4 possibilities to use natural materials in your home

The use of natural materials in our interiors helps us in achieving elegant and timeless design.

These materials have the ability to take our breath away, and often transport us to another place and time.

In today’s journal entry we take you through the 4 possibilities to use natural materials in your home.

Let’s get you inspired.

Linen in the bedroom

Bondi Terrace | Lara Ette Design

Including as much fabric as you can into a bedroom is always a great idea, through curtains, bed linen, pillows and rugs. It really softens and calms the space and the mind.

Built Elements

Pretty In Pink Paddington | Lara Ette Design

Timber is an incredible material, there’s something about it that immediately transports you into the natural world. It’s versatility means it can be used in so many applications, and in our Studio we can’t go past using it on floors and in built in cabinetry.

Loose Furnishings

Bondi Terrace | Lara Ette Design

Even in small doses, natural materials can make quite an impact. Marble can evoke a feeling of wonder, and let’s not forget the tactility of wool and silk on our skin.

Benchtops

Bondi Beach House | Lara Ette Design

Using a natural stone on a large scale such as a benchtop lets us appreciate the full drama of the material. It simply takes our breath away, and the beauty will simply never fade.

Are you excited by these possibilities?

If so, get in touch today, we would love to hear from you

4 shifts for interiors in 2021

Without a doubt, the global pandemic has changed the way we want to live in our homes.

With this renewed sense of clarity, we are beginning to see powerful shifts in the aesthetic, tactility and functionality of interior spaces.

In today’s journal entry we take you through the 4 shifts for interiors that we see becoming prevalent in 2021 and the years ahead.

Let’s get you inspired!

Flexibility

A Humble Home Reimagined Lara Ette Design

Over time we will see a shift from open plan to separate rooms, but for now people need their existing spaces to work hard and perform many functions.

Escapism

AEAND Studio

With opportunities for travel seemingly in the distant future, art, objects and materials that transport us will become more common.

Modern Vintage

Tigmi Trading

There’s been a strong movement towards vintage homewares and furnishings, and this will no doubt accelerate as more people turn their back to fast furniture and towards making sustainable choices.

Shop Local

Lucy Montgomery

There are so many reasons to specify products from local suppliers, and 2021 is a great time to refocus this effort.

Are you excited by these possibilities?

If so, get in touch today, we would love to hear from you

4 clever tricks to get the most out of a smaller space

Small spaces are a reality of inner city living.

When tackling this design challenge at our studio, we begin with spatial planning - essentially making sure each function is accounted for and that there’s enough space for circulation around these tasks. After the planning has been resolved, there are a few tricks we can do to increase space visually without sacrificing style.

In today’s journal entry we take you through these 4 clever tricks to get the most out of a smaller space.

Let’s get you inspired!

Tonal Palette

Rose Tree House Lara Ette Design

In this bedroom, restricting the colour palette was the technique we used to increase space visually. The dresser and the walls are tonally similar, and this has helped to blur the corners and create depth in the room.

Materials and Details

New Beginnings Lara Ette Design

Even in a small space, it's a good idea to use a mix of materials as this creates interest and keeps the eye moving from point to point taking it all in. In this open kitchen and dining space, we have a marble, veneer and crisp white cabinetry. It’s so important not to forget the small details, as they can make all the difference. The leather shelf brackets, and the colour, pattern and texture of the wool rug and linen table cloth are all eye-catching elements.

Fine Profiles

Randwick Residence Lara Ette Design

At our Studio we are very partial to a slim profile, and when applying this feature to cabinetry it elongates the entire room. In this kitchen of our latest project, we have applied this style to the upper cabinets, as well as using thin profiles to frame the timber wall of joinery.

Floating Elements

Bondi Beach House Lara Ette Design

Whenever possible, we like to float our elements. In this bathroom, we floated the vanity. Say tuned for more snippets of this recently photographed project!

Are you excited by these possibilities?

If so, get in touch today, we would love to hear from you

4 elements to elevate your outdoor setting

This year more than ever before, we are looking for our homes to better serve us.  By creating an outdoor setting that is comfortable and practical, we can feel satisfied that every available millimetre has been taken advantage of.  As you would when designing an interior, be sure to consider the zones for dining, reading, cooking and entertaining and the flow between. 

Having just completed our first landscape renovation with the help of the brilliant team at Outdoor Establishments, today’s journal entry will guide you through the 4 key elements that will elevate your outdoor setting experience.

Dynamic material selection is the first element, be sure to use every surface as an opportunity to contribute to the scheme.  What do we mean by dynamic?  It means to consider the tension between materials and to understand that successful combinations come together through selecting ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ finishes.  For example in this courtyard, the natural limestone of the flooring sits triumphantly alongside concrete used for detailing around the pond and the BBQ setting.

In many urban homes, a rectilinear geometry is inherent in the garden, and so the second key element becomes to find an opportunity to insert a curving line.  Why do we need a curve?  There’s something powerful about curves, with people displaying a strong bias for roundness.  In this courtyard, the organic shape of the crazy paving as well as the arc shaped sandstone seating, bring balance to the angular lines of the boundary walls, the pond and bbq.  

And so we come to the third key element, which is about framing the view from inside the home so that an individuals’ experience with nature can be curated.  When an outdoor setting is perfectly framed as a backdrop to the interior, it can feel as though a painting has come to life. 

Lighting is our last key element, and its effect cannot be under estimated.  As well as serving a practical function of illuminating dining and cooking areas, lighting can create drama and give an illusion of infinite depth thanks to shadows and blurring corners.  

Select the images to click through the gallery!

Are you excited by these possibilities?

If so, get in touch today, we would love to hear from you

4 bright ideas to light up your interior

We are passionate about lighting at our Studio, and we really believe that the right selection can have an immediate effect on the personality of a scheme as well as strongly influencing the atmosphere.  In the design industry we call lighting a ‘Fixture’, which means it can be very difficult to change at a later stage so it is important to consider and select lighting at the early stages of a renovation.   

In today’s journal entry we show you 4 bright ideas to light up your interior space.

Let’s get you inspired!

Task Lighting

Pretty In Pink Lara Ette Design

When we need focused bright illumination, we use task lighting which can be beautiful as well as practical. Above a kitchen island is a great example, and in this project we used the Industrial Pendant designed by Workstead which has the option to angle the disc giving us an opportunity to direct the light to the task on hand.

Ambient Lighting

New Beginnings Lara Ette Design

Ambient lighting is used when a more general illumination is called for, and though the usual way to provide this is with downlights, sometimes this isn’t possible in more traditional homes such as in this Paddington terrace. Instead we used the IC Floor Lamp designed by Michael Anastassiades which delivers an incredible amount of soft diffused light into the rooms.

Decorative Lighting

Hideaway Home Lara Ette Design

There are other times when we want the drama that only a Decorative light can bring to an interior space, and this was definitely the case in our Bondi project. We used the Bailey Pendant designed by Tom Federay and the light that it casts thanks to the fluted hand made glass is truly dazzling.

Direct Lighting

Pretty in Pink Lara Ette Design

When lighting up a specific area, object or piece of art, Accent lighting is used with the beam directed to fall in a specific place. In this bedroom we selected the Popper pendant designed by LAAL directing its light to fall on the opened pages of a book.

Are you excited by these possibilities?

If so, get in touch today, we would love to hear from you

4 approaches to introduce colour into your home

Today’s journal entry is all about colour, a topic close to our heart here at the Studio because we absolutely can’t get enough of it in our interiors!  Though most clients are drawn to the idea of using colour in their homes, at some stage in the design process uncertainty will set in and the temptation of a neutral palette prevails. 

The solution to this dilemma is to understand yourself and your own preferences.  Are you bold or cautious?  How do you dress, do you wear coloured clothing, or do you prefer colour only in accessories or not at all?   Do you admire colour in fashion or interiors but aren’t confident in selecting a palette? 

It’s also important to keep in mind the longevity of certain items - cushions, throws and art prints can be updated more often.  A painted or wallpapered surface will likely need a refresh every few years.  Small furnishings are versatile and can be updated or moved around as desired.  Joinery is more permanent and will likely be a feature that remains in the house of many years to come. 

In today’s journal entry we show you four products that will be sure to inject some colour into your space. Which of these approaches resonates most with you?

Happy browsing!

Arnold Circus Stool

Available from WORN STORE

Uilas Terra Rug

Available from HALCYON LAKE

Northern Ombre Lamp

Available from LightCo

Joinery

Custom Design Fabricated by faf woodwork

Robinson Crusoe Hideaway by Lara Ette Design

Are you excited by these possibilities?

If so, get in touch today, we would love to hear from you

4 combinations to dress your windows

At our Studio, we love to dress our clients windows for both aesthetic and practical reasons. It’s only once the curtains and blinds are up that a house begins to truly feel like home. Window treatments can make such a strong strong impact in a space, and we often liken them to artwork made from textiles.

If beginning a new build or renovating, it’s so important to consider how each window will be dressed ahead of construction. Will it be a roller blind, roman blind or curtain? Concealing the tracks and brackets is possible by creating pelmets or nooks, and being able to operate a blind or curtain with a remote control from the comfort of your bed or sofa is a true luxury. Both features are easily achieved with planning!

Whatever you decide, be sure to engage a specialist - we often will use Marlow & Finch who are true professionals. For that extra level of service and fully customised solutions, we would love to help here at the Studio.

In today’s journal entry we show you 4 different combinations to dress your windows.

Happy browsing!

Roller Blind

Custom translucent fabric

The Beach House by Lara Ette Design

S Fold Curtain

Custom sheer fabric

Pretty In Pink by Lara Ette Design

Pinch Pleat Curtain

Custom silk/linen fabric

New Beginnings by Lara Ette Design

Roman Blind

Custom linen/polyester fabric

The Beach House by Lara Ette Design

Are you excited by these possibilities?

If so, get in touch today, we would love to hear from you

4 simple ideas to create the perfect escape into your bedroom

Are you escaping into your bedroom more than usual at the moment?  Here at the Studio, bedrooms are a favourite space of ours to decorate, and we seek to create a mood that both inspires and calms which can be a delicate balance to achieve.

Did you read the previous journal entry 4 ways to make the bed (room) look beautiful?  In today’s journal entry we develop this and look at a 4 simple ideas that you can easily implement to begin to create a space that you will love retreating into.

Happy browsing!

Bed Linen

Available from CULTIVER

Rose Tree House by Lara Ette Design

Cloudburst Wallpaper in Mountain Green

Available from QUERCUS & CO

Heath Table Lamp

Available from JARDAN

A Portrait Of An Ancient Coral Reef In Anthropocene

Available from CURATORIAL + CO

Are you excited by these possibilities?

If so, get in touch today, we would love to hear from you

4 ways to make the bed (room) look beautiful

Bedrooms are a firm favourite of ours as they can be quite simply put together to give a dramatic effect. 

Read on to see how we brought this bedroom to life!

This bedroom was blessed with natural features often found in terrace homes, with high ceilings adorned with decorative details and generously proportioned skirting boards and trims. 

We selected a soft green hue and chose to apply a contemporary treatment to the wardrobes and picture rails by painting them in the same colour.  Applying wallpaper on one wall in a tonal colourway was a way of giving the beautiful fireplace an opportunity to really emerge and be striking. 

By taking up the drapes as high as possible and making them quite full, we have been able to achieve texture and depth to this bedroom.  We chose a blush colour for the bedspread.  It not only complements the wall colour, but also ties in with the palette found in the home to create a cohesive scheme.  The rug underfoot is handwoven using a kapaus weave adding a rich pattern into the room. 

Unique pendants provide the finishing touches to the room with a fresh white chosen to accentuate the ceiling height and complement the door and window trims.  Being able to direct the light was useful, and a small detail that made a big difference was placing the switches at an accessible point. 

Our clients hung a sweet and generously sized family photograph above the dresser.  It is one of the first things that they see when their eyes open in the morning. 

DESIGN PRO TIPS

1. Paint walls or use wallpaper to introduce a colour, and create a different atmosphere to the rest of the house

2. Introduce textiles by focusing on curtains, bed linen and rugs. 

3. Free up the bedside table by using wall, floor or pendant lights.  Be sure to always consider where the light switch is located. 

4. To complete the picture, hang some art

DESIGN CLUB QUESTIONS

1. What other ways can you think of to introduce textiles into a bedroom?

2. What other colours do you think would have worked in this bedroom given its generous proportions and high ceilings?

3. Do you like the idea of pendants next to the bed? Why or why not? What is your preference?

4. Where would you have placed a piece of art into this bedroom?

   Do you want the same results with your own interior project?

   If so, get in touch today, we would love to hear from you

4 pieces that will instantaneously add personality and comfort into your home

Hopefully you were inspired by the last journal entry 4 tips to add emotional layering into a space, and are beginning to see how a few considered items can make such an impact in room. 

Though this entry was only written a few weeks ago, it feels like a life time ago.  If I can pause for a moment to acknowledge the stress, grief and anxiety that we are feeling as a collective. 

With more time spent at home, it’s likely that we are more aware than usual of our surroundings and perhaps for some people it might be a welcome distraction to focus on creating an environment that is inspires and calms. 

Given this backdrop, I have put together a small selection of some of my favourite suppliers of soft furnishings, art and accessories. 

Happy browsing!

View From The Bridge, Bellingen

Melanie Waugh

No longer available, but visit Studio Direct Michael Reid for available works

Melon Circus Floor Cushion

Available from Castle and Things

Planter Bowls

Kristina Dam

Dance Monkey

Boucherouite

TIGMI TRADING

Are you excited by these possibilities?

If so, get in touch today, we would love to hear from you

4 Tips to add emotional layering into a space

This room is an absolute favourite of mine, and it’s a great example of how a space can be transformed into a haven using soft furnishings, art and accessories.   

As the primary function of the space was to be a reading room, we began with a well-proportioned and sleek sofa that on it’s own could perhaps be seen to be a little subdued.

Read on to see how we made things more interesting!

The first decorative addition to the scheme was a rug that would clearly define the space around the fireplace, in a delicious two toned honey yellow colour that was selected to form the beginnings of the colour palette.  The composition of the rug is wool and art silk, which is a synthetic fibre that resembles silk. 

A sofa can really benefit from some feature cushions, both to break up the large expanse of fabric that is often selected in safe and neutral colour and material, and also to introduce different textures into the scheme for tactile enjoyment.  In general, introducing pattern through cushions is a wise approach, and pairing this with a bock colour can be really effective. 

Accessories are a fabulous way to introduce even more colour and materials.  One way to begin is to look for somewhere to place a large object, and the mantelpiece provided this opportunity in this room.  The generously sized fluted glass vase in fiery orange was the perfect find, and a couple of smaller ceramic objects of similar colours were placed alongside to complement this piece.

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as finding a piece of art that speaks to you on an emotional level, that works well within the space, and finally that is the right scale for the wall and room.  When this happens, high fives all around. 

DESIGN PRO TIPS

1. Rugs are an excellent way to inject a colour into a scheme, as well as providing a soft material underfoot – be sure to take your shoes off and test before you buy!  Rugs are also key to defining a space so have a really good think about size and proportion. 

2. As an interior designer, colour selection does come relatively easily but if in doubt use the colour wheel as a guide to find complementary colours.    

3. When selecting cushions, be sure to select a fabric that is not otherwise in the room, something that might be better used on a smaller piece.  Some examples include sheepskin, velvet, and leather. 

4. Use accessories to bring more colour and personality if desired, or simply select neutral objects that balance out the composition of a room

DESIGN CLUB QUESTIONS

1. Do you find the yellow of the rug joyful and uplifting?  What colour would you have chosen?

2. Can you see that the complementary colours to this yellow are purples and pinks?  What else might have worked well?

3. Can you see how the small scale of the pattern on the cushion suits the compact space and furnishings?  Would a large pattern have created the same impact?

4. What other accent colours do you think would have worked well for a feature accessory given we had the rug and cushions?   

Do you want the same results with your own interior project?

If so, get in touch today, we would love to hear from you

Bali Escape

Welcome to our first blog post! It’s probably not that surprising that my recent visit to Bali has inspired the topic.  As a founder and CEO of a business, and with two small kids, opportunities for travel have been rare.  After much deliberation, I settled on COMO Uma in Ubud as my destination.  My business has gained a lot from my trip, and I hope you do too.  

First and foremost, the level of care that I experienced in Bali reminded me of my commitment to strive to make you feel comfortable and nurtured.  I was enthralled by the beautiful nature of the Balinese people that we met on this short escape.  It was incredible that everyone new me by name within the first few hours of arrival, I was always asked how I was enjoying myself and all my needs were anticipated and met.  

From a design perspective, where do I start! The design of the resort was luxurious, with every last detail considered.  Highlights included:

1. The diamond pattern of the floors, I would love to use this pattern for a custom made rug – anyone up for it?

2. The sliding timber doors in the rooms with the rattan inlay. I can imagine us creating something similar for a slider of a walk in robe in one of our current projects.

3. I loved the white washed timber panels with inbuilt pulls and exterior hinges of the storage in the yoga pavilion. I can see this making a really great statement joinery piece within a home.

4. The furnishings were so well considered, I now want to see that four poster bed in one of our projects!

5. The outdoor settings were also the perfect balance of casualness and elegance, and I really appreciated seeing natural stone being used on all the pieces.

I also enjoyed the indoor-outdoor connections found throughout, from the shower in the rooms, to the serene ponds and of course the outstanding yoga pavilion where we were able to be fully immersed in the jungle surroundings.  Though this connection might not be as practical for living in Sydney, it reminded me to continually seek out nature.  I’m going to evolve our use of indoor plants and look to use more photography of the ocean or jungle within homes.  

I met some incredible artisans along the way.  Let me introduce you to -  Ketut, he draws and paints the most beautiful art on to egg shaped objects made from timber.  You can send through your own designs and he will make up and ship back to you! Check him out on Insta @bungkling 

I also found the brand MEISOU.  It was difficult to resist purchasing one of their hand-crafted kimonos made from organic cotton and a plant-based dye in the most deepest of blues with vibrant red trims.  Be sure to follow their Insta @meisoumalas as it is full of inspirational images and quotes reminding us to live mindfully and joyfully .

Namaste!