10 OF THE BEST FLOOR, TABLE AND PENDANT LIGHTS
SPONSORED POST
BEACON LIGHTING They say the right lighting can make or break a room. I couldn’t agree more. When I renovated our home I will admit I knew very little about the impact lighting could have on a space. My electrician asked me what I had in mind and aside from wanting to hang a few pendant lights I really didn’t have much more of an idea. In our rush to move in we settled on a blanket of downlights for the main living spaces and looking back now, I wish the decision had been more considered. There is nothing I love more than a careful selection of different types of lighting to change the feel of a space to suit your mood. Lighting design is an understated art form and a well-considered design, combining ambient, task and accent lighting can add so much drama to a space and help with performing specific tasks. Beacon Lighting have a great selection of contemporary floor, table and pendant lights to work with in your space and I’ve teamed up with them to style my top favourite products and to share with you some other lovely selections. From left to right (top image): Misura Floor Lamp The delicate lines of this floor lamp are unassuming, which helps to integrate this floor lamp easily into many different spaces – a dream lamp for an interior stylist or designer. It doesn’t scream, “look at me I’m over here taking attention away from everything else in the room!” but rather it speaks more quietly, hanging out in the space as one of the cool kids without competing. Sometimes you need that piece in the room that works seamlessly rather than filling a space with too many showpieces. Some other floor lamp favourites include the Citta Floor Lamp for its modernist aesthetic and the LEDlux Blakely Floor Lamp, which is also a very delicate in design.
Alrik 1 Light Coolie Pendant
Who would have known plywood timber could look so fancy? The strong cylindrical lines cast such a beautiful shadow and I couldn’t resist playing up this feature in this photoshoot. This pendant light would look wonderful clustered as a group of three and varying the size adds interest.
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Gaston 1 Light Table Lamp A perfect combination of two materials that work so well together – copper and concrete. Designed by Josh & Jenna of The Block and Reno Rumble fame, the simple shape of this lamp and the way in which the light casts upwards makes this table lamp a sculptural showpiece to add to your home. Other table lamp gems include the Gustavo Table Lamp with its marble base and metal shade and the Raika 1 Light Table Lamp combining amber glass and cork to create an interesting overall design that looks more like a lantern than a table light. Lunar 1 Light Small Cylinder Pendant I was really looking forward to seeing this light in person as I have been considering it for a project. Amber is my preferred coloured-glass to work with at the moment and when lit, it casts a beautiful warm glow. It’s a real winner! Other beautiful pendant light alternatives include the Harvey 1 Light Pendant - concrete lights are on trend right now and the clay colour gives the concrete unexpected warmth – and the Monlue Tread Pendant in copper with black accents. Copper is still hugely popular at the moment and combined with the matt black finish of the shade, this pendant light looks elegant and refined. To see a huge collection of floor, table and pendant lighting, visit Beacon Lighting. |
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Tuesday, February 23, 2016
TEN OF THE BEST FLOOR, TABLE AND PENDANT LIGHTS
Monday, November 30, 2015
BEHIND THE SCENES: STYLING WITH FREEDOM
BEHIND THE SCENES: STYLING WITH FREEDOM
DECORATING
A couple of months ago I was invited by Freedom to style a living space using pieces from their new Spring / Summer collection. I brought my team with me - David (photographer) and Christopher (junior stylist) and the Freedom team were amazing help. |
Starting with the Bonnie sofa in tan leather, we added and subtracted cushions and other pieces until we achieved the final space which reflects my take on the Spring / Summer look. I would love to know what you think! See more here including full product list: http://blog.freedom.com.au/2015/09/05/behind-the-scenes-at-our-spring-summer-2015-instameet/ |
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Monday, March 9, 2015
Living Room
LIVING ROOM SPONSORED POST
OUR LIVING ROOM has changed significantly since I last shared it with you. It has been re-decorated based on mine and David's style and even the location is different having swapped places with the dining area. The new space feels more 'us' with a deep soft velvet sofa that we can all share, a couple of items purchased on our trip to Palm Springs, and lots of indoor plants. We have worked out that we don't have a black thumb after all.
I was able to get a sneak peak into the new Freedom Autumn / Winter collection which is hitting the stores this week. Using some of their beautiful pieces I have styled our living room for autumn.
Autumn in Australia can still be very warm with the nights becoming quite cool. Rather that restyle the whole space with borrowed pieces from the new collection (which was tempting!), I wanted to share how I would realistically change my space for the cooler months by adding a few more cushions to snuggle into and thick knitted throws to wrap ourselves with. I traditionally think of moodier colours for the cooler months but this time I wanted to still keep things light and fresh and add various texture to the space with chunky knit throws, leather and fabric upholstered ottomans, as well as cushions that look as though they have been hand knitted. Together with freshly painted white walls and the natural grain of our old floorboards the living space feels warm. |
Even our fiddle leaf plant hasn't escaped being rugged up with a new weaved plant holder. The armchairs have also been painted and I am very happy with the way the Christopher Farr fabric looks in the space.
So this is our new living area all dressed up for the new season. The details for each of the items which you can purchase from Freedom can be found below. |
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ALL THE DETAILS
Cushions (second from left to second from right): PIVOT CUSHION IN LAGOON ($34.95) STANFORD CUSION IN GREY ($39.95), PEAKE CUSHION IN ICED LEMON ($34.95)
Fabric ottoman: HANDLE OTTOMAN IN DOVE / TAN ($149)
Throws above fabric ottoman: TALI THROW IN SPEARMINT ($79.95), STANFORD THROW IN GREY ($89)
Leather ottoman: TUCKER SQUARE OTTOMAN IN UNION TAN ($449)
Throw on armchair: FRINGE THROW IN DIJON ($79.95)
Striped vase: FRENCH STRIPE VESSEL IN NAVY ($39.95)
Marble cross: CROSS DECO STATUE IN MARBLE ($39.95)
Lamp: METRO TABLE LAMP ($149)
Coffee table: LOVETT COFFEE TABLE IN WHITE (Previous season and now on sale $129)
Please let me know if you are interested in any names of plants in the comments below. Also please note: Some plants are toxic especially to children. I suggest researching plants for their toxicity before introducing into your home. Christopher isn't mobile yet but once he is some of these plants will need to be moved out of reach.
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Friday, February 27, 2015
IKEA BENCH SEAT
IKEA BENCH SEAT PROJECTS
GOOD OL' IKEA came to the rescue for us when we created a seating area for Robert's bedroom. The idea started of with needing more storage to keep his toys and also all the homework and activities he completes at school. Rather than add a whole lot of storage cabinets to his bedroom I thought it might be nice to double it as a seating area and a place where he can play his instruments, read a book, throw his clothes (!!). Custom joinery looks beautiful but we didn't have the budget for it this time and so I headed off to IKEA with a sketch to find the pieces we needed.
The cabinets consist of two Alex drawer units flanking a double and single BESTA shelf unit with Vassbo door panels. After building all the pieces, David fixed the bottom cabinets together with screws so that they stay in place. The cabinets are not as deep as the drawer units and I wanted all units to be flush, so he had a piece of thick MDF cut to similar depth to the drawer units and fixed it to the top of the base cabinets with screws.
We chose not to fit skirting boards because it would have made the entire configuration higher and the current height is perfect for a child. It also lines up nicely with the chair rail we have installed on the walls of his room. I sourced some lovely fabric and gave it to my upholsterer, along with my dimensions, for him to work his magic. So, that's it really! Pretty simple. |
Eventually, I would like to swap out the doors and drawer fronts for something that gives it a more pulled together look but it works just fine for us now.
If you would like to try something similar I have noted all the dimensions and details at the bottom of this post. A few people asked me to post the details and I hope you find this useful. |
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ALL THE DETAILS
Left and right side drawer units: Alex drawer units from IKEA
Dimensions: H69cm x W39cm x D58cm
Double base cabinet: BESTA shelf unit with Vassbo door from IKEA
Dimensions: H38cm x W120cm x D41.5cm
Single base cabinet: BESTA shelf unit with Vassbo door from IKEA
Dimensions: H38cm x W60cm x D41.5cm
MDF cut to size
Dimensions: Ours is L180cm x W60.5cm because we have a chair rail but if the seating area was to sit against a flat wall it would be L180cm x W58cm.
Fabric: Barmer French Grey and Barmer Bleached from No Chintz
Bottom cushion: 180cm x 60.5cm x 8cm
Back cushion: 180cm x 24cm x 8cm
Side cushions (x 2): 24cm x 53cm x 8cm
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Monday, November 24, 2014
Picked from the garden
One of the previous owners of our house was a very passionate gardener. A neighbour told me she used to provide advice to the council for trees to line the streets and she loved natives the most. Because of this, our home is surrounded with banksias, wattles and eucalyptus trees.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Cabinet bar inspired by Gaudi
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Well it seems I might need to plan a trip to Portugal soon after seeing the images of this Portuguese fishing village that I shared last week and now coming across this eccentrically colourful cabinet bar by Portuguese company Malabar, called Templo. The Gaudi inspiration is pretty clear to see and the rich blue capitonné padding of the interior is lovely combined with the small gold buttons.
Set onto a warm wood base, this cabinet is a real head turner I think! Definitely not a piece to shy away in the corner of a room.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Douglas and Bec
Douglas and Bec is a New Zealand based store I came across while searching for furniture for a project. Stocking items from local and international designers, the store has an online website filled to the brim with gorgeous product. Above are a few of my favourites combining thin brass lines, copper and beautiful wood. Although the store is based in NZ they ship to Australia and the shipping price is not unreasonable given the weight of some of the furniture pieces.
+ Images Douglas and Bec
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Hanging planters by Angus & Celeste
Melbourne has some great creative energy at the moment I feel. When I hunt for products I keep landing on designs coming from this part of Australia. I think I need to visit again soon! Angus & Celeste is one such place, owned by Keir Angus MacDonald and Asha Celeste Cato (hence the company name), producing beautiful products for the home and garden with an Australian feel.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Christopher Farr fabric for the cane chairs
It is nice to complete a (small) project. The cane chairs arrived back from the upholsterer. Here is one of them with new beautiful box cushions and piping to complement the shape of the frame. Beats the way they used to look with the puckered edges, I think. The cushion is from Trina Turk which we purchased in L.A and it travelled with us on the long haul flight home. It makes me crave another holiday!
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Interview with Camilla Franks: New collection for Designer Rugs
+ Island Song, designed by Camilla for Designer Rugs
+ Hydra, designed by Camilla for Designer Rugs
+ Tang, designed by Camilla for Designer Rugs
The handmade rugs are elaborately detailed in bold colours inspired by her travels to Marrakech, Japan and Formentera. The designs are based on her 2012 Gypset collection and have been translated into these beautiful floor coverings.
+ Formentera, designed by Camilla for Designer Rugs
Camilla is currently travelling in India but she kindly answered a few question about her new collection. Thank you for sharing with us!
Tell us a little about your background - what path led you to fashion and now homewares?
The label originally evolved through my work as a theatre actress when I would create my own flamboyant costumes for the characters I played – as the costumes attracted more attention than my acting the label was born. I always saw the brand as being a fun, colourful & luxury lifestyle label & over the years the ranges have evolved from a women’s collection to include men’s, children’s, swimwear, accessories too.
Recently I have started expanding into homewares, launching a cushion & candle range with my Gypset SS Collection and the response from customers was amazing! Continuing this expansion I have collaborated with DESIGNER RUGS to create a capsule collection of luxurious floor coverings, which allow my customers to create their own Camilla world’s at home. It has been a lot of hard work but a dream journey.
+ Endless Summer, designed by Camilla for Designer Rugs
How do you find the right balance of pattern and colour in your designs and do you have a favourite rug from your collection?
Like my fashion collection, you can expect a playful colour palette & a range of elaborately detailed & luxurious floor coverings. There are definitely synergies with the fashion collection, as the prints align; however it was a learning experience and an interesting journey as I needed to play with my existing colours & prints so they translated into this new medium, while maintaining the Camilla DNA.
As for my favourite it’s a difficult decision, however what sits in my home is the Endless Summer rug because it takes me away & the Tang rug because for me it is so moody & perfect for Winter nights at home.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Quercus & Co: The Caravan Collection
Apologies if you arrived here looking for pictures of caravans but I do have something lovely... if you are 'into' wallpaper that is.
I recently came across Quercus & Co, a Sydney based printing company launched fairly recently in May 2012 by Adam Jones who taught colour and design at the University of Technology Sydney. The designs are hand painted in watercolour and then printed onto heavyweight matt wallpaper capturing the washy detail and the bleeding edges of the paint.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Emily Green Artwork
// Right: Peacock and Candy Pink Watercolour Clouds by Emily Green
Prints of her artwork are available online here.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Anna Carey
One day I hope to fill all of the walls in my home - top to bottom - with artwork, predominately Australian art. Our collection is coming along nicely with the living room almost completely full of our favourite pieces and we are keeping an eye out for more.
So it was nice to come across the work of Gold Coast artist Anna Carey who was recently featured on The Design Files. Anna's work are photographic images of the tiny architectural paper models that she makes. The models are pieced together based on her recollection of buildings that are familiar to the Gold Coast landscape.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Out with the pink
I'm trying to 'de-pink' the house. Not that anyone living here has a problem with it but I have realised lately how much of the colour has been sneaking in.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Exotic Birds
David and I visited Signature Prints on Saturday. I wanted to see if there was any suitable fabric in the offcuts pile that could be used for a couple of projects. We both share a love of art and not surprisingly we were distracted by the artwork hanging on the walls.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Shopping in Salt Lake City
I completely forgot that I also had "Visit an Anthropologie store" on my life list. It is a strange thing to add to a life list, isn't it? Anyway it was on there and I managed to cross it off the list recently as well.
Maybe I can actually complete the list in this lifetime? Although "Learn to whistle a song" is proving to be a tricky one for me. I think I might have to concede that it will never happen.
Read on to see what I found during my brief shopping trip in Salt Lake City...
Maybe I can actually complete the list in this lifetime? Although "Learn to whistle a song" is proving to be a tricky one for me. I think I might have to concede that it will never happen.
Read on to see what I found during my brief shopping trip in Salt Lake City...
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Mister Moss
I received a Mister Moss geranium as a Christmas gift. Knowing my thumb tends towards being black I have been taking extra special care with this plant especially during insane heat we have been having in Sydney.
So far it has survived and I even just spotted a few flowers today!
So far it has survived and I even just spotted a few flowers today!