Some Sunday eye candy

I don't know about anyone else, but as we get into August I start to get super depressed because our hot and sunny days are numbered. UGH! I spent all day yesterday hanging out at my parent's place, mostly lounging in their pool enjoying the drink of the day - cucumber gin fizz (sooo good). This means all I have for you today is some eye candy I found care of KK Living. And I might just spend today at the pool too. Laundry and dirty house can wait. 

Click to read more ...

Step inside Inside Out

Ever wish you could actually step inside the houses in your favourite magazines? Take a tour? Get the low down on how and why and what? Now you can with Inside Out magazine's "Open for Inspection". I'll let managing editor Lee Tran Lam explain.

Thanks to Circa Home readers will be able to buy tickets and go on a tour of a Melbourne house with our editor-in-chief Claire Bradley and style expert Lisa Koehler. The home not only rates highly as a place you'd be very happy to live in, it's also got impressive eco-friendly credentials. It belongs to Sven and Dawn Maxa, who run Maxa Design, a company that specialises in sustainable and energy-efficient building projects. Their residence is not only a great family home, but it's a testament to their environmental dedication. The place features low-voltage lighting, solar panels, smart insulation, rainwater tanks, reused and reclaimed material, and "healthy" glues, paints and products that pose no threat to their children Abby and Oscar. They made the renovation as green as possible, holding out for the most suitable products, even if that might have made them temporarily unpopular with the people working with them!

The home is even more spectacular when you consider what it was like originally. When Sven and Dawn first saw it, they were reluctant to even go inside for an inspection. "It had no street appeal, whatsoever," says Sven. "Had the agent not been on the doorstep looking at us, we probably would have driven off!" Now readers can walk inside and see the transformation on our "Open For Inspection" events on August 26.

Here's a sneak peek at the story in the August issue of Inside Out with words by Joanne Hawkins, styling by Ruth Welsby, photography Martina Gemmola and don't forget you can read along on Zinio, Google Play and Apple Newsstand.

Click to read more ...

Double dose of Inside Out

Here's our second home from the July issue of Inside Out. I'll let managing editor Lee Tran Lam fill us in.

This second batch of images are from a "renovator's delight" (and as we all know, the reality of such a huge project is not always entirely "delightful")! A group of friends (who call themselves "A Gentleman's Agreement") decided to buy a dilapidated house (and its bad shape was not exaggerated – most of the floor had rotted through, there was water damage wherever you looked, and the stairs had vanished – as had many of the walls. There wasn't even a proper kitchen or bathroom). "We couldn't have lived there even if we wanted to," says builder Daniel Hedge. 

With some styling help from the Cool Edies duo, the group renovated the home and try to sell it. It's quite a task! Unsurprisingly, they have some insightful stories to tell.  Styling by Jane Frosh. Photography by Phu Tang.

Don't forget Aussie readers can pick up their copy of the latest issue of Inside Out on Thursday and overseas readers can find it on Zinio, Google Play and the Apple Newsstand.

Click to read more ...

Inside Out

You will all know by now that Inside Out is one of our favourite magazines. Packed full of inspiring homes and design ideas. What could be better? Well twice as many issues! Inside Out is now published monthly. To celebrate, managing editor Lee Tran Lam is giving us a sneak peek into two amazing homes featured in the new July issue.

"The images are from a Melbourne home renovation, where everything went suspiciously well! (Yes, that's right, even that it sounds too good to be true, this project somehow managed to escape budget blowouts and lengthy delays – and it looks really great.) It belongs to the family of Jo and Marcus Fogarty and their Melbourne home's makeover was overseen by friend, architect and designer Matt Martino. Styling by Emma O'Meara and photography by Nikole Ramsay."

Aussie readers can pick up their copy of the July Inside Out on Thursday. Don't fret if you aren't in Australia because you can read along on  Zinio, Google Play and the Apple Newsstand.

Click to read more ...

From the latest issue of Llamas' Valley

The latest issue of Llamas's Valley magazine is out and I have a little sneak peek for you all. This is the funky, gorgeous little apartment of Igor Josifovic, author of Happy Interior Blog. Loving those grey walls!