Inside Out July 2021

Real estate is a national obsession. Buying homes, renovating homes and selling homes is, for many people, a second job (they get home from work just to keep on working at home). And if property prices weren’t unbelievable before COVID-19, the current auction clearance rates are absolutely hair-raising. But the dream of having a home that reflects your style and desires hasn’t abated. I’m currently deep in the book Real Estate by Deborah Levy, about a writer whose dream of owning a cottage with an oval fireplace and a mimosa tree becomes her greatest driving force. The fact that she can’t afford it is the subject of some angst, but that’s where a lot of us are finding ourselves right now. So, in this issue, we’ve gone in a different direction –…

Real estate is a national obsession. Buying homes, renovating homes and selling homes is, for many people, a second job (they get home from work just to keep on working at home). And if property prices weren’t unbelievable before COVID-19, the current auction clearance rates are absolutely hair-raising. But the dream of having a home that reflects your style and desires hasn’t abated. I’m currently deep in the book Real Estate by Deborah Levy, about a writer whose dream of owning a cottage with an oval fireplace and a mimosa tree becomes her greatest driving force. The fact that she can’t afford it is the subject of some angst, but that’s where a lot of us are finding ourselves right now. So, in this issue, we’ve gone in a different…

OOH LA LA! First came St Tropez, then Paris... now Zimmermann has opened a boutique in Cannes. Located at 11 rue des États-Unis, the minimalist design features an arched leadlight door from an early-1900s London department store. ZIMMERMANN.COM DESIGNER CANINES Dog parents and their furry BFFs who visit Fido & Fido in Sydney’s Double Bay can now enjoy surroundings designed by Megan Morton. On offer instore is a range of fashion accessories and homewares for dogs, with grooming, walking, training — and even matchmaker — services. FIDOANDFIDO.COM.AU DIVIDE & CONQUER Fold Studio, a new business that designs high-end room-dividing screens, has launched in Sydney. Showcasing beautiful timbers, fabrics and weaves, the range is fabricated by local craftspeople. FOLDSTUDIO.COM.AU BLANKET ART Luxury bedding brand Milou Milou has created a 100% Australian Merino wool blanket/throw incorporating a design by…

People who understand colour and its effects are like gold. Anyone can do a colour course, but those who can transform their spaces with masterful colour combinations are rare. Which is why this book about such genius is so exciting. Written by stylist/art and homewares queen Julia Green of Greenhouse Interiors and photographer Armelle Habib, whose stunning images of homes and lifestyle projects have been published internationally for years, Vivid is a thoroughly enjoyable how-to. Julia’s words about the psychology of colour draw you into the chapters, starting with effervescent orange and finishing with the magic of black, and include interviews with some of the world’s most creative people. Then, before you know it, you’ve disappeared into Armelle’s incredible images and started dreaming of your own, more colourful existence. This…

In a boundary-busting move, the new collection of bathware and accessories by Agape are suited for both indoor and outdoor use. Featuring baths, countertops, showers, taps and more, the highlight for us is the Agape ‘Vieques’ freestanding tub (shown). Taking its name from a small Caribbean island once visited by the designer, Patricia Urquiola, the bath’s stainless-steel construction allows it to be used in spaces as open as you like. artedomus.com…

I would say that I am anti our binge-drinking culture. I’m all for having fun; however, when drinking starts having a negative effect on your life and relationships, it becomes a problem. I’ll occasionally have a drink or two if I’m socialising, but they no longer hold the magic that I thought they once did. Drinking now plays a small and irrelevant part in my life. I have noticed an overwhelming interest in the sober-curious movement. People are wanting to either drink less or not at all. I now listen to my body and it tells me when I need to take a break from alcohol. I normally have two to three months in the year off alcohol, because that is what feels right for me. Dry July is a great place…