Don’t worry, I’m not about to roll out my annual Christmas Cracker round-up just yet (and yes, I know you’re awaiting it with bated breath), but I thought I’d give you a sneak peek at Liberty‘s hero print cracker for 2014.
Liberty can always be relied upon to have the most covetable selection of crackers, but over the past few years, they’ve delved into the Liberty print archive for their crackers. It’s a smart move, and follows on from their Prints Charming exhibition back in 2009, which saw Liberty dial up the cool factor on their iconic heritage prints.
Basically, it comes down to this: the visual power of Liberty’s pattern-rich prints really pack a punch on a box of luxury Christmas crackers. They are handmade in Dorset and are beautifully British to the core. Cracker perfection.
Last year’s set of Liberty print crackers. Photography courtesy of Liberty.
This year, Liberty has chosen their classic Edenham print to feature on a set of crackers. Edenham print was first designed as a Tana Lawn fabric in 1994, inspired by the floral prints from the Liberty archive. The vintage-inspired brown/black colourway looks festive tied up with red and green ribbons.
The Edenham Print Superior Crackers are available in a set of six for £45, and each cracker contains the requisite gift, hat, and motto.
If £45, is too steep for a box of crackers, you can get a box of mini crackers in black Edenham print for £14.95. Each mini cracker contains a tube of mini love-heart sweets.
Tell me: am I the only one who’s crackers about Christmas crackers?
Full disclosure: Some of my wee finds are also affiliate links and I will be paid a small commission if you buy them, which would be jolly helpful since Wee Birdy is my full-time job. But don’t worry, all of my wee finds are based on their awesomeness and ability to make me smile. Confetti jets optional.
The flamingo follows fast on the feathers of last year’s must-have pool accessory, the giant swan. It quickly emerged as the must-have accessory (and fashion shoot prop) in pools (and Instagram photos) around the globe.
Poolside chic at Qualia Resort for a Paspaley event. Photography by @nat_headland/ Instagram.
Kissing swans at the Canggu pool. Photography by @beckrocciphotography via natalie_alice_/ Instagram.
It’s a great present for that person who (a) has a pool; and (b) seems to have everything. Chances are they don’t own a giant inflatable flamingo. It’s also a great Christmas present for the kids.
Lexi is 10 days into Frocktober and has so far raised $3,264.75. She still needs $6,735.25 to reach her goal of raising $10,000, so get donating, birdies!
Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death of all gynaecological cancers. Every single dollar that Lexi raises goes to the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, who are working hard on finding an early detection test. Currently there is none.
Lexi says, “This is my third year of fundraising with the mother-frockers of Frocktober. And I’m hoping to go big. Not just with the frocks, but the fundraising too.
“Everyone has been touched by cancer, and I’d really love to help play a part in finding an early detection test for ovarian cancer and kick it to the kerb.
“I’m a woman. And I have ovaries. Let’s protect them. Show ovarian cancer who’s boss.
I love that Lexi had gotten creative and shopped her wardrobe for Frocktober, which includes a lot of amazing vintage finds. Lexi also isn’t afraid to set herself hilarious dares in an effort to raise more funds. Last year she went to work dressed as Frida Kahlo (complete with monobrow).
Kudos also to Little Tienda and Nancybird, who have supplied Lexi with frocks and donated to Frocktober.
If you’re a dress designer, maybe you’d like to send Lexi a frock to wear for Frocktober? Or donate to her Frocktober page.
Jardan Nook bed and Kiyo desk at the new Jardan flagship store in Melbourne. All photography by James Geer.
Shopping for furniture and homewares in Melbourne just got that much better (big call), with the opening of the new Jardan flagship store on Church Street, Richmond. I’ve been a longtime fan of this niche Australian brand ever since I laid eyes on the handsome Nook sofa, so I’m excited by these first glimpses inside the brand’s new store.
Navy desk and Milo sofa at the new Jardan flagship store. Photography by James Geer.
In recent years, the Melbourne-based company’s profile and design credentials have soared with the launch of several new product lines, firmly establishing themselves amongst the luminaries of Australian design. All of Jardan’s handcrafted furniture is designed and made in Melbourne.
The Jardan Hudson sofa in the new flagship Melbourne store. Photography by James Geer.
Winston chairs and Stanley low tables at the new Jardan store in Melbourne. Photography by James Geer.
Jardan Hudson and Harper sofas in the new Melbourne showroom. Photography by James Geer.
The new light-filled Richmond flagship was designed by architect Iva Foschia of IF Architecture, who was inspired by Australian modernist homes, including Pholiota, Rose Seidler House and Heide I & II.
You can see how beautifully Jardan’s modernist-inspired pieces are showcased in the new space, alongside the new 2014/15 collection designed by Jardan Lab.
Featuring new timber pieces, oversized modular sofas and streamlined armchairs, the new collection also includes brass pendant lights, hand-blown glass pendants and turned-timber lamps.
Jardan’s Piper hand-blown pendant lamps in the Melbourne store. Photography by James Geer.
The new flagship store also boasts a new collection of curated homewares from local and international designers, including bed linen, locally-made ceramics, Italian cookware and cutlery, Argentinian cushions and blankets, Australian-made surfboards and a collection of art, photography and illustrations.
It was built using a wealth of Australian natural materials, with marble sourced from Chillagoe in North Queensland, Australian blackbutt timber and lime paint by Bauwerk from Western Australia.
Woven small banner, AU$38, by Fizzy Lime Creative on Etsy. Photography courtesy of Fizzy Lime Creative.
It’s official. Australia has talent. No, I’m not talking about that staid old show with Simon Cowell (is he still on it? was he ever on it?), I’m talking about the 58 stellar finalists for the inaugural Etsy Design Awards. And now it’s your turn to vote for your favourite Australian Etsy seller (and get the chance to win a $250 Etsy gift card).
I’m delighted to see that the competition has succeeded in encouraging a whole new raft of Australian designers to sign up and join Team Australia on Etsy. There were actually a number of designers I’ve had my eye on who weren’t on Etsy before, but have since signed up for inclusion in the Awards. Nice work, Etsy Australia.
Custom portait paper doll, AU$42.50, by Little Paper Clouds on Etsy. Photography courtesy of Little Paper Clouds.
In the meantime, I’ve chosen one favourite piece from each of the 58 finalists, which you can view – and shop – over on my Etsy Tastemaker page. I’m also featuring some of my favourite pieces in this post.
I don’t envy the task ahead of the three judges, including Creative Business mentor Claire Bowditch, interior stylist and author Jason Grant, and Editor-in-Chief of Inside Out magazine Claire Bradley.
Hanging succulent planter, AU$42, by Susan Simonini on Etsy. Photography courtesy of Susan Simonini.
The prizes are seriously impressive, and help support the winners’ creative businesses, with the ultimate prize, the Community Choice Award, including a trip to Etsy Headquarters in Brooklyn, New York; inclusion in the December issue of Inside Out magazine and Etsy’s official blog; as well as a dedicated post on the Etsy Instagram page, which boasts over 202,000 design enthusiast followers.
Commenting on the breadth of talent in the Etsy Design Awards entries, Helen Souness, Managing Director of Etsy Australia says, “We’ve been blown away by the outstanding calibre of the entrants in the Etsy Design Awards. It’s a thrill to know that such a high quality range of creative businesses choose the Etsy marketplace for their online home.”
“From handmade designer furniture, beautiful abstract art through to skateboards made from reclaimed timber, the judges, along with the rest of Australia, have their work cut out for them in deciding the winner,” adds Souness.
To view the finalists and vote for the Community Choice Award (grand prize), head over to the Etsy Design Awards and vote before 5pm, 25 October, 2014.
Full disclosure: I’m an Etsy Tastemaker (woo-hoo!) and I hand-picked these pieces for my Etsy Tastemaker page. If you buy something from Wee Birdy’s Tastemaker’s page, I will receive a small commission fee (which would be jolly helpful since Wee Birdy is my full-time job). Please note that I only blog about things I genuinely really like, and think you should also know about. Editorial inclusion on Wee Birdy is based purely on merit and its ability to make me smile (exploding confetti jets optional).
This week’s frock comes from Anthropologie, and it’s all about the detail. The streamlined silhouette featuring a scoop neckline, nipped-in waist and midi skirt allows the highly decorative folk-style embroidery to shine. (Very Important Feature, as the classic cut ensures you don’t look like you’ve emerged from a documentary about traditional Hungarian folk dancing.)
Folk emerged as one of the biggest trends for European autumn/winter 2014, where designers such as Alberta Ferreti, Dolce & Gabbana, Rodarte, Peter Pilotto, Mary Katranzou, Etro and Vivienne Westwood looked to traditional folk design to weave handcrafted elements and decorative details throughout their collections.
This dress by designer Tanvi Kedia is described as “part of her ‘hippie deluxe’ aesthetic for her collection, as the confluence of folklore, fantasy and non-conformist glamour.”
Airline food just got 48,493 airmiles better with the launch of Qantas food boxes on domestic and short-haul flights. And I was on hand to sample the new fodder at the spectacular Sydney-meets-Silicon-Valley Qantas Campus in Sydney last week.
Sitting down to lunch in ‘The Street’ at the Qantas Campus in Sydney. Photography courtesy of Qantas.
Sitting down to a dinner table dressed with white linen and Marc Newson-designed cutlery and dinnerware is not the usual economy class experience. Nor was the beautiful light-filled setting in ‘The Street’, the title given to the expansive foyer at the Qantas Campus, which just happened to feature a spinning turbine engine statement piece.
But these were the only differences to the new Qantas economy class meal experience, as I’m delighted to report the new food boxes were more Prêt-a-Manger than Prêt-a-Puke.
Farfalle pesto salad with proscuitto and toasted hazelnuts in the new Qantas Dinner Boxes. Photography courtesy of Qantas.
Butter chicken with basmati rice and naan bread is one of the new dinner box options. Photography courtesy of Qantas.
Qantas chefs preparing the dinner box samples. Photography courtesy of Qantas.
Like so many people who have travelled business class a few times, making that right-hand turn when you board a plane is all the more painful. Sadly, your senses don’t forget past businesss class pleasures, so you’re all the more aware of every jammed knee, questionable odour and stodgy foil-sealed plastic meals of food that invariably looks, smells and tastes like a really bad beef strogonoff.
It seems that the folk at Qantas are keenly aware of this difference, too, so they’ve made every effort to make flying economy measurably more enjoyable with the kind of meals you’d find on the hand-lettered chalkboard of any Rather Good Sydney Cafe.
Before: the old foil-sealed economy class meal. Photography by Rebecca Lowrey Boyd/Wee Birdy. Right: The new cafe-style economy class dinner boxes. Photography courtesy of Qantas.
Think Japanese slaw with poached chicken, ginger and sesame seeds; farfalle pesto salad with proscuitto and toasted hazlenuts; lentil, quinoa and falafel salad with feta and pomegranate dressing; beer battered flathead fillets with spiced wedges and lemon; butter chicken with basmatic rice and naan bread; beef with oyster sauce, shallots, red capsicums and Hokkien noodles. See? No grey meat covered in weird non-moving gravy in sight.
So was it any good?
Well, if you asked me if I would order the same thing in a restaurant again, which just happens to be the Masterchef test (so it MUST be valid), then yes, Qantas has passed with flying colours. Specifically, I would happily order the Japanese slaw with poached chicken, edamame, ginger and sesame seeds. It was crunchy and fresh and tangy and utterly delicious – the kind of adjectives one doesn’t traditionally use when describing economy class plane food.
Not beef strogonoff. Photography courtesy of Qantas.
The fresh new meals are packaged up and presented in smart French navy boxes, featuring hand-drawn illustrations by Nicole Falleiro. It’s a really clever, savvy move for Qantas, and the boxes also introduce a more streamlined service for faster meal delivery and clearing, while also providing customers more space to work, or in the case of kids, open up their iPads or colour-in.
Why yes, that is me. At the Qantas Domestic Dinner Box launch. Photography courtesy of Qantas.
Lindt balls for dessert? Nice move, Qantas. Photography by Rebecca Lowrey Boyd/Wee Birdy.
As for dessert, it’s nice to see that Qantas have decided to stick to what they know is a popular people-pleaser. Enter a bowl of Lindt Lindor Balls. Ta very much, Qantas.
Now, I know that re-heating a heckload of food at high altitude presents some tricky issues, but let’s see what you can do for long-haul flights, eh?
Tell me: what’s been your best or worst plane food experience? I’d love to hear your stories!
If you’re anything like me, you’re rather fond of Things That Other People Have Made to Make Your Walls Look Interesting and Attractive. In fact, I know you’re a LOT like me, and “affordable art” is one of the most popular searches on Wee Birdy.
Now, shipping art from one side of the world to the other can sometimes be a bit of a (costly) pain, which is why you should immediately head over to the “Art Finds” collection in my GREAT.LY shop to take advantage of the last few hours left for FREE worldwide shipping. (This special offer runs out at midnight EST on September 30 – so hop to it!)
Following on from my last post about GREAT.LY, I’ve picked 21 of my favourite art finds including original works, limited edition prints, pennants, posters and embroideries.
Blue tit cushion, from an original screenprint by Chris Andrews, £59, from The Shop Floor Project.
I’m quite taken with the The Shop Floor Project’s annual British artist cushion collection, particularly the vintage-inspired bird prints by Bedfordshire artist Chris Andrews. Reminiscent of 1940s school-book illustrations, the three designs, including a blue tit, goldfinch and greenfinch, have been printed onto linen twill fabric cushions. They are £59 each and available from The Shop Floor Project.
If you love Andrews’ take on birds, you might also like his collection of limited edition screenprints. Available from his online shop, you can take your pick from a flock of rather handsome British birds, from kingfishers and puffins to goldfinches and chaffinches.
Chaffinch three colour screenprint, £65, by Chris Andrews.
Green woodpecker five colour screenprint, £65, by Chris Andrews.
Sparrow four colour screenprint, £65, by Chris Andrews.
Each limited edition, signed and numbered print is £65.
Tell me: which bird takes your fancy? And do you like to put a bird on your soft furnishings?
Get ready to snap up your favourites from the Missoni for Target Australia collection, which launches on October 8. If you haven’t already circled the date in your diary, you might like to set up a reminder, as these products are going to move fast. Target has just uploaded the entire collection online, and while it’s only a preview, you can create your own “wishlist” which you can access for the ultimate in speed-shopping when the whole thing goes live.
I wasn’t too fussed about the women’s collection, as I couldn’t quite see the quality which is a trademark of the Missoni brand, but I think the following 36 picks are fairly safe bets. I also love the babies collection – think tiny zigzag onesies, ruffled bloomers, print muslins, baby blankets and melamine dinner sets!
Missoni for Target Women’s Overcoat$, 119.
Missoni for Target Women’s Espadrilles, $40.
Missoni for Target Women’s Scarf, $49.
Missoni for Target Retractable Umbrella, $30.
Missoni for Target Bangle Set. $30.
Missoni for Target Women’s Camisole & Shorts Set, $69.
Missoni for Target Men’s Jacquard T-Shirt, $35.
Missoni for Target Bangle Set, $30.
Missoni for Target Men’s Knit Blazer, $99.
Missoni for Target Men’s Tailored Shorts, $40.
Missoni for Target Girls’ Ballet Flats, $30.
Missoni for Target Girls’ Cropped Cardigan, $35.
Missoni for Target Boys’ Knitted Blanket, $40.
Missoni for Target Boys’ Beach Shorts, $30.
Missoni for Target 3 Pack Muslin Wraps, $35.
Missoni for Target Girls’ Dress & Bloomer Set, $40.
Missoni for Target Baby Feeding Set, $30.
Missoni for Target Boys’ 3 Piece Coverall Set, $49.
Missoni for Target Velour Beach Towel, $49.
Missoni for Target Girls’ Nappy Pant Set, $20.
Missoni for Target Canvas Cushion, $30.
Missoni for Target Jacquard Bath Sheet, $49.
Missoni for Target Deck Chair, $99.
Missoni for Target Jacquard Hand Towel, $20.
Missoni for Target Set of 4 Espresso Cups & Saucers, $25.
Missoni for Target Jacquard Bath Mat, $35.
Missoni for Target 3 Tier Cake Stand, $40.
Missoni for Target Set of 4 Side Plates, $25.
Missoni for Target Set of 4 Bowls, $25.
Missoni for Target Beach Umbrella, $99.
Missoni for Target Outdoor Set of 4 Bowls, $20.
Missoni for Target Outdoor Serving Tray, $30.
Missoni for Target Salad Bowl & Servers, $30.
Missoni for Target Outdoor Set of 4 Tumblers, $20.
Missoni for Target Placemat & Napkin Set, $35.
Missoni for Target Knitted Throw, $69.
I’ve got my eye on the fringed beach umbrella, outdoor tableware and dinner plates. What are your favourites? Head over to Missoni for Target Australia now and create your own wishlist.
This is a sponsored post for Freedom. Please see full disclosure at bottom of post.
It’s been a long time coming (10 months, to be precise), but after the first round of renovations and decorating, here’s the first look at our home (aka The Treehouse). The Treehouse is a distinctive pole house built in the late ‘70s. Wowed by the sense of space, architecture, light, and the surrounding rainforest, we up and left our two bedroom inner-city digs and headed for Sydney’s bushburbia.
The dining room has probably been the most neglected room in our home, which is a bit wrong as it’s the central hub for family meals and get-togethers. It also leads out on to a deck, which is a busy thoroughfare during the warmer months, so it was time to give it some attention. Here’s what it looked like before the makeover, and after.
Before the makeover, and after. ‘Before’ photo by me. ‘After’ photo by Lucas Boyd for Wee Birdy. Styling by Diane Birol & Juliana Verissimo/Freedom ID Service, Production by Rebecca Lowrey Boyd/Wee Birdy.
Woah. Can you believe that ‘after’ photo was taken from the same spot? Here’s a closer look at the makeover…
Before the makeover, all we had done was plonk down a reasonably-priced vintage Parker teak dining table from eBay, along with some Very Wrong Chairs. Oh, the chairs. Don’t get me started. Actually, I probably should explain The Tale of the Wrong Chairs. You see, I’ve always been a fan of mid-century modern design. Way before “mid-century modern” entered the mainstream lexicon. It’s nice that the era is getting a lot of attention now, as the design was phenomenal, but at the same time, it’s spawned an entire industry of reproduction furniture.
Now, let’s not be snobs about this. Some repros are good, and some are bad. Very bad. Seriously, if I could afford the real original stuff (or the modern licensed reproductions), I would buy them. The original fibreglass moulded Eames chairs are incredible.
In fact, we have a long-term plan to buy one piece at a time, when spare funds are available. But since ‘spare funds’ is a laughable term in our household right now, we went down the repro route and… well, disaster. We ordered our chairs online from a well-known reproduction furniture retailer, without looking at them in person. Or even sitting on them. Rookie error! Decorating rule no. 1: Never buy dining room chairs without looking at them in person. Rule no. 2: Sit on dining room chairs before parting with cash.
The chairs arrived at our home, and they not only looked cheap and nasty, they were extremely uncomfortable – and precarious – to sit on. Three chairs have already broken, with screws and bolts randomly falling out every time someone sits down. They also wobble. And I hate to say it – but they are everywhere now. Every dog and his blog has a cheap rip-off Eames dining chair. The End of the Tale of the Wrong Chairs.
But then! The new Freedom spring/summer catalogue came out and I spotted the new Brandon dining chair, which has its own lovely streamlined design while riffing on an Scandi modernist vibe with the white seat and solid oak legs.
So my next step was to consult the Freedom Interior Decorating (ID) Service, and the lovely Diane Birol from Sydney’s Castle Hill store turned up on my doorstep, with her iPad in hand and a wealth of practical advice and decorating options.
I’ve always been nervous about consulting a decorator, as I have my own distinctive sense of style, and I’ve also done a bit of styling work over the years. But since we moved into the Treehouse, I’ve wanted to get another pair of (trained) eyes to look at the space.
It’s actually something super-stylist Megan Morton recommends, too. I attended her Science of Styling Masterclass earlier this year, and she said that even the best stylists need help – and a second pair of eyes – when decorating and renovating their own home. It’s really hard to get an objective distance on styling your own home, especially when you’re used to dealing with interiors and design. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and confused by too many options.
I already had a good idea of some of my favourite pieces from the new Freedom spring/summer 2014 collection, but it was great to get Diane’s opinion, and she also carefully examined our dining room space and offered some invaluable (and rather genius) advice on how we could improve it – from both an aesthetic and functional point of view.
I really wanted to move my beloved vintage Fler sideboard to the dining room, as it would work well with the teak Parker table. However, one wall was to short for the sideboard, another had a huge air-conditioning vent, and the third wall had some unattractive built-in cupboards. I’ve been obsessed with having enough storage, but if anything, we have an excess amount of storage options in the Treehouse. When Diane recommended that we gyprock over the cupboards to allow room for our sideboard and give our dining room wall clean lines, I summoned the bravery to go ahead and do it.
We also looked at different pendant lamp options to hang over the dining table. What you can’t see in the ‘after’ image above is my husband’s hand holding the top of the lamp! We currently have the original white glass elliptical pendant lights above the dining table, but they hang quite high and I’d love something that made a statement. I’ve been shopping around for pendant lamps and it was great to see how Freedom’s new Creel pendant lights adds texture and softness to the space.
Diane agreed that the new ’60s-inspired Brandon oak dining chairs would work beautifully with my Parker dining table, and the solid oak legs would add that touch of Scandi I love so much, while avoiding that showroom matchy-matchy look.
The chairs also come in a brilliant turquoise that really pops, so we played around with them in the shoot. You can see the turquoise chair in the photo below with my three-year-old playing on the rug. Oh and functionality? They’re sturdy and stable. And the cushioned polypropylene base makes them super-comfortable. You could yack for hours over a cheese platter with a cheeky sticky in these chairs.
Finally, Diane recommended we ‘ground’ our dining table with a rug – and the lovely new Boyd rug was a no-brainer. It’s low-pile (so it’s easy to clean and great with kids), and the natural fibres add texture and depth to the room, while the yellow stripe adds a pop of colour.
I already have a number of Freedom’s bright band baskets in various sizes and colours, which I use as storage for Mr 3’s toys throughout the house. I like the idea of having toys and play options in every room of the house, without it becoming too obtrusive, or untidy. After all, it’s his home as well, and I’m fond of the Montessori idea of kids having easy access to their own things and toys. He loves to rummage through the baskets and find toys he hasn’t played with in a while, and when play time is over, it’s easy for him to pick up his toys and throw them back in. I’ve now placed a basket of toys under the stairs, and there’s another basket sitting next to the sideboard.
What do you think? It’s made an amazing difference, right? And do you think I should go for the Creel pendant lamp?
Disclosure:This is a sponsored post paid by Freedom Australia. I borrowed all of the Freedom products for the purposes of the shoot, apart from the Freedom stuff that I already owned (and bought with my own money). It was actually painful packing up the stock and sending it back, as it all worked beautifully in my dining room. I will definitely be buying the dining chairs as soon as we’ve saved up enough money. And the rug, vases, oh, and that little gem statue is really cute too… Arg.
GREAT news, birdies! This week, you can shop my Art Finds collection in my GREAT.LY shop and get free shipping worldwide until next Tuesday. Hurrah!
I’m often asked about where to find affordable art, so I’ve kept my readers in mind as I carefully handpicked each piece for my GREAT.LY Art Finds collection. I’ve chosen pieces that I would love to hang in my own home, with a huge bias towards abstract art. But best of all, I’ve kept affordability in mind, which is why you can buy a piece of art to add to your gallery wall from as little as US$12.
Right now I’m loving the black and white trend in design and interiors, and it’s a super-easy look to recreate in your own home. My favourite black and white pieces in my Art Finds collection are the abstract screen-prints by San Francisco artist Tracie Yau, which are amazing value at US$30 each.
Group two or three of these prints together for an instant “collection”. Black and white art looks amazing with timber, so hang them above a timber sideboard, buffet or dining table and create an instant vignette with a selection of black and white ceramics, vases and decorative objects. Add a piece of on-trend copper or a simple stem of greenery from the garden and you’ve created an eye-catching vignette.
If you’re after a large colourful statement piece for your wall, think no further than Irish artist Lola Donoghue. At around 40 inches wide, these limited edition prints pack a punch, and are a steal at US$200 each.
For more affordable artworks starting at just US$12, head over to my GREAT.LY shop.
And remember – you get free worldwide shipping on all pieces in my Art Finds collectionuntil Tuesday September 30 (midnight AEST). I’ll be showcasing more of my favourite pieces from my Art Finds collection throughout the week, so stay tuned.
Tell me: are you looking for new art for your home? Tell me what you’re looking for!
Dinosaur Designs London store. Photography by Simon Brown.
Londoners, get ready to add a pair of iconic Australian-designed resin salad servers to your top drawer – Dinosaur Designs has arrived in town. Located in the new Ham Yard Hotel, the store offers Londoners the first opportunity to wander around an oasis of Australian design excellence, right in the heart of Soho.
Stephen Ormandy and Louise Olsen, Dinosaur Designs’ Creative Directors, at their new London store in the Ham Yard Hotel. Photography by Simon Brown.
Adding to the Sydney-meets-Soho ambience, the unique interiors of the store have been designed in collaboration with fellow Australian design legend, Ian Halliday of Burley Katon Halliday.
It’s a unique platform to showcase the distinctive sculptural and organic forms that define the Dinosaur Designs’ collection of jewellery and homewares, led by creative directors and Sydney-siders Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy.
A touch of Scotland in a Dinosaur Designs vase. Photography by Simon Brown.
Stacks of magnificent Dinosaur Designs bangles. Photography by Simon Brown.
I’ve mentioned in a previous post that it’s an exciting move for the creative duo, as they continue to grow and develop the brand, reflecting their passion for art, design and fashion.
The London store is Dinosaur Designs’ ninth and the second international stand-alone store, joining the New York store in Nolita.
Dinosaur Designs London store. Photography by Simon Brown.
Pieces of from Dinosaur Designs homewares collection at the new London store. Dinosaur Designs London store. Photography by Simon Brown.
Dinosaur Designs London store. Photography by Simon Brown.
“We’re thrilled to have been invited to open up a store in London by Firmdale Hotels, as they similarly imbue each hotel with a distinct, welcoming feel and a real sense of luxury,” says Louise Olsen.
Her partner, Stephen Ormandy adds that: “We have a well established customer base in the United Kingdom, and have been eager to have a more international physical presence beyond New York. London has emerged as a design hub over the last several years, so the timing and location were right.”
Vessels at the new Dinosaur Designs London store. Photography by Simon Brown.
Dinosaur Designs side table. Photography by Simon Brown.
Dinosaur Designs necklaces at the new London store. Photography by Simon Brown.
Olsen and Ormandy aren’t exactly newcomers to London, as their association goes back to 1989, when they were featured in the “Australia and the Contemporary Art of Dress” exhibition at the V&A Museum, and were subsequently picked up by Liberty and Harvey Nichols.
In conjunction with the launch of the London store, Dinosaur Designs will also have a selection of pieces on view at Paul Smith’s flagship store in Mayfair in October 2014.
