By the time he was 20, Jonny Niesche was living in New York playing experimental music, and in hardcore rock bands. ‘That lasted a decade,’ he recalls. ‘I came back to Australia in 2001 and fell completely in love with art.’

He studied a BA of Visual Arts at Sydney University in 2007, followed by a Master of Visual Arts in 2013. In-between, Jonny took the Heimo Zobernig Masters class at Vienna’s Academy of Fine Arts, and has since gone on to hold solo exhibitions in Sydney, Melbourne, as well as Vienna and London more recently.

For Jonny, the path to developing his distinctive painting style wasn’t entirely straight-forward. For a long time the artist grappled with what it was that he really wanted to create. ‘I thought and thought… until one day I moved while looking at a glitter painting I had been playing with in the studio,’ Jonny explains. ‘Dependent on the incidence of light in the room and where I stood, the glitter was responding differently – It was this triangle of communication that stirred my interest. It was of a performative quality.’

From then on he set a signature, a criteria, for his work. ‘It got me thinking: “How can I get beyond the flat plane of a painting and make it more performative and ever-changing, to renew the experience every time one looks at it”,’ details the 46-year-old. ‘I concluded, if a painting doesn’t do that, it is not mine.’

Jonny uses transparent fabrics, with acrylic mirror, steel, brass and other materials in ways that challenge the perception of the viewer. His significant influences include David Bowie – ‘his words, melodies, glam posturing, manipulations of various styles and his complete conviction to the outcome of his ideas’ – and memories of childhood trips to the David Jones cosmetics department with his mother! ‘To me, this was an all-encompassing experience of incredible colour palettes of eyeshadows, the smell of perfumes and all the seductive and reflective smoky mirrored surfaces of the late 1970s.’

The artist’s latest body of work, Virtual Vibration will be projected onto the heritage-listed façade of the Museum of Contemporary Art for Vivid Sydney. This piece takes its title from ‘total vibration’: the optimum outcome of vibration of colour and experience between the viewer and the artwork, which was coined by the ZERO artists in 1950s Germany.

Focussing on how music, pace, and image affect the way we experience, through ‘Virtual Vibration’ the MCA collection artist has sought to provide some respite from the frenetic pace of the city. This installation is produced with Sydney-based Animation company Spinifex Group, and composer/electronic producer Mark Pritchard, whose album, Under the Sun, Jonny had spinning on repeat as he developed the artwork concept, and felt captured its exact mood and pace. ‘I wrote an embarrassing fan email to Mark, whom I had never met, and we kicked off from there,’ Jonny tells. ‘It has become a great collaboration and friendship.’

While Virtual Vibration will certainly adhere to the core principles of Jonny’s practice, the projection is an incredible increase in scale for the artist. ‘When literally anything you can think up can be done, it’s very exciting. It opens up a whole new area of thought and possibilities!’ he enthuses. You can see it for yourself in Sydney from this Friday (IRL, or wherever you get your digital re-projections!).

Virtual Vibration by Jonny Niesche
As part of Vivid Sydney festival
May 25th to June 16th
MCA
140 George Street
The Rocks, New South Wales

Let’s explore what ‘Scandi Style’ means for us in Australia.

A quick search on Pinterest confirms my hunch. It’s a sea of white walls, blonde timber and some black-and-white prints in a fine black frame. The images are all very similar, offering a formula that’s easy to copy.

– Grey sofa, check

– Sheepskin/ reindeer hide over chair, check

– Black-and-white print of woman’s face in black frame, check

– Grey floor rug on blonde timber floor, check

– Round mirror, check

– Indoor plant in basket, check

– Carrara marble thing, check

– Blush cushion, check.

When a formula emerges, individualism disappears. I believe that our homes should say more about us than that we simply have ‘good taste’.

This had me wondering… is this ‘Scandi Style’ actually representative of what Scandinavian Design is all about? Maybe we have been doing the Scandi Style all wrong… missing something essential to what the Danes call hygge. (hue-guh). I’m moving more towards a new movement we could perhaps call ‘warm Nordic’ – offering a cosyness, friendliness and warmth that these white and grey spaces are lacking.

A good dose of hygge can add that individualism to our spaces by incorporating treasured family heirlooms, vintage pieces and souvenirs imprinted with memories. This is what we love at TDF – spaces that are real and lived in, and filled with personality. They are not cookie-cutter houses!

Although it may be a little contradictory for another person to explain how to create your individual style, there are some tips to create a harmonious interior, rather than just a heap of stuff you like all thrown together. Here goes!

Edit your things

The things we have in our homes say a lot about us. It’s important to incorporate unique furniture and objects that add a layer of personality, and tell a story. Something vintage adds to the ‘hygge’ feeling and makes a space feels like a home, rather than a showroom.

Maybe it’s that Chinese antique cabinet that your Mum gave you, or a little wooden carving that you bought in a Paris flea market. That ceramic bottle you bought on your honeymoon or beautiful-beyond-words kimono fabric you fell in love with and have yet to find a use for. However, no matter how much you love all of these little memories, it doesn’t mean they all need to be on display at once.

The art of editing is so important, especially for those of us with hoarding tendencies! And letting go of some of these pieces is also sometimes necessary.

The key is to group objects together in a cohesive way. Create a vignette by material, so all of the wooden things are together for example. You can also try grouping by colour, or perhaps it’s a theme… such as your horse head collection!?

Take your time

To create a beautiful space that reflects your personality takes a bit of thought and a lot of time. It can’t be created in one weekend, sometimes we need to wait to find that perfect coffee table, rather than just buy the first one we see and then regret it.

Some Scandinavian spaces are quite minimal, which aligns well with the contemporary Australian style. Though, there is a BIG difference. Scandinavians have a deep respect for craftsmanship and will go without until they can save for the authentic Wishbone chair. They would prefer to have less and invest in quality. In Australia, we are used to having something fast and we will often buy something ‘just for now’ only to throw it into landfill in a few years time.

Let’s see what happens when we save for something that we really want and invest in authentic design, true to Scandi Style. Of course, sometimes we do need something here and now, which is also affordable. They have this covered in Sweden too. Did you know that Ikea is a designer store too? Every single item they sell has been credited with the designer’s name, including some very well known ones!

What’s your favourite colour?

White, black and grey spaces look chic in a little Instagram square, however, I would argue that actually living in these spaces leaves one feeling, meh…

Think about the meaning we give to colours. Yellow is happy, green is fresh, red is passionate, blue is calm and grey is… depressing?

I use a lot of colour in my interior design work and I’m often told ‘it’s great to see someone not afraid of colour’. This got me wondering, what is there to be so afraid of? Living in spaces filled with colour FEELS GOOD and gives your spaces personality. Colour can be added with a statement chair, or artwork or rug. However, nothing will make an impact like the paint colour on a wall. If you decide you want to change the colour, then it’s just a weekend and a few hundred dollars of paint, nothing to be afraid of at all!

Having said that, I do believe a white space can create a calm and peaceful space when used with intention, just not as the default.

In With The Artwork

There is nothing like an original artwork to make a space truly yours. But where to even start? What do I like? Can I afford it? It seems all too hard and confusing, so we just buy a black-and-white print online of a woman’s face (see checklist above). There’s nothing wrong with that, I’ve done it too. But I wasn’t happy with my choice after a while; it was a ‘safe’ decorating purchase, without personal meaning, and I started seeing it everywhere.

I suggest that you try selecting artwork, regardless of whether or not it matches your interior. The frames don’t even need to be the same. Also, rather than trying to match colours of different artworks, focus on the theme. Your artwork collection could be themed by your favourite city, such as Paris – a photograph of beautiful Haussmann architecture might sit next to a poster from the Louvre. It’s the vibe that connects everything together.

Nothing to lose!

There are no rules, and if you love it, own it! Maybe your sister won’t like it… well it’s not her house!

If you feel that a delicious pink velvet sofa would make you feel like a Queen, then go for it. Sure, after 10 years you might want a change, but wouldn’t you feel the same if it was a beige sofa? Enjoy the process of creating the home you love!

Though they might have once been rigid, utilitarian and sparse environments, tech company HQ’s are today a source of much intrigue. After all, this is the industry which first brought us the ‘office slide‘.

While we’re not covering Silicon Valley just yet, one eye-catching example a little closer to home is the Yahoo7 offices in Sydney. Housing almost 200 staff across 2,000-square-metres, the interiors were completed in September last year, lead by international architecture/design/planning/consulting powerhouse Gensler.

The vision for the project was to create a more open environment that would drive more effective sharing of space, tools and ideas. ‘We conducted a visioning session with the client team and from that emerged a planning and design approach centred around the concept of “sharing” – sharing space, sharing stories, and sharing in (celebrating) success,’ explains lead interior designer on the project Anya McClelland.

The move to a new office at Australian Technology Park in Eveleigh also presented an opportunity for Yahoo7 to assess existing workplace practices, and to explore new ways of working to encourage community. Given the office’s long floorplan, Anya and her design team have incorporated several collaboration ‘neighbourhoods’, each defined by a distinctly vibrant colour signature.

The resulting zones include a mix of flexible seating and writing surfaces (spot the locally-made Dowel Jones: Bradley Hooper, Simon Says, and Hurdle lines!), and of course oodles of integrated AV, to foster team interaction and co-creation throughout the day. ‘The layout further ensures that an abundance of natural light reaches all corners of the space, and touches of greenery add a sense of freshness and calm,’ details Anya.

A highlight for the interior designer, along with the project’s design manager Tom Owens and project architect/sustainability specialist Nermine Zahran, was that they were able to exceed the Green Star target of the project, by using materials and finishes from the local market. In addition to sourcing Australian-made furniture, they reused many of their existing pieces. Initially aiming for 4 Star Green Star certification, the project received the 5 Star rating, in what was a first for New South Wales!

Type of space –

Multilevel workplace

Size of space –

2,000-square-metre office

Number of employees –

Under 200

Interior designers / contractors –

Gensler, with project manager Facilitate and builder MPA

An office should be…

‘Tailored to the needs and brand of the client,’ tells project lead Anya McClelland. ‘And a place employees are proud of.’

IngredientS (Serves 4-6)

120ml (or 3 short strong shots) of Nespresso Livanto
30ml (1 shot) Amaretto or other sweet dessert liqueur of your choice (Marsala or coffee liqueur also works well)
1 packet savoiardi (ladyfinger) biscuits
200ml thickened cream
200ml mascarpone cream
few drops vanilla essence
1 teaspoon icing sugar
cocoa powder, for dusting

METHOD

Prepare 3 x espresso shots of Nespresso Livanto, and set aside to cool slightly.

Whilst coffee is cooling, whip cream until thick peaks form, then add mascarpone gradually, and combine until smooth and velvety. Add a few drops of vanilla essence and dusting of icing sugar to sweeten the mixture.

Combine cooled coffee and liquor in a shallow dish. Dip ladyfinger biscuits in coffee mixture, until soaked through.

Assemble each dessert by lining the bottom of each glass with coffee-soaked biscuits (break as necessary), and alternating layers of cream mixture and biscuits. Drizzle any leftover coffee mixture amongst the glasses before topping with cream mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Dust with cocoa just before serving.

With a career spanning 20 years, Derek Swalwell is one of Australia’s most esteemed photographers. Admired for capturing some of the world’s most spectacular architecturally designed buildings, Derek is fascinated by architecture and the built environment, both in Australia and abroad.

It stands to reason then, that Derek and his wife Georgia Young would collaborate with recognised Australian architecture firm (and long-term clients) Kennedy Nolan to renovate their own 1960s bungalow in Elsternwick.

After purchasing the property four years ago, the original ‘orange brick veneer’ house has been updated to reflect the lives and aesthetics of the new owners. Derek explains ‘I guess it’s a representation of us and our tastes – retro, as well as modern, and very functional for our family.’

The renovations included a new concrete slab being poured to extend the footprint of the home, which allowed for the addition of an expansive contemporary kitchen and dining space. With a versatile L-shaped layout, the new floorplan envelops the garden, ensuring leafy views from every room.

The bright openness of this home feels particularly appropriate for a photographer who has been consistently engaged in capturing the quality of light in his work, and Georgia’s styling talents are apparent in every room. The house balances robust, solid materials – bricks, concrete and solid timber – with a playful, bright colour plate. ‘It feels cosy, but solid,’ Derek concludes, which sounds like a perfect family home to us!

Two massive shipping containers left Australian shores bound for Venice. There, there were met by the team of specialist contractors, who had constructed the contents back in OZ. Next, the team from John Wardle Architects, along with collaborators: artist Natasha Johns-Messenger, filmmakers Coco and Maximilian, and Murano glassblower Leonardo Cimolin, set about the monumental task of assembling their elements into Somewhere Other, a vast installation worthy of La Biennale di Venezia.

‘It’s an idea formed around the theme of translation, and working between two distinctly different places: Australia and Venice,’ explains founding principal John Wardle. ‘To make this connection between “somewhere” and “other” we determined our exhibition to be a series of portals and thresholds that orchestrate various forms of engagement, from the most intimate to the most social, with opportunities for entering within, or standing back and observing.’

The result is a meticulously constructed installation, which joiners Jacaranda Industries have clad in spotted gum, an Australian native hardwood. Integrated throughout the structure’s viewing points and thresholds are a series of screen-like mirrors and films – by artist Natasha Johns-Messenger and filmmakers Coco and Maximilian, respectively – as well as an intriguing optical device created in collaboration with Venetian glass master Leonardo Cimolin.

‘The capacity of Natasha’s work to confound perception and challenge what and how we see things led us to invite her into our project for Venice,’ details John. Meanwhile, Coco and Maximilian’s six short films cover John Wardle Architects projects. But rather than merely document, they creatively explore emotional engagement with architectural space.

One end of the Somewhere Other installation tapers to a viewing portal, inspired by both Venetian carnival masks and the horizontal eye slit in legendary bushranger Ned Kelly’s iron helmet. ‘It’s suggestive of the way we engage with interior space,’ explains John of the view.

At the other end, is a U-shaped passageway where a film, presenting a journey through passages, windows and door openings, is projected at human scale. At the same time, two of Natasha’s angled mirrors create an engaging illusion, enfolding viewers in the projection.

A final ‘Venetian Portal’ can be viewed from that same U-shaped passageway. This polished chrome cone extends through funnel-shaped Venetian glass by master craftsman Leonardo Cimolin. Uniquely, this viewpoint has an opposite function to the other two, focusing a viewer’s attention inward on the architectural pavilion space before them, rather than elsewhere… somewhere other!

Curated by Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara, the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale, Freespace, runs from May 26th to November 25th.

To accompany the exhibition, John Wardle Architects has commissioned a monograph, Somewhere Other: John Wardle Architects, by Uro Publications.

The Auckland Art Fair saw big local and international artists like Patricia Piccinini (Aus), Jess Johnson (NZ) and Taro Shinoda (Tokyo) from established galleries sit alongside young entrepreneurial up-and-comers, all in standard-issue booths, and the combination made for a diverse and impressive spread. With more than 45 galleries and 180 artists from nine countries, the Auckland Art Fair, which will now operate annually going forward, seeks to position itself as the definitive showcase of contemporary art for art-lovers and collectors in the Pacific Rim.

At a swanky event for collectors, artists, gallerists (and somehow me) the night before the opening, Hayley White and Stephanie Post, the Fair’s directors, were ticking off each guest’s name themselves at the door. ‘That’s so Auckland’, I heard someone behind me fondly remark. Everyone seems to be rooting for one another in New Zealand, and I think it’s this accessibility combined with profound artistic talent that uniquely positions the AAF as a cultural force to be reckoned with in the Asia-Pacific.

1. Parlour Projects

This new gallery was established only two years ago in Hawke’s Bay (on the east coast of the North Island) by young gallerist Sophie Wallace. ‘I keep saying “we”, but it’s kind of just me!’ Sophie laughs when we’re chatting about her gallery, Parlour Projects. Presenting three emerging artists at the AAF (Ben Pearce, Ed Bats and Grace Wright), Sophie’s contemporary eye injects a real sense of youthfulness amongst some of the more established galleries and artists.

Oh – and the fact that she’d painted the walls of her white booth our favourite dusty pink didn’t influence me at all.

Artist to see: Ed Bats.

Parlour Projects
360 Eastbourne Street East,
Hastings
Hawke’s Bay
New Zealand

2. PAULNACHE

In my research prior to AAF, Virginia Leonard’s conceptual clay and resin sculptures at Gisborne’s PAULNACHE were at the top of my list to see. Massive, gnarly and yet delicate, these pieces remind me of a large-scale, solidified drip castle all kids make at the beach in ultra-bright and shiny hues, like ancient relics of some faraway kingdom.

Operating since 2009, PAULNACHE is an unconventional gallery run by director Matthew Nache that seeks to blur the lines between ‘public and private gallery, between dealer and curator, house style and punk attitude’. Rock on.

Artist to see: Virginia Leonard

PAULNACHE
Upstairs 89 Grey Street
Gisborne
Aotearoa New Zealand

3. Hopkinson Mossman

Despite its relative youth, Hopkinson Mossman is a contemporary art gallery that maintains an international profile, representing some of New Zealand’s most prominent and promising up-and-coming artists. Sarah Hopkinson and Danae Mossman are at the helm of the gallery, and created a contemporary display to house the works of their artists.

One of them is 27-year-old Emma McIntyre (the granddaughter of renowned landscape painter Peter McIntyre), whose modernist works in refined, sunset palettes have earned her the reputation of one-to-watch.

Artist to see: Emma McIntyre

Hopkinson Mossman
Level 1, 19 Putiki St
Arch Hill
Auckland
New Zealand

4. Sullivan+Strumpf

With outposts in both Sydney and Singapore, Sullivan+Strumpf brings with them an eclectic stable of artists across a range of different mediums.

Some of the stand-out sculptural works of the fair for me were the wild, wacky and intricately detailed vessels of Glenn Barkley, an Australian artist, curator and writer based in Sydney whose work ‘operates in the space between these interests, drawing upon ceramics deep history, to popular song, the garden and conversations about art and the internet.’

Stay tuned for our upcoming studio visit with Glenn Barkley, coming next month!

Artist to see: Glenn Barkley

Sullivan+Strumpf
799 Elizabeth St
Zetland
Sydney, NSW
Australia

5. Dominik Mersch

Founded in 2006, Dominik Mersch is a Sydney-based gallery that prides itself on representing artists with exceptional skill and conceptual prowess. One such artist, Lottie Consalvo (who is currently exhibiting her solo show, In theRemembering, at Heide Museum), has seen remarkable success over the last five years of her lifelong practice. Often engaging in performative rituals to realise her ideas, Lottie’s works cuts right to the heart of human experience.

Artist to see: Lottie Consavlo. 

Dominik Mersch
1/75 McLachlan Avenue
Rushcutters Bay
Sydney, NSW
Australia

6. Michael Lett

Opening his first gallery at the age of 25 (!), Michael Lett is know to be one of the most prolific art dealers in New Zealand, representing some of country’s finest contemporary talent.

Shane Cotton is a household name in the New Zealand art world, with works in major collections including the National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Of dual Maori and Pakeha descent, Shane’s work deals with themes of colonisation, identity and the tension of biculturalism.

Artist to see: Shane Cotton.

Michael Lett
312 Karangahape Road
Cnr K Rd & East St
Auckland
New Zealand

The  Auckland Art Fair brings together 45 galleries showcasing 150 artists from all across the Pacific Rim. Tickets available here.

GENERAL ENTRY
Thursday 24 May 11am-5pm
Friday 25 May 11am-5pm
Saturday 26 May 10am-5pm
Sunday 27 May 10am-5pm

ART PARTY
Friday 25 May 5pm-9pm

VENUE
The Cloud, 89 Quay Street
Auckland 1010

‘My sister Jess and I had always dreamed of starting a business together and while taking time out after the birth of my second son Ellis, the idea for Mustard began to form’ says Rebecca Stern, from her studio in Newcastle. ‘The name was chosen because colour is at the core of the product and brand. I’ve always had a thing for words or phrases with multiple meanings and Mustard seems to fit. As a colour and a condiment, it’s an acquired taste. Lockers aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but those who get it, love it! I figured if ‘Apple’ could work, why not Mustard?!’

In addition to cementing the brand name, Rebecca also brought with her experience from running her first business, House of Bec. ‘Mustard was created with growth in mind, and the aim for it to provide a full-time gig for both Jess and I. I knew from my previous brand that I would need certain ingredients to be able to scale the business while still keeping it manageable and allowing me to work flexibly. Due to the size of the products and the nature of production we needed to commit to enough stock to fill a container in order for it get off the ground.’

One of the first things the sisters did was build a team. ‘Finding people that intuitively get what the brand is about, and can bring their skills to the table is the difference between running round in circles trying to do it all, and creating a strong foundation for a business. I have pulled together my dream team of collaborators including a photographer, graphic designer, bookkeeper, accountant, mentor (our Dad!) and of course our team in China. Being able to bring in people with skills that are far beyond my own means I can focus on the areas where my strengths lie and not feel overwhelmed by the amount of work there is to be done’.

Rebecca lives in Australia, whilst her sister and business partner Jess in based the UK, so the sisters have worked hard to coordinate product development and launch plans across time zones. On a day-to-day basis, the duo communicate via email, and delegate tasks using Trello. ‘Having worked alone for years I love having someone to bounce ideas off, pat me on the back when something good happens, and to share the responsibility of decisions’ Rebecca says.

One key decision the sisters made early on, was to narrow their focus. ‘When we were developing our products we had so many ideas, and had a bunch of different products at the sample stage. One night I woke up at 3am with a feeling of certainty that we were doing it all wrong! We needed to focus’ admits Becca. ‘Lockers is our thing. It felt right that Mustard should be known for lockers and by reducing our range down to two products we were able to really fill a niche and be known for that, rather than diluting it. We launched with The Shorty and The Skinny in six colours and there’s plenty of room to grow from here! ‘

Aware of the need to have an audience upon launch, the duo also focused their efforts on building a presence on Instagram. ‘Without an audience, it would be like throwing a party and no one coming!’ The pair worked on a teaser campaign on Instagram, slowly revealing their colour palette, before actually revealing what they were going to be selling. ‘It created some intrigue and helped us develop the feel of the brand’ Becca explains. ‘Often social media is the first touch point with the brand, so we have focused on creating a consistent voice and (hopefully) beautiful, quality imagery. It does take a fair amount of work but I have found it to be one of the best investments in building an engaged audience that sticks around.’ The pair have also focused on meeting audiences #IRL, launching at trade show Life In Style to connect with potential stockists.

As any small business owner will tell you, life gets busy when you’re looking to launch. ‘Last year we met up in China (we learned SO much going to the factory ourselves!),  then Jess flew over to Australia for our launch at Life in Style, and in September I’ll fly to London to launch in the UK’ Becca outlines. But all this research, hard work and determination has seen Mustard launch with success. They have also listened to their instinct, something Rebecca says is crucial for new business owners. ‘Ask lots of people for their opinions, advice and experience. Then… ignore a good chunk of it and go with your instinct! Having a clear vision of the brand you are creating helps you filter all that information and take what is really useful.’

For now, Becca and Jess are intent on hosting successful launches across hemispheres and finding the best stockists for their pieces. ‘Our first shipment is arriving early June (people can pre-order now). We’re also stocking our lockers in some of the most beautiful stores in Australia and New Zealand and online on our website. In September we’ll be bringing the locker love to the UK launching at Top Drawer. We can’t wait!’

Shop Mustard online. For more news on what Rebecca and Jess are up to, follow them on Instagram.

TIPS FOR Launching your business

1. Know Your Offer

Launching a business has never been easier. With a few clicks and an afternoon spent designing in Canva it’s possible to have a business move from idea to launch within 24 hours. Yet, taking the time to figure out exactly what you’ll sell and the margins surrounding it is vital to long-term success.

As simple as it sounds, spend some time reviewing exactly which services or products you’ll sell, at what price and to whom. How long will they take to create? Who else will you need to fulfil them? What’s the mark-up (on your own sales channels and for wholesalers/affiliates)? What’s the frequency of launching new products? How many clients will you need to make a profit from your service offerings? If someone asks you to sum up what you do in one sentence, could you? These are all basic questions you need to know the answer to prior to launching. While your business will adapt to market changes or shift to suit change in lifestyle (kids etc.) a strong foundation (research, industry/competitor profiling, audience mapping) sets you up for the greatest chance of success. A tool like MindMeister can help.

2. Build An Audience

When it comes to launching a business today, don’t take on a Field of Dreams mentality (“build it and they will come”). The internet is bursting with businesses going broke because little time was invested in building an audience before launch. In practical terms this means launching your chosen social channels (you don’t have to do them all!) and, more importantly, directing people to some kind of email capture form (so you have someone to “launch” to). Mailchimp is one of the easiest email platforms to use and now has landing pages you can create quickly as a placeholder/email capture site prior to launching a full website.

If you’re using Instagram as your main social channel, consider adding LinkTree to your account. This allows you to override the one-link-only rule in an Instagram bio and house multiple links for free, such as ‘join the waitlist’, ‘about us’, ‘find a stockist’, ‘in the news’ etc.

3. Start Small (Stay Strong)

You may have plans to #buildyourempire, but when starting out it’s best to start small and stay strong. What does this mean? Narrowing down on what you offer and doing the best possible job of that before adding to your bow. This may mean having just a few products in various colours or flavours.

For service-based businesses, it may mean focusing on one area of expertise such as digital marketing or eCommerce website design. While the sisters behind Mustard came up with all sorts of things they could sell, their success has come from focusing on one thing (lockers) and doing it well. Brands like Warby Parker, Thank You and Go-To are fantastic examples of having few initial products but doing them really well before expanding.

4. Cultivate A Crew

Launching and running a business is hard work and for many of us, we will start our biz as a solo operator. Essential to your mental health is having a support crew you can turn to. In the workshops I run with clients I ask them to divide this into their “inner crew” (the people you’ll call when you land a dream stockist or when everything’s gone to the dogs), “internal crew” (your suppliers, contract designers, staff etc), “external crew” (networking groups, professional groups you belong to, cleaner, nanny, accountant), “content creators” (those you can tap for content such as videographers, designers, writers) and your “bounce-offs” (people in the same industry, usually with more experience, that can act as a mentor you can bounce-off ideas with). Start with friends and people you have worked with, and consider finding others via networking groups, education hubs (like General Assembly), closed FB pages (i.e. Likeminded Bitches Drinkling Wine) or Design-er Therapy or attending events with like-minded people (i.e. Creative Mornings).

5. Embrace Experimentation

Successful business owners accept that change is inevitable, and understanding who your audience is and what they most want is a result of experimentation. When you’re launching a business don’t be afraid to experiment. Try Google AdWords, test out different hashtags, collaborate with #likemindedpeople, test an opt-in to capture emails, pitch your business with different hooks to the media and bloggers. You won’t know what works until you test, test and then test again. Embrace the uncertain, it’s the only way to grow.

Fiona Killackey is a business consultant and coach and the founder of My Daily Business Coach a consultancy that provides business coaching and consulting, branding + marketing workshops and creative ideation.  Fiona will be teaching her Marketing for Your Business and How to Get Published workshops at General Assembly Sydney and Melbourne this June. Find out more here.

So many interiors, so little time! Never fear, we have shortlisted our favourite residential, kitchen and bathroom interiors from the 2018 Belle Coco Republic Interior Design Awards for you to peruse! The full suite of categories includes commercial, hospitality, and the overall interior designer of the year award (with several names TDF readers will be very familiar with!).

Among the most unforgettable (in our humble opinion!) are Alexander and Co’s Palm Beach House in Sydney, which is a finalist for several awards. This dreamy coastal home places a European interior vocabulary in an Australian setting, with bespoke detailing.

In Victoria, Rob Mills Architecture’s Armadale Residence. is also nominated across two categories, and it isn’t difficult to see why! This personal project from the director of the architecture firm elevates the idea of ‘converted warehouse’ to a new, luxurious level (hello brass lined door frames).

Perennial TDF favourites Flack Studio are finalists for multiple awards, for their eclectic and personal design on the Burnewang North Residence. The dramatic bathroom, in particular, caught our (and the judges) eye.

The Beach House by SJB is selected for kitchen magic, while Arent and Pyke and Decus are being recognised for swoon worthy bathrooms.

In addition to these awards for specific homes, we are excited to see Bayley Ward being recognised in the shortlist for the ‘Emerging Star Design’ award, and the value of COLOUR  in interiors being celebrated through the ‘Best Work with Colour’ category. We especially love Greg Natale’s fit-out of James Said Collection – green and pink – yes, please!

The winners will be showcased in Belle’s June/July issue, out this weekend.

Simone Haag is the queen of the career change. Seriously! Her path to styling and design wasn’t straightforward – but boy, it is entertaining.

Simone originally studied business, but a passion for snowboarding took her from the snowfields of Mt. Buller, to Canada, then France, then to the boutique hotel scene in London, before touring the best surf spots on a boat owned by one of Australia’s best-known surf brands, and finally – believe it or not – a stint working on private jets! (We told you it was entertaining!).

Fast forward to today, and Simone has found her calling in the world of design, with her own small studio in Collingwood. Simone and her team fill a special niche in Melbourne’s interiors scene, offering clients a personalised service sourcing the most amazing and unique furniture, art, objects and lighting to complete (or transform) their home.

So, how did Sim go from the snowfields of Chamonix, to decking out some of the fanciest homes in Melbourne? You’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out!

Links + Further Reading

This marks our seventh ep! You can listen to more podcasts here.

Check out Simone Haag’s website and Instagram to see more of her beautiful styling and design projects.

Like our episode 4 interviewee, David Flack, Simone gained formative experience at Hecker Phelan Guthrie(today Hecker Guthrie), where she started out as a receptionist.

Simone and Rhys Haag’s Ringwood home created mania when we featured it on TDF back in 2013.

More recently, we took a tour of Simone and Rhys’ Phillip Island beach house.

The go-getter worked a slew of awe-inspiring jobs in her seven years abroad, including at London’s The Sanderson Hotel.

We talked balancing family and business with Simone for our Family column late last year.

On the web, she’s always checking out Coming Soon New York.

The last thing she purchased online was the fruit delivery service from Biviano

Her favourite sofa is the Soriana Sofa by Tobia Scarpa.

You can follow TDF on Instagram here.

Having been interested in art and design from a young age, Natalie Rosin took a ceramics elective at COFA (now known as the UNSW Art and Design School) during her Master of Architecture degree. She couldn’t halt the momentum; from then on, it was all about learning more skills and techniques (via loads of short-courses and workshops).

‘Whether studying Masters full-time or landing my first full-time graduate position within an architecture studio, I have always filled my weekday evenings and weekends with ceramic projects,’ tells Natalie. In 2016, she decided to transition to a part-time role at the architecture studio where she was working, and then later left for Poland where she undertook a three-month artist residency at Baltic Gallery of Contemporary Art. From October 2017, ceramics became Natalie’s full-time focus, and she joined a studio of like-minded ceramicists, the Claypool group, in Botany.

Here, she mainly hand builds, using slab form techniques achieved with a large slab roller, and likes to experiment with brass and various glaze combinations. When we visited, Natalie was working on her sculptural yet functional vessel, ‘Density, Sparsity and Somewhere in Between’. Made from slabs of White Stoneware Paper Clay, this piece has a unique, gradated surface texture, created using a painstaking process of hand painting small black dots in a special underglaze, before being fired to 1,250ºC!

‘This pointillist style of work is more recent, but borrows from my other hand-painted vessels featuring unique patterns and colours, which I’ve been making since 2016,’ details the ceramicist. Other pieces – like ‘House in a Plum Grove,’ ‘Sirius’ and ‘SOH’ – are part of a long-running body of work connected to Natalie’s former career. ‘These more architectural sculptures are a strong foundation of my practice, and I continue to develop and pursue the possibilities and limitations of these forms.’

Though she’s had her fair share of ups and downs, Nat lives for the fantastic projects that come her way c/o design-oriented clients who share her strong appreciation for Australian handmade. She has a message for creatives seeking a similar path and sense of purpose. ‘To anyone reading this who has been thinking of turning a part-time passion into a full-time focus, I would say there are many challenges worth tackling. You owe it to yourself to try take on these challenges, because through them you’ll become a stronger person, develop self-confidence, and be investing time into refining and mastering a skill.’

Presence group exhibition by Curatorial+Co
Until May 31st, 2018
Comber St Studios,
Paddington, New South Wales

Clay Intersections group exhibition
Touring until January 30th, 2020
Galleries throughout Victoria, Australian Captial Territory, and New South Wales.

Natalie Rosin will also be exhibiting as part of the Biennale of Australian Art in Ballarat later in the year as well as in several group exhibitions in Sydney. Keep up to date with her news, shop her e-store or locate stockists at Natalie-rosin.com.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4-6)

200g caster sugar
150g hazelnut meal
40ml (1 small shot) of Nespresso Arpeggio
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp cornflour
5 x egg whites
200ml whipped cream
Fresh raspberries
Chocolate shavings

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a flat baking tray with paper, and trace a 20cm circle onto the paper.

Prepare 1 strong espresso shot of Nespresso Arpeggio, and set aside to cool.

Sift together 150g hazelnut meal and 150g of the caster sugar. Add your shot of Nespresso to the mixture, mixing well.

Whisk the egg whites in an electric mixer until satiny peaks form. Add 50g of caster sugar until dissolved into the mixture. Sprinkle vinegar and cornflour over this mixture, and whisk to combine.

Gradually add sugar/hazelnut meal/Nespresso mixture, and beat until thoroughly combined, and the mixture regains its stiff peaks.

Transfer your nutty meringue mix onto your flat baking tray, using the traced circle as a guide. Smooth out the sides and top of the meringue using a plastic spatula.

*Note, if the mixture becomes too runny after adding the hazelnut meal and coffee mixture,  don’t fret. Instead of using your flat baking tray, simply bake your meringue in a 20cm cake pan, lined loosely with 1 large continuous sheet of baking paper, folded into the cake pan to contain the mixture. It doesn’t matter if the sides look a bit rough – that’s all part of the pavlova experience!

Place your meringue in the oven, immediately reduce heat to 150°C, and cook for 20 minutes. Then, reduce heat again to 120°C, and cook for a further 40 minutes. Bake the meringue until crisp on the outside and gooey in the middle. A skewer inserted into the meringue should come out sticky, but not too wet.

Remove from oven, and set aside to cool. Once cool, carefully peel away the baking paper.

Whip 150ml of thickened cream using an electric beater. Slather cream generously over the meringue base, and top with fresh berries and chocolate shavings. Serve immediately.

Though most of us have romantic, wishful ideas of what our future ‘dream home’ might look like, the reality for many is a mix of long term renting, living with family, share house living and every other permutation of living arrangements! Truthfully, though, this often results in the most interesting, memorable interiors – and this is certainly true for Camille Moir of The Carpenter’s Daughter , and housemates Layla and Phoebe.

Situated in the heart of Collingwood, the home is owned by Camille’s uncle Kim, a furniture maker, whose eclectic taste is deeply ingrained in the decor, furniture and artworks. The house itself is, in fact, a grand old Victorian shopfront, with unusually high ceilings, a huge living space, kitchen and courtyard garden downstairs, and three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs.

In a previous life, this building was a chemist, and before that a butcher – but in recent years, this rambling property been a much loved family home. It’s been renovated in stages, by hand, resulting in a trend-eschewing, timeless feel. ‘It’s sort of a cross between Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley and an antique store?’ Camille muses. ‘Every room has been designed separately, not as an entire cohesive home – yet somehow it works.’

For Camille, being surrounded by artwork and handcrafted details is a constant source of inspiration for her own creative output.  ‘I love that everything here is considered’ she says. ‘Everything is either made by my uncle, passed down from grandparents, from an op shop or art made by friends  –  almost everything is sentimental and holds a story.’ Small details continue to delight the housemates – doorhandles are little hands (creepy or adorable?!), lacework shrouds the key heads, and long forgotten notes spill from the library of books.

Above all, Camille and her housemates value the sense of community that their home fosters. Their large dining table is constantly surrounded by friends and family, and the unexpected treasures and extensive library always prompts great conversation! ‘Living amongst so much art, thoughtfully designed furniture and objects opens up conversations about history, people and periods of time’ they say. ‘Wherever you look around, there is always something to question.’ 

The Houses Awards is an annual accolade promoting and celebrating Australia’s best architectural homes, presented by Houses Magazine. Across nine categories, the Houses Award provides an insight into how Australia’s best practitioners are shaping and enhancing our lived spaces.

This year, the expert judging panel includes Kelly Claire, Director of Clare Design (NSW); Albert Mo, Director from Architects EAT (VIC); Stuart Vokes, Director of Vokes and Peters (QLD); Katelin Butler, Editor of Houses Magazine (VIC).

The 2018 shortlist isn’t the shortest of lists. With 176 homes in the line-up, competition is fierce – and quite honestly, ALL of these homes are dream homes, in their own unique way.

Winners will be announced on Friday, July 27th, and featured in the August 2018 edition of Houses Magazine. In the interim, ALL the shortlisted participants can be viewed in the Houses Awards Gallery. Brace yourself for some serious home envy.

Houses Awards Presentation
Friday 27 June
Level 1, The Ivy
320 George Street
Sydney, New South Wales
Tickets available at Housesawards.com.au/pages/tickets

Tania Matilda has worked in an office for most of her life. ‘I had been brought up with the attitude that making art was something you did in your spare time,’ she tells. Lucky for us, Tania found she had some of that elusive resource when her kids got older, so she took up life drawing, and was hooked!

Two years later, the hobbyist-drawer decided it was time to make a change, and set off to study Fine Art full-time at RMIT, finishing last year. ‘Now I make art full-time, and spend my spare time working in an office!’ she jokes.

It helps that Tania’s  studio is just around the corner from her home in Coburg, and so she pops over every chance she gets. There’s an added bonus too: it’s an industrial area, so there is always something on the side of the road she can pick up on the way to paint on!

While the artist started out painting on boards purchased from a hardware store, her latest pieces utilise these abundant recycled materials.‘It seemed crazy that I would then go out and buy more; the world has too much waste as it is!’ she justifies. ‘I like the history of the materials showing through in the work, as well as knowing I’m making use of something that would have ended up in landfill.’

Tania’s early art featured vibrant oil paint, applied in a gestural manner. While similar forms endure today, her materials have changed and her process has adapted, resulting in what she sees as ‘more controlled looking work’. This current approach channels the automatism technique to produce drawings from the unconscious, developed by the Surrealists. ‘It’s only when I add colour and form to the image that I think about the aesthetics of the work,’ explains Tania.

For the 51-year-old artist, everything about pursuing an artistic career at this time in her life is exciting! ‘When people talk to me about my “work”… it confuses me – my work is in the office, what I do in my studio is life!’ she explains. Today, Tania continues to do office work part-time. ‘It gives me the freedom to create what I want, I’m not thinking about what will sell, because I can already pay my rent through my job!’

‘Delusions Of Control’ group exhibition
May 31^st to June 19^th June,
Wharf Street, The District
440 Docklands Drive
Docklands, Victoria

Tania Matilda also has an exhibition at Rubicon in July and is planning a show with her talented artist friend Joshua Mack later in the year. Follow her art on Instagram.

‘Limerick House’ by Solomon Troup Architects is a modest, 50-metre-squared addition to an existing home, in Eganstown, just outside of Daylesford in Victoria’s spa country.

Set on a large plot of rural land, the existing house was insular, and like so many older style homes, failed to connect to the outdoors, or capitalise on the surrounding landscape. The new extension gives the original house a new lease on life – re-orienting the home, offering expansive views, and a new connection to the outside. Two large steel doors serve to frame the view of the undulating country hillside, whilst in summer they can be opened to allow the internal spaces to become an extension of the outdoor area.

Black-stained timber decking boards have been used to clad the new building – a bold new take on the ‘weekend cabin’. Constrasting silvertop ash lining boards were used internally, whilst a distinctive pitched roofline was inspired by the existing roofline of the original home, and nearby shearing sheds.

‘The original house was owned by our clients’ father, who built it out of three disused railway cottages,’ explains architect Lachlan Troup. ‘It was important to the clients to retain the essence of the existing house, whilst readapting it into a fit-for-purpose weekender, to be used by future generations.’

A husband-and-wife team, Lachlan Troup and Beth Solomon of Solomon Troup enjoy the ‘human’ element of their role as architects. ‘Building a connection with the client is what we enjoy most about all of our projects’ Lachlan explains. ‘Designing a house for a client is a very personal experience, that in most cases evolves into a lasting friendship’.

When we first created the CIBI concept, we kept turning to the Japanese tenet I-Shoku-Jyu, which we interpret as ‘Beautiful Design, Wholesome Balanced Food and Comfortable Space’. Over time, we refined it into something even simpler: head, hands, heart.

This philosophy is about showing people how to make each day special by sharing fresh, simple meals with your loved ones. In our new cookbook, we invite you to taste our food, experience or space and truly enjoy the small pleasures of a life well lived.

This vegetarian miso gratin uses a selection of winter vegetables and tofu, creating a wholesome, nutritious winter dish that will warm your body and recharge you. It’s a simple, tasty way to look after your health.

Ingredients (serves 4)

butter for greasing
300g cauliflower, cut into small florets
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 king oyster mushroom, thinly sliced
25g panko breadcrumbs*
20g parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
150g momen (firm) tofu, cubed
100ml thickened (pouring/whipping) cream
3 tablespoons Sweet Miso Sauce

*If you are looking for a gluten-free recipe, you can cook this gratin without the breadcrumbs. Just sprinkle cheese and parsley on top and bake! It’s also nice with English spinach if you want to add an extra dose of greens.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Butter the surface of a casserole dish or cast-iron pan.

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the cauliflower and boil for a few minutes, until lightly cooked.

Heat the oil in a small frying pan over  medium-high heat and sauté the mushroom for  2-3 minutes, or until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, cheese and parsley.

Arrange the cauliflower, mushroom and tofu in the casserole dish. Drizzle over the cream and sweet miso sauce. Spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the vegetables and bake the gratin for 20 minutes, until nice and brown.

This is an edited extract from CIBI by Meg and Zenta Tanaka published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $50.00 and is available in stores nationally and online. 

Ashley and Jac Rowan live in Melbourne’s North Fitzroy, with family Charli (13), Cate (4), Harry (2) and Max (the King Charles Cavalier). Theirs is a brand new home, but it doesn’t feel like a new home at all. Inspired, in part, by mid century architecture, there’s a timeless feeling to this house, which was designed by architecture firm Kennedy Nolan, and built by Ashley.

Ashley and Jac have lived on the same street, in two different houses, for over a decade – and always dreamed of building their own dream home here. After years of coveting a block of land on their favourite street, the couple jumped at the chance to purchase a non-descript 1960’s brick veneer house – one of the few on the street without Heritage restrictions. The pair recognised this as a once in a lifetime opportunity to build their dream home in their ideal location, and they ‘felt a huge obligation to get it right.’

The couple had followed the work of Kennedy Nolan for a long time, admiring their classic, understated aesthetic. The pair met with Rachel Nolan, and instantly formed a strong rapport. The success of this relationship is evident in the success of the home – a mid-century inspired, L shaped family home, designed to take advantage of the northern facing aspect of the block, while also complimenting the streetscape.

The build was undertaken by Ash, and the whole project took approximately two years including design, planning, build and moving in.

Now settled for eighteen months, the family are loving every aspect of their purpose-built home. They’re particularly proud of the way the interior spaces connect to the outdoors, letting in bucket loads of natural light. For the kids, a highlight is the garden, which offers a new expansive play-space after years in a terrace house. For Jac, though, a singular highlight is harder to narrow down. ‘I love the way the space flows, the kids play areas, the kitchen, the huge amount of storage, my wardrobe!’ she says.. ‘Just all of it!’