Queensland Homes Spring - Summer 2018

Steve Jobs once said that “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” I don’t think there’s a more fitting quote to apply to everything we aim to cover in Queensland Homes magazine. We keep the focus on the superb design and build talents of our local homes and interiors industry, bringing you inspiring homes and beautifully designed living spaces that make the most of the enviable life and style of the Sunshine State. And there’s no better time of year in Queensland then right now, with the warmer months kicking in. I know you’re likely hitting refresh on your own home, and I’m really inspired by the modern beach house vibe of our front cover home this issue, designed by interior designer…

French connection The Jules seating collection from furniture brand Duvivier is inspired by the tchanqué cabins on the Île aux Oiseaux off the south-west coast of France. View the chic collection at DOMO’s Brisbane showroom and online. domo.com.au Top tiers Australian designer Helen Kontouris has created Field, a stunning innovative serving platter that effortlessly adheres to Made by Pen’s design principles of blending function and form. Part of the studio’s flagship range, the sleek Field platter incorporates movement akin to the iconic lazy susan, with three whirling tiers that foster a sense of community at the table. Field is available in Oak and Walnut, and is entirely hand-finished. $317.27, madebypen.com Amazing faces Jones & Co has expanded on its best-selling Face Vases, adding even more lovable and quirky hand-painted characters to a range of vases,…

The owners of this home have lived all over the world, so when it came time to settle back in Australia, top of their to-do list was making their house a more inviting space. They enlisted the expert help of Di Henshall and her team from Di Henshall Interior Design to transform their tired 80s-era residence into a permanent and comfortable home base. “We had previously done another project for these clients some years ago,” explains interior designer Di. “Initially, it was a simple brief of designing furnishings, but during our first meeting, I gently suggested that we should replace the kitchen, add a fireplace and change all the window treatments, which led to us redesigning the whole house, including reconfiguring the master ensuite bathroom, plaster mouldings, new lighting, wallpaper and…

We decided to buy a farm when we found out we were having a third boy. We thought it would be good for them to have lots of space to run around,” says Kate Festa from Rochele Decorating. “Neither myself or my husband, Sam, have a farming background, but we both love to learn new things. We are now the proud owners of sheep, chickens and pigs and, in the not-too-distant future, cows!” “When the sun comes through the window and hits the copper bath, it lights up the wallpaper to make it look like a bushfire” With a knack for creating interiors that have an eclectic and contemporary edge, Kate also wanted to renovate the property’s farmhouse in a way that was luxurious, yet practical for a family with three small…

Our clients had recently built a dual-living home designed by Glenn Bliesner,” explains Elissa Greer from Darren James Interiors. “To accommodate the needs of the family – a young couple with two small children as well as one of the young couple’s parents – the home is uniquely separated into two individual dwellings under the one roof. Our task was to give each separate building a unique sense of home, with interiors that promote a sense of relaxation and reflect our clients’ heritage, aesthetic and cultural values, while maintaining a stylistic connection between the two.” The young family reside in the first house, which spans across both levels, with the living spaces downstairs and the bedrooms and media room across the top level, connecting to the grandparents’ retreat in the second…

Mitchell Fine Art is an exciting addition to the Brisbane art scene, showcasing a selection of Australia’s leading Aboriginal and Contemporary artists in a modern gallery space in Fortitude Valley. Mitchell Fine Art brings over 20 years of experience in the art industry and is one of the country's established names in Indigenous art. With seven-metre ceilings, polished concrete floors, and expansive white walls, the stylish gallery space is the perfect backdrop to the beautiful artworks on display. A walk through the gallery offers art lovers a broad scope of artwork to suit a range of interior styles and personal tastes. Mitchell Fine Art boasts a stable of some of Australia’s leading Contemporary artists, including Amanda Penrose Hart, Bernard Ollis, Carlos Barrios, David Hayes, Deirdre Bean, Franck Gohier, Geoff Todd, George Gittoes, Jeff…