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

10 perfect bedside tables

I got a little over-excited and ended up with more than 10...

We all know how exciting it is to find a new home for an item that has been in the corner of the room for as long as you can remember. I have been thinking recently of all the different objects I can use as my bedside table (currently its a pile of Belle magazines!)

The bedside table solutions below show you when it comes to the bedroom storage, no rules apply. Be it an old chair or chest of drawers, classic or retro furniture, a bedside table can be a focal point to your bedroom, or rather contribute to an ongoing theme. It is a great way to add a little bit of colour and express your personality and sense of style.

Here are a few images to get you thinking of how you can make your bedside table more exciting..

My choice is a tree stump in all its natural glory!

Grand Drum in Yellow from Matt Blatt

Wooden Nesting Table by Citta Design

Teca 4 Hole Stool by Globe West

Boracay Hourglass Stool by Globe West

Art School Bedside Table in Natural by Freedom

Do you have any other fun ideas of items that could be used as a bedside table?

Enjoy, Elle x

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/10-bedside-tables-that-arent-r-138033

http://www.homelife.com.au/shopping/galleries/10+of+the+best+bedside+tables+,20689?pos=6#top

12 Inspiring Real-Life Vintage Kitchens

Beautiful doesn't have to mean slick and new. See how these older kitchens make the most of their vintage style.

I stumbled across this article while hunting vintage themed rooms and thought it was most definitely worth while sharing. 

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We lived in our house for 12 years before we remodelled our kitchen. For 12 years we had original 1941 cabinets, stained Formica counters and a collection of the cheapest white appliances available. Basically, a version of what many homeowners and renters live with.

So, what to do when all you can really afford are a few cans of paint and maybe some dishes? Embrace vintage and strut your unique style.

These 12 kitchens embrace and enhance their vintage style. Many of them are way nicer than our old kitchen, but they are not decor-mag stylish. They are not new and slick and perfect. They are real, lived in and cute as all get-out.

by robert kelly

If you have ugly cabinet doors, remove them and go with open shelving. Paint everything thing white (an accent color on the interior back wall also looks great) and feature your stacks of dishes, cookbooks or spice jars.

See more of this kitchen

by CapeRace Cultural Adventures

White makes everything look fresh and clean. And mismatched chairs, dishes and fabric say, "This is all intentional."

by Keep Smiling Home

Many older kitchens sorely lack in storage and counter space. Use furniture meant for other things to help you out. This wooden dresser works perfectly as kitchen drawers, and it adds eclectic charm. Also, if you have a fridge that's seen better days, why not cover it with chalkboard paint?

See more about this DIY home makeover

by Julie Ranee Photography

Draw the eye away from less-than-adorable appliances with bright splashes of color. These red accessories look less like a cover-up and more like an intentional design feature.

This is a remodelled new kitchen, but the fun embrace of the chaotic is a great lesson for older kitchens too. The opposite of going all white and uncluttered is to let it all hang out. You just know the person who cooks here is fun to be around.

Here's the other side of the same kitchen, proving that mismatched can be very stylish indeed.

See more of this quirky Texas kitchen

The oldest trick in the book: Paint the cabinets a vintage color and replace the hardware. The rustic island makes it all look intentionally shabby chic. Very cute.

by CapeRace Cultural Adventures

Going monochromatic in a fun, vintage color has a similar result to going all white: It makes everything look fresh and bright.

by Mahoney Architects and Interiors

Embrace the era. This is obviously a remodel, but it does show what enhancing things like dated tile counters by matching colours and accessories can do to an older kitchen.

by gypsy girl

Nothing about this kitchen is sleek, new or fancy. But everything about it is adorably stylish. Replace yucky lower cabinet doors with a curtain in a cute vintage fabric. Paint your backsplash a fun color. Embrace wild, mismatched, eclectic style.

by Debbie Dusenberry, aka curioussofa.com

Go simple, spare and elegant. Vintage pieces like this chandelier and island table are rustic and chic, but not slick or new. The muted colours keep it calm.

by Vintage Renewal

This open kitchen succeeds by being utterly eclectic and "matching" the decor around it. Quirkiness and colour go a long way toward disguising less-than-perfect bones.

by Hilda Grahnat

Display your vintage collections, hide your unattractive stuff in attractive vessels and keep your visual chaos in one, tidy place.

Head over to our Facebook page and share an image of your kitchen, we'd love to see what theme you have going!

Interview: Holy Funk

Please allow me to introduce to you Adam Porat, the director and creator of Holy Funk. A fun and exciting new company to break into the design and interiors industry. Here is an interview I did with Adam a little while ago!
I hope you enjoy! All the information to find Holy Funk products are listed below. Don't forget to go to our Design, Form, Function Facebook page and like us to keep up to date with everything!


A name can often a make or break a baby company when entering a competitive industry. How did you come about the name “Holy Funk” and what does it represent to you?
When it came to naming my business, I wanted the name to be intriguing and appeal to a younger demographic. Being an online store, it was also important that the name was easy to remember and would stick in customer’s minds. It’s a bit of a quirky play on words, that seems to get plenty of positive reactions. To me, the name Holy Funk represents funky and unique interior decorating and design options. On a personal note, Holy Funk also represents hard work, persistence and a really exciting time in my life.

Furniture wasn’t your initial career path. What did you study at university and how did the career path change take place?
I studied a business degree at Monash University. From there my career path took me to ‘Marsh’, where I worked in the risk management department, servicing large multinational companies. I had always been quite entrepreneurial, and I noticed a distinct gap in the online market for affordable industrial furniture. Looking for a new challenge, I decided to leave Marsh to pursue my ambitions of owning a successful business. I had always been quite creative, and had been collecting vintage products for years. I had also taken a keen interest in industrial styled furniture and design a few years before launching Holy Funk. It is a real bonus to be working in an industry you’re passionate about and makes going to work each day really enjoyable.

Where do you source your stock from?
My vintage products come from a variety of sources. I often go to garage sales, markets and old factories. You have to be innovative when it comes to finding good vintage products. My industrial furniture comes mainly from Asia. I have developed a good relationship with my manufacturers and have got the quality and style down pat. I’ve started using my creative flair to create some original designs, which is set to arrive over the coming months. I also have a large number of products that I source locally. Many of my lights, clocks and homewares come from Australian suppliers.

Your website is very simple to navigate and you have a vast array of products. Do you have a showroom or is Holy Funk only online?
Being an e-commerce store, I put a lot of emphasis on making sure my website is user friendly and easy to navigate. I see so many websites lose customers because they over complicate things with unnecessary design and clutter. Many people don’t realise how much time and thought is spent ensuring that your website design is as efficient and effective as possible.
We have just launched our showroom in the last week. The showroom is open on Saturdays 10am – 2pm and Wednesday 12pm – 2pm at 10 Nelson Street, Moorabbin, 3189. Customers are welcome to come all other times by appointment. Having the showroom, is a great opportunity for customers to touch and feel the product before making a purchase. For those outside Victoria, our money back guarantee should put you at ease.

What does the future hold for “Holy Funk”?
In the near future we are working hard on increasing our range and introducing new designs each month. Long term, it would be great to build a complete lifestyle store. We are hoping to branch out into other areas, such as vintage styled bicycles, art, accessories and perhaps even clothes. It’s important to Holy Funk that we remain unique and provide products with character and a distinct point of difference.




Make sure you have a look at the Holy Funk website, it's very funky!



You can find all of the Holy Funk products and more information on the website.

T: (03) 9942 2860  E: adam@holyfunk.com.au

  www.facebook.com/holyfunkonline

 www.pinterest.com/holyfunk