Coast
alertEDITOR’S LETTER HG
AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN | 11
& CALM
H
ere’s hoping you are lounging
somewhere cool and comfortable to
read this issue, stop and recharge.
We’ve created some breathing space
for you, in the form of a lovely seaside
decorating story, a pearler of a naturalistic
Victorian garden, and a collection of
interesting family homes from around the
country. All are highly geared for relaxed
living, enabled by functional design.
Most of us aspire to a well-ordered,
balanced life and a home that supports
that goal. And while that is attainable in
a household of one or more adults, it gets
complicated with children in the mix.
Routine, systems and teamwork will get
you so far, but good design also plays
a role in taming an unruly household.
Mod cons for cooking and cleaning
purposes aside (see Design Moment, page
64), it’s particularly interesting to see how
helpful home design catches on: magazines
like ours definitely play a role in spreading
the word about useful inclusions, with
organisation often front and centre.
In the kitchen, that means deep drawers
rather than cupboards, with fit-for-purpose
hardware inside to contain saucepans,
cutlery or tupperware. A knife store and
a rail over the bench might keep oft-used
utensils hanging close at hand. Every cook
is different so what works for one may
annoy another. However H&G’s pages have
charted the rise of the walk-in pantry, and
a butler’s pantry is an increasingly common
inclusion in homes of all sizes – maximising
storage and keeping prep clutter out of
sight of open-plan living spaces.
In other areas of the home it’s easier
to find common ground when it comes to
sanity savers: a chute from upstairsbathrooms direct to the laundry, for
example. A drying rail for hanging damp
shirts is another laundry gem – an idea my
mum has carried through several homes,
along with a pull-down ironing board.
The tone is really set at the front (and
back) door: a place to take your shoes off,
to lay your keys and the mail – if not your
hat – and a less conspicuous nook to
deposit school bags. Yes, please!
Paperwork? My grandmother had
a neat rosewood bureau in a corner of the
dining room, with a lid that lifted to reveal
everything needed for bill organising and
correspondence. The modern equivalent
is a handy niche adjacent to the kitchen...
with space for a laptop, multiple charging
options, paperwork and homework slots
for every member of the house.
As Sarah Pickette’s story (page 159)
shows, good habits, established early, can
be truly life-changing. So whether your
household is humming along or could do
with a few pointers, why not iron out any
tension spots, while you have a little time to
put them into action? We’d love to hear
about your own ‘little helpers’ too.COOL
Love that look...
Market editor Kayla
Gex’s fave finds.My seaside-style decorating story
(page 27) has me in coast mode.
I found these beauties after the shoot- they’re too gorgeous not to share!
FROM TOP Danskina rug swatches.
The colours remind me of the ocean
and the sand; the thick weaves and
fringing imitate rope. Hub Furniture;
hubfurniture.com.au.
This Anchored wall hook is perfect
for a beach house. Few and Far;
http://www.fewandfar.com.au.
Handmade bowls from Emma the
Young. As lovely to use as to display;
0402 971 999.
Follow the H&G team’s finds on
Instagram: @houseandgarden
Photograph by Darren McDonald (Lisa). @kayla_gex