Posts from the ‘My Home & Life’ Category

Mar 11

Grit and Glamour: the new look for Unico Hair Salon, Melbourne

As I move into interior design, I am finding less and less time for my blog. While I love what I am doing, I am really missing posting regularly. So with my new found resolution to post more often I thought I’d start by sharing my latest project.

It’s a revamp for of a tiny salon for Unico Hair in Degraves St, a gritty little lane way in Melbourne.

Ok, now here are some before shots.

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And here are the after shots.

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The most transformative change involved covering the walls with an exquisite wallpaper from Merci Paris, a concept store in the Marais. Entitled “Brooklyn Tin Tiles”, the paper features a realistic photographic image of a pressed metal tile that has been aged with peeling paint, rust spots and cracks.

KateChallisUnicoHairSalon01

The next step was designing the all important lighting concept. I teamed up with Volker Haug, a leading Melbourne- based lighting designer, who creates industrial/glam lights. We eliminated basin boredom by installing one of Haug’s lights, Famous Five, made up of spectacular Edison Spherical bulbs. In the shop window we installed one of Haug’s Mega WOW lights in green.

Everything else was painted black, from cabinetry to counters, wooden floors and splash back tiles so the wallpaper and the lime green products really stand out.

Photos: Derek Swalwell

Jan 3

Easing into 2013

A few nights ago my husband and I headed to one of our favourite places in Ubud: poolside at Uma. We drank martinis and discussed two simple questions: “What do I want to do more of in 2013?” and “What do I want to do less?”

UrbanKaleidoscopeUmaUbud01

It kept the conversation going over cocktails and dinner. Without intending it became a review of our year and a discussion of the forthcoming one. These are the kinds of conversations we have in Bali, which is one of the many reasons we keep coming back.

While I don’t like New Year resolutions (having broken a far share of them over the years) I do like the ritual of looking back and being mindful about the choices we make in the present.

What New Year’s rituals do you have?

Images: Uma Ubud

Oct 26

5 Comments

My wallpapered bathroom featured on Abigail Ahern’s blog

For those of you who have been reading my blog, you’ll know what a fan I am of Abigail Ahern. She is an inspiration. And unlike many people in the world of design and interiors she is down-to-earth, engaging, but also incredibly generous with her ideas and even gladly shares her sources. But I am getting side tracked . . . I am absolutely thrilled that she featured my bathroom on her blog today. I am speechless . . . Thanks Abi.

Sep 12

2 Comments

Thank you to Moja 4 Zida Magazine

A huge thanks to Martina Vukoja the editor of Moja 4 Zida, an ueber-stylish Croatian magazine for featuring my house in its current (September 2012) issue.

Now I just need to find someone to translate for me . . .

Sep 6

3 Comments

Trish Pinto’s Melbourne Apartment

This is the suburban apartment of editor, Trish Pinto. Even calling her an editor is boxing her in, and Trish would laugh at any attempts to do so. Her apartment shows this eclecticism and diversity at every turn.

Trish last year made the decision to leave her job and work from home, self-employed. To do so, she had to create a space that nourishes her, but also serves the practical workflow of an in-demand professional. She had converted her second bedroom into her office.

The entire apartment (including the kitchen) are full of her personality, which is vivacious, sharp and energetic. Curiously the space feels both minimal and layered at the same time. Her office is bare and functional yet is dominated by a Midsummer paper garland light by Tord Boontje and is enveloped by amazing collages of artworks and photographs, that obviously serve to inspire her. The bedroom is a candy pink which is usually a saccharine hue, but here comes across as sophisticated. Interesting touches abound throughout the apartment such as the red velvet chaise lounge, the 1950s red star clock, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera paper dress-up dolls and the ceramic dog she refers to as Uncle Percy, and an antique silver teapot being used as vase for a bunch of daisies.

None of it feels contrived, or overly ‘designed’. Rather, Trish has just taken elements of her own life and interests and blended them with items she’s collected over many years and made them look amazing. Case in point are her towers of books, topped with sculptures and knitted animals. It could almost be a spoof on the current fashion for wallpapered ‘libraries’. And, with Trish’s deep love of books coupled with her sense of humour, it probably is.