Queen's Birthday Public Holiday

We will be open tomorrow between 11am - 4pm. If you haven't skipped town for the weekend do pop in and say hello. 

New things

There have been a few new arrivals over the last week that we're pretty excited about. One of our particular favourites are these fantastic Macrame plant hangers from local label Warp & Weft. Designer and maker Charlene Spiteri has taken this retro icon and modernised it, creating her intricate designs with strong geometric forms and contemporary colours. These are a great way to bring a bit of greenery to any space in your house. They come with the glass fishbowl vase but you could easily replace it with a pot of your choice, or even a fruit bowl for that authentic retro look!

Macrame plant hangers, various sizes, prices from $99 to $199

Another couple of newbies for us are these simple round mirrors, with a textured wood frame. They look great grouped together or hung individually.

round mirrors $40 each

And last but not least, we just received these Tripod table lamps. Perfect for the Scandi-inspired home, they come complete with the white shade and are a bargain at $99.95.

Tripod table lamps $99.95 each

Winter Woollies

With the cold weather setting in we have lots of lovely scarves and knits in store to keep the winter blues at bay. In neutrals and gorgeous bright tones, some of our favourites include Merino wool scarves from Uimi and Alpaca scarves made in Peru - great for men and women.

We have also just received a small selection of the fantastic Obus Travellers range. Made in Australia using Merino wool, these are the perfect winter staple to get you through the cold months ahead. 

                     

Lately...

Treehorn bangles - small $45 / large $55

Uimi merino wool baby booties - $30 a pair

Lots of new wooden toys in our kids' section

Glazed terracotta bowls - small $10 / medium $20 / large $35

Armadillo & Co 'Marigold' rug - 155cm diameter $485

Uashmama washable paper bags - plain colours from $22 / metallics from $28

New Marimekko lampshades

This week we received some new lampshades that we had made with beautiful Marimekko fabric, and we just love them. Available in two sizes, these can be hung as a pendant lamp, or used with the timber lamp bases we also stock. 

Table lamp with Marimekko shade, $265

We have a wide variety of lampshades in store at the moment, in different fabrics and colours. We also offer a custom-made service if you are after a specific size. Sample fabrics are available to view in store, or give us a call for more information. 

Marakesh floor lamp with woven shade, $550

Floor lamp with felt shade, $330 

School kids need lunch money

The studio of Elizabeth Barnett, co-founder of Schoolhouse Studios. photo: The Design Files

As you are well aware, we usually keep things pretty shop-oriented here on the blog, mainly because we get so excited about all the lovely things arriving and we want to share them with you. But we also know how important it is to support artists and creatives working within our community of Melbourne. We love to stock lots of Australian made products from independent makers, and a lot of these makers rely on having a supportive community around them, and most importantly, a studio from which to work.

The incredible folk from Schoolhouse Studios in Abbotsford have recently had to shut their doors after two years in the old Sophia Mundi Steiner School. All of the spaces in the grounds were put to use, from old classrooms, science labs and a chapel, to the basketball court and the orchard and vegie garden. The collaborative community that grew out of Schoolhouse Studios was truly something special, and I for one, felt very sad to say goodbye. Although I won't be moving in to the new site, I know how important it is to keep these spaces available and accessible for artists (ie. affordable!). With a new site secured, energies are now being focussed on raising enough money to convert an old warehouse in Collingwood into a new home for the Schoolhouse gang. Working with the Molonglo group to develop a space that will encourage community interaction and create a space for shared ideas, projects and events.

Jewellery designer Marni Kornhauser's studio. photo: The Design Files

With a Pozible campaign in the works, Schoolhouse studios are half way towards their goal of $50,000. If the goal amount isn't reached, they receive nothing. All donations will be greatly appreciated and will receive a 'thank-you' from the team at Schoolhouse. These thank-you rewards range from tickets to future events, to artwork or even a song written in your honour!

Check out the excellent feature from Lucy Feagins of The Design Files, with lots more photos of the beautiful spaces and an insight into the work that went into building this community from the ground up. This little post really does not do justice to the amazing work coming out of Schoolhouse Studios, so it is worth checking out their website too.

The Pozible campaign can be viewed here. If you're not able to pledge to the campaign, just sharing this with friends and family you think may be interested can also make a huge difference.

credit: all photos via The Design Files

Schoolhouse Studios communal kitchen. photo: The Design Files

Steller Atelier architecture studio. photo: The Design Files

Voyager candles

You may have noticed these beautiful candles from Voyager at Sedonia recently. It is a relatively new range for us and we are enjoying falling in love with each of the five distinct scents. The candles are each named for gardens around the world, and are inspired by a certain place and time. Coincidentally, my favourite is the 'Alexandra' candle, inspired by Melbourne and made using a blend of bergamot, petitgrain, fig leaves, sandalwood and green tea. 

Melbournian Kerrie Golias launched the range in 2011, with a focus on beautiful, evocative scents and ethical and sustainable production. Voyager candles contain no 'nasties' - they are made here in Melbourne using a special blend of soy, coconut and beeswax, with pure cotton wicks. And, the elegant double walled glass is re-usable! No detail has been overlooked in the creation of this boutique candle range; we are truly impressed by Kerrie's commitment to delivering a beautiful, high-quality and sustainable product.  

With winter around the corner, Voyager candles are a simple and elegant way to add warmth to any room in your home. Come in to experience this stunning range for yourself. 

Mother's Day giveaway

Who doesn't love a giveaway?! We sure do! So we thought we'd share the love this week and give you the chance to win two fantastic Marimekko mugs just in time for Mother's Day. Valued at $29 each, these mugs are a kitchen staple from the fabulous Finnish design house Marimekko. We love to use them for tea and coffee and we think their sturdy yet stylish design makes a great addition to any kitchen. 

To go in the draw, all you need to do is like our official Facebook page (click here to go there now). As an added bonus, if you share the link we will double your chances and put your name in the draw twice. And don't worry, if you've already liked us we will automatically enter your name into the draw too! 

We'll draw the winner next Friday the 10th May and contact the winner via Facebook.