This kitchen is very much the wife’s domain. She led the charge when briefing the principal designer at Picchio Interiors, Anna Wood. “She wanted a kitchen with the functionality to make a busy lifestyle with three kids easier, that also exuded enough warmth and charm to feel like a daily sanctuary,” says Anna. With an adjoining pantry as the workhorse in the background, the kitchen could operate as a showpiece and a place for entertaining. And that’s where the hidden bar comes in…

Peek inside the hidden bar

Hidden behind closed doors is another highlight. “My clients are very social people and when they requested a designated place to store their glassware and spirit bottles we decided on a concealed bar with retractable doors,” says Anna. The wall inside features metallic gold hexagonal mosaic tiles from Earp Bros, which adds a surprise dash of sparkle.

“We thought it would be fun to use bold materiality behind the doors of the secret bar nook”

Anna Wood, designer

The homeowners are thrilled with the result. “They love the vast feeling of space, the functionality, the huge amount of storage so that their kitchen is now clutter-free, how the design style reflects their personality. And of course the hidden bar!”

(If your kitchen isn’t large enough for its own hidden bar, try one of these bar carts instead!)

Marble benchtop and splashback

A large island topped with Carrara marble from CDK Stone is a standout feature. “We wanted to use a single slab to let the unique veining of the stone take centre stage,” says Anna. With ample storage elsewhere, overhead cupboards were forgone. This allows the rangehood to command attention. It has a flared silhouette with a skirt around the base. This is made from the same marble as the benchtop and splashback.

Stylish task lighting

“A variety of light sources and quality fittings and fixtures is a must,” says Anna. She selected ‘Boston’ functional double arm wall lights from The Montauk Lighting Co in Hand-Rubbed Antique Brass for
ambient lighting. “Wall sconces or LED strip lighting enable a client to dial up or down the light depending on the time of day, task or mood,” she adds.

Joinery, finishes and hardware

Shaker-style joinery adds timeless style. Timber grain cabinets from Farmers Doors were chosen for the kitchen and pantry. In the kitchen, the finishes are Porter’s Paints Black Cockatoo and Dulux Natural White. These are paired with ‘Brass Solid Knurled T Bar’ handles in Satin Brass by Forge Hardware Studio and Meir tapware in Tiger Bronze. The bar stools are by Rachel Donath.

Inside the butler’s pantry

In the pantry, cabinets in Dulux Natural White have a 2-pac finish, with a woven brass mesh insert on the overhead cabinets. Caesarstone Palm Shade was used on the benchtop beside a splashback of penny round honed marble tiles in Ming Green from National Tiles.

Interior design: Picchio Interiors, picchio.com.au.
Builder: Glenvill Homes, glenvillhomes.com.au.
Cabinetry: Clamor Cabinets, clamorcabinets.com.au.

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The post Can you keep a secret? This kitchen has a hidden bar appeared first on Home Beautiful.

7 salmon recipes to make this season

Coriander seed, honey and lime roasted salmon

Flavoured with a mix of tamari, ginger and sriracha, this is great for a special occasion.

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Teriyaki salmon and edamame buddha bowls

Whip up this healthy buddha bowl to add nourishing goodness to the lunch menu.

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Honey soy marinated whole baked salmon

This marinated salmon paired with a fresh mixed pea salad will feed a crowd.

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Smoked salmon carpaccio

A refreshing dish that’s perfect as a starter for a light lunch with friends.

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Classic French salmon rillette

The perfect starter for your next dinner party and delightfully light.

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Hot-smoked salmon and kale tarts

Tasty little salmon and kale morsels to savour at your next picnic.

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Smoked salmon blinis with whipped ricotta and chives

Cute little canapes that you can pull together as the guests arrive and get the party started in style.

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The post 7 sensational salmon recipes appeared first on Home Beautiful.

“The brief was to create something different with an English/European style,” says Lauren. The couple also wanted a design that was sympathetic to the period of their home, which was built in 1921. Delightful touches, such as the rolling ladder from Ram Hardware, create old world charm.

On a functional level, they needed better flow with plenty of storage. For easy access to the outside entertaining area, the positions of the kitchen and family room were swapped. “The French doors are open most of the time with a great flow to outside and the pool, so the family can relax together,” says Jo. The result is a space enveloped in a mint green to reflect the leafy vista. It also has oak timber highlights and classic patterned flooring for wow factor. “We absolutely love it, it’s exactly what we hoped for and we couldn’t be happier,” shares Jo.

How to create a green kitchen

Colour is the star of this green kitchen. The bent plywood rangehood surround and the kitchen island are finished in Resene Spanish Green, while ‘Menton’ floor tiles from Kalafrana Ceramics complement. More green comes in the form of custom bar stools designed by Studio Trio, which are covered in soft Mokum ‘Vintage Deux’ velvet fabric in Lilypad. Adding balance with neutral tones is Talostone ‘Calacatta Oro’ matte-finish stone on the benchtops. This also sweeps up to the ceiling to form the splashback.

Brass handles and tapware

The architectural hardware creates cohesion. Many elements in this kitchen feature brass. These include the Visual Comfort ‘Oxford’ sconce lights in Antique Burnished Brass, Perrin & Rowe ‘Provence’ tapware in Satin Brass as well as La Cornue ‘Cornufé’ oven in Matte Black. “The La Cornue oven was the first thing selected, which ties all the lighting and tapware together,” explains Lauren. The statement Thomas O’Brien ‘Hicks’ pendants that are suspended above the island combine these accents of black and brass.

Butler’s pantry design

“The pantry is one of the busiest rooms in our house,” says Jo, who adds that it also functions as a laundry, food storage space and prep zone. Many of the materials in the kitchen are also carried through here, except for the Olde English Tiles ‘White Gloss’ subways that grace the walls. The fluted Turner Hastings ‘Novi’ fireclay sink is a smaller version of the one in the kitchen.

Interior design: Studio Trio, studiotrio.com.au
Builder: AMG Carpentry and Construction, amgcarpentry.com.au
Joinery: Coastline Kitchens & Joinery, coastlinekitchens.com.au
Stonemason: Architectural Stone Works, archstoneworks.com.au

Source book

The post Mint condition: Inside a showstopping green kitchen renovation appeared first on Home Beautiful.

10 tasty tart recipes to make

White chocolate ricotta brioche tart

The tastiness of brioche with the creamy texture of white chocolate.

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No-bake chocolate and raspberry sherbet tart

Chocolate and raspberries pair beautifully in this chocoholics’ delight.

get the recipe

Scorched apple tart

Nothing beats an apple tart – it’s perfect with a dollop of cream or scoop of ice-cream.

get the recipe

Matcha and coconut panna cotta tart

This inventive dessert using matcha tea and panna cotta is a taste sensation.

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Fennel seed and almond custard tarts

Custard tarts are given a fresh twist.

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Bitter lemon and honey tarte tatin

Whip up this French sensation with a new spin.

get the recipe

Lemon tart

Tart and creamy with a dusting of icing sugar on top.

get the recipe

Rhubarb and strawberry almond tart

With a puff pastry base, this is filled with frangipane and topped with rhubarb and strawberries. Delish!

get the recipe

Apple rosebud tarts

Pretty as a picture – who knew you could make flowers out of apples!

get the recipe

Cherry custard tart

Custard tart dotted with cherries – what’s not to love?

get the recipe

The post 10 top tarts to make for afternoon tea appeared first on Home Beautiful.

Local prawns, whipped avocado, cucumber & chilli

Who knew you could elevate a cucumber by simply slicing in ribbons?!

Prawns and avocados are the hero of this super simple Christmas recipe.

see the full recipe

Roasted carrots, lemon yoghurt & hazelnuts

The humble carrot never looked so good.

This roast carrots recipe uses delicious baby Dutch carrots and the crunch of hazelnuts to make the perfect Christmas day side dish.

See the full recipe

Margaret Fulton’s classic roast chicken recipe

The perfect crowd-pleaser.

A perfect roast chicken recipe (and gravy) from Margaret Fulton, the woman who taught Australia how to cook.

SEE the full recipe

The Good Farm Cookbook: Easy Peri Peri chicken

Substitute red cabbage for the radicchio wedges in a pinch

This Peri Peri chicken recipe is both a delightfully simple and delicious Christmas recipe.

SEE the full recipe

The best pavlova recipe: strawberry and roasted stone fruit

Steal the mint from your neighbour’s garden

This pavlova is bursting with flavour, from light-as-air meringue to juicy and seasonal stone fruits that’ll have you coming back for more.

see the full recipe

Gingerbread and whisky bombe alaska

Deceptively easy – just take a fortifying swig as you prepare this one!

This delicious, dazzling dessert is sure to wow the crowd this Christmas.

see the full recipe

The post 6 impressive Christmas dishes to make with ingredients you have in your pantry appeared first on Home Beautiful.

The cubby house

Nestled in the backyard of a home in Melbourne, the original cubby was worse for wear and the couple were worried it was not safe enough for their children to play in, so they asked horticulturist and garden designer Ashley James to refresh it and create a fairytale garden.

“The original idea was to try to use the existing cubby house and just take it off the stilts,” explains Ashley. “By the time we took it apart, I realised that it was pretty much knackered and just structurally wasn’t there anymore.”

While the cubby house needed to be replaced, the back wall was kept as a sentimental nod to the homeowner’s dad, who originally built it.

“I wanted the cubby house and garden to complement each other,” explains Ashley. “To achieve this, I chose a clean white for the cubby and painted the door in a soft pink.”

Ashley’s signature romantic plantings of low-growing Sedum, tall mauve Verbena, Erigeron with its dainty daisy-like flowers, balls of Buxus, and ‘Karl Foerster’ grass are a beautiful accompaniment to the soft hue of the cubby’s door, in Porter’s Paints Petal Pink.

The cubby garden

“The cubby house was covered in a big vine, so we pulled it all out and created the little red brick pathway, built the deck off the front of the cubby house and then created the whimsical gardens around it as well,” says Ashley.

“The idea was to create somewhere that the kids could play, where the parents could see them from inside the house and know that they were safe. We also created a kitchen garden area so the girls could try growing their own fruit and vegetables.”

“We’ve included flowers that will attract pollinators to the fruit and veg.”

Ashley James, Garden Designer

Against the fence, an espaliered apple tree creates a blend of ornamental and edible landscaping. The vegetable patch lets the children interact with the garden, while the upper plantings of Rudbeckia, Gaura and Agastache attract pollinators.

The front garden

The rest of the landscape also received some much-needed love, with Ashley pulling up the front garden and replanting the area with romantic flora in an old-world style, such as David Austin roses.

“I replanted a lush romantic palette of pastel perennials and classic roses.”

Ashley James, Garden Designer

“I love the architecture of the house’s facade and the lovely, winding brick pathway. Unfortunately, overgrown shrubs had obscured these features,” says Ashley. “I cleared away most of the unruly shrubs and pruned the trees, allowing sunlight to flood back into the home.”

The red brick path at the front, which was originally built by the homeowner’s father, has new plantings edging it, such as the pink Sedum spectabile ‘Autumn Joy’.

The path leads past a picturesque swing seat, which is enveloped by the soft blooms of the banksia rose.

The couple and their young daughters couldn’t be happier with the result.

“The girls spend hours out there and there’s a beautiful tree that the parents can sit under on a bench and watch the girls play or, if the mum is in the kitchen, she can look down to the cubby house and watch the girls run around,” shares Ashley. “They absolutely love it.”

Garden design: Ashley James Gardens, ashleyjamesgardens.com, @ashley_james_gardens

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The post A fairytale garden nestled in the suburbs of Melbourne appeared first on Home Beautiful.

1. Pare it back

Start with a thorough declutter. “Pull everything out of one small space at a time and sort into three piles – remove forever, remove for now and stay in there,” says decluttering coach Rebecca Mezzino.

Anything old, expired or damaged goes in the bin. “Remove things you don’t want your guests to see, such as medications, wart cream, prescriptions,” adds Rebecca. These go in a temporary bathroom storage box along with half-used packets and the bathroom scales (no need for those at holiday time!).

2. Make a clean start

It’s now time to make the space sparkle. “Start by dusting and vacuuming the whole bathroom, including inside the drawers and cupboards,” says Cathy Littlejohn of Platinum Staffing Agency, a Sydney-based provider of premier cleaners. Next, she recommends putting product on your grout so it has at least half an hour to work its magic. “Once you’ve cleaned each area, wipe it with a damp cloth followed by a dry microfibre cloth for a streak-free look,” says Cathy.

• 9 cleaning mistakes everybody makes in their bathroom
• How to maintain your shower, according to a plumber
• How to master the art of keeping shower glass clean

Bathroom cleaning tips

3. Get sorted

After you’ve tidied and cleaned the guest bathroom, you can begin to look at some new storage options. “If you only have one shelf in your vanity, try stacking tubs with lids,” says Rebecca. “If you’ve got two shelves, then open baskets are the best.”

In your drawers, perspex or bamboo dividers are great choices. “The bamboo looks a bit trendy and the perspex looks clean, clear and smart,” says Rebecca. “Clear perspex containers also work really well if you have a mirrored bathroom vanity cabinet.”

4. Buy luxe products

Spoil your guests with top-of-the-line accessories. “Beautiful hand soap and matching hand lotion in stylish bottles can help to transform a space to feel extra luxurious,” says interior stylist Fiona Gould. “Aēsop or Jo Malone are my go-tos.”

Fiona recommends grouping items on a marble or brass tray on the vanity. “A ceramic tumbler makes a gorgeous toothbrush holder,” she adds. Also supply guests with a hairdryer, toilet paper, a pretty box of tissues and items they may forget, such as toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Guest bathroom decor essentials

Previous

‘Cocon de Serenite’ relaxing candle, L’Occitane

$45

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Aesop ‘Arrival’ kit, Adore Beauty

$50.

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Natural bath salts (200g), Nontre

$30

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Speckle bath towel bundle, Cultiver

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‘Calo’ Australian cotton bath robe in faded moss, Country Road

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Jo Malone lime & basil room spray, Myer

$91

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Next

Check in on the guest bathroom regularly. “Do a daily clean of the toilet and wipe down the sink area and mirror,” says Cathy of Platinum Staffing Agency. “Every couple of days, refresh the towels and give the floor a mop with really hot water.

Expert tip

5. Splash out on towels

Switch out any old towels for fresh smelling new ones. “I always select a plush towel in Egyptian cotton as they’re extra soft,” says stylist Fiona. “Look for options with a textured pattern or a detail like tassels.”

Once you’ve chosen your towels, it’s time to style them. “Folded neatly over the bath or towel rail so that tassels are showing at the bottom will give that straight-out-of-a-magazine look,” remarks Fiona.

6. Create chic vignettes

Now it’s time to use guest bathroom decor ideas to recreate the look of a hotel bathroom. “Presentation is really important because that creates the ‘Oh, wow!’ reaction in a guest,” says Susy Soria, housekeeping manager at Park Hyatt Sydney. “For example, in our bathrooms the bath mat is folded and sits on a small tray beside the bathtub and in the centre of the tray are the amenities, like it’s a picture frame.”

Replicate this kind of precision at home by aligning items on your vanity exactly and arranging by size.

For tough grout mould, try toilet cleaner with bleach in it. “If you leave it on there for about half an hour you hardly even need to use the tile scrub at all – it just comes away,” says Cathy of Platinum Staffing Agency.

Expert tip

7. Bring the outside in

Lift your bathroom to another level by adding indoor plants. “A pop of greenery is a must for a burst of freshness sitting on the vanity or in a medium pot on the floor if you have enough space,” says Fiona.

Be sure to select plants that are lovers of humidity, such as a phalaenopsis orchid or a maidenhair fern.

8. Have a spa zone

Think beyond the functional to create a luxe spa feel. “Start with an incredible scented candle, bring in decorative accessories and art to style the space with love like you would the rest of your home, and always include a relaxation ‘me’ zone by the bath with a stool for bath salts, a book and a glass of wine,” says Fiona.

Ensure all items can handle humidity and the occasional splash.

Use a larger space outside the bathroom for the decluttering process to make things easier. “Our bathroom is near our dining table so I pull the contents of the drawer out and put it on there,” says Rebecca.

Expert tip

9. Add scent

A pretty fragrance will make the bathroom feel extra special. “My secret to ensuring the space always smells beautiful is to hide a reed diffuser above or below a cabinet,” says Fiona. A posy of sweetly perfumed flowers is also a nice touch. However, select subtle perfumes as some people can be sensitive to strong smells and let your guests know that they can be removed if the fragrances are too much for them.

“Some people will feel like they can’t change what’s in there because it’s not their house,” remarks Rebecca.

10. Give a five-star welcome

Just before your guests arrive, do a last sweep of the bathroom. Make sure it’s spotless, empty the bin and add a quick spritz of essential oil.

Then leave a small welcome gift for them to discover – a little collection of reusable bottles filled with shampoo and conditioner set out on the vanity usually does the trick.

“Materials like marble, timber, brass and ceramic really help to add a sense of luxury to the space,” says Fiona.

Expert tip

The post 10 guest bathroom decor ideas that create a luxe, welcoming ambience appeared first on Home Beautiful.