Guides

The Unexpected Charm of Using Vintage Textiles as Table RunnersMost dining tables wear the same uniform — a plain linen runner, a set of matching placemats, maybe a vase of supermarket flowers. But the most memorable…
Why a hand-painted ceramic bowl belongs on your coffee tableA hand-painted ceramic bowl brings something few other accessories can: the unmistakable warmth of a human hand. Mass-produced objects, no matter how glossy or…
Styling a Mantel with Candlesticks, Urns and Found ObjectsA mantel has always felt like the most forgiving surface in a room. It tolerates a little clutter, rewards asymmetry, and forgives the odd chipped teacup…
The Quiet Drama of a Single Antique Chair in a HallwayA hallway is rarely treated with the same care as the rooms it connects. Tiles go down, a console table is pushed against a wall, perhaps a mirror is hung. The…
What an Antique Store Haul Taught Me About Mixing Eras and FinishesTwo Saturdays ago I followed a small painted sign into a narrow shopfront on Queen Street in Woollahra, just off Sydney's eastern suburbs village. The window…
The Art of Placing a Single Branch in a Tall VaseA single branch in a tall vase is one of the most economical gestures in interior decoration, yet it demands more from the eye than almost any arrangement of…
The quiet romance of a fringed lampshade in any roomA lampshade is often treated as an afterthought, a humble accessory chosen to match a base and forgotten once screwed into place. Yet the right shade can…
Building a patterned ceramic collection around one motifA room can hold a surprising amount of visual variety when its objects share one quiet idea. A recurring shell, arch, bird, stripe, leaf or geometric mark…
Hand-Forged Iron Hooks That Turn Walls Into ArtA hand-forged iron hook can be a small object with a surprisingly strong presence. It holds a coat, tea towel, market bag or bunch of dried grasses, yet its…
Using Coloured Glass Vases to Create a Sunlit SpectrumA window can become a small gallery when coloured glass vases are arranged to catch the sun. As daylight moves across the room, transparent surfaces turn into…