SPRING 2017
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THE EMERALD AND THE EARTHY THE LUSH AND THE LIGHT THE MEADOWS AND THE MOSS
Sierra Weave Seafoam Rug $750.00 armadillo-co.com // Penny Cushion $75.00 nativeswinson.com.au // Confetti Floor Cushion - Small Flax $49.00 olliella.com.au // Olli Ella Luggy Yellow $75.00 kidostore.com // Spike Cactus Donna Wilson $145.00 kidostore.com // Bergstein Rainboot Forest Gumboots $64.95 kidostore.com // Milton Ashby Aeroplane Green $59.50 urbanbaby.com.au // Be Free Wall Hanging Mustard $55.00 olliella.com.au // Fitted Sheet Set - Piccoli $55.00 olliella.com.au // Bayonet Photographic Art Print $80.00 theminimalist.com.au // Jake Chair $320.00 store.koskela.com.au // HAY Box Box $94.00 cultdesign.com.au // Jute Flooring POA store.koskela.com.au // Plants and Greenery by Maggie May Flowers maggiemayflowers.com // 14 MINTYMAGAZINE.COM.AU
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Luxe Rug $680.00 langdonltd.com.au // Gingham Cushion Large $175.00 langdonltd.com.au // Royal Wave Cushion $150.00 jenniferandsmith.com // Denim Bean Bag $590.00b store.koskela.com.au // Bloomingville Cloud Shelf Large $129.00 kidostore.com // Bloomingville Cloud Shelf Small $88.00 kidostore.com // Ahoy Trader Fiji Palms Mini Tile $50.00 thetribeco.com.au // Ahoy Trader Tribal Mini Tile $50.00 thetribeco.com.au // Lucie Kaas Sketch Inc Kokeshi Doll Thief $59.95 kidostore.com // Wooden Story Rainbow Blocks in Sack $85.06 urbanbaby.com.au // Trash Studio A3 Print Electric Blue Leopard $40.00 thetribeco.com.au // Colour Box Chest of Drawers $1233.00 lillyandlolly.com.au // HAY Box Box $94.00 cultdesign.com.au // Wee Gallery Nesting Dolls $54.95 urbanbaby.com.au // On The Edge Lamp $425.00 theminimalist.com.au // One Two Tree Alpha Print $69.00 kidostore.com // Panton Chair Kids Blue $28.00 glicksfurniture.com.au // Wee Gallery Organic Sensory Puzzle Ball $59.95 urbanbaby.com.au // Vans Hi Top $89.95 kidostore.com // Indus Design Cotton Baby Blanket - Whale $69.95 urbanbaby.com.au // Dingo Hat Fallen Broken Street $69.95 kidostore.com // Car from Mitchell Road Antiques // 18 MINTYMAGAZINE.COM.AU
THE COOL AND THE CALM THE ECLECTIC AND THE ETHEREAL THE ROYAL AND THE ROGUE
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THE DUSKY AND THE DIRTY THE FRESH AND THE FEMININE THE RICH AND THE ROSY
Eggpicnic Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo Print $150.00 thetribeco.com.au // Main Sauvage Maple Leaf Cushion $86.00 kidostore.com // Heirloom Blanket Persimmon Misha Puff $249.00 kidostore.com // Indus Design Cotton Baby Blanket - Rocking Horse $69.95 urbanbaby.com.au // Single Bed Fitted Sheet Old Pink $140.00 majorminorsydney.com // Single Pillow Case Old Pink $42.00 majorminorsydney.com // Milton Ashby Speedster Red $44.50 urbanbaby.com. au // Milton Ashby Rocking Horse Red $44.50 urbanbaby.com.au // Piki Basket Pink olliella.com.au // Fringe Cushion Blush $99.00 langdonltd.com.au // Fringe Rug Blush $297.00 langdonltd.com.au // Seletti Bellavista LED Garden Lights $215.00 kidostore.com // Albany 3 Print $210.00 lillyandlolly.com.au // Sierra Weave Fairyfloss Rug $780.00 lillyandlolly.com.au // Spin Stool $442.00 fredinternational.com.au // Oeuf Sparrow Trundle Bed $449.00 kidostore.com// 22 MINTYMAGAZINE.COM.AU
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career renovation TAKING THE PLUNGE WITH URBANBABY WORDS CELINE BARNES PHOTOGRAPHY CRAIG HEMPSTEAD STYLING MADELINE McFARLANE
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fter years of assisting small to large businesses with strategy, accounting and tax matters, Russell and Amelia had a light-bulb moment and realised they had the energy, passion, knowledge and experience required to run their own show. They affirm the main motivation behind their decision was their dream “of being able to spend more time with our young children. They are only little a short time and we wanted to be able to be involved in their lives more, from school to all extra curriculars. The look on our kids’ faces when we rock up at school to do home reading, homework help et cetera is priceless!”, Amelia declares. The reality of their arrangement in action is “like any other family with two young children – busy (but fun!)”. While juggling the demands of children
and responsibilities to the business is hectic, they are lucky to work near home and have flexible working hours. They are also fortunate that while Amelia’s parents live overseas, Russell’s family and Amelia’s brother live close by and are very helpful with the kids. “To be honest work life balance is a funny thing. With the world being more connected than ever, I am not sure if one can fully detach from business outside of working hours but because we can share the workload or do some of the work after hours we believe we are better at achieving work life balance”, says Amelia. The best test is whether they would change anything and when asked, Russell is quick to proclaim “Nope – no regrets – should have done this sooner!” MINTYMAGAZINE.COM.AU 27
We found some time in Russell and Amelia’s busy schedules to get them to share their experiences with you: WE ARE AT A BBQ AND I ASK YOU WHAT YOU DO…“We run UrbanBaby which is the online destination for stylish, practical and innovative parenting solutions. Our range covers beautiful essentials, hand selected gifts and designer furniture all conveniently delivered to your door with our fast dispatch service.”
WHAT GETS YOU EXCITED ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS? “Our customers! We are so lucky to have customers saying they have a wonderful experience with us and will tell their friends about us. We must be doing something right because they say they’ll come back and they do! Can’t beat that feeling! We also find keeping ahead of the competition and being the brand ambassador for many new and innovative products for the Australian market a super fun aspect of the business.”
We loved the idea that people would be coming to us to find items to assist their precious little person grow!
WHAT DREW YOU TO URBANBABY? “UrbanBaby has been around for over 15 years and in that time established and maintained a great reputation with its customers, suppliers and partners. In fact, we were customers when our children were babies! When we began our search for a business to purchase, UrbanBaby was presented to us and really struck us as a business which had genuinely strived to find solutions to so many parenting dilemmas. On closer inspection, the business had been well run and everything neatly documented making the changeover much easier. On a personal level, babies are such joy for families and we loved the idea that people would be coming to us to find items to assist their precious little person grow!” WHAT MAKES URBANBABY STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD? “UrbanBaby is often the first store to introduce new products to Australia, so our unique selection of products really is a great selling point. By catering for both parenting essentials and beautiful gifts, we give customers a destination for all their baby needs. Matched with our next business day dispatch service we believe we provide the ultimate customer journey.”
WORKING WITH YOUR SPOUSE IS A CHALLENGE MANY COUPLES WOULDN’T EVEN ATTEMPT SO HOW DO YOU MAKE IT WORK? “We can discuss business quickly, make decisions quickly and have ultimate trust in each other therefore can segregate tasks faster. While we have similar skillsets gained from our business advisory background, with UrbanBaby, Amelia does more of the creative side of the business (with our socials and photos) and Russell focuses more on the business, financial, strategy and operational side of things. The most difficult thing is keeping work conversations to a minimum during family time.” WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES? “As with many other business owners who have young children, juggling family and work is the biggest hurdle and one that needs constant recalibration. It has been a steep learning curve when it comes to building relationships with our media partners and influencers to ensure that we work with people who share our values because in our previous roles this type of networking was not required yet it is critical to the success of UrbanBaby. OMG probably the other thing is making sure
FEATURE our kids don’t take too many toys home from the warehouse! Thankfully, they are getting better as they get older but earlier on it took much vigilance to keep the pilfering to a minimum.” WHAT ARE SOME KEY CHANGES YOU HAVE MADE TO THE BUSINESS? “We started using Instagram in October 2016 to showcase our beautiful products to a wider market and we have invested in a larger warehouse with a fantastic layout and floor-plan to increase our efficiency in getting orders out to our customers.” WHAT ARE YOUR DREAMS FOR URBANBABY? “We would love for UrbanBaby to be the first store that comes to mind when parents, aunts,
uncles and grandparents are buying for babies and children. We would like our customers to be excited about the products we offer and always enjoy a wonderful customer experience from browsing our site through to when their chosen goods arrive at their door. We would like our customers to encourage others to shop with us and be comfortable that the person they recommend us to has the same wonderful experience as they do – every time.”
URBANBABY www.urbanbaby.com.au @urbanbabyshop
WATCH NOW
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Enchanted Tee White $27.95
THE LITTLE finn $40.00
Lerato Mary Jane Lace Ups $50.00
Mimi dress $75.00
GOLDEN DINO ACORN SWEATER CONFETTI BLOOMERS $72.00 $29.95 Lerato Mary Jane Lace Ups $50 maishakids.com.au // Enchanted Tee White $27.95 asterandoak.com.au //
The Classic Sweater Golden Dino $72.00 whenharlowmetjagger.com.au // Mimi Dress Eggplant $75 talaria.com.au // The Little Finn : : Almond Milk $40 aberdeenpetite.com // Confetti Bloomers $29.95 acornkids.com.au // MINTYMAGAZINE.COM.AU 35
INDI AND ZARA
DESIGN NICOLE ROSENBERG, LITTLE LIBERTY PHOTOGRAPHY RACHEL WINTON PHOTOGRAPHY WORDS NICOLE RAY
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reating a shared room can certainly come with its challenges. Particularly when dealing with sisters with quite different personalities. To get the job done, Ronnit and Josh (Mum & Dad) enlisted top interior designer Nicole Rosenberg of Little Liberty. The result, a beautiful space that flips tradition, meets all of the physical demands of a shared room and complements each of the owners’ personalities perfectly. We caught up with Ronnit to get the low down on how this room came to be. TELL US ABOUT THE OWNERS OF THIS ROOM? “This room was designed as a shared space for Zara (eight) and India (six). Zara likes things that are feminine. Indi prefers functionality and places to store her treasures.” WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO ENGAGE AN INTERIOR DESIGNER? “I have used Nicole before for my kids’ rooms and other parts of the house. She has an amazing ability to completely understand what I want and know exactly what will work without too much discussion at all. She is great at working within a budget and creating spaces that are beautiful to be in.” WHAT WAS THE BRIEF FOR THIS ROOM? “To create a shared room for two sisters, maximising the space in the room and catering for both of their personalities. Bonus was that there are areas in the room for sleep, work and play.”
WHAT WAS THE INSPRATION? “We started with the wallpaper and the idea of wallpapering the ceiling and then went from there using a palette of soft greys and dusty pinks with a few pieces like the artwork, beanbags and eyelash lights to give a bit of edge to the room.” HOW DID YOU SELECT YOUR COLOUR PALETTE? “We needed colours that suited both personalities and that would work for their ages now, but also colours that would last as the girls become older and transition to their tween years.” WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FEATURE IN THE ROOM AND WHY? “The girls love the desk space, sitting on the poufs and drawing and creating things using all the knick knacks on the shelves.” WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE? “The biggest challenge was finding the right wallpaper for the ceiling - something that wouldn’t encroach and make the room feel small.” WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL FAVOURITE THING ABOUT THIS SPACE? “The soft palette and the natural light. I particularly like the way the greenery outdoors is reflected in the hanging plants.”
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TOP PRODUCTS BED AND BUNKS OEUF SHELVES WILLOW & WOOD DESK IKEA BOOK SHELVES UBABUB POUFFS CRATE EXPECTATIONS PRINT SARA WINFIELD HANGING PLANTS CRATE EXPECTATIONS RUG THE RUG COLLECTION BEDDING ADAIRS MINI MOD BEAN BAG HOMEDAY
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MINNIE’S ROOM DESIGN KRISTY YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHY & STYLIST BROOKE CASTEL WORDS BERNICE CAMPBELL
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t’s just so damn pretty” is how interior designer and mum, Kristy Young, perfectly sums up her daughter Minnie’s magical room.
back wall has been kitted out with the custom wallpaper, giving the wardrobe a beautiful Narnia feel, hopefully minus the witch beckoning from beyond.
Kristy is new to interior design, not that you’d know by looking around Minnie’s room, one of her first projects that launched her into her new career and business, Minnie and Me Interiors. But her approach to design and decorating comes from a very different place to others. Her work as a child mental health nurse and family therapist means that she applies her knowledge of child development to create functional and beautiful rooms for little ones.
The plush floor cushion and touches such as the intricate bed linen and wool rug, add layers of softness and warmth to this little dreamland. And the magic continues with unexpected whimsical touches such as the deer wall tables, divine floral wreath and limited edition artwork.
And for her little one, Minnie, the brief was “pink, pink and more pink”. But more than that, the room needed to be an original with layers of cosiness, and a sense of enchantment.
The only thing needed to complete the fairy tale room is an amazing dollhouse, which has been purchased and is ready to be refurbished (in blush pink of course) for a Christmas surprise for Minnie. MINNIE & ME INTERIORS @minnieandmeinteriors
So, when the brief revolves around pink, you must pick pink. But what pink? Selecting the right shade, proved to be the biggest challenge of the room, suffice to say a couple of hours may have been spent in Kristy’s local hardware deliberating. But in the end blush prevailed, creating a perfectly charmed space. The custom vintage wallpaper, now available through Minnie and Me interiors, ensures that Minnie’s room is truly unique. And it’s Kristy’s favourite feature of the room. The rose gold cot, the focal feature of the room, sits proudly in front of the blooming back drop. An old wardrobe lovingly restored by Kristy’s father and brother also takes pride of place in the room and makes space for Minnie’s gorgeous shoes and dresses. And what’s more, the MINTYMAGAZINE.COM.AU 69
INSTA LOVE KRISTY’S GO TO’S FOR INSPIRATION
@brookecastelstylist
BEAUTIFUL PRODUCT STYLING AND PHOTOGRAPHY
@houseofharvee
INTERIORS AND PHOTOGRAPHER FROM MELBOURNE
@oh.eight.oh.nine
INSTAGRAM POWERHOUSE - INTERIORS, PHOTOGRAPHER AND BLOGGER
@misskyreeloves
NOT JUST ANOTHER MUMA BLOGGER
@petiteinteriorco
IN HOME AND ONLINE DESIGN FOR YOUR KIDS.
@threebirdsrenovations
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04. 01. 03. 01. Wooden Dolls Pram $179 keeks-and-chuck.myshopify.com // 02. My Dearest Print $79 schmooks.com.au // 03. Valentine Floor Cushion with Feather Adornment Blush & Gold $180 littleconnoisseur.com.au // 04. Rosette Round Cushion Tuscan Pink $59.50 lazybones.com.au // 05. Sierra Weave Fairyfloss $780 lifeinteriors.com.au // 06. Numero74 | Gold Falling Star Garland $49.95 talointeriors.com.au // MINTYMAGAZINE.COM.AU 71
FRANKIE AND BEAR DESIGN AIMIE RYAN, WILLOW + BEAR PHOTOGRAPHY JENNA PAYNE WORDS JACQUI GREIG
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ASHER’S ROOM DESIGN BELINDA KURTZ, PETITE INTERIOR CO. PHOTOGRAPHY VELLUM STUDIOS WORDS CELINE BARNES
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EVIE AND INDIANA STYLING JACINDA MALLOY, HIDE AND SLEEP PHOTOGRAPHY RED RABBIT PHOTOGRAPHY WORDS NICOLE RAY
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JOEY’S ROOM STYLING MAGDALENE LIACOPOULOS, THE BEBE STYLE CO. PHOTOGRAPHY SUE FERRIS WORDS BERNICE CAMPBELL
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ut of the blue, could be one way to describe the evolution and design of young Joey’s room.
Joey’s big boy room came about from the inevitable outgrowing of his nursery. The brief for Magdalene Liacopoulos, of The Bebe Style Co., was to update the bedroom to accommodate the spirted Joey as he moves through boyhood. Mother of Joey, Therese, has exceptional style developed through a career in fashion advertising. But the challenges of juggling a career, motherhood and everyday life meant that she just hadn’t the time to pull together a gorgeous room. To help push along the project, she collaborated with Magdalene. Magdalene was the perfect choice to assist with the styling of the room. After working as a magazine and product stylist for 12 years, she launched The Bebe Style Co. a nursery and children’s room interior styling service, after consistently being asked where to find pieces featured in her beautifully styled rooms. Her philosophy is to create practical and liveable spaces that grow with families, that also look and feel amazing.
The tan mini mod bean filled chair and Kip and Ko throw provides the perfect comfy spot for the family’s daily bedtime ritual of a book before bed. The soft grey side table and pendant pop against the blue wall, whilst both being practical sculptural pieces. With the basics taken care of, the focus of the room moved to injecting some fun and colourful pieces to reflect Joey’s personality. Bright colour alphabet sheets and a cute pretzel artwork by Castle were selected. Special mention must also be made of the quirky cacti which were included to satisfy Joey’s fascination. Who doesn’t love a succulent? And the end result is a warm, age appropriate room with elements that are sufficiently sophisticated to take Joey into his tween years. THE BEBE STYLE CO. www.thebebestyleco.com @bymagdalene
With an eye for fashion, the one thing Therese did know was that she didn’t want a ‘matchy matchy’ room, so the colour palette evolved as pieces were selected. The sumptuous teal velvet bedhead was amongst the first pieces purchased and one that heavily influenced the difficult colour selection of the strong smoky blue hue, “a risk that definitely paid off” says Magdalene. With the blue backdrop set, the hunt was on to find pieces to pop! The warm orange tones of the beautifully crafted sideboard perfectly complemented the blue and provided a strong masculine piece to grow with Joey, whilst also providing ample storage. MINTYMAGAZINE.COM.AU 109
TOP PRODUCTS ONE LITTLE PRETZEL TEA TOWEL CASTLE GREY SUEDE SIDE TABLE H & G DESIGNS TASSLE THROW KIP AND CO. ASHFORD VELVET BEDHEAD INCY INTERIORS DUSTY BLUE VELVET PILLOWCASE CASTLE WALL ART PRINT YORKELEE BEDSPREAD QUILT & PILLOW SET BONNE MERE MINI MOD DELUX HOMEDAY MILTON ASHTON AEROPLANE URBANBABY
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