It's competition time!

It's competition time!

Design & styling is my own work!

Share this image & make sure you like the "Design, Form, Function" Facebook Page (CLICK HERE!) to be in the running to win an online interiors layout, furniture selection & design for one room of your home! 

The winner all be drawn next week! Elle x

Tips to help you properly light your bedroom

I receive a lot of questions about bedroom lighting, so I thought I would answer them all in one go with a post! 

Many ask, "why is having the correct bedroom lighting so important?" The answer; light around the home affects your mental and psychological state. Living in a dark and gloomy environment will dampen your mood.

Whether you retire to a small alcove or grand master suite, you probably use your bedroom for more than simply sleeping. Bedroom lighting ranges from basic to bold; dimmed to dramatic.

Help are some tips to help you properly light your bedroom:
Size MattersBefore buying bedroom lighting, first determine the size of room. Take your room measurements, along with outlet locations and furniture placement to a lighting showroom or speak to an interior designer. It is important to have an even spread of light throughout the space.

Height RightThe scale of the bedroom in relation to the light source is crucial to consider prior to purchasing. If your bedroom ceiling is low, avoid fixtures with longer bodies. It would be wiser to purchase a light with shorter or flush wall - mounted fixtures.

Room to GlowYour bedroom might serve more than one purpose; do you have a sewing machine, a small office, or a reading nook? All these spaces require direct lighting, but a sitting area begs for softer, shaded fixtures, so it is best to have varying light sources.

The Lighter SideAvoid shades on lamps or lights that are too opaque, otherwise your bedroom will be too dark. The fixtures may look nice, but the light will not be as functional. When buying a table lamp, opt for one with a softly diffused shade. Spend a moment to see how you turn it on and off to make sure it is not going to be too difficult to manage when you are in bed. My design aesthetic MUST combine aesthetics with functionality, hence the name "design, form & FUNCTION" ;)

Location, Location, LocationDon't install lights directly over the bed. You will tend to look up at them while you are laying in bed and direct light from overhead is less comfortable than soft light at face level.

Get in the MoodA strong dose of ambience is also important in the bedroom. I suggest installing dimmers on lights to allow you to change the desired effect. Softer or colored light bulbs can also change a room's mood.

Closet ConditionsFew things are more frustrating that dark closets. Closets need good light, but be careful not to put a hot light bulb too near delicate clothes.

If all else fails, make sure you have ample natural light!

Elle x

Follow me at www.facebook.com/designformfunction 

or email me at elle@luluolive.com.au for design questions or assistance!

via Lighting Association

Adore Home Magazine April Edition

It is a true honor to be an official contributor to the April Edition of the Adore Home Magazine. You can see my contribution below and read the magazine in its entirety here.

Come and join in the fun on Facebook, click here.

Elle x

a little mexican lovin'

Doesn't everyone love a little Mexican?

I spotted this funky little pop up food joint in Surry Hills yesterday when I was on my way to a meeting - design inspiration is everywhere.

The building is the old Royal Lounge Pub but it has been taken over by a new chef with a love of colourful Mexican food.

I love the colour they have injected into the old pub. It has captured the Mexican theme & is a lovely place to sit outside to enjoy the sunshine.

Go check it out!

Have you seen a funky restaurant or cafe lately? Share it with us!

Elle x 

Join us on Facebook by clicking HERE.

Sydney Design Stalker #2

The Sydney Design Stalker strikes again!

Have you ever seen a more beautiful home? Granted it is not everyone's taste (and I don't think I could live without having a wall colour) but it is most definitely textured and colourful!

What do you think?

      Hidden windows somewhere under there

                                   Yes, it is a house!

                  Gorgeous little windows

                       The front door

What do you think?

Elle x

Don't forget to jump over to the Facebook Page, click HERE!

Interiors Photography

Photographs of interior spaces is a difficult talent to master. People tell you never to work with animal or children, I would advise you to pray to the sun before doing a photographic shoot. 

Brent Darby is a talented New Zealand born photographer who is now living in NYC and making his name in the interiors industry. His style is light, airy, full of nature light (see, a true talent, he must do a lot of praying) and always incorporates texture. 

I am drawn to the gentle and simple nature of these images. They don't look over styled, instead, they look rather effortless. 

Do you relate to his images as much as I do?

Jump over to the Facebook Page for regular updates and more images. Click here!

 

Do you relate to his images as much as I do?

Jump over to the Facebook Page for regular updates and more images. Click here!

Elle x

A can of GOLD spray paint

Is there an item in your home or something you found that you just HAD TO HAVE? Then you get home and try to make it fit with the rest of your space and realise it is never going to work. We are all culprits of this! 

Here is my very easy 1, 2, 3 - that will have you running to your local store for a can of spray paint.

I picked up this watering can from IKEA while I was sourcing for a client last week and absolutely had to have it- my life depended on it (or so it seemed at that moment). It costs my $2.99, I had big plans for it. I new my desk could do with some uplifting and I thought this can would look super cut with flowers in them.

The only problem - the feature colour in my room is gold (at the moment). Yes, this changes more often than the weather in Sydney.

I keep a can of gold spray paint at home for rainy days - it always seems to come in handy and feed you that little bit of creativity that you are so hungry for. You can pick up a can from your local Bunnings for less than $15.00 

Ok, it's time for a make over!

 

My Boyfriend, let's call him Jack - because he is my "Jack of all trades" once gave me the best advice when handling spray paint, he said, "Do it on the grass". Thank you life saver! It's quick, there is no preparation, no need for newspaper that is going to move in the wind and end up sticking to what you are painting and within a week you cannot even see where you spray painted - mother nature takes care of that!

Here is my finished product! I will show you a photo next time of it sitting on my desk with fresh blooms inside!

What are you planning on attacking with a can of spray paint?

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Sign up using the box to your right and you’ll never miss a post. Go on, do it… I know you wanna!

Oh, and if you’re feeling really inspired, leave me a comment below. Or jump over to the Facebook Page for other objects you can attack with a gold can of spray paint.

Elle x

Adore Home Magazine Feature

Did you see us on the Adore Home Magazine Blog this morning?

Make sure you jump over to our Facebook Page for constant design inspirations & to keep up to date with our design projects!   

 

http://www.adoremagazine.com/blog/2013/3/4/blog-lovin-with-ellen.html

Chevron

A chevron (also spelled cheveron, especially in older documents) is an inverted V-shaped pattern. The chevron occurs in early art including designs on pottery and rock carvings.

Elle x

Follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/designformfunction

STYLE + design + function

What do you do in your down time? 

I can't help but design... and then redesign!

What style best represents you?

Elle x

Ashdown & Bee

Visual artist Simon Murray & stylist Melissa Simonetta are the creative couple behind Ashdown & Bee, a creative company who established the company after realising their individual styles and skills were perfectly matched. Even the company name is a combination of the creative two, "Ashdown & Bee is a mix of both our names! The Ashdown part is Simon's middlename (and we liked how unusual it sounded) and my name, Melissa means honeybee which forms the Bee!" 

Talented sign writer Simon has been in the creative industry for 15 years covering all aspects of sign writing. "We love to create hand painted and gold leaf signage for shopfronts, creative spaces, events or any kind of project. We also do 'modern' forms of signage such as digital printing, vinyl lettering, timber routing, stenciling and even aerosol/graffiti murals." This couple seems to do it all!

Melissa is a qualified stylist and a keen interior designer, "I enjoy prop styling for magazines and advertising shoots, visual merchandising and also event styling such as weddings, bridal showers and kitchen teas". Melissa also writes for design blogs (hello Design, Form, Function!) and other social media avenues.

Simon and Melissa work together on all projects, which they find to be creative and quite varied in brief.

A highlight of working within the creative industry for Ashdown & Bee is being "part of creating beautiful spaces and collaborating with other like-minded creatives. We also thrive on the challenge of making something amazing out of a simple idea, and we love getting acknowledged for our talent of creating beautiful things for people to enjoy".

One of their most recent work is the beautifully designed flagship store Ecoya situated in Woollahra, which was commissioned by Stylist Megan Morton. "We created a wooden routed gold leaf hanging sign, painted a quotation in gold leaf on the shopfront and installed copper planters within the store." 

What is next for these two? They are currently creating pie-chart directional floor signage for the St Jerome's Laneway Festival in Sydney in gelato pastel colours. In the near future you can expect to see exciting creations from these two. Ashdown & Bee are currently working on their first collection of one-off vintage style hand painted signs which will be available to purchase from their website here.

"We have also recently done some Wedding Styling and were lucky enough to have our wedding chalkboard signs featured in a few issues of Bride To Be magazine & Hello May magazine!"

  

Ashdown & Bee has a special offer just for followers of Design, Form, Function, yippe! 

The winner will receive a custom interior e-design collection for one room in their home.

This includes; 

• a new design scheme
• visual concept board
• colour specification (if required)
• furniture & decor sourcing (incl. links to online stores & stores in your area) and
• floorplan (if required).

This fantastic prize is valued at $300

All you have to do to be in the running is;
1. Like the Ashdown & Bee Facebook Page & the Design, Form, Function Page (www.facebook.com/ashdownandbee) 
2. Leave a comment on the Design, Form, Function Facebook Page about which space in your home needs attention and why to win! (www.facebook.com/designformfunction) 

A sample interior design e-design board by Ashdown & Bee.

Elle x

My Week in Photos: 1

My week in photos is a little behind the scenes introduction to the my design focused life.

Elle x

Jump over to the Facebook page for more design lovin'

Exposed this & exposed that

A standout & highly sort after feature of mine is exposed wooden beams. They express the definition of functional necessity in the most expressive form. How does something so crucial to a build, so heavy and obtrusive still manage to present true elegance in a space?

Architecture in today's world is appreciated more than ever, exposed aggregate, off-form concrete, exposed internal brick walls and of course, exposed structural beams. I find it refreshing and exciting to be able to not only understand the building and construction process, but to be able to see it, both in the progressive stage and the end stage. Adding beauty and architectural interest to any space, try not to shy away from the foundations or support that assists in establishing the place you call home.

Here are 3 great examples of the beauty of the exposed wooden beam;

3.bp.blogspot.com

elv-s.blogspot.fi

ffffound.com

Elle x

Find us on Facebook at Design, Form, Function - just click here!

A nordic jewel

A white interior filled home with birch wood and simple designer furniture that help make it a jewel of Nordic inspiration.

Via Mi Casa Planete Decor

Old French Barn Converted into Family Home

As soon as I see the words "Barn" and "converted" in the same sentence, I get excited, and this one is particularly spectacular! 

This is the work of French Interior Designer Josephine Gintzburger. Gintzburger took an old barn of 4,300Sqm in Bourgogne, France and converted it into this beautiful and cozy family home. The mix of texture such as concrete and wood, vintage antique with contemporary, the thick wooden beams and the mix of old and new brings a special character to the place that makes feels like home!

You can also find us on Facebook for regular updates throughout the day on all things design!

Loving the long concrete kitchen counter.

See more of Josephine work at www.josephineinteriordesign.com

http://trendland.com/old-french-barn-converted-into-family-home/