Mid-century Pettit and Sevitt home tour

Our love of mid-century architecture drew us to our home - a Pettit + Sevitt house designed by Ken Woolley in Cheltenham, NSW in Sydney's north west - and with a few small tweaks, we made it our own and after six years, have now passed it on to its new owner. Read on for before and after photos, including a fairly dramatic kitchen makeover!

We Are Scout blog launch

Two of my favourite Australian bloggers (and friends), Lisa from the red thread and Rebecca from WeeBirdy, have teamed up to create a brand new lifestyle blog - We Are Scout - which launched today. I know you'll love it.

Super-chic Logitech Case+ for iPhone and cool UE Mini Boom speaker giveaway!

I love my mobile. And I'm happy to have finally found some slick accessories for it that are beautifully-designed and functional too. The folks at Logitech recently sent me three products from their new super-chic case+ range for iPhone 5/5S to trial. I immediately fell for the case+drive phone mount for the car and my husband snapped up the case+energy spare battery pack (he just had to have it).

The system starts with a case+ iPhone case with magnetic panel on the back. The magnet connects the phone with accessories in the range, and also means you can pop your mobile up on the fridge (or any other metal surface) to use as a timer or to read recipes.

Here are the three accessories that I tested:

Hip Products: Rice Cube

Spotted on the Sunshine Coast recently, I thought these Rice Cube contraptions were a novel example of Australian design and ingenuity. Developed by Ross Patten in Peregian Beach, QLD (initially as a clever tool to use on MasterChef!), these plastic jigsaw pieces are designed to mould rice, or other foodstuffs into a nifty cube shape.

If you've got fussy kids (and don't we all), this might be a fun way to get them involved in food preparation. I imagine a wall of rice cubes might be more enticing than a lumpy mound! And for the advanced cooks among us, you could create amazing sushi. Ross even makes risotto, polenta and felafel cubes. And if all else fails, they might end up in the Plahdoh box. Fun!

The Rice Cube is Australian designed and made using recyclable food safe materials. You can find Rice Cubes in the online store.

Images: Rice Cube

Hip Products: fromWoopWoop table mats

Another elegantly designed product, this time from an Australian studio, is the ingenious fromWoopWoop table mat. The mats are made from 70% recycled cork composite and jigsaw-cut to reveal 2 separate placemats, 2 coasters and a trivet-style heat mat.

I love the Australiana motives printed on the mat, the use of recycled material and the dual-purpose design. The complete mat would make a lovely centrepiece for a table, and cause quite a stir as it is re-assembled to form a complete table setting. Oh the cleverness of it all.

fromWoopWoop products were designed in Melbourne by Studio Periscope. The mats were exhibited at the 2009 Milan International Furniture Fair, and launched officially in Australia at Design:Made:Trade in Melbourne today. I've been looking for a cool table cloth, and I think this table mat might just fit the bill. At any rate, with the Australian motifs and light weight, they will make fantastic gifts for my overseas family and friends.

You can buy fromWoopWoop tablemats in three different Aussie designs (Wattle, Bottlebrush and Gumnuts) on the fromWoopWoop website with more stockists coming soon.

Images: fromWoopWoop

Hip Products: bbqcanvas Stylish BBQ Covers

The focus here at Bondville is on Australian design but I just couldn't resist sharing with you this GENIUS design from across the pond. Based in NZ, the guys at bbqcanvas® have created fantastic covers for your BBQ.

Stylish and practical, I know these beauties are going to sell like hotcakes (at a great price point). The covers come in four designs and three sizes (M, L, XL) and make the most of a tight weave, piped seams and velcro bindings to ward off the elements.

bbqcanvas® co-designer Arjan van Woensel sounds like a bit of a hoot too: “The bbqcanvas has already cornered a niche market in New Zealand, where it’s transforming boring covered barbeques into an attraction rather than some sort of outdoor style crime". And I love the tongue-in-cheek sheep design.

You can find bbqcanvas® covers on the Australian bbqcanvas® website.

Images: bbqcanvas®

Cool Websites: Mishy Lane

I was really excited to discover Brisbane photographer, designer and blogger Mishy Lane through Decor8 today.

Mishy's blog takes you through her daily inspirations as well as a sneak peek of gorgeous photo shoots and updates on new logo designs (that you can comment on to provide feedback!). You'll also find some of Mishy's loves, including art, craft, interior design and jewellery. And plenty of Bris Town snippets thrown in there as well.

Check out the Mishy Lane online portfolio for great graphic design, logos, branding and photography. Mishy also specialises in customised invitations and stationary that I can't wait to see. And Mishy has even made it really easy to order a custom logo and banner through the Mishy Lane Etsy store (so clever).

Check out more cool Australian Bloggers featured on Bondville.

Image: Mishy Lane

Cool Websites: Swish and Swanky

In celebration of the talented group of bloggers we have in Australia, I've been profiling some of the bloggers you need to know. With such a growth in new bloggers and writers out there, I think it's important that we support and enjoy our homegrown talent. Today I'd like to introduce you to Amanda Lonsdale from Swish and Swanky.

Based in Queensland, Amanda has rocked the international design world with her swish and swanky fabulous finds for the home. She has a fabulous eye and her blog will keep you right up to date with the interior design world. I also love to peak into Amanda's world a little, with glimpses of her daughter's bedroom, gifts she has bought for friends, and other little life inspirations that are important to her.

Pop along and say hi to Amanda at Swish and Swanky.

Check out this link for more great Aussie bloggers you need to know about.

Images: Swish and Swanky

Welcome New Sponsor Magnolia Square boutique fair

It's not only Brisbane that has some happening markets in July, Sydney-siders are so lucky to have the fabulous Magnolia Square shopping event pop up from Thursday 2nd July - Saturday 4th July, 2009 at The Teahouse, Royal Randwick Racecourse.

I would like to extend a huge welcome to Magnolia Square as a new advertiser on Bondville and encourage everyone in Sydney to get along to this boutique fair and support your local designers, crafters and independent artists. There will be more than 50 retailers to browse, including a "Tiny and Small" section to get your stylish gear for little ones, and late-night shopping on Thursday night. And the first 500 guests will receive a complimentary Magnolia Square tote filled with goodies.

Here are the important stats:

Venue: The Teahouse at Royal Randwick Racecourse
Address: Alison Rd, Randwick NSW
Dates: Thursday 2nd July, 2009 - 2pm to 9pm
Friday 3rd July, 2009 - 10am to 5pm
Saturday 4th July, 2009 - 10am to 4pm
Admission: $8 (children under 18 years free) includes all-day parking at the venue

For more information, check out the Magnolia Square website and the excellent Magnolia Square blogs Snippets (which features lots of great indie designers) and Little Snippets (which features fabulous things for kids). You can also join the email list here to hear about new dates first.

Image: Magnolia Square

Events: Winter Brisbane design markets

Start counting your pennies. July is a stellar month for independent design in Brisbane with at least four great markets to spend your dollars on. Support handmade local artisans and get yourself along to one of these dates:

BrisStyle Indie Designers Market
(as seen on Channel 7's The Great South East)
Saturday 4th July, 2009
9am - 2pm
St Augustines Church Hall
Racecourse Rd, Hamilton, QLD

Young Designers Market South Bank

Sunday 5th July, 2009
10am - 4pm
Little Stanley Street
South Bank, Brisbane, QLD

Boutique Markets
Sunday 12th July, 2009 (same day at Coffee & Chocolate Affair at Portside, 10am-4pm)
8am - 1pm
Portside Wharf
Hamilton, QLD

Mathilda's Market for kids fashion and goodies
Sunday 19th July, 2009
9am - 1pm
Brisbane City Hall (Main Auditorium, floor level)
Between Adelaide and Ann St, King George Square
Brisbane City, QLD

Australian Artist Spotlight: KT Doyle wallpaper and textiles

KT Doyle is a successful exhibiting artist who has recently made the move to commercial product development of environmentally-sustainable textiles, wallpaper and print artwork. KT won a Creative Sparks grant from the Brisbane City Council in 2008 to develop a range that sits at the junction of art, craft and design - beautiful pieces with depth and story that could live equally on a gallery wall, or covering your favourite chair.

You may have noticed KT's most recent work in the window of SPACE Furniture in Brisbane where she collaborated with Porter's Paints for Moooi to create a still life display window - much like the Dutch masters' - in 3D. The Falling Leaves design is gorgeous, as you can see above.

KT offers commissions, and a growing collection of limited edition original works on paper. Wallpaper and textiles are now offered commercially - contact KT directly for more information. And if you didn't catch KT at the great Pecha Kucha event in Brisbane last week, you can check out the slides about KT's Creative Grants journery on her blog.

Images: KT Doyle

Drool-worthy Design: Redheads Matches

If you're a redhead, you'll probably know that there is a secret unspoken Redhead Club. That is, the knowing looks you reserve for other ginger-tinted cohorts that include shared childhoods spent doused in sunscreen, using lemon juice to erase those freckles, being teased with all sorts of ungodly nicknames and enviously watching all those brown berries at the beach while you glow with your milky white skin. And that includes the auburn redheads like me.

However, I think we also share a special affinity with the hue and a slightly smug knowledge that we're in the minority and somehow a bit special? (maybe that's the natural defense for all that teasing). Anyhow, I've long loved the iconic redhead image on the box of Redheads matches, but it wasn't until I spied a vintage sign in the ultra-cool home of my friends Mellissa (a fabulous redhead) and Geordie that I thought I should check out more about a much loved Australian design icon.

It turns out that Redheads are this year celebrating 60 years of fire-lighting domination in Australian homes. Originally manufactured in Richmond, Victoria by Bryant and May, the matches are now manufactured in Sweden by Swedish Match. The matches have had four design iterations featuring "Miss Redhead", starting in 1946. The 1971 version (bottom left) was created by Brian Sadgrove and then updated in 1975 to cleverly match the hair colour with the matchbox, therefore bypassing any hairstyle fashion trend issues.
"Miss Redhead" today is an Australian cultural icon and the subject of hundreds of caricatures and makeovers in annual contests sponsored by Redheads. Winning entries are featured on collectors' series and commemorative theme matchboxes.

You can find out more about Redheads and other Australian design icons in the book Symbols of Australia by Mimmo Cozzolino and Fysh Rutherford. And I'll be glowing with the fact that our iconic Australian lady sports flame-hued locks.

Images: top - Steph Bond; middle and bottom - Redheads

Drool-worthy Design: Lily & Cino stationery

It was so lovely to meet Michelle from Lily & Cino at the ABCD Meetup on Thursday night. Michelle is a very busy lady and runs a graphic design studio as well as producing a fantastic range of personalised stationery and greeting cards featuring her illustrations.

The Lily & Cino range includes lovely wedding stationery, baby announcements, party invitations, moving announcements and the very clever 'dating cards'. Want my digits?

You can customise your stationery with your name, monogram, a special logo and text and here is the killer feature - you can save your designs on the website! I love the damask design which is so hip right now, and the butterflies are super sweet.

You can find Lily & Cino custom stationery via the website. Check out Michelle's graphic design services on the Lily & Cino Studio site, and peruse Michelle's cool finds on her blog A Lily In Bloom.

Images: Lily & Cino

Drool-worthy Design: Laughing Bird textiles

Next time you need a gift for a loved one overseas, DON'T sigh and relegate yourself to a souvenir store. Simply click over to the very talented print designers at Laughing Bird and snap up a gorgeous contemporary Australiana tea towel, apron, lavendar bag or t-shirt and gift card.

I particularly love the linen tea towels that I think are stand-alone art pieces, featuring native Australian flora and fauna (no doubt inspired by the studio's beautiful location in the Blue Mountains, NSW). Have a close look at the kangaroo and joey - made entirely out of wildflowers. And a lot more stylish than a stuffed koala!

You can find Laughing Bird products in the online store and at stockists online and around Australia.

Images: Laughing Bird

Cool Websites: Concrete and Honey

You know that when Pia, Lucy and Lisa love a website, then it's going to be hot. And Concrete and Honey is hot, hot, hot! In only a few months since conception, Sydney-based Nicola has gathered a loyal following and been awarded a Blogger.com Blog of Note for 23rd March 2009 (Blogger picks one site from it's millions around the world to feature every day).

Nicola features gorgeous, dreamy images to make your designer side swoon, including her own amazing photos of found objects and beautiful things around her. You'll find design ideas, interiors, and snapshots of Australia. I know you're going to love it.

Image: Concrete and Honey

Cool Websites: Thumbtack Press

Here's one for all you budding artists. Thumbtack Press is a website that makes selling prints a cinch. Much like the way that Cafe Press works for t-shirt design, Thumbtack Press provides the means for you to sell your art for a 35% commission of the sales price. Simply upload your design and they run the e-commerce cart, print the artwork and ship to the customer.

This site is great for new artists who want to test the waters, or even established artists who want to gauge the popularity of a new design without taking the risk of a bulk print run.

The folks at Thumbtack Press use a professional giclée process, with archival inks on a heavy bright white stock. The final print is trimmed to size and protected in an acid-free polyurethane sleeve before shipment in a reinforced box (not an envelope or tube). Here are all the Frequently Asked Questions. The site is curated and not all applications are approved to ensure that the quality level is high. Let me know when you've made your first sale!

Image: Thumbtack Press

Hip Products: Peace With Earth olive oil decanters

Here is a lovely concept. Dorota and Les Laughlin of Oliveria Melbourne partner each year with an Australian creative force to develop a limited edition olive oil decanter to raise awareness and funds for a specific social cause. The result is Peace With Earth.

The 2008 Peach With Earth project in partnership with Spacecraft was devoted to Voiceless to raise awareness about the suffering of factory farmed animals in Australia. The 2007 design by Gareth Dotchin and the team at Empire Creative Group benefited Fifteen Melbourne, and the inaugural 2006 project was a partnership with MOZI to benefit Earthwatch Australia. Each year, a percentage of sales from each decanter is donated to a chosen charitable organisation.

All the olive oil decanters are gorgeous, so you can simply pick your social cause of choice!

You can find Peach With Earth decanters at the online store as well as various stockists around Australia.

Image: Peace With Earth

Stylish Kids: Chino Kids clothing

Chino Kids designs stop-in-your-tracks clothing for newborn babies through to 12 year olds. These are fun clothes that are made to look good and be comfortable for active wear. The clever colour combinations and use of different fabrics and embellishments result in two special mix-and-match ranges a year for both boys and girls.

The Chino Kids label was launched in 1996 and is still one of Australia's leading children's brands with its emphasis on quality fabrics that are both soft and durable. I adore the press-stud shirts and cuffed jeans for boys, and the garden-tribal ruffled dresses and skirts for girls. Something pretty special.

Chino Kids clothing is available at Myer, leading department stores in New Zealand, Singapore and the United States, and in selected boutiques or you can order directly from the Chino Kids website.

For more Australian kids clothes, check out Australian Designer Baby Clothes. And shop online for kids fashion from great stores in the Australian Online Kids and Baby Store Directory.

Image: Chino Kids

Australian Artist Spotlight: Tsk Tsk

Brisbane artist Tiel Seivl-Keevers is much-loved and known for her extensive range of artwork for all ages under the Tsk Tsk banner. Tiel creates original artworks (paint, collage, ink), limited edition prints, greeting cards and gift tags, soft toys, and also textile design (exclusive patterns for Sproutdesign in Australia and Paper and Cloth in the UK).

I'm particularly excited about Tiel's expansion into surface design. Can't you just see this fab kettle pattern on fabric and then used for a whole range of homewares? There are also so many other delightful recurring themes in Tiel's art including birds, matryoshka dolls/nesting dolls, kokeshi dolls and folk girls.

Additionally, busy Tiel creates commissioned ABCme artworks for children. The child's name is illustrated (on canvas or paper), with corresponding images and colourway chosen by the parent/gift buyer. This collaborative process results in one-of-a-kind art that promises to be a treasured keepsake for a child - their very first original artwork.

You can find a portfolio of Tiel's artwork on the Tsk Tsk website, and for sale on Udessi (Australia), Etsy and at selected stockists in Australia and Hong Kong (listed on the Tsk Tsk blog). Personalised ABCme artwork for children can be ordered through the Tsk Tsk website. Check out more of Tiel's world on her lovely blog and her Flickr photostream.

Image: Tsk Tsk

Breath-taking Studio Kurashi

The highlight of the GoMA design markets, for me, was to see in person the beautiful styling, design and touch of Brisbane-based Japanese artist Momo under the Studio Kurashi label.

I loved the play of delicate objects made from earthy, textured fabric. The Kurashi pieces on display included lots of linen in natural tones (soft boots for indoors, children's pants with sweet swallow prints, scented pin cushions, slender pot holders), precious clothes peg dolls, and lovely children's clothes.

Studio Kurashi pieces can be found at Nesting Bird Interiors in Brisbane, and soon at Zakkaya in Melbourne, Australia. You can find out more about Momo's work on the Studio Kurashi blog and see more pics on her Flickr photostream.

Images: Kurashi-Momo via Flickr