Emma Baker and Scott McClelland aren't your everyday creative duo. She's an award-winning short-filmmaker and animator, he's a former creative director of a large advertising agency, and together they make great things happen in small and large spaces. And that includes their home, where they've lived for four years: an open-plan, freestanding two-storey converted warehouse tucked away down a quiet ...

CLASSIC WhileFor a versatile collection of tableware that can be dressed up or down, you can't go past a basic white crockery set. And you don't need to have a perfectly matching set mixing different brands and types of crockery will create a more interesting look. And the different shades of white will only add to the appeal. You may ...

I dropped into one of this issue's shoots to check out what styling tricks our style director Jason and the team were dreaming up that's me decorating the moodboard (see right) for the mantelpiece makeover story (page 46). The ideas Jason has created are so clever, pretty and affordable that they inspired the theme for this month - style ideas ...

Sometimes it really does pay to be patient, as Jenny and Roger Wade will testify. When they found their perfect family home - a Victorian-era property, with a pretty front and back garden, in a coastal location - they quickly offered the asking price, which was accepted. But at the last minute the owners changed their minds about selling because ...

When freelance stylist and creative director Marcus Hay first visited this 1920s inner-city apartment block, it was undergoing renovations. "There was dust and mess absolutely everywhere," he says. But this didn't dampen his enthusiasm for the studio space. "I walked into the fl at, took one look at the view and said, 'I'll take it'," he recalls. "It's quite high ...

Can elegant interiors and rental apartments coexist? Contributing real living stylist Kirsten Bookallil proves it's possible. She is known for her understated luxurious styling aesthetic which doesn't forgo comfort or function, of course. It follows, then, that the apartment where she lives, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, is at once a functional family home while retaining Kirsten's refined decorating sensibilities. Built ...

For being such little creatures, children have a way of making a big impact. In Marvin and Meg Ilasco's case, their growing family was the driving force behind selling their remote countryside home in exchange for life in the suburbs. "We really had no intention of buying this house until we found out that our second child, Miles, was on ...

PROJECT Felt cushionsYou can make your cushion from scratch, like we did, or use felt shapes to jazz up an old cushion cover - just make sure the cover is made from natural fibres so the felt adheres to the fabric.Step 1 To make your cushion cover, mark out two 50cm x 50cm squares on the wool fabric, allowing an ...

An old Melbourne semi gets a makeover - in two widely separated stages. And the second stage happened in super-quick time Read on to see how homeowners Katie and Mick did it, with amazing help from their builder, MattNEW BEGINNINGKATIE QUINN, from Ireland, met Aussie Mick Davies in Dublin. They married in Sydney and then moved to Melbourne to work. ...

CITRUS TREES are some of the best backyard fruiting plants. They thrive in most of Australia's popular areas, provide tasty fruit high in vitamin C - great timing to help ward off winter colds - and grow to fit most backyards, with the option of containers for those who are on the move or have a small space. Add to ...

Although it took six years for architect David Nicholson to build his dream home - council restrictions and planning codes are the great equalisers among homeowners - it was well worth the wait.When David and his partner Brett Robertson first found a Victorian terrace sitting on a narrow block in the sought after Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, they could immediately ...

When Natalja and William bought a dated two-storey brick- and weather board house three years ago, they had one small child, Mats, with a baby girl, Noor, on the way. The couple soon discovered there's nothing like the impending birth of a baby to hurry up a renovating process. Natalja and William set about transforming their 1970s-built house into a ...

Cool comfortThis upholstered foam seat also comes finished in leather or vinyl. Love the quirky cross-stitch detailing. Quadrant sofa seat, from $852. Koskela. Shown in Fabric finish.Value printAn inexpensive print, framed and ready to hang. Olunda picture (93cm x 68cm), $69, Ikea.Feathery friendsNo birds live here, but it makes a lovely decorative piece. Handmade birdhouse, $45, Doug Up On Bourke.Handy ...

Sometimes you have to ignore the advice of others and go with your gut instinct. That's the lesson Tina Clark learnt after she bought a dilapidated house in the beachside Sydney suburb of Tamarama seven years ago. After years of living in apartments during her stints working as an equity trader in Paris, New York and Hong Kong, she had ...

Some things are just meant to be. When Camilla Ward and her husband Jacob Pot fell in love with a run-down house 20 years ago they knew it was their dream home, but they just missed out on buying it. However, when the property came on the market again, it was second time lucky for the couple.Tucked away down a ...

New Mainland Special Reserve Premium Blue is an extra-creamy cheese with a sharp, piquant flavour. Best served with a glass of cabernet sauvignon and shared with your closest friends! Available at selected supermarkets. For more information visit mainland.com.au

BOX HILL, a suburb in eastern Melbourne, is known today for its diversity and bustling atmosphere, and for its convenience to the city due to the rail link - not as a suburb particularly well known for its bush gardens or eco-sensitivity. That's why this garden is all the more special and unique.It's just a normal-sized garden adjoined to an ...

KTWO's Household Organiser will keep all of your household information together, safely in one place. It is also suitable for storing recipes. Available at David Jones and Myer stores. For KTWO stockists, visit LFXstore.com

1 Use a good bulb mix such as Debco Bulb Mix or Thrive Bulb Potting Mix, and fill your pot to about three-quarters.2 Position the bulb with the growth point facing upwards and any dried root remains heading down. As a rule of thumb, bulbs should be planted twice the diameter of the bulb deep.3 Bed the bulb firmly in ...

FOR A SPECTACULAR garden outdoors or a wonderful display of potted colour inside, you can't beat bulbs. They're easy to grow, require very little maintenance and there's a wide and colourful range available to suit even the most novice gardener.Bulbs are an amazing adaptation by plants to cope with less than optimistic weather patterns. It may be prolonged cold, in ...

ORGA-LINE, the adjustable inner dividing system for drawers and pull-outs provides the perfect solution to meet individual storage needs. The ORGALINE range includes the knife holder, spice holder, plate holder, bottle drawer, cutlery and utensil dividers and lateral dividers for deep pull-outs. For stockists visit blum.com

The ILVE Sphera rangehood is the epitome of style, and truly encompasses the increasing push towards form equaling function in today's modern kitchen. This contemporary wall-mounted rangehood accentuates its form with soft, gradual on/off lighting and slow-motion opening providing precise extraction performance, style and technology. For stockists visit winningappliances.com.au

WORKING AS AN interior stylist is all about being resourceful. You have to know the best places to shop and how to stick to a budget. So when it came to transforming a small rental, real living contributing stylist Marie Nichols was able to put into practise some of the many tricks she's learnt over the years. And the results ...

Jason Grant, style director for real living, has lived in a long line of "kooky, old little places filled with character and charm", so it's not surprising that his current pad in inner-city Sydney is another fine example. It's on the top floor of a three-storey Art Deco block and many friends who visit say it reminds them of a ...

Who else is using your toothbrush? To ensure your teeth are cleaned effectively, dentists recommend changing your toothbrush at least every three months. Store your toothbrush in a clean dry place to avoid the build-up of hidden germs and bacteria. To sign up for your three-month reminder and for more information, visit betteroralhealth.com.au