Nov 21
Our first Decorating Kids’ Rooms and Family Spaces workshop will be held early next year – I love doing children’s rooms, so simply can’t wait.
It’ll be held at Blake and Taylor, Saturday, March 1st – will run from 9:30 to 12:30 and the cost is $165, which includes morning tea.
Here’s a gorgeous image to inspire from Christian Fischbacher fabrics…
Also, I’m now on Facebook, if you’d like to take a look, it’s.www.facebook.com/TahnScoonStylist – thank you!
Cute idea with wall decals from Binnenkijken
Thanks to Home Beautiful this month for including me in their kids spaces feature – one of the easiest things to do if you’re decorating a child’s room and find yourself a bit stuck, is to paint the walls and all the big pieces of furniture white – and then go mad with colour in all your gorgeous accessories (but keep the colour palette to one theme, think ‘worn vintage’ or ‘gelato’ etc.).
This looks especially cool if the furniture is vintage – but remember to always check the paint isn’t lead based before you start sanding and painting old pieces.
And…just to let you know, I’m finally on Facebook, much easier to update! So please pop onto Tahn Scoon Stylist to check out!
My workshops have a new permanent home at Blake and Taylor’s Creative Space (downstairs from their gorgeous store), 11 Latrobe Tce, Paddington! The girls upstairs will also be serving us a delish light lunch on the day. Really looking forward to my first class on Saturday October 26…if you’d like to book in, please go to www.tahnscoon.com.au or email mail@tahnscoon.com.au
Many of us love a fresh, white kitchen – and while this may be appropriate (say in a ‘Hampton’s style’ home – specify Shaker profiles and traditional hardware from the likes of Restoration Station or Mother of Pearl and Sons) – it may also just be too predictable, so consider darker, moodier colours, unexpected light fittings, recycled timber, wallpaper, feature panels etc.
Feature walls always look best when the wall you’re going to paper or paint – is an architectural feature in it’s own right (as pictured in this living room). Just doesn’t look as good as if say, you have three plain white walls and then, bang, one blue wall – look for natural nooks and crannies – or create an architectural feature as in the second photo, in this bedroom the homeowner has added VJ cladding and shallow timber shelves – simple and gorgeous!
If you’d like a wallpapered feature wall – paint the remaining walls in the background colour of the paper – this way it’ll flow rather than being disjointed. Feature walls can be gorgeous, they just need to make sense. Tx
Photo of living room by Anastasia K – http://www.anastasiakphotographer.com – photo of bedroom by John Downs – http://www.johndowns.com.au
Aug 5
Please feel free to come along to the following author events to celebrate the launch of the second edition of ‘New Vintage’ – most of these events are free or just the cost of a morning tea – and most will feature a mini workshop or talk…love to see you there, T
Blake & Taylor
Thursday August 22 – 10:30am – Morning Tea and Talk “How to Style Like a Pro!”
11 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington Qld 4064
Bookings: 07 3369 7255
Side Street Vintage
Friday August 23 – 10:30am – Morning Tea and Talk “How to Style Like a Pro!”
Shop 5, 85 Riding Rd, Hawthorne QLD 4171
Bookings: 3399 2729
Mary Ryan’s Milton
Thursday August 29 – 6:15pm – Nibbles and Author Talk “How to Style Like a Pro!”
40 Park Road, Milton
Bookings: 3510 5000
Brisbane Home Show
Author Talk “Going Vintage: how to revamp and reinvigorate!”
Friday September 6th at 11am, Saturday September 7th at 2pm, Sunday September 8th at 1pm
(entry ticket to Home Show applies)
Every home needs plenty of good natural daylight. If your home does not receive enough, consider installing a skylight, exchanging solid internal doors with glass-panelled doors or replacing existing windows with French doors. On the other hand, some homes can have too much natural light. If this is the case, you can soften strong light with sheer curtains or blinds, (without losing the ability to see out) or perhaps consider planting and other forms of external shading. To light the house at night, I prefer to install one stunning pendant rather than rows of down lights. If one pendant does not illuminate the room enough, support it with just a few down lights, or table and floor lamps. Layering light in this way creates a lovely ambience. Lamps create side lighting, which is generally much softer and more flattering than down lighting. They can also be rather beautiful to look. (Check out some of the gorgeous Japanese-inspired prints from Seven Dandelions – and their ‘Hangman’ timber bases – fabulous). If you have a lamp base you adore but the shade is a little tatty, carefully cut the existing fabric away from the frame of the shade and replace it with a gorgeous new fabric. All you will need is some craft glue, and a little bit of patience.
Bright industrial lamp in designer Kelly Moore’s workspace.
Springtime is gardening time – and you want to learn how to create a basic kitchen garden – head down to your local community garden – they cost almost nothing to join and usually run beginners courses in all sorts of things, from ‘how to grow your own herbs’ to ‘building a pizza oven’. You can usually pop your name on a waiting list to get a little plot (which other members will usually help you start, if you need help) – or you can just go along to learn and then start your own plot at home. If you can grow even just a few easy-to-grow herbs, it’s so rewarding – there’s nothing like picking fresh basil and tossing it through your pasta – or a throwing a handful of fresh parsley over still-hot scrambled eggs (and it’s way more affordable too).
To find out more about community gardens, go to www.growingcommunities.org. Or read my full article in the current issue of Queensland Homes Outdoor Living.
Five Easy-To-Grow Vegetables:
Lettuce, Capsicum, Beans, Beetroot and Tomatoes.
Five Easy-To-Grow Herbs:
Parsley, Basil, Thyme, Rosemary and Mint
Photo 1 and 2: Beelarong Community Garden by Tahn Scoon. Photo 3: Vintage gardening tools (from Industrial Revolution) by John Downs
This bedroom was updated at short notice, and without spending too much cash, by replacing the dated country-style bedside with a zinc tripod table, updating the cushions to euros (the size of which helps hide the dated bedhead) and adding an industrial lamp and linen throw. The statement piece is the fabulous ‘Purple Plums’ artwork by Lindy Sale – love the way the purples tone in with the frilled Lili & Lulu lavender euro.
A friend of mine, Prue (The Grass Tree Kitchen cooking school) found this old chiller fridge in a nursery. It wasn’t for sale but was just sitting outside in the yard, with ferns growing out of it, and she just approached the nursery owner and made an offer. It needed a thorough clean, and then it was sanded back and re-lacquered (the dark stain is the original stain, the lacquer is clear). It looks fabulous – and because it’s so well insulated, it’s perfect for storing wine.
Photography by John Downs
Tahn Scoon Living 