July wishlist: Home & Objects

We arrived back from our holiday (it was incredible, more on this later) to a week of illness in our house. As our plane landed into a foggy, rainy afternoon in Sydney, I was determined to keep the holiday spirit going, but instead, the flu arrived before we'd even unpacked.

On that note, I’ve spent a lot of time inside this past week, and it’s reignited that sense of wanting to change things up and refresh a few aspects of our space to make things feel new and exciting again. Our kitchen and bathroom renovations are currently on hold, so for now I’m focused on soft furnishings, fixtures, paint and decorative objects to create change. Though there are a few bigger-ticket pieces on the wishlist that I keep coming back to. Each month I'm going to document what I'm drawn to, saving, and slowly working toward at home — equal parts wishlist and edit in progress.

For outside

We have a deck area that is still furniture-less, four years later! I’m not quite sure how I’ve left this for so long, but I’m determined to create a seating area here ahead of our next Australian summer. I love the idea of the below chairs pared back with a circular table to allow for space all around, and we’re planning on planting some Jasmine to hopefully climb and cover the fencing. I want this to be a space I can have my morning coffee while the kids play, or a leisurely dinner once daylight saving kicks back in.

For the kitchen

I came across these knives on Olive Cooke's Instagram and haven't stopped thinking about them since. They are by Florentine Kitchen Knives and would look so good on our magnetic knife block. I’m also a big fan of the stainless steel bench top, but that’s going straight on my list for the future reno.

I would also love to slowly update our crockery and glassware. These sets by Soft Edge Studio have been on my wishlist forever. I love the idea of mixing the marshmallow and espresso tones, though I’m drawn to the cornflower blue as well.

I also have new kitchen towels on the list, and while these feel dear for a tea towel, I can’t help but love them.

For the living room

Two of the things I’d like to change most in our living area are 1. more storage and 2. soften the lighting. When our house was last renovated (prior to us purchasing it) there were downlights added in throughout, and these make up the entirety of the lighting available in the corridors, kitchen, dining and living areas. The ceilings are average height, so pendant lights would need to sit close to the ceiling. Alternatively, I’m looking at adding in wall sconces and table/floor lamps to create the ambience we would love at home. These Murano Rostrato wall lights are favourites, and I’m also captivated by these vintage Kazuhide Takahama Saori Wall Lights from the 1970s.

I’ve also been looking for a vintage magazine rack to pop next to the sofa and store the issues I’m currently reading. This was a recent Etsy find. I also love the texture of this artwork by Amanda Shadforth — it’s very much in keeping with the style of our living room, and adds a nice accent to an otherwise sparse wall.

Lastly, Rohan and I have always had the goal to one day purchase a vintage designer sofa and have it custom reupholstered. With young children, we’re in no rush, but the more time we take, the more I go back and forth on which style speaks to us the most. I’d always envisioned a vintage Mario Bellini design (we love the Camaleonda and Le Bambole styles), but a few years ago the Maralunga (designed by Vico Magistretti in 1973) popped onto my radar and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I’ve looked at boucle finishes in varying shades of neutrals, but the below velvet upholstery also caught my eye. One to think about…

For the bedroom

New bedding is the easiest (and cosiest) way to update your bedroom, and I’m drawn to interesting textures that can create interest without over-complicating. I pulled these linen stripe cushions for my Sheridan shoot last year, and was excited when they arrived in time for this winter — they add some contrast to our current arrangement and I find they’re a nice shape to have in the mix. I’ve also got my eye on Tekla’s broderie collection — it launched last winter and given I’m still thinking about it 12 months later, that’s a big yes from me.

Cultiver’s new collection of throws and blankets are also a standout. I love the deep, earthy tone of this one, but the cashmere also looks incredibly soft (and this style shares a name with my youngest daughter which feels a little special!).

Lastly, I’ve been looking for a new box to store trinkets and jewellery on my dresser. This Art Deco gem is beautiful, but sadly I found it too late. I love spending time scouring the internet for vintage objects, but you have to be quick when things are one-of-a-kind. I’ll be keeping an eye out for something similar to come up.

Home and interiors has long been a passion of mine, so I could probably spend hours putting more finds together, but I like the idea of starting small, and while realistically it will be a long time before I could tick all these things off, the quest is half the fun — see you next month.

Until then,
T

I am a creative director, brand designer and one half of creative practice, Badlands Studio. To explore working together on design or creative direction, you're welcome to reach out at talisa@badlands.studio — I'd love to hear from you.