NeoCon Day One

We had some technical difficulties getting going this year (bad storms, power outages, downed trees - you name it!) but we made it to the airport and to Chicago for day one of NeoCon. We did capture some great images and today's post features all of the beautiful chair shapes we saw throughout the show:

Futuristic shapes at All Seating:
Touches of chrome peaking through the seat at Davidson:
Great angles and lines at Arcadia:
Beautiful, retro blues at Bretford:
Elegance and sheen in luxurious colors at Council Contract:
Love your Jeep? Are you comfortable in the driver's seat? Jeep partnered with Bellacor Pro for the Jeep office chair that looks just like the real deal:
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Wisdom Of Hindsight: Part II

Because I am in Australia, I thought I'd scout out our local eBay and Trading Post in search of the perfect lounge room, budget style.

I'd love to get this tan velvet upholstered Baron 3-4 seater lounge. $1400

Maybe get it reupholstered in a crisp grey linen fabric with black piping.

Ebay offers this gorgeous French provincial-style 2-3 seater, upholstered in taupe linen and a white-washed frame. $1799. 7 days to go. I've always wanted one of these French beauties. One day.


I'm also attracted to this Parker lounge set eBay has to offer for $510 (2 more days). It looks in good nick and comfy. Maybe further down the track, I'd like to see this upholstered in the yellow and white Circle and Spots Florence Broadhurst.


Three very different styles, but each three are gorgeous in their own way... Read More..

The Lounge Dilemma

Firstly, a little about me... Drey stands for Au-DREY. We live in a small double storey townhouse, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathrooms, separate kitchen/dining room and small and narrow living/formal dining area. I think this small complex of 4 townhouses was built in the early 70s so it's not spacious nor modern. We moved into this rental 2.5 years ago and had been freshly painted and carpeted. Bathrooms had been updated and kitchen cabinets had been replaced with budget-but-modern ones. We can't afford to buy in this lovely-favourite area and rental prices have soared in Melbourne, Australia. So might be in this rental for a while yet...

Anyhoos. I loved the sofas on design boner's website and commented that one thing that those gorgeous sofas and mine had in common were high arms. While pregnant when we moved back to Melbourne 2.5 years ago, it was all I could do to stay upright for 5 mins before rushing for some toilet-bowl quality time... so we settled for the first lounge that felt comfy. Never mind the look, I was too sick to focus.



Since gaining my sanity and weight back, I now hate the look of this lounge. The line at the top of the lounge irks me, as do the large bulk of the armrests. I'm planning on recovering them in diff shades of light-to-mid greys once we have the free mula.

But it has all the required elements for husband and myself:
1. Comfy cushy seating
2. Great support for back and head
3. Comfy to sleep on
4. Armrests that can support head without cushions
5. Seats deep enough that we don't feel like half our bums get good seating while the other half hangs in space.

Side tables have always stumped me. The place is too small for more tables on the other side of the 3 seater... between the 2 and 3 seater is a space I'd like to have smart table space for mugs, bits and a lamp. The armrests of the 3 seater measures 70cm (27.5") in height.




design boner's suggestions, while awesome, would feel real small... anymore suggestions, design boner???? Read More..

Heal's Mistral

Along with most other DIY/plans I have, is the not-so-urgent need for some new lounges. Ours are about 2 years old and they were bought in a frenzied attack on the furniture stores about 20 mins drive from home. I was pregnant, was stuck to a throw-up-pail for almost 8 months. We had to time each entry into each store just before I'd have to run out to the car again for some quality time with this said pail. So we chose the first lounge that wasn't lime green or PVC and felt comfortable on our bums and backs.

Now that I am sane again, I hate the shape of my ugly lounges. They are bulky, heavy and just plain yuck. I have been lusting after a Heal's Mistral set. Only in the UK, these beauties are sleek, shapely and very compact. Got my guy who quote me to create a copy... will update you on the cost (and condition of my harried husband).

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ETC Chairs

I am so dreaming of having 8 ETC Chairs. In particular, I'd like 8 of the Enclosing Reverie Rose to accompany my new all black or all white dining table. (Which I have as yet to get.) How wonderfully whimsical and utterly uber is the designs of French Magali Jeambrun :)

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update on ottoman

it's late in coming! apparently my fabric wasn't in stock. be another few days before i get to hide all hannah's toys and pretend to be neat!

but i did some DIY today which i am proud of. i DIY-ed a bulletin board with some country style upholstery fabric a few years ago and now hate the look. so i've ripped the old one out and now it's sporting a brand new younger, fresher look!

i wish i could HANG it. now it has to be happy with just being propped.

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Work the Room and My Ottoman!

I spotted a closing down sale sign on a little interior furnishing place along Keilor Road, Essendon and decided to give the place a gander. Turns out, it's two businesses operating under the one roof/name. Work The Room is a decorating service at the front and a furniture maker at the back. While the front section is closing down, Ben McMullin will still run the furniture making business at the back.

And so i may finally be getting my multi-functioning ottoman! Ben will be designing my coffee table/toy storage/seating space for me! Such friendly, fantastic and speedy service! Guaranteed my product in less than 2 weeks, the quality and service looks to far outshine the Freedoms, Harvey Normans and Ikeas by a long shot.

I got to choose from 100s of fabrics instead of the few they offer at furniture stores... so at the moment, I am looking at Warwick Mayfair Sky for the sides and the coordinating Meribelle Rose or Sky for the top. Also getting the whole thing on castors for easy pushing around for different uses.

What do you think?

To get great, friendly and speedy service, support the local businessman! Contact Ben McMullin on (AUS) 0402 052 542 for reupholstery, custom furniture, repairs, cushions and fabrics.

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No more cookie cutter for IKEA

For those of us who have to have IKEA upholstered furniture for one reason or another, here's a FANTASTIC way to unique-fy your pieces! Katarina Wiklund designs for Swedish company Bemz. They specialises in slipcovering IKEA furniture. For us Aussie folk, there is one catch: They don't deliver to Australia. So your best bet is to get a friend/family member in US/UK to ship it to you!

See the Klippan sofa? You can pick this up for AU$249 and then cover it with the Urban Tapestry- Real Red slipcover for €109.89. Still heaps less than a sofas in Harvey Norman!

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Anthropologie-ing about

I wrote about the very glamourous Anna Sui store furnishings (actually would fit right into a Kelly Wearstler home or even the Brocade Home catalogue. Eye-candying the Anthropologie website again I found the Cora Mirror, which suits the whole Anna Sui look to a tee!


I also love the yellow or orange wild cabbage dinnerware :) Very lush looking.


The kaiku shower curtain by renown fabric designer Marimekko is so fresh and green and yum! Actually FEEL fresh looking at it!


I would grab the songbird chandelier in a dash if I had the cash! Absolutely quirky, and gorgeous. Dunno about dusting though!


Actually the prices aren't bad for US dollars. Pity I live in Aussie dollars! Read More..

Saarinen love... but what in the world?!!?

i love the saarinen line of tulip base chairs and tables but WHY SO EXPENSIVE!!!! blah

i love the dining room below... (not fancying the art choices at all)
(pictures from Lifestyle: Beyond Tradition -- A Folk Art Collection in New Hampshire)

(btw, this is not "contemporary, but a 60s classic)

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Get your hammer and hit the chair

While researching mid-century furniture pieces and its style, I came across the Do-Hit Chair by Retro Modern, would be a great.. asset to those who need to take their angst and furstration out once in a while by bashing something.

Designed by van der Poll for Droog, this "chair" is made from stainless steel. It comes to you as a cube. And you get a hammer too. For bashing it into the shape you want as a chair. Not cheap either! $5,088.00

Not a real fav of mine at all!

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more loves....

One of my favourite stores, Anthropologie, has some yummy goodies... when we were in New York I really wanted to pop into their store which we passed but we had things to see and do and go to!! Oh well... wish they had them here in Toronto or in Melbourne. :(

Clockwise from top right:Latte Bowls, Bird teacup, milo chesterfield, jayne sofa, olauf cabinet, zinc side table, collette vanity, Edison Lamp, quicksilver lamp, candy shop hook, fleur-de-lys hook rack, clematis hook
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