December 31, 2010 – 6:00 am 
The Byron Bay home of Bird Textiles designer Rachel Bending
Plunge pool!
Kitchen details
Eclectic details in the loungeroom
Rachel Bending’s amazing home in Byron Bay had all of us dreaming about summer holidays back in August! This beautiful sanctuary with stunning views of Byron Bay’s hinterland sparked so many lovely comments from you all – it seems most of us are on the same page when it comes to the idea of a ‘dream home’!
As mentioned in the original post, there is much more to this gorgeous home than meets the eye – Rachel has been practicing sustainable design for years with her company, Bird Textiles, and has carried this ethos through to the design of her dream home with husband Campbell (a chef and organic farmer). Rachel’s house is run on solar power and solar hot water – and the home is almost entirely self sufficient, apart from the phone and internet! Living proof that it really is possible for a sustainable home to have a contemporary design feel!
Huge thanks once again to Rachel for sharing these shots of her amazing home – I should also mention that Rachel and Cam have just welcomed a beautiful baby girl into their world – congratulations guys!
Do pop back to the original post for more pics and more info on Rachel and Cam’s sustainable home!
Ps) PLEASE JOIN ME again next week when normal Design Files programming will commence! Yee ha! Happy New Year! x
Rachel, rabbit, chickens(!!)
December 30, 2010 – 6:00 am 
The South Yarra home of Paul Bonnici and family. Above image – the dining room, looking into living room. Artwork – Whip to Forest by John Wolseley.
Dining room details – an impressive collection of beautiful candles, cherry blossom on the dining table.
Dining room – patchwork rug by Loom Rugs of course!
Living Room – beautiful open fire…!
Living room details… love that beautiful stone coffee table.
Paul Bonnici’s stunning family home in Melbourne’s South Yarra was another super popular feature when I first posted these pics back in August. It’s certainly one of the poshest homes to grace The Design Files, and there was much enthusiasm in your comments about the Bonnici’s incredible art collection (oh, and the rugs, the garden, the furniture and the floorboards!). The space is perfectly styled with elegance, restraint, and lovely details such as the Loom Rugs and stunning Butterflies painting by David Bromley in the hallway! Aghh. I die.
Not surprisingly, Paul is a well established and highly respected local creative – he’s the ex-marketing and creative director of Myer, and now runs his own retail creative strategy consultancy Create & Communicate 2c.
For more pics of the Bonnici’s beautiful home (including two very beautiful kids’ bedrooms), please do pop back over to re-visit the original post!
Ooooh it’s a little more David Bromley! Butterflies. SO beautiful in the main hallway. And another Loom Rug.
December 29, 2010 – 6:00 am 
The Kangaroo Valley cottage of artist Lisa Madigan – all photos and styling by Lisa Madigan.
Loungeroom details – all photos and styling by Lisa Madigan.
Kitchen (OMG those benchtops!) – all photos and styling by Lisa Madigan.
Ooh la la remember this dreamy Australian Home? This picture-perfect beachside cottage in Kangaroo Valley NSW belongs to artist, stylist and online retailer Lisa Madigan. Four years ago Lisa discovered this little cottage on a visit from Sydney, and was SO taken with it, she turned her life upside-down to acquire it – and moved from Sydney just to live here! The cottage was then given some much needed TLC and expert styling by Lisa and her husband (who even poured their own concrete benchtops!).
For the full story and many more shots, please head back over and re-visit the original post!
PS) All shots you see here are are taken and styled by Lisa – beautiful work! Lisa has a blog and e-store – do pay her a little online visit – there are such gorgeous things to see and even more shots of her beautiful home!
Details details! (mainly bedroom, one loungeroom!) All photos and styling by Lisa Madigan.
December 28, 2010 – 6:00 am 
Jessica Nixon’s Fairfield ‘Boathouse’! (framed Tea-towel in loungeoom – Third Drawer Down)
Beautiful light-filled bedroom in the annex at the front of the Boathouse (with views of the Yarra at the bottom of the garden!)
Super-cuteness in the bedroom (+ lamp from Ikea!)
Jessica’s ‘nicky nackys’ in the bedroom!
OK so this was quite possibly the MOST popular home on The Design Files this year – Jessica Nixon‘s amazing little boathouse bungalow in Fairfield! These shots were instantly re-blogged and tweeted and tumbled all over the place… sending Jess many new international home-snooping admirers!
Jess’s unique little lovenest is a fully self-contained little unit, right on the bank of the Yarra River (which is visible from Jessica’s bedroom window!). Jessica’s front door opens into the main living area upstairs, and you have to slip through a TRAP DOOR in the floor, and down a little ladder to reach the kitchen and bathroom below! Very Enid Blyton. In fact, the whole place has a kind of children’s storybook appeal… it is a truly magical little pocket of the world…. It’s no wonder Jessica pounced on this unique little apartment as soon as it came up for rent!
Jess works at Melbourne’s most beautiful rug shop – Loom Rugs in Prahran East. She’s also an interior designer by trade, and runs her own Interior Design consultancy called Okologi, specialising in sustainable residential interiors. As you can see by these pics, she has an incredible eye for detail, and believes that you can make informed, sustainable design decisions in any home, on any budget. If you love Jessica’s little place, I am sure you will love her work too! Do pop over to her website and have a little look!
There are more shots of Jess’s beautiful little pad over here with the original post!
Boathouse exterior
December 28, 2010 – 5:55 am 
Just a few of the new posters at Galerie Montmartre this summer!
OK I KNOW I am supposed to be having a week OFF. But I just couldn’t help but share this little Melbourne shopping tip-off… just this ONCE I promise!
My dear friends at Galerie Montmartre are having their annual ‘make me an offer’ sale – and it starts TODAY! Heaven knows the Gal Mont team have had one seriously challenging year, and I just couldn’t miss this opportunity to give them a little plug and hopefully send a few extra visitors their way this week! (Have a read through Shelley’s blog for the full story and updates on Stefan’s progress.)
If you’ve had your eye on a certain poster for a while… but haven’t quite had the funds to commit – well, now’s your chance! From today until Friday, pop in to Galerie Montmartre and make an offer on any large poster, and the lovely Gal Mont team will do their very best to send you home with your coveted poster! Many other small format pieces in the gallery will also be discounted from today until the end of January.
If you’re overseas or interstate, don’t despair, Most of Galerie Montmartre’s extensive range is pictured online, and email enquiries and phone calls are very welcome!
Drop in, pick up the phone or send an email to Galerie Montmartre this week and *fingers crossed* you’ll nab something super gorgeous to spruce up your pad for 2011!
Galerie Montmartre
Rear 197b Brunswick st
(enter via Moor st)
ph. (03) 9486 8686
Sale hours this week -
Tues 28th – 10am – 6pm
Wed 29th – 10am – 6pm
Thurs 30th – 10am – 6pm
Fri 31st 10am – 4pm
Closed 1st – 3rd Jan (Happy New Year!)
From Tues 4th back to normal trading hours
December 27, 2010 – 6:00 am 
The gorgeous home of Melbourne florist Katie Marx. Incredible artwork by Dane Lovett.
Stunning blossoms all over the house! Paper ball sculpture by Kristina Sundstrom.
OH yes sorry another similar photo but couldn’t choose :) Artwork by Dane Lovett.
Open plan kitchen.. screenprinted boxes by Bonnie + Neil, vertical garden planter by Joost. And those fabulous LPG bowls by Industria!
Kitchen details
This week I am going to do something I have NEVER done before. I am going to have a week off! Agh! It makes me a bit nervous! BUT the very lovely Jenny B assures me it is a great (and necessary) idea… and I tend to agree… It’s been a huge year and I could really do with a week to get The Design Files sorted out for 2011!
BUT it’s not strictly a week off. I couldn’t possibly leave you stranded with a week of Design Files silence..! Instead Jenny and I decided to spend this week re-visiting The Design Files’ Top 5 Australian Homes! We’ve gone back through the archives and based on pageviews, your comments, and a little of our own personal bias(!), we’ve shortlisted the most popular Australian Homes of 2010.
We’re kicking things off today with the stunning Northcote loft apartment and studio of Melbourne freelance florist Katie Marx – better known to her nearest and dearest as ‘Katie the Fabulous Florist!’ You guys loved this tour first time around – there were many enthusiastic comments and sweet Katie was most excited to see all your kind words!
Katie’s warehouse-style apartment above her studio is full of so many beautiful pieces she has made or pinched from creative friends. In these shots you’ll spot a chair by the very talented Greg Hatton (aka Twiggy!), incredible pieces designed by Katie’s friend and mentor, Joost Bakker, as well as beautiful artworks and prints by friends including Dane Lovett and Bonnie + Neil. You’ll also see gorgeous flowers absolutely everywhere of course!
For the full tour of Katie’s gorgeous place, please pop over to the original post in all it’s glory!
The fabulous florist herself! And yes, leopard skin jeans.
