FRIDAY FAVS // SLEEPY BUM

Good linen is always a must as your bed

is very important to your health. Having good sheets and sets are

a great way not to only feel great and get a good night sleep but also 

to jazz up your space, give it some style and personality... so sleeping is fun! 

This weeks find is the awesome Australian online store called Sleep Bum! 
I have had the pleasure of trying out their beautiful linen 

for myself and have to say I am very happy I got the

opportunity to!

This is the set that I have and the reason why I picked it is because it

not only adds colour but pattern at the same time, giving me the

opportunity to add style in a very simplistic way.

Make sure to check this great resource by visiting 

their site. 

1. Athens Grid lines in Baby Pink.

2. Athens Grid lines in Lavender.

Image sourced from their website! Make sure to

take advantage of their free shipping on orders

over $99! 

FRIDAY FAVS // SEVENTH LANE

Friday Fav's this week is a real special one as it is celebrating

a friends business, Seventh Lane. 

Today I am sharing with you my favourite items from their newly

launched website! 

I love the playful yet relaxed nature of the range as well as the geometric

prints! We all know how I feel about funky geometric prints! 

They are on my wish list that is for sure! 

1. Love A3 Digital Print

2. Tribal cushion in charcoal 

3. Pep round cushion

You can find all these items on the Seventh Lane website.

All images sourced directly from the Seventh Lane website. 

FRIDAY FAV // NOT YOUR TYPICAL VAN

I have currently been on the hunt for some great armchairs for

a client and cannot seem to look past his amazing

modern but inviting VAN armchair from

Jardan Furniture. 

Even the colour, it is just amazing and called 

Safari green, which makes it this weeks

Friday Fav. 

*image sourced from the Jardan Website.

MEET THE DESIGN TWINS

Have you heard or discovered the latest amazing set of homewares yet? You all know how much I love concrete so it is really no surprise when I say how much I love the designs by this dynmaic duo, Crystal and Mitch, better known as The Design Twins.

Last month Crystal took the time to chat to us about all things design and business, what inspires them and what they believe is the key to success. I want to take this opportunity to thank The Design Twins for taking part in this feature to share with all my amazing readers, I have not been able to publish this until I got back on Australian land so now that I am back, it is the first feature of many more to come.

I know music has been a huge part of your life, how do you think it has helped you channel your creativity into what you are doing at the moment? 

Music gave me the strength and persistence to pursue what we are doing now with Design Twins. Our products are definitely influenced by music and fashion, allowing us to create unique and bold pieces. 

You create some really unique and interesting pieces. What is your creative process? 

With our designs, we always think of the craziest idea possible, to the point of where it can't be made and then bring it right back to a products that is practical, logical and beautiful. For instance, with our concrete pillows, we thought of large outdoor pillows. These would be heavy and not practical, so we created mini pillows for candles, keys and jewellery! 

We have noticed you use concrete, what gave you the idea to use it? And is there another material both you and “Twinnie” would love to introduce? 

We started off with a bag of concrete in our kitchen sink and the craziness went from there! We realised it could be shaped into ANYTHING and we wanted to take it from being a DIY project to the next level of crazy homewares. We would LOVE to introduce copper or steel into the designs somehow. We love all things marble, copper, leather, glass and recycled timber!!

What would be the best three words to describe what The Design Twins is all about? 

CRAZY, UNIQUE, FUN!

What do The Design Twins believe is the key ingredient in working to make your dreams come true? 

Love what your doing and keep persisting even when everything seems impossible. There have been so many times when we wanted to give up, but we just knew that if pushed through, something unique was going to be created.

What would you consider would be the most important step you took in making the business happen?

Moving out of our kitchen sink, to a workshop, where we could experiment with designs in a bigger and better scale.

What do you believe is the best part about having your own business and what would be your piece of advice for those wanting to follow their passions? 

We get to work the hours we choose, although lately its been from 10am until 1am most days, we hope to reduce that to some type of normality soon. We get to do fun things like snorkel on our lunch breaks, as we live on a reef! If you have a dream, don't give up on it! Stay curious. Stay creative. Stay hungry!

You can find The Design Twins website and products by clicking here. 

All images have been sourced from The Design Twins website and Instagram page. 

FEATURE FRIDAY : MORE COUCHELO

A couple of weeks back I shared a few behind the scenes pictures of the shoot we did with Couchelo.
Today I want to share more, and the blog post that Couchelo have recently posted to give all our views an idea of the all the different and unique furniture pieces you can find to arrange in your home.

Take a look below:

FLASH BLACK (FRIDAY) EVEN THOUGH IT'S MONDAY

I didn't get a chance to post all of my Friday posts, so today I will be posting them all along with our Monday Block in review post, which I know you all look forward to. What is great about posting them all today is that they actually all relate very well to one another as they are about the Twins who were last series winners as well as part of the Fans team this year. They are such a great time, have really great ideas and execute them very well. After our flash back post today featuring an interview I did with the twins, will be all about what they have been up to after turning in their police badges and embracing their newly developed creative sides. 

Have you seen the interview that I did with the Twins last year? Well if you haven't seen it yet, here it is! 

1. First of all a big congratulations and great effort! Looking back on the experience that you have just had, if you could give yourself some advice or warning before starting this challenge, would would it be? To align yourselves with reliable and experienced tradesman (which made such a difference as our amazing tradies were able to turn our visions into a reality.) 2. You both developed such great design style and skill. Week to week what inspired you design wise and helped you make certain style choices to create the overall look? I think once we established that we wanted the apartment to have a natural, earthy feel, it became a lot easier for us to make the right styling choices. In every room we designed, we aimed to create a point of interest such as including timber features, using different textured wallpaper like concrete and grass cloth, the inclusion of a herb garden, plus a green wall and rendered wall. It was really important that each room flowed into the other and that all the rooms didn't compete with one another. 3. It would be so tough making such important design and space decisions very quickly, I know first hand the questioning and doubt you can feel once you make a decision or trying to make sure it is the right one. How did you both work on not doubting the design choices you made and finishes you picked? We literally had one night to come up with the design for the entire room. After we had finished judging at Scotty's warehouse and found out what room was being revealed the next week, Lysandra and I would go home that night (after being awake for 48hr + ) and have to come up with a design for whatever room was being revealed next. Our builder Shiran wanted a plan from us the next morning so he could get started that very day in order to have enough time to finish before the next reveal. To be honest I actually think it was a good thing that we had to make quick decisions because it forced us to go with our gut instinct and not second guess ourselves, because there just wasn't time to. 4. It is such a great achievement for you both especially in support of women in construction and design! Do you have an inspirational message for aspiring renovating, kitchen and bathroom queens? Do not be afraid to ask questions if you don't understand. The amount of times Lysandra and I would say to Shiran "But why can't you put that thingy there and then use that thing to hide it" etc..... Even though we didn't understand a lot of the terminology or tools, we asked questions and would not stop until we understood how and why it worked. Don't be rushed into making important decisions and don't settle for the first thing you see. Research and shop around before you make your mind up on a product. Just remember, you don't have to spend a fortune on something to make a room look amazing. Shop smart and save your money for the important key features.

5. The fast paced environment and the competition does get the better of you. How did you both work on keeping your motivation and moral high?

It was extremely hard towards the end. Motivation and morale were at an all time low, but we had to keep reminding ourselves why we were there and that we hadn't come this far and been away from our boys for as long as we had, just to give up. We had an end goal in mind and we never lost sight of that. We were there to win and we played the game to the very last second.

I just want to say a very big THANK YOU to Alisa & Lysandra for taking the time to take part in this interview, it is so very nice of them and really appreciate their time despite their very busy schedules!

Make sure to visit their Facebook page to keep up to date with what the twins are up to and follow their journey.

WHAT IS YOUR INTERIOR RESOLUTION?

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my lovely loyal readers or whoever may stumble across my little blog. It is something that I am very proud of and cannot wait to develop more and more over the next year. Without all of your support and stopping by, it wouldn't be at the level it already is in such a short time!

New Year is that special time of year where we really kind of get a fresh start, start all over again and begin on a new note. It is customary to develop goals or New Year Resolutions for what you want to achieve or set your mind to in the New Year. I want to ask you all though, do you have an Interior New Year Resolution? What do you want to achieve in your space? Do you have big plans for a renovation? Have you just brought a house? I would love to hear what they are! Even if it is just about making it a healthier cleaner environment, or to create sustainable living, they are all great goals!

Here are the top 5 highlights on the blog this past 2013... well, half of 2013 to get you thinking.

FEATURE FRIDAY- ALISE & LYSANDRA
FUNKY FURNITURE
SYDNEY INDESIGN SNEAK PEEK 
STUDIO SPACE PT 2
BARRY DUBOIS INTERVIEW

And one more for Good Luck

BREEDS OF MEN


Share with my what your New Year Interior Resolution is! I am sure I can help!

FEATURE FRIDAY: 1. 2. TREE

Christmas is around the corner, I know I cannot believe it either and one of the biggest things at the moment apart from your wish list I'm sure, is being as sustainable as possible. The two really are not comparable nor do they rate against each other as sustainability and being environmentally friendly to assist our world is something that is a lot more important and on a whole different scale of huge in comparison to a wish list. The thing is, apart from environmental management, many different campaigns and initiatives that assist our environment there are hundreds of things we can do daily that allows us as individuals to help grow your eco friendly foot print. This brings me to today's very special feature about an eco friendly christmas tree, yes you read correctly, eco friendly, which means it is not green and like any other typical Christmas tree. Yes, it is a new take on the traditional notion of a Christmas tree but in the modern world we live in I think this is just the thing that can bring a truly uniquely new tradition to a home as well as supporting our environment.

It is completely made in Australia from sustainable wood sources, easy to assemble and very good looking if you ask me. I know it is completely different from what you would expect, but if it means one less tree gets cut down at Christmas time, so it can shine in your living room for a month, I am all for it.

It also brings a whole new notion to the concept of decorations for the tree and can really assist you in making a truly special look in your home interior depending on which way you arrange it. All the branches are supported in the centre and can be moved individually in any direction to create your Christmas look.

One, Two, Tree was initially developed the idea as they wanted something individual and eco friendly for their little boy. It is a tree that will surely last a lifetime... in fact that is it's actual name- "The Lifetime Tree."

Make sure to check out the website to find out more.

Images sourced from Rebecca Judd Loves. 

Have a great weekend everyone,
JDZ x

FEATURE FRIDAY: THE BEACH

I love writing on the blog and sharing all that inspires me as a designer, to give you all the insight into how the industry works but what I love most is inspiring people and writing about my dear friends who are doing such great things. That is honestly one of the best parts, having such good friendships in the same industry who support and love what each other is achieving. The Beach Furniture & Accessories has just launched their long awaited webpage, FB page and instagram, showcasing a whole new bread of amazing hand made and designed pieces for the home. No two pieces are the same with their furniture ranging from plantation grown teak or recycled teak and Elm.

It is a combination of furniture, homewares and accessories all in trend and in vibe to a relaxing, elegant and vibrant interior. Their store is located in Bundall, QLD and a warehouse is Burleigh as well as an online store. It is a family run business since 2010 between New Zealand and Australia and is why I believe you can really see in care and love that goes into the business and the furniture. The products are ones consumers can relate to and are very accessible. Here is some behind the scenes images from their factories where all the products are hand made and looked over by the owners themselves. I cannot wait what my lovely friend Natalie Maclean and fellow Interior Designer has in stall as she assists her husband Simon in renovating the new store and designing some furniture. 

I have mentioned them in my list of where you can buy some great pieces for your home this spring, over on my page on the Men Behaving Handy blog. 

Find out more about The Beach Furniture and Accessories by clicking here and following them on Facebook. Ps: they have a great little competition happening at the moment so make sure to get involved. 

FEATURE FRIDAY: DESIGN IS EVERYWHERE

I am using Feature Friday today to introduce a new topic that I am going to be discussing on the blog over the next couple of months. JDZ is going international... talking about international design trends, inspiration, cities and history. There is so much to be said for all the different countries around the world that play a part in influencing the design world. There is a huge emphasis on environmentally friendly design as well as many new technologies that assist in creating beautiful and functional products. Just like here in Sydney with Sydney Indesign, London have their own huge design festival which promotes them as one of the leading countries to influence design globally. As part of the festival there are a series of installations and activities everyone can take part in, to educate and inform the world on new materials and design principals. The London Design Festival ran this year from mid September to the 22nd and even though it has now finished there are still serval installations that are located around the city which really demonstrates the advance nature of their design thinking and creativity. I have been to London and it was an amazing place that I fell in love with, but just like anywhere, you either love it or really hate it. For me it was not only culturally diverse but had so much creativity and inspiration to be admired. The galleries had hundreds of artworks and history that I studied all through my high school days and University which I found fascinating to see in person. The thousand year old structures, urban planning, city layout juxtaposed with modern architecture is amazing. The city itself has so much history because it is so much older than Sydney. I did however, feel like I was some what at home when I was roaming the streets of London city... no surprise really.

Over the next couple of months JDZ will be posting about international design and cities that are influencing and inspiring me through my design practice, so keep a look out. Today take some time to have a look through the videos and experience the interesting installation and information the Endless Stair has to offer outside the Tate Modern now in London. 

All images and videos have been sourced from The London Design Festival website, which you can access by clicking here. 

Have a great weekend, 

JDZ x

FEATURE FRIDAY : ORIENTAL GROVE

Today in my Feature Friday post I am introducing you to one of my most recent connections and relationships with the lovely Jess and her team from Oriental Grove. I love creating new resources and connect with like minded people so it was an absolute please when Jess introduced me to this wholesale business that creates their hand crafted furniture from reclaimed hardwood. 

Oriental Grove are a wholesaler located in Melbourne Australia and their furniture is targeted to the residential and commerical interiors. I think it is such a great opportunity to have a wide range of furniture and homewares resources especially when they offer such unique and environmentally friendly pieces. It is so refreshing to have such great products like this on the market and furniture that offers a point of difference. What I really like about Oriental Grove is the raw nature and hand crafted detailing in their work. It makes every piece feel so unique and can really add that interesting talking point to your home or commercial space. The shapes are traditional yet modern, especially with their great timber stool ranges that come in my favorite colour red and black. 

They aim to create a fusion between Eastern and Western styles which I feel they achieve successfully, even with a modern raw edge. They really pride themselves on having environmentally friendly business and production practices by using reclaimed timber to primarily create their designs. The products are not just full of history but are brought back to life and in a way become timeless. 

Oriental Grove are definitely and up and coming furniture wholesaler and designers who are also working to showcase unique ideas on their "ideas" page to give their customers and readers advice on how to use their products in a unique and inspiring way. 

Here are just some of my favorites from their website. 

Find out more about Oriental Grove by visiting their website and liking their facebook page.

TGIF,

JDZ x

Special thanks to Jess and her team for allowing me to post about Oriental Grove today! We cannot wait to see more amazing furniture and design ideas from you.

FEATURE FRIDAY: RED ON RED

I am very excited to announce today that in today's post I am sharing my first official review, where I received a cool new product that I get to talk about all from my perspective. 

A couple of months ago I wrote about how sleep habits and the importance of getting the right amount for your body. Personally, if I do not sleep well, I feel absolutely horrible, especially if it is over a couple of weeks. We almost spend about 25 years of our lives sleeping, which is massive.

 So, if we require it so much, then why does it often feel like such a hassle when we have to make our beds everyday, change our sheets and make your bedroom and bed look good. Well, I guess like anything, we should all take pride in the our interiors as we do our appearance, which means taking pride and thinking about how to do things to improve your quality of sleep and bedroom, to make yourself feel better and healthier.

I am always looking for new and cool products that allow for good style but are also functional at the same time. I had never heard of EcoSleep before, but the name definitely had me intrigued and so did their red linen. Now it is a bit of an interior and style fail on my part because my room is painted red... yes, it really needs an update, but it has been my favourite colour since 2004, so having red linen at the same time means RED OVERLOAD... but bear with me. Also, I know what you are thinking... yes, I know the year I decided it was my favourite colour because it was about the time I began to really develop my own sense of self and I decided that red was the colour for me because it was very vibrant and passionate. Two things many of you know are part of my personality so you can only imagine my delight when Jane from EcoSleep shares the same love of Red and wanted to send me the bed linen she has invented called COSHEE. Now, here is my review, full of the good, bad and the ugly... which I have to say, there is not much bad at all and really no ugly...except for me putting red on red.

Image sourced from the EcoSleep Website. Looking very smart indeed and against another red wall.
Red must be a very popular colour. 

I have to say, having your sheets arrive in a little ego friendly bag is a breath of fresh air and really clever, because it means that you can reuse it for storage when you want to change your sheets. If you are like me, I really hate folding sheets and then feel it is so messy in the cupboard when you put them away. So having packaging that you can reuse is a huge bonus and a really clever idea. I have been so sleep deprived over the last week that I have been counting the hours every afternoon to when I can hit the pillow, so on Tuesday when I finally got the chance to try out my new linen, I could not wait, especially because I knew I did not have to wash it first....double bonus!! I was not sure why I did not have to wash it first, but I was told you did not need to, so I followed instruction and felt like a little bit of a rebel because it followed with a strange facial expression from my mother... "you are not going to wash new sheets? " I also loved that there was not too many components to the linen as I soon discovered the top sheet came with the cover. Very clever and efficient way of combining the two, except I was looking to see if there was a matching fitted sheet to complete the look with.

I am one that likes to sleep with just a duvet cover, except for some reason, my bed never stays warm all night, which always wakes me up, so I was very keen to give it a go without any other sheets and just the duvet with the top sheet attached just for the sake of it. The first couple of nights was bliss, the top sheet and pillow cases are so comfortable and soft, but then on Thursday night I began to feel the cold a little and did have to grab an extra blanket, but at least I did not have to worry about taking off the top sheet at the same time.

Here is the product right down from unpacking it. 

Yes I did not have time to iron it before using it either, but if you ask me it still looks pretty good!
And yes i know, there is a lot of RED!

I really like the texture of the linen, it feels lush, soft and very comfortable against the skin. I also really like that it has some texture to it, which I thought may having been irritating against the face on the pillows, but I did not have any trouble at all. However, I feel that texture on linen is not for everyone, so possibility of having the option of a complete smooth surface may be a good alternative. That way you can mix up your bed linen too if you really wanted to, have your display pillows with texture and plain for the pillows you lay your head against.

Like I said, I did not know much about EcoSleep at all and what Coshee is all about, but after my experience I wanted to know much more. The linen is produced from natural cotton and natural bamboo giving it the amazing soft texture and it is a high thread count. This means it does not require any use of harsh chemicals during production, hence the not needing to wash it before use. It is entirely developed with the concept of functionality as well as style, less is more on a bed and not having 5 sheets to wash all at once and strip when making your bed. Which for me and many others a positive as it also means you save on washing time and water because the top sheet is attached to the duvet cover and can be removed if need be.

One thing is for sure, my cushions look amazing against my new Coshee linen. 

The top sheet and the duvet cover are connected, which makes for a very smart design. It is detachable if you want
to remove it and keep it separate, but I have no idea why you would to do that. 

Now one of the things I want to point out is that I did not know much about Coshee at all before using it and or reading anything about it further. The EcoSleep website is full of great information about it's use and production however I feel that once I knew more about it, it did not sway my already made up mind that Coshee is a hot well designed and user friendly product. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for smart bedding and wanting to make their bed look smart... and by the way... I am not just saying that because I have to.

Find out a lot more about Jane herself and the EcoSleep team by visiting their website and while you are at it invest in Coshee and see for yourself how great it is.

A very special to Jane for making this review possible and giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts on your product. I hope you love it as much as I loved sleeping in your Coshee product! 

TGIF!!

JDZ x

FEATURE FRIDAY: BREEDS OF MEN

Continuing the count down to Spring means that we are also heading into Father's Day this weekend. 

It is always nice to have a day dedicated to your dad and mother to let them know how grateful you are for everything that they may do for you and to honor them for being parents. I am not a parent myself, but I guess one day I will be and it will be those special days that make all the harder ones and challenging days worth it. There is the argument that appreciation and love should not be shown just on one particular day but everyday, which I whole heartily agree with, but I guess it is more of a consistent way of the whole nation to ban together and dedicate it to either your dad or your role models. I find it really difficult buying anything for my dad because he really is not your typical Mr. Sporty, Mr. Action, Mr. Adventure kinda guy, he is more the Mr.Cooking, Mr. Arty, Mr. Music, Mr. Eclectic kinda guy which means things like footy tickets, beers, bbq's and an adventure activity is not going to cut it. This year I am finding it particularly difficult to buy my dad something special that he does not already have and does not already love. He just really does not fit the mould and not in a bad way, as everyone has their own personalities and loves, which I would never change in my own Dad because if I did, I properly would not be the creative person I am today. 

I wanted to introduce you to a great website that I think is really breaking the mould in terms of buying products and or gifts for men with their take on "breeds" of men and having a lots of catagories and products that cater to not just one type of guy or Dad in this case. The online shopping stop for men is Navy Crockett. I absolutely love it because it means I can really pin point the type of guy I am looking to shop for and I can find some really different and cool things I probably would not find in a standard store. Tick! I have found something I think my Dad would like. It is not just great for the Dad's but great for the boyfriends too and here are my top five picks below for a fun, creative, fashion loving, coffee drinking, cooking loving Dad. 

If you are looking for the perfect gift, head over to Navy Crockett's website now. 

Why not gift a great print for your Dad's own Man Cave?

+

Is your Dad a lover of Coffee? 

+ 

Bright cool shoes to jazz up any outfit! 

+

Does your Dad like to cook? Why not get him a Diamond Sharpener?

+ 

Does he love music and not know how to use technology well? This could be a great
gift for when they are cooking or enjoying a nice working day in their studio's

 = one happy funky Dad

All images sourced directly from the Navy Crockett website and can be found under all their breeds listings. Hope you all have a lovely weekend and enjoy your first day of SPRING!

Looking forward to ringing in the new season with you all.

JDZ x

FEATURE FRIDAY: INTERVIEW WITH ALISA & LYSANDRA

Alisa & Lysandra winners of The Block 2013.
To connect and keep up to date with the twins
make sure to like their Facebook page. Ps: They
are wearing my favourite jewellery brand Fiel Sol!

It is a very exciting Friday today as not only am I sharing my first blog interview with the lovely Alisa & Lysandra, winners from The Block 2013, but I have 3 separate events on today/tonight and despite my shoulder injury I will be attending.

Even though The Block is over for this year, it does not mean all the excitement is over,  the beautiful designs by these two great dynamic sisters are now more popular than ever. They were a very strong team, such great designers, very entertaining to watch and with  my own application for The Block 2014 submitted, it is such a great opportunity to get some insider perspective on their experience.

1. First of all a big congratulations and great effort! Looking back on the experience that you have just had, if you could give yourself some advice or warning before starting this challenge, would would it be? To align yourselves with reliable and experienced tradesman (which made such a difference as our amazing tradies were able to turn our visions into a reality.) 2. You both developed such great design style and skill. Week to week what inspired you design wise and helped you make certain style choices to create the overall look? I think once we established that we wanted the apartment to have a natural, earthy feel, it became a lot easier for us to make the right styling choices. In every room we designed, we aimed to create a point of interest such as including timber features, using different textured wallpaper like concrete and grass cloth, the inclusion of a herb garden, plus a green wall and rendered wall. It was really important that each room flowed into the other and that all the rooms didn't compete with one another. 3. It would be so tough making such important design and space decisions very quickly, I know first hand the questioning and doubt you can feel once you make a decision or trying to make sure it is the right one. How did you both work on not doubting the design choices you made and finishes you picked? We literally had one night to come up with the design for the entire room. After we had finished judging at Scotty's warehouse and found out what room was being revealed the next week, Lysandra and I would go home that night (after being awake for 48hr + ) and have to come up with a design for whatever room was being revealed next. Our builder Shiran wanted a plan from us the next morning so he could get started that very day in order to have enough time to finish before the next reveal. To be honest I actually think it was a good thing that we had to make quick decisions because it forced us to go with our gut instinct and not second guess ourselves, because there just wasn't time to. 4. It is such a great achievement for you both especially in support of women in construction and design! Do you have an inspirational message for aspiring renovating, kitchen and bathroom queens? Do not be afraid to ask questions if you don't understand. The amount of times Lysandra and I would say to Shiran "But why can't you put that thingy there and then use that thing to hide it" etc..... Even though we didn't understand a lot of the terminology or tools, we asked questions and would not stop until we understood how and why it worked. Don't be rushed into making important decisions and don't settle for the first thing you see. Research and shop around before you make your mind up on a product. Just remember, you don't have to spend a fortune on something to make a room look amazing. Shop smart and save your money for the important key features.

5. The fast paced environment and the competition does get the better of you. How did you both work on keeping your motivation and moral high?

It was extremely hard towards the end. Motivation and morale were at an all time low, but we had to keep reminding ourselves why we were there and that we hadn't come this far and been away from our boys for as long as we had, just to give up. We had an end goal in mind and we never lost sight of that. We were there to win and we played the game to the very last second.

I just want to say a very big THANK YOU to Alisa & Lysandra for taking the time to take part in this interview, it is so very nice of them and really appreciate their time despite their very busy schedules!

Make sure to visit their Facebook page to keep up to date with what the twins are up to and follow their journey.

Have a great Friday everyone,

JDZ x

FEATURE FRIDAY: TOM DIXON

It was a Saturday night, probably almost a year ago now when Ev ( my partner in crime, ie: Boyfriend ) were on our way into the Darlinghurst to attend a very cool house warming party in a new complex just off William St Sydney. The loft style apartment was amazing and very cool but let's not get off track. Typical of our city, we could not find any parking anywhere and circled for ages, until we finally parked outside Dedece in Sydney which had this really engaging window/studio display that just caught my attention. After telling Evan his parking was all good he proceeded to say... "How cool is that!" He even took a photo just so I could remember it and look it up... which is very typical of us. Anyway, that was how I discovered the amazing designs that are by Tom Dixon and it seems like ever since then he is becoming seemingly more and more popular. 

Established in 2002 Tom is a british design and manufacturing company specalising in lighting and furniture. His designs are bespoke... yes I just used the big 'B' word that everyone throws around these days, but really he deserves it because his designs are truly innovative and I admire them immensely. It would be a dream come true to own or spec some of his design pieces. The brand in itself is inspired by the Britiain's unique heritage. It is a combination of mixed metals, unqiue materials, plastics and much more. Also established in 2002 was Tom Dixon's 'Design Research Studio' which is where he gets involved in installations, events, exhibitions and as described ' high concept interiors' that showcase the eccentricity that is Dixon and his love for raw materials.  His furniture and pieces also have a bit of playful edge and sense of humor, which is always fun. 

Here are my favourite pieces to fill your Friday and yes... this is me...being selective! 

If you are wondering what the funny sculptural white, red and black pieces are, they are retro inspired salt and pepper shakers.

Credits: All images sourced from the lighting and furniture section on the Tom Dixon website.

You can find Tom Dixon products at Dedece in Sydney.

TGIF!

x