scone has been in drought for the last three years. ‘This was both a challenge and an exciting approach’, she reflects. ‘We did our research and found alternatives from local suppliers, who were happy to make the 50km trip out of town!’

If this story has you swooning for a farm getaway, Louy and her family have also renovated one of the workman’s cottages on site. Book into Cherson Cottage for some regional re-charging, as well as to help support a local community during the hardships of drought.