Style, Beauty & Design – The Home Edition…

If you’re a regular around here, or even if you’ve only read one or two articles, it’ll be ‘slap you in the face’ obvious that we’re a tad obsessed with all things fashion & beauty. But what you may not have yet discovered (if you haven’t ventured beyond the most recent posts) is that we’re equally obsessed with homeware, interior design and all things new and stylish for the home.

And so, now that we’ve gotten to know each other a little better, we bring you ‘the home edition’, featuring the latest in homeware items on a budget, kitchen gadgets, coffee table books, even the latest news from House & Garden magazine, to name just a few.

So put your feet up on that stylish L-shaped couch, fluff those multi-coloured pillows, pour yourself a Nespresso, or perhaps a cheeky vino if you so desire, mute the TV and settle in for the latest home update…

The Aromatherapy Co – The Laundry Range
The Aromatherapy Company introduces Therapy laundry, a new extension of the Therapy family and a ‘must have’ in the laundry. The Therapy Laundry range includes a 500ml Hand Wash, 500ml Linen mist spray (hello, heaven-scent! Pun intended), a 150ml Static Spray, a clothing lint comb (we’ll be packing away winter coats and jumpers that look like they’ve never been worn, thanks to this little gem) and a 150g natural soap bar (could be named ‘miracle stain remover’ it’s that good). The Laundry range incorporates the essential oils of lemon balm for its antibacterial properties and lavender for its relaxing and refreshing aroma. Forget your run-of-the-mill generic, basic brands, it’s time to indulge yourself in ‘laundry-luxe’! Ok, we may have made that term up – but it’s fitting, right? This range will see your home turned into a heavenly sanctuary (and scented like one too). To find out more, head to www.thearomatherapycompany.co.nz.

Literature Worthy Of Display
While they may not be polarizing tomes that insist on being anything but portable, they are indeed more than worthy of being on display for all to see. These are the books we are proudly displaying on our coffee table (and of course, carrying up to bed to peruse before drifting into a fashion-filled lumber). Not only are they the topic of conversation when gathered around the coffee table, due to their titillating titles alone, they’re also all beautiful to gaze upon, adding instant style to any lounge room.

Mademoiselle – Coco Chanel and the Pulse of History (Hardback)
Certain lives are so exceptional, and yet so in step with their historical moments, that they illuminate cultural forces far beyond the scope of a single person. Such is the case with Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, whose life offers one of the most fascinating tales of the twentieth century – throwing into dramatic relief an era of war, fashion, ardent nationalism, and earth-shaking change – here brilliantly treated, for the first time, with wide-ranging and incisive historical scrutiny.

Coco Chanel transformed forever the way women dressed. Her influence remains so pervasive that to this day we can see her afterimage a dozen times while just walking down a single street; in all the little black dresses, flat shoes, costume jewellery, cardigan sweaters, and tortoiseshell eyeglasses on women of every age and background. A bottle of Chanel No. 5 perfume is sold every three seconds. Arguably, no other individual has had a deeper impact on the visual aesthetic of the world. But how did a poor orphan become a global icon of both luxury and everyday style? How did she develop such vast, undying influence? And what does our ongoing love of all things Chanel tell us about ourselves? These are the mysteries that Rhonda K. Garelick unravels in Mademoiselle.

Vivienne Westwood – The Autobiography by Vivienne Westwood & Ian Kelly (Hardback)
One of fashion’s greatest icons, and the founding mother of punk, Dame Vivienne Westwood is known not only for her style, brand and timeless edginess, but also her outspoken activism and controversial catwalk antics. This 73-year-old Matriarch of fashion is the subject of an authorised biography, which is available on-shelf now. The book, written by biographer Ian Kelly, details her tumultuous life with her long-time partner, Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren.

Using contributions from the British designer’s family and friends, as well as Westwood’s own interpretations, Kelly catalogues the pair’s dysfunctional love affair and creative partnership.

Recurring throughout the book, Vivienne Westwood, is the designer’s insistence on using art to affect social change. As her wealth and fame grew, she has continued to put her public platform and pounds to good use, to back an ever-expanding repertoire of causes. Whether it be making handbags in aid of Kenyan women, shaving her head for cancer awareness or founding a global campaign to save the arctic, Westwood’s revolutionary spirit never seems to fade.

“What I’m doing is still punk,” she told Associated Press, “out shouting about injustice and making people think, even if it’s uncomfortable. I’ll always be a punk in that sense.”

How To Be Parisian Wherever You Are
From four stunning and accomplished French women — at last — a fresh and spirited take on what it really means to be a Parisienne: how they dress, entertain, have fun and attempt to behave themselves.

In short, frisky sections, these Parisian women give you their very original views on style, beauty, culture, attitude and men. The authors—Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret, and Sophie Mas — unmarried but attached, with children — have been friends for years. Talented bohemian iconoclasts with careers in the worlds of music, film, fashion and publishing, they are untypically frank and outspoken as they debunk the myths about what it means to be a French woman today. Letting you in on their secrets and flaws, they also make fun of their complicated, often contradictory feelings and behavior. They admit to being snobs, a bit self-centered, unpredictable but not unreliable. Bossy and opinionated, they are also tender and romantic.

You will be taken on a first date, to a party, to some favourite haunts in Paris, to the countryside, and to one of their dinner parties, at home with recipes even you could do. But to be out with them is to be in for some mischief and surprises. They will tell you how to be mysterious and sensual, look natural, make your boyfriend jealous, and how they feel about children, weddings and going to the gym. And they will share their address book in Paris for where to go; at the end of the night, for A birthday, for a smart date, a hangover, for vintage finds and much more.

How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are will make you laugh as you slip into their shoes to become bold and free, all while tapping into your inner cool.

NZ House & Garden Magazine
NZ House & Garden always uncovers some incredibly creative, innovative and beautiful spaces from around NZ and continues to inspire us. Given our love of all things for the home – it will come as no surprise that we’ve been closely following NZ House & Garden’s Interior of the Year awards. If you haven’t been following the awards yourself, here’s a snippet of what it’s all about. These awards are special because they showcase NZ designs across the entire talent spectrum – from regular home owners who roll up their DIY sleeves right through to professional architects and interior designers.

The judges of this, the second NZ House & Garden Interior of the Year awards, were Sally Duggan, NZ House & Garden Editor; Richard Brunton, NZ House & Garden Art Director; Kiwi furniture and lighting designer Simon James; and last year’s winner, interior designer Hilary Skinner.

The judges painstakingly whittled the impressive entries down to 18 finalists (all 18 are announced in the November issue) but there could only be one winner… enter architect and homeowner Felicity Brenchley who blew the judges away with her clever use of materials and space to create an inventive kitchen for her young family that doubled as a workspace– all in less than 20 square metres.

Check out the November issue of NZ House & Garden to see all the details, and of course – the beautiful pictorial story.

SodaStream Play
One of our favourite gadgets for the kitchen! Created by world-renowned designer Yves Béhar, the SodaStream Play is at home in the most stylish of kitchen spaces with its minimalist yet colourful design. It uses water straight from the tap, and saves the average home 550 plastic bottles every year – a huge reduction in its carbon footprint.

There are so many fabulous concoctions to create with the SodaStream Play – sparkling water with lemon for a sophisticated weekend lunch; creative cocktails for a girls night in, or fun and fruity combinations for a healthy choice! It’s simple to use, and with sparkling water on hand, the possibilities for delicious, imaginative and healthy sodas are endless!  Try SodaStream sparkling water with cucumber, mint and lime for a summer morning refresher. How about adding chia seeds and frozen berries for a zingy treat that gives you a great omega boost at the same time? Personally, our favourite creation is something a little more ‘PLAYful’ . Check out our Pineapple Passion Cocktail recipe…

Pineapple Passion Cocktail
Ingredients
15 ml Sodastream Ginger Ale
250 ml carbonated water
30 ml vodka
a few slices of lemon
a sprig of basil
1 scoop of pineapple sorbet (substitute with a crushed pineapple ice-block if you don’t have sorbet on hand)

Method
Pour the Sodastream Ginger Ale in a glass and top with carbonated water. Add the vodka, lemon and basil leaf and just before serving, add a scoop of pineapple sorbet.

The new SodaStream Play machine is out now and available from Farmers, Briscoes, Noel Leeming, The Warehouse and other stockists of SodaStream. RRP $139.99.  Available in bright yellow, red or blue and classic black or white – there’s one for every kitchen (and it doesn’t hurt that they look über chic).

THE WAREHOUSE
Updating your home for summer doesn’t beed to be costly; and is in fact incredibly simple with The Warehouse’s extensive new season range of amazing homeware pieces and indoor/outdoor furniture.

There’s a brand new range of  outdoor wicker, wood and aluminium furniture that makes outdoor entertaining in style, an absolute breeze. The trending must-haves in homeware are all available at The Warehouse and it won’t cost you the earth to update your home this summer.

There’s a brand new lighting department launching nationwide this November and the Urban range includes delightful cushions, plush throws, chevron mannequins and many an eye-catching piece for every room.  We could give any home a complete makeover fit for a king, and all on a shoestring budget, thanks to The Warehouse’s slick new seasonal homeware range.  With so much to choose from, head instore or online soon to snap yourself a bargain.

Here are some of our favourite finds…