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Thursday, November 7, 2024

Why Tracking Works Even if Calorie Counts Are Off

If you found out that the calorie counts you’re reading on the back of food labels aren’t 100% accurate, would you find this news shocking? Like most things in life, it’s hard to expect perfecti

The New Ceramics Studio Built On Centuries Of Inherited Knowledge

Melbourne-based ceramicist Claudia Lau has spent years developing her practice. It was around four years ago that we featured the young ceramicist’s work for the first time, when she was still a student, and working as a studio assistant for Leah Jackson. Even in those early days  Claudia was creating incredibly refined yet distinctive handmade ceramic pieces, which at the time were stocked by the likes of Shifting Worlds and Modern Times in Melbourne.

Recently, Claudia has turned her focus from exploration of clay to glazes, undertaking a material chemistry course to further understand the process, and continuing her studies at Melbourne’s renowned SoCA (School of Clay and Art). The result of this research and experimentation is a new direction for her practice: House Editions.

From her home base in Melbourne, Claudia liaises with a small team in the Jingdezhen province of China to realise fine porcelain homewares and crockery in a plethora of coloured, textured finishes.

Spiced Lentil and Mixed Beetroot Salad – The Design Files | Australia's most popular design blog.

I’m quite partial to a substantial salad – for me, a great salad really has to be filling! For this reason, I often use grains such as quinoa, rice, or cous cous. However, for those who prefer to go grain-free, Lentils are the solution!

Lentils and beetroots are perfect partners – together they lend this dish a woody autumnal flavour, spiced with cumin and sumac, and finished with goats cheese.

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A Pint-Sized Coastal Home That Does More With Less!

creative-peoplehomesA Pint-Sized Coastal Home That Does More With Less!

Many people strive to ‘do more with less’ when building their home, but author and recipe writer Harriet Birrell aka Natural Harry, and building designer Fraser West, walk the talk. Eight years ago, the couple renovated an exisiting structure into their 40 square metre house, and have happily lived here ever since. 

Living in such a small house requires a hardworking design with multipurpose features. For example, the couple’s wardrobe is also their bathroom, a stand-up desk doubles as a bookshelf, and the kitchen includes Harriet’s study. Even the bedroom is a multipurpose space, adopting a nook in the living room wall! ‘It fits a queen size bed snuggly. It is very cosy and nice to be right next to a window in the summer months,’ says Harriet. 

Harriet describes her home as warm, light, natural and comfortable. ‘The feeling is welcoming and airy, yet with a grounding earthy feel,’ she says. Dulux Stowe White has been used indoors and out to complement raw plywood and corrugated iron. ‘Because the space is so small and the ceilings quite low on one side, it has been important to use white to make the space feel bigger,’ says Harriet. ‘It has made a huge difference.’

After eight years living in this house, the couple still have no desire to extend the space or make major changes. ‘I love that we have not increased the size of the building and stuck to the existing footprint, instead altering the layout of the interior to be super clever and practical,’ Harriet says. ‘It has forced us to live more simplistically and with less.’ 

This house has also given Harriet and Fraser a greater appreciation of the space around them, including their veggie patch, and outdoor area where their dog Fred loves to roam! 

You can find out more about Harriet’s lifestyle in her brand new book, Home by Natural Harry, which is out tomorrow (just as Melbourne’s book stores reopen)!

‘I love the outlook from our bench seat under the outdoor roof,’ says Harriet. ‘The low deck is the perfect spot to sit in the sun and read.’ Photo – Nikole Ramsay


Harriet aka Natural Harry with their koolie x border collie, Fred! Photo – Nikole Ramsay


Gardening tools are always at the ready. Photo – Nikole Ramsay


Harriet made the shoe racks herself. ‘This space is like out tiny version of a utilities or boot room. Most of our gardening and outdoor gear is stored here at the entrance,’ she says. Photo – Nikole Ramsay


The view from the couple’s bed. Dog bed from Hello Trader. Wedding photos printed by OnStone. Photo – Nikole Ramsay


Pop & Scott sofa. Rug from Kyo. Cushions are recycled Turkish rugs. Jute artwork from The Dharma Door. The lamp was a 18th birthday gift from Harriet’s mum. Photo – Nikole Ramsay


Ply draws and shelving made by Fraser and stocked with DIY products made by Harriet. Photo – Nikole Ramsay


Stainless steel bench tops made by Fraser. Drying racks above the sink from Ikea. Dining table found in hard rubbish. Chairs from the Mill Markets in Geelong. Under bench curtains made by Harriet from calico dyed with avocado pits. Photo – Nikole Ramsay


The drying racks from Ikea double as more storage. Photo – Nikole Ramsay


Bedding by I Love Linen. Throw from Wild Throw Co. Pop & Scott sofa. Rug from Kyo. Cushions made from recycled Turkish rugs. Jute artwork from The Dharma Door. Photo – Nikole Ramsay


The bedroom nook! A highlight window frames views of trees surrounding the home. Artwork by Camilla Walford. Bedding by I Love Linen. Throw from Wild Throw Co. Cushion made from recycled Turkish rugs. Rug from Kyo. Photo – Nikole Ramsay


Op-shop vases around the record player. Photo – Nikole Ramsay


The bathroom is minimal and simple. ‘We added a long mirror to help the small space feel more open. The vanity doubles as open cabinetry for us to store towels,’ says Harriet. Photo – Nikole Ramsay


‘Fraser did the repairs on the existing footprint including freshening up the small bathroom with a new shower made from offcuts from the roof and cladding,’ says Harriet. Photo – Nikole Ramsay


In the background is Fred’s second dog bed – an old wine barrel that Fraser altered! Photo – Nikole Ramsay


The bed nook has its own openable window. Photo – Nikole Ramsay


Harriet’s new book, Home by Natural Harry! Beanbags double as comfortable outdoor seating when the weather permits.  Photo – Nikole Ramsay


The couple grow spinach, silverbeet, kale, beetroot, tomatoes, peas, thyme, parsley, sage, basil and spring onion in their veggie patch. Photo – Nikole Ramsay


The outdoor furniture was made by Fraser including a wine barrel that doubles as an umbrella holder. The fire pit was custom made. One side of the facade is painted with Dulux Stowe White, the rest is clad in corrugated iron roofing.  Photo – Nikole Ramsay

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