#beach home designs sydney

[vaastudesigners]

Vaastu Designers understands that townhouse living offers a unique blend of convenience, functionality, and contemporary style. With their expertise in architectural design, Vaastu Designers offers an array of thoughtfully crafted townhouse plans that cater to the diverse needs and preferences of homeowners.

[rafecameronssl4t]

73 Questions with Vogue || Drew Starkey x actress!reader

Summary: just you participating in 73 Questions with Vogue and it goes viral!!!

Warnings: fluff!!!

Word count: 1,935

A/n: It's been so long since I've written a Drew fic!!!!!!! Also I got inspired by my previous acc's fic so if it seems familiar to some of you who followed me from there, don't come at me, I loved the idea too much lol. CAN SOMEONE PLS SEND ME REQUESTS FOR DREW FICS???

MASTERLIST

divider by @h-aewo

"Hello!" You greet the interviewer with a bright smile, swinging open the door to reveal him and his camera. "Hi, Y/n! Mind if we come in and ask you 73 questions?" he asks, his tone friendly and warm. "Yeah, of course! Come on in," you say, stepping aside and holding the door wide open, gesturing for them to enter as the camera pans through the foyer of your house. The space is beautifully designed, with soft lighting that gives it a cozy, inviting atmosphere.

"Wow, what a gorgeous house you have," the interviewer remarks, his voice filled with genuine awe as his eyes take in the sophisticated yet comfortable décor. "Thank you!" you respond, the compliment warming you as you flash a radiant smile. "Is this your favourite house?" The interviewer asks, already settling into the rhythm of the questions as you lead them down the hallway and into the open-plan living area.

"Yes, it definitely is. It's in my home city, and Charleston means so much to me, just like this house does," you say, your eyes lighting up as you gesture around. The view of the beach through the large windows makes the space feel even more special. "I love the view," the interviewer comments, looking out at the sunset that bathes the room in warm golden light. "The sunset looks amazing from here."

"It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?" you say with a soft chuckle. "I love spending time in this room specifically. It feels like a little sanctuary." You both share a laugh, enjoying the peaceful moment. "What's your morning routine like?" The interviewer asks as the camera follows you through the coastal-themed living room toward the kitchen. You pause for a moment, thinking about your answer.

"I haven't had much of a routine the past few months because of work, but currently, I wake up to a strong cup of coffee and a walk through downtown," you share with a soft smile. "It’s become a little ritual to clear my mind before everything gets too busy." As you stroll through the warm, inviting spaces of your home, the camera captures the personal touches that reflect your personality—a mix of elegance and laid-back comfort.

A question about your career comes next, and you happily share some behind-the-scenes anecdotes from your latest film. "This," you begin, the affection in your tone unmistakable, "is a magnet Sydney gave me when we wrapped filming Immaculate earlier this year." You glance at the picture, a grin spreading across your face. "It’s a photo of the two of us in our nun costumes... let’s just say, not doing very nun-like things." You laugh, the absurdity of the memory still fresh, and hold the magnet up for the camera to focus.

The image shows the two of you mid-laughter, each holding a cigarette with exaggerated defiance, your habits slightly askew, as though caught mid-rebellion. "What's the best compliment you've received?" the interviewer asks, a hint of curiosity in their voice. You pause, your expression thoughtful. "Oh, that's a tough one," you say, your lips curling into a playful smile.

"I think the best compliment I’ve ever gotten was when someone said, 'You're like Meryl Streep… but, you know, with fewer Oscars.’" You chuckle, shaking your head in amusement. "It was the kind of backhanded compliment that made me laugh for days." The interviewer laughs along with you. "That’s a good one," he says, clearly entertained. As you make your way towards the outside deck, the interviewer continues with another question. "Texting, calling, or FaceTiming?"

You grin as you lean casually against the railing, looking out at the beach below. "Oh, definitely FaceTiming," you say with a mischievous glint in your eyes. "I’m terrible at replying to text messages. I’d much rather see people's live reactions, y’know?" A more personal question comes next, and you smile thoughtfully as the interviewer asks, “How do you handle the pressures of fame?”

You nod, taking a moment before responding. "I lean on my family and friends—they keep me grounded. And I remind myself that pressure is a privilege. It means people care about what I do, and that means a lot." Your voice softens as you speak, the sincerity of your words clear as you step into your home office, showcasing the awards and accolades lining the shelves. The conversation turns to your personal life, and a warm, affectionate smile spreads across your face.

"Congratulations on reaching your two-year anniversary with Drew!" The interviewer says with a grin, and you beam in response. "Thank you!" you reply, your eyes sparkling as you think of him. "Drew is incredible. He’s my biggest supporter, my partner in everything, and honestly, just my favourite person. It’s been such a special journey since starting my career, and I’m so grateful to have him by my side."

"What's the key to a successful relationship?" He asks. You pause as you walk through the hallway, your gaze softening as you think. "I think it’s communication and a lot of patience. No relationship is perfect, but being able to talk things through and genuinely listen to each other makes all the difference." You smile, adding, "Oh, and laughter—if you can laugh together, you can get through just about anything."

The sound of the front door creaking open interrupts the moment, and a familiar voice rings out, instantly making your face light up. "Oh, there’s Drew right now!" you say, smiling brightly as you move toward the foyer. The camera follows you, capturing the scene as Drew enters, with Nellie, your cocker spaniel, bounding beside him. "Hey, baby," He greets you as he slips off his sunglasses, pulling you close for a tender kiss

When he pulls back, his eyes widen slightly as he spots the camera. "Oh, 73 Questions with Vogue?" he asks, a playful grin tugging at his lips. You giggle, nodding your head. "I forgot you were doing that today," he chuckles. “Go ahead, continue your interview," he adds with a fond look before walking off with Nellie. As the camera returns to you, you make your way toward the stairs, glancing over your shoulder to find Drew already on the floor, happily playing with Nellie.

A soft giggle escapes your lips, captured by the camera momentarily fixated on the fleeting connection. "What's something people don’t know about you?" the interviewer asks, pulling you back into the conversation. You pause, thinking for a second. "I’m actually allergic to most flowers," you reveal with a sheepish laugh. "Really? I wouldn’t have known," the interviewer responds, clearly surprised. "Oh, absolutely! When we film Outer Banks, they have to shoot around the flowers, or I'd be a sneezing mess," you confess, casually walking backward while maintaining a steady gaze with the camera.

The tour continues through luxurious walk-in closet, filled with designer attire. “What’s your pet peeve?” You laugh, shaking your head in mock exasperation. "Oh, definitely when people chew loudly. It’s like nails on a chalkboard for me. Chase is notorious for doing it on purpose, so I avoid him during my lunch breaks," you add, giggling at the memory. "Where was the best vacation you’ve been taken to?" the interviewer inquires as you step into your shared bedroom with Drew, the ocean stretching out just outside the windows.

"I think I’d have to say Vienna with Drew for my birthday," you say, smiling over your shoulder as you look out at the view. “A song you replay often?” "Hm, I think Charlie, Last Name Wilson," you say with a grin, rifling through the records. "It never gets old, and it’s super catchy." You smile as you pick it out. "Most of you guys would know that this song is also Drew and Austin’s favourite, so we always play it on set," you chuckle. "Does the rest of the Outer Banks cast like it too?" the interviewer asks, laughing along. "They don’t have much choice," you joke with a grin.

"Is there anything from any set that you've taken home with you?" The interviewer asks eagerly. “Oh, I love this question!" you exclaim, opening a drawer to reveal a variety of souvenirs. "This is the bag my character 'Whiskey' from Glass Onion owned," you say, showing off the brown frill bag. "And here’s a pack of Italian cigarettes from Immaculate, they’re just props, by the way," you add with a wink.

You pull out a cowboy hat. "This one’s from Tom on the set of Billy the Kid," you explain. "And this," you say with a smile, holding up a ring on a necklace. "This is Rafe's ring, the one he gave my character." "What a beautiful photo of the two of you," the interviewer notes, pointing to the large black-and-white photo of you and Drew at a Vogue photoshoot above your bed.

"It is! That day was actually so special for us. We both got the call saying we’d been cast in our respective roles that we’d been auditioning for," you explain, your face lighting up with nostalgia. The interviewer then asks about Drew’s upcoming movie. "Speaking of which, Drew’s film Queer is coming out very soon. Are you excited to watch it on the big screen?" "Yes, of course!" you say, your voice full of pride.

"I was so incredibly proud of him when he got the role. He was definitely excited too, especially since it’s, you know, the Luca Guadagnino." You chuckle. "I got the privilege to actually be on set for a bit, and it was amazing. Plus, I got to catch up with Daniel," you mention. "It was really nice to see him again." You smile, the pride evident in your expression as you talk about Drew's accomplishments.

The conversation is interrupted by a gentle knock at the door, and both you and the interviewer turn your attention toward it. Drew’s head peeks around the corner, his grin lighting up the frame as the camera zooms in on him. "I made some iced teas—yours is half and half," he says casually, stepping into the room with a tray holding two glasses. You can’t help but beam as he hands you your drink. "Aww, thanks, babe," you say gratefully, your fingers brushing his for a brief moment as you take the glass.

Drew hands the other glass to the interviewer, who looks pleasantly surprised. "Wow, thank you, Drew!" he says with a wide smile. "Of course," Drew replies warmly before glancing at you. "Let me know if you need anything else," he says, shooting you a quick wink before stepping out of the room. The camera lingers on him for a beat as he walks away, capturing his effortless charm.

You take a sip of the iced tea, the cool, refreshing taste spreading through you as you let out a content sigh. "Is this something you drink often?" the interviewer asks, clearly curious. You nod enthusiastically. "Oh, absolutely. I like mine half and half, and I drink it like 24/7," you say with a chuckle, the glass still in your hand. The interviewer grins before asking a more personal question. "I can tell Drew is very thoughtful. What’s your favourite trait of his?"

You laugh softly, caught off guard by the difficult question. "You can’t make me choose—I love everything about him!" you say with a playful grin, your tone light but sincere. The interviewer chuckles along with you, clearly charmed by your response. "Okay, okay, fair enough. But if you had to pick just one thing that comes to mind?"

You pause for a moment, your expression softening as you think. "Hmmm," you hum, swirling your iced tea absentmindedly. "I love the little things he does," you begin, your voice warm with affection. "Like how he always remembers my coffee order or when he leaves me little notes when I’m on set. It’s those small, thoughtful moments that really mean the most to me."

The camera captures your tender smile, and the interviewer smiles himself, visibly touched by your response. "That’s so sweet," he says, his tone genuine. "It really is," you smile, a soft, almost bashful grin spreading across your face. "He’s the best boyfriend I could have ever asked for," you say, your tone filled with warmth and sincerity.

The interviewer watches you with an amused smile, clearly endeared by the dreamy, almost schoolgirl-like look on your face as you think about Drew.

~

The Vogue 73 Questions interview quickly becomes an internet sensation, captivating fans. It was everywhere. Clips of your candid answers and sweet, unscripted moments—especially the one where Drew casually walked in with iced tea—became the ultimate proof of why you were Hollywood’s darling. Within hours of its release, the hashtag #73QuestionsWithY/n trends worldwide.

The comments section was flooded with fans losing their minds over the glimpse into your life. "Can we talk about how Drew KNOWS her iced tea order by heart? If this isn’t relationship goals, I don’t know what is." "Y/n casually being gorgeous, funny, and real in her Charleston dream home? I’m in love." "The way Drew looked at her when he walked in… I CAN’T. He’s so whipped, and I’m here for it."

Memes circulate, celebrating your witty remarks and playful demeanor, while your thoughtful insights and open vulnerability spark heartfelt discussions. The part where Drew sneaks into the interview with iced tea becomes a fan-favourite, with many dubbing it "the cutest boyfriend moment of the year."

“I love how real she is,” one fan tweeted, accompanied by screenshots of your answer about Drew’s little notes and coffee orders. Another post with a screenshot of you laughing at Drew’s confused “Oh, Vogue’s here” reaction read, “You can just tell they’re best friends. I want a love like this.”

The media couldn’t get enough, either. Everyone from gossip sites to prestigious magazines weighed in on how you’d managed to blend the glamour of your career with the warmth of your personality. The buzz reignites interest in your past projects and elevates anticipation for your upcoming ones. Your social media following soars as fans, old and new, praise your ability to remain grounded despite your success.

Meanwhile, Drew’s small but sweet cameo sparks renewed admiration for your relationship, with countless threads and videos dedicated to celebrating your bond. “Y/n and Drew are proof that true love exists,” one viral tweet declares, garnering thousands of likes and retweets. Another fan edits together a montage of your cutest moments from the interview, set to a romantic song, which quickly racks up millions of views.

Drew couldn’t stop teasing you about how viral the iced tea moment had become. “You’re lucky I didn’t walk in shirtless,” he joked one night as you scrolled through TikTok, finding yet another edit of you two. “Please,” you said, giggling, your hand affectionately stroking Nellie, “half the internet would’ve fainted.” “Half?” He raised an eyebrow, smirking. “I think you’re underestimating me, babe.”

[familyhomebuilders]

To create a seamless connection with the deck and garden with the living spaces, we removed the corner post in the façade and specified flush transitions.

The theatrics of skylights illuminate the spaces with a dancing light beam across the floor and wall surfaces. As the sun disappears over the horizon, LED lighting light each bay of the exposed beam ceilings, bathing the activities below in a soft, reflected glow.

See more of our concepts here, or leave us a message about your project.

[familyhomebuildersydney]

Adding a second storey to your home can be an excellent way to expand your living space, but it's not a decision to take lightly. Before you commit to a second storey addition, there are a few important questions you should ask yourself. In this blog post, we'll explore four key questions that can help you determine whether a second storey addition is the right choice for your family. From considering your budget and timeline to thinking about the impact on your home's functionality and aesthetics, we'll provide practical insights to help you make an informed decision.

[niabang]

The Summer it Came True

Previous chapter

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Chapter 3

Pairing: Bangchan × black female reader named Kel

Word count: 2191

More under the cut!

⁷

Two days had passed since you bumped into him at the store.

Two days had passed since you saw his face again after what felt like forever.

Two days had passed since you realised my feelings for him were still very much there.

Two days had passed since you exchanged numbers.

Two days had passed, and he hadn't texted you.

We're you supposed to text first? Was he waiting for you to text him? You surely couldn't do that. You didn't want to seem thirsty. You had to take your mind off all this. You still didn't have designs ready for the collection. Some summer this was.

You were making myself a quick sandwich when you saw your phone light up from a message, and you just knew it was him, so you instantly dropped what you were doing and picked up your phone.

...

Chan

Hey

You

Hi

Chan

I stopped by the old neighbourhood today to visit friends, and your house still looks the exact same way it did before I left. The only difference is that no one was in it. I would have loved to see your parents again. Maybe I'll check back another time.

You

Chan... my parents died in a car crash six years ago. I stay at the beach house every summer now. That's why no one was at home.

Chan

Are you pulling my legs right now, Kel?

What do you mean?

No one told me anything, not even my mom

I'm so sorry that happened, Kel

I shouldn't have said that

I'm so sorry

You

No, don't worry, it's fine.

You didn't know

How could you have known?

Just forget about it. I'm okay.

Chan

So what's going on with you?

You

Well, for starters, after mom and dad died, they left everything to me. The houses, cars, and the entire company. I became the ceo of a multi-million dollar company at the age of 20. And I'm currently drowning in work. Other than that, nothing too interesting. You?

Chan

Oh, that's definitely not what I expected to hear. So, no parties or boyfriends or?

I already told you everything that was up with me when we bumped into each other at the store. That was pretty much it.

You

Oh, so what do you plan to do while you're here?

Chan

Well, I have two weeks here in Sydney and two weeks in Melbourne because of family, so I'm just trying to meet up with old friends, but things have changed a lot. No one actually still lives in the neighbourhood except you, Ryan, and Jade.

You

Yep, everyone did leave eventually. Some of them probably live in other countries now. I didn't keep in touch that much to know what happened to everyone.

Chan

Oh...

It'd be nice to catch up sometime

You

I'm sorry I have to go now

I'm getting a call from work

Bye chan

Why did Angie have to call you now? Why now? She called was probably calling to know how the designs were going and how were you going to tell her that you didn't have anything yet? 

You looked back at your sandwich on the table and reread the chats from your conversation. Why did he ask about boyfriends? Why did he care? He said he wanted to meet up with you. Did he truly want to see you, or were you just his only hope because everyone else was gone?

Hours passed after your little conversation with chan. It was evening now, and your butt had fully merged with your office chair. You had made some progress with the designs, but you didn't really like them, so you decided to keep those and start new ones.

You got thirsty, so you went downstairs for a drink, and that was when you heard a knock on your door. Nobody except Angie, your secretary and CJ knew knew the address to the beach house, and from what you knew, CJ was in Paris for a show, and Angie was still at work. Who could it be? You didn't order anything either, so you weren't expecting anyone.

"Who is it?" You asked, looking through the peephole, but you didn't see anyone, and no one answered, so you threw caution out the window and opened the door.

You opened the door only to be met with no one. Was someone pulling a prank on you? You were just about to shut the door and go about your business when someone wedged their foot in between it, and this wasn't just a random person it was HIM. It was Chan. What was he doing here? Why did he have a box of chocolates in his hand?

"Hi." He said with a smile on his face. You had fully opened the door now, so you just stood looking looking at each other.

"Oh my God, chan, you scared me. What are you doing here? More importantly, how did you find your way here?"

"C'mon kel have some faith in me. Things did change but not that much. Of course, I still remember the beach house."

"Oh." You said, not knowing what else to say.

"Can I come in?" He asked. You totally forgot that you were just standing on opposite sides of your door staring at each other.

"Oh yeah, sure. I'm sorry." You moved out of the way so he could make his way in. As you turned back towards him from locking the door, you were met with Chan handing out the box of chocolates to you.

"Oh, thank you. But why?" You said while stretching out my hands to collect the box like you weren't about to explode.

"It's the least I could do after disappearing for years. It's nothing." He answered your question.

It wasn't nothing. In fact, it was everything. The man you had feelings for just gave me a box of chocolates. You were losing it.

You told him to have a seat on one of the couches, and you made your way to the kitchen to drop the box of chocolates on the island

"Do you want anything?" You asked from the kitchen.

"Just water is fine." He replied. You got a bottle of water out from the fridge and handed it to him.

"Thank you. I honestly came by to see you because everything you told me about you working reminded me of me. You shouldn't keep yourself cooped up in here. I spend so much time working that i barely have time for anyone. Not even myself. I don't want that to happen to you." Chan said when he had taken a sip of water

"Well, you're about six years late, but I'll give you an A for effort." He laughed a bit when you said that and then patted the empty spot next to him on the sofa to signal you to sit down. You honestly forgot that you were still standing. This whole situation was still a bit shocking to you.

"What I'm trying to say is it's summer. You should take a break. Let me take you out tonight. Just to clear your head."

Did you hear properly, or were you having auditory hallucinations? Did he just offer to take you out? All of a sudden? Was this like a date? Of course, it wasn't a date he just wanted to catch up because he hadn't been around, and you were the only one accessible to him.

You stood there not knowing what to say so he told you that if you didn't want to come you didn't have to but you reassured him that you did want to (like you would ever pass on the opportunity to go out with him) and he should give you a few minutes to get ready. He was dressed in black cargo pants, a white shirt, and a black hat, so you decided to mirror him a bit.

You put on black cargo shorts and a cropped white tank, then coupled it with a black shrug, white socks, black platform converses, and a black mini backpack to keep your things in.

You combed my curls out, put on some light makeup, and made my way downstairs.

"Okay, I'm ready. Where exactly are we going?" You asked.

"Is the old amusement park still open at this time? I haven't been there in years." He replied your question with a question.

"Yeah, it is." You said.

"Okay, so let's go there."

"Wow, so so you didn't even have anything planned. What if the park had closed down or something?" You said sarcastically.

"Then we would have driven around till we found something to do. Now stop talking and let's go."

"Let me just grab my keys." You told him.

"Give them to me. I'll drive." He said, stretching out his hand to collect the key

"No, it's my car. I'll drive and you be my passenger princess." That was funny if you said so yourself.

"No. I insist I drive since I'm the one who suggested the outing." It was clear that you were both stubborn, and this debate on who should drive was not going to end anytime soon.

"Should we just rock, paper, scissors for it?" You suggested. He agreed, and he ended up winning. He happily took the keys from your hand and started the car while you turned off lights in the house and locked up.

You joined him in the car through the passenger seat, and he reminded you to use your seat belt for safety. You wanted to tell him that you knew very well how cars worked, but decided it was best not to say anything.

You both ended up talking about his experience in Korea, and you were more than shocked to find out that he trained for seven years without any assurance that he would debut. He only debuted in 2018. He had been a trainee longer than he had been an idol.

"We're here." He said when you arrived at the gate.

You both got out of the car and made your way to the ticketing booth, and there you had another argument about who would put money on the ride and games card.

You ended up agreeing to split the bill half and half, and proceeded to go on the rides. You couldn't help but notice just how much of a baby he still was. The way he squealed and giggled when we got on particularly scary rides, was so precious to you. He even begged for you guys not to go into the haunted house and you almost cried laughing.

It made you think about everything he told you about being a trainee for seven years and how his childhood was basically taken away from him because he wanted to pursue his dreams.

He gave up his youth for his future.

After you had gotten on basically every ride in the park, you found some benches and sat on one together. There was an awkward silence for some minutes, and you were lost in his beautiful features, but you were snapped out of thought when he got up from the bench and told you that he'd be back.

You almost wanted to follow him, but for some reason, you decided to sit back and wait. Some minutes after, he came back with an entire tray of food.

"I didn't know what you wanted, so I just got the same thing for the both of us." He said sitting down.

You looked at what he had got, and it was hotdogs, fries, and milkshakes. You were about to combust. This man was so nice and caring. He was perfect.

By the time you were done eating, it was a little bit after 11, and you definitely couldn't go on rides after eating, so you decided to get going.

He wanted to return the games card to you before you parted ways, but you told him to keep it because he might want to come back sometime before he left, and surprisingly, he didn't argue. He just said thank you and kept it in his wallet.

The Uber that he had ordered to take him back to his hotel room had arrived, so he handed me my keys. we both said goodbye to each other and parted ways.

You didn't want him to leave yet, but what were you supposed to say? Chan, don't go. I have feelings for you?

By the time you got home, you had received a text from him.

...

Chan

Thank you for today

I haven't had this much fun in a while

You

What are you thanking me for?

I should be thanking you. You finally got me to have some fun, and plus, you suggested it

Chan

Hey, I was wondering...

It's kind of lonely in my hotel room, and I have no one to hang out with, but you.

If it's not too inconveniencing, could I come stay in the beach house with you for the remaining time I have in Sydney?

You

Typing...

WHAT. THE. ACTUAL. FUCK?

Hi guys! ❤️

If anyone here wants to be added to a permanent taglist for this series feel free to tell me. I would really appreciate it. I hope you guys are enjoying it so far!

-Nia

[justforbooks]

In a spoof obituary written while he was still in his 40s, Barry Humphries, who has died aged 89, described himself as “an ancient comic” who had long since become “a self-indulgent and inaudible has-been” with no sense of progressive social relevance.

The Republic of Australia’s Art Squad had, he said, banned Humphries’ work in his native land. He had endured his last years of “exile and obloquy” in the tarnished splendour of “a Lusitanian spa”, where he occasionally gave clandestine performances to his dwindling, reactionary and hard-of-hearing followers. He was survived, the obituary concluded, “by innumerable wives, great-grandchildren and creditors”. It was a generally appropriate death notice of a satirist who delighted in guying both himself and his critics.

Never a genial humorist, there was always a whiff of sulphur in his comedy. “What is there to say about me?” he would gull his interviewers. “I don’t smoke. I don’t drink. I am Church of England – I wash my car on Sundays. There must be some way you can jazz me up.” This was Humphries disguised as a candid interviewee. Being oneself, he would add, is a form of disguise.

There were many other disguises. One minute he would be a monocled Edwardian dandy or a mad scientist or a sad, sexless suburbanite. The next he would assume the mask of a beach bum or a shady art dealer or an embittered intellectual. But the most famous masks of all were his hellcat, the housewife megastar Dame Edna Everage, and his alcoholic political freeloader, professional adulterer and family man Sir Les Patterson.

Humphries grew up in suburban Melbourne, the son of Louisa (nee Brown) and Eric Humphries, a prosperous builder. He was an old boy of an exclusive school (or as he put it: “self-educated; attended Melbourne grammar”) and was briefly a student at Melbourne University. He began his extraordinary career on the back of an arts council bus touring the country towns of Victoria in 1954. It was his first professional role – the lovesick Duke Orsino to Zoe Caldwell’s Viola in Twelfth Night.

At each town, a patron of the arts, often the lady mayoress, would welcome the company over refreshments. Later, to help pass the time on the bus, Humphries invented a character to lampoon these municipal occasions. She was a drab, mousey and relentless hostess, simply named Edna.

The character was thought amusing enough to try out on stage in a Christmas revue in Melbourne. So it came about, on 13 December 1955, that Mrs (as she then was) Edna Everage made her stage debut – a volunteer hostess for the Melbourne Olympics, six feet tall, with brown basilisk eyes and a large chartreuse cabbage rose pinned on her charcoal suit. Her family – husband Norm, son Kenny, daughter Valmai, and mother (in a twilight home) – were given honourable mention, although their miserable fates in Edna’s triumphal backwash were not yet evident. Humphries, then as always, wrote the script.

The sketch was only a moderate success, but enough to point Humphries away from dramatic acting and towards the revue, music hall or cabaret. Also in 1955 he married Brenda Wright, and the following year they moved to Sydney to join a London-inspired theatre of “intimate revue”. He had found his metier, although Sydney satire was still too bland and self-congratulatory to satisfy his dandiacal rage. What Australia still needed, he said, was not mild satire, but a heroic act of espionage.

He finally found it playing the anguished Estragon in a 1958 production of Waiting for Godot. Humphries tramped the streets of Sydney in a sandwich board advertising the play, stuck Godot stickers on posts and windows, and scoured the scrap yards for trash with which he designed the stage sets. The audiences received the play with overwhelming indifference, but Humphries said it changed his life.

When he returned to revue, it was a new Humphries and a new Edna. She became at last a fully ad-libbing monologuiste, teasing if not insulting her audience. This was Edna’s breakthrough. She never looked back.

Australian theatre, however, remained in the doldrums. One critic said there was better theatre in a march-past of lifesavers on Bondi beach. In London, meanwhile, Beckett, Brecht, Osborne and Pinter were leading “the great uprising” from Sloane Square to Stratford East. Humphries found it irresistible.

His first marriage having come to an end after a couple of years, in 1959 Humphries married the ballet dancer Rosalind Tong, took a steamer to London – and into a decade of obscurity (and deepening alcoholism). He found some small parts, notably the undertaker in the original production of Lionel Bart’s Oliver! (1960). But his future fame lay with the one-man shows which at that point only his faithful Australian audiences would even contemplate. Three years after arriving in London, he returned to Melbourne and staged, in mid-1962, A Nice Night’s Entertainment, in which he again paraded Edna and her family, along with some of his other creations, from a tortured, expatriate-hating journalist to a nose-picking, guitar-toting beatnik.

The popular success of the show emboldened Humphries to try out his characters in London – at the Establishment Club in May 1963. It was a flop (or as he put it, “a highly successful five-minute season”). He returned to small roles, notably in Frank Norman’s A Kayf Up West, at Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Royal, Stratford East (1964). He also created for Private Eye the randy hobbledehoy Barry (“Bazza”) McKenzie, whose boozing, vomiting, urinating adventures, narrated in comic-strip form in a largely invented vernacular, reflected and mocked Humphries’ life in the swinging 60s. A film based on the character, The Adventures of Barry McKenzie, was released in 1972, and a sequel, Barry McKenzie Holds His Own, two years later, with Humphries taking several small roles in each; in the latter, the Australian prime minister of the time, Gough Whitlam, apparently invests Edna as a dame.

Humphries did two more Australian tours before testing the water in London again. The first – in 1965 – was the triumphant Excuse I, which filled huge Australian theatres for weeks on end. No one-man show had ever done such business in Australia. It was on this tour that Humphries introduced the gladioli-hurling finale. The next tour – the 1968 Just a Show – introduced further variations. Edna now abandoned her dowdy appearance and came on stage smiling like a shark in a red Thai silk coat over a green dress. (“Am I overdressed?” she asked, looking around. “No, I don’t think so.”) She also began entering from the stalls chatting to her “possums”.

The enormous success of Just a Show encouraged him to try again in London – at the Fortune theatre. Once again the show was a flop. Harold Hobson dismissed it in one devastating sentence: “Most of Barry Humphries’ Just a Show will give pleasure to most Australians in London.”

The great turning point in Humphries’ career came in 1970 when he collapsed, an alcoholic wreck. That June, he was arrested in the streets of Melbourne’s leafy, affluent Camberwell and charged with being drunk and disorderly. A sensible magistrate adjourned the case for six months, ordering that charges be withdrawn if there were no further “incidents”. Humphries booked into a private hospital specialising in alcoholism. The man who for more than 10 years had started the day with a “grappling hook” (brandy and port) became an abstainer – and one of the great comedians of his age.

Still he had not yet conquered London. His Australian shows of the early 1970s (A Load of Old Stuffe, in 1971, and At Least You Can Say You’ve Seen It, in 1974) further refined Edna. She was now a name-dropping predator of radical views and treacly-trendy sentimentality, wearing glittering scarlet hotpants split to the groin. Soon critics were ransacking the dictionary for adjectives to describe her: psychotic, hysteric, Dionysiac, Amazonian, crypto-fascist, anally obsessed, a piranha, a hectoring Medusa, a blue-rinsed beast of Belsen, the Australian daughter of Torquemada.

As her curtain raiser, and to incarnate his disgust with alcoholism, Humphries also created a new character, half Sir Toby Belch, half Apeneck Sweeney – exuberant clown and revolting drunk, the cultural attache Sir Les Patterson. Staggering down the aisle, whisky in hand, he would invite his audience to give Edna the clap she so richly deserved.

In 1976 had come yet another assault on the West End, this time succeeding sensationally when Housewife-Superstar opened at the Apollo. It ran to packed houses for four months and almost 500,000 people saw it.

This was the first of Humphries’ enormously popular one-man shows in London, which included A Night With Dame Edna (1978-79) and Back With a Vengeance (for a number of seasons 1987-89 and 2005-07). Critics now acclaimed him as the greatest one-man showman since Charles Dickens and perhaps in the history of theatre.

He reached an even wider audience on British television, including two series of The Dame Edna Experience (1987-89) for LWT, a highly successful comedy chatshow in which Dame Edna interviewed celebrities – or delivered monologues interrupted by total strangers, as she herself described it. On both stage and screen a silent, doleful background presence was provided by her “New Zealand bridesmaid” Madge Allsop, played from 1987 to 2003 by Emily Perry.

The US took longer to conquer. In 1977, Humphries presented Housewife-Superstar at West 55th Street, off Broadway, where the critics dismissed it as “abysmal”, “pointless” and “like the litter on 42nd Street, something worth missing”. It was to be 20 years before the New York critics submitted to the Humphriesian tornado. In 2000, he was awarded a special Tony for the “theatrical event” of the year – a category invented for the occasion since his show, Dame Edna: The Royal Tour, was neither play nor musical. His success led to subsequent US tours, and a role in the TV comedy drama Ally McBeal in 2002.

In March 2012, Humphries announced a farewell stage show, Eat Pray Laugh!, which toured Australia, the UK and the US. It featured his best-known characters – Dame Edna, the stoic old convalescent Sandy Stone, and Sir Les Patterson (with a bit part for his brother, Gerard, a paedophile priest). But in an eerie finale, there were glimpses of other unforgettable creations: among them Lance Boyle, the trade union racketeer; Brian Graham, the 1960s Sydney executive and closet homosexual in navy blue shorts and long white socks; and Phil Philby, the lefty experimental film-maker.

Before the final curtain, Humphries himself took the stage, thanked the packed house, and ambiguously urged them to come to his final “farewell”. In a wave of emotion while the band belted out “Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye”, his tearful fans delivered a standing ovation.

In 2015, Humphries was artistic director of the Adelaide Cabaret festival, where, with characteristic panache, he announced that he had banned the use of the word “fuck”, which too many comedians, including some good ones, use in a desperate attempt to get a laugh. (Humphries himself had often done so.) The patrons, he said, would be relieved and delighted by his new espousal of censorship.

As intended, the resulting controversy generated enormous publicity for the festival, but nonetheless he continued “to defend to the ultimate my right to give deep and profound offence”. Remarks of his on transgenderism – including dismissing it as a fashion – led in 2019 to the Melbourne international comedy festival dropping his name from its major prize, the Barry award.

Perceptions of what was considered either cutting edge or decadent in the jazz-infused music of Germany of the 1920s and 30s had fascinated him since finding a bundle of sheet music in Melbourne. In Australia in 2013 and in London seasons in 2016 and 2018, he explored it in the show Weimar Cabaret, with the chanteuse Meow Meow.

Humphries was based permanently in London from the late 1960s, although he visited Australia frequently, maintaining good relations with fans, friends and family. “To live permanently in Australia,” he would say, “is rather like going to a party and dancing all night with one’s mother.” He collected art and books, describing himself as a “compulsive bibliomaniac”, and owned 25,000 volumes.

Over the years, he made recordings, wrote books, a novel and a volume of verse, and in 2007 he held an exhibition of his paintings in Melbourne. He had roles in several films, including Finding Nemo (2003) and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012). He dismissed most his books as trifles and promotions, but not his autobiography More Please (1992), which is less a comic story of an actor’s life than a de profundis or an alcoholic’s almanac; it is also noteworthy for its piety towards his family. It won the JR Ackerley prize for autobiography in 1993. Humphries was the subject of several biographies, including John Lahr’s Dame Edna Everage and the Rise of Western Civilisation (1991), One Man Show (2010), by Anne Pender, and my own book, published in 1991, The Real Barry Humphries.

He was appointed OA in 1982 and CBE in 2007.

From his marriage to Rosalind, Humphries had two daughters, Tessa and Emily. In 1979, he married the artist Diane Millstead, and they had two sons, Rupert and Oscar. Following his third divorce, in 1990 he married Lizzie Spender, daughter of the poet Stephen Spender. She survives him, along with his four children.

🔔 John Barry Humphries, comic actor and scriptwriter, born 17 February 1934; died 22 April 2023

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

[charlesandmartine]

Thursday 26th December 2024

Boxing Day is celebrated here as a public holiday, as in a lot of places the British Empire has left its mark, and the methodology for celebration is the same here as elsewhere, the sales. However, interestingly, it is called Proclamation Day in the state of South Australia, and this recognises the passing of the South Australia Act 1834 and signed off by William IV. Technically, that was December 28th and a public holiday, but it looks like it might have merged with Boxing Day to keep it tidy. Well, anyway, that's SA, and we here in NSW have no such complications to concern ourselves with.

It has been a couple of days of big anniversaries. Christmas Day marked the 50th anniversary of Cyclone Tracy, which completely destroyed Darwin. And today is the 20th anniversary of the tsunami that hit the Indian Ocean region. Our Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has made speeches commemorating these events on TV over the last two days.

The Sydney to Hobart Yacht race kicked off at 13.00 today with 105 craft taking part over a distance of 628 nautical miles. Don't ask me what that is in English. We had a few moments on Manly Beach before shooting off to North Head, which is the northern point of the entrance to Sydney Harbour. So we knew where we had to head for, but we were guessing where we might get close enough to the sea to get a good view of the channel. So we started from Shelly Beach and began to climb the headland where we could recall there being a viewpoint of the harbour entrance. Now we figured the boats would reach the Pacific and turn right to sail south to Tas. Finding a good view was proving more difficult than we thought, and the 13.00 start time was drawing nigh. Then we caught sight of someone else walking with a purpose, and then another, and before long, we had us a convoy. We made it to Fairfax Lookout in time to see something. Now, naive little thing that I am, I wasn't prepared for what I was about to see. As we peered above the parapet, an armada metamorphosed in front of us. There were thousands of crafts of all types and sizes, but there in the foreground centre, were the big boys, the main event, 100ft boats, and to the fore of these was Law Connect, last year's winner. They should be in Hobart in 48 hours, but expectations are that the winner should romp home by 10.15 Saturday! Tough task, since really bad weather is predicted in the Tasman Sea tonight! Rather them than me. Following the convoy further for a better view, we were weaving along pathways of what was a WW2 fortification protecting the harbour from Japanese attack. Suddenly, the old fort roads opened out to provide wide vistas of the harbour, magnificent views back towards Sydney's CBD with a sliver of the harbour bridge just peeping over distant treelines. But there, commanding and enabling the best view possible of the channel from the Northern shores was a structure designed for the job. Oh, and a few thousand spectators with similar aims and ambitions in mind to ours. Oh, and the media, security, helicopters overhead, etc. But the boats were speeding now, the large craft way beyond the harbour entrance and turning towards Tasmania spinnaker sails billowing by a very strong NE wind. These are seriously large boats, and if they are to make the distance by just after breakfast, they will need to shift.

Excitement over, the crowds dispersing, lunch was beckoning. As we munched, we were able to ponder the information display boards surrounding us:

The big night was 31st May 1942. 5 large Japanese submarines were stationed 35 nautical miles off Sydney Harbour. Don't ask me what that is in English. 3 subs had mini subs clamped to their decks. The harbour was protected, where we sat were anti-aircraft gun emplacements, there were submarine detector loops, a boom net stretching across the harbour, and naval ships in port. Pretty thorough job. One mini sub became entangled in the boom net, and the crew blew themselves up. The other two got through, and the cruiser USS Chicago was damaged, HMAS Kuttabul was sunk. The allies sunk one of the remaining 2 mini subs, and the crew of the other sub killed themselves. Who said the war did not reach Australia? The human aspect to this carnage was that the bodies of the dead Japanese sailors were recovered, cremated with full naval honours, and their ashes returned to Japan.

With that, we returned to Manly, and a little longer session on an extremely windy beach, quite successfully exfoliating us. The lifeguards now quite agitated because today, not only did they have miscreant swimmers in all the wrong places, and rip tides, but also in the mix were blue bottle jellies! They were beside themselves with the tannoys squawking continous incoherent commands!

ps. We watched. It's a Wonderful Life tonight. Well, it is Christmas.

[moodliving]

Transform Your Sydney Home with MoodLiving: Expert Tips for Stunning Interior Design

Welcome to MoodLiving, where your dream home becomes a reality. As Sydney's premier interior design resource, we're here to guide you through the process of transforming your living space into a sanctuary of style and comfort. Whether you're moving into a new home, renovating your current space, or simply seeking a refresh, our expert tips and inspiration will help you create a stunning interior that reflects your unique taste and lifestyle.

1. Embrace Sydney's Coastal Vibes

Sydney is renowned for its beautiful beaches and laid-back coastal lifestyle. Bring that relaxed, beachy feel into your home with a palette of soft blues, sandy neutrals, and crisp whites. Incorporate natural materials like rattan, jute, and driftwood to enhance the coastal aesthetic. Large windows and open spaces will allow natural light to flood your rooms, creating a bright and airy atmosphere reminiscent of Sydney’s stunning shoreline.

2. Mix Modern and Heritage Elements

Sydney’s rich history and contemporary vibrancy offer a unique blend of old and new. Reflect this in your home by combining modern furnishings with heritage pieces. Think sleek, minimalist furniture paired with vintage accessories or architectural details. This fusion creates a dynamic and layered look that pays homage to Sydney’s diverse architectural landscape.

3. Utilize Outdoor Spaces

Sydney’s temperate climate makes outdoor living an integral part of home life. Extend your interior design to your outdoor areas by creating stylish and functional spaces for entertaining and relaxation. Consider adding a chic outdoor dining set, cozy lounge chairs, and lush greenery to create a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor living.

4. Create a Statement with Art

Art plays a crucial role in defining your home's character. Sydney’s vibrant art scene offers endless opportunities to find unique pieces that speak to you. Whether you prefer contemporary art, Aboriginal pieces, or photography, select artwork that complements your color scheme and enhances the overall aesthetic of your space. Don’t be afraid to go bold – a statement piece can become a focal point and conversation starter.

5. Prioritize Comfort and Functionality

A beautiful home should also be a comfortable one. Choose furniture and decor that not only looks good but also meets your practical needs. In living rooms, opt for plush sofas and cozy rugs that invite relaxation. In kitchens and bathrooms, consider innovative storage solutions to keep the space organized and functional. Balance style and practicality to create a home that serves as a haven for you and your family.

6. Personalize Your Space

Your home should be a reflection of your personality and experiences. Incorporate personal touches such as family heirlooms, travel souvenirs, and custom-made items to add warmth and individuality to your space. These personal elements tell your story and make your home uniquely yours.

7. Stay Sustainable

Sustainability is increasingly important in modern interior design. Opt for eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient appliances to reduce your environmental footprint. Consider upcycling vintage furniture or investing in pieces from local artisans who use sustainable practices. A green approach not only benefits the planet but also brings a sense of purpose and mindfulness to your home design.

Discover the MoodLiving Difference

At MoodLiving, we believe that interior design should be accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Our expert team is dedicated to helping you navigate the latest trends and timeless styles to create a home that truly resonates with you. Explore our blog for more tips, inspiration, and resources tailored to the unique charm of Sydney living.

[peauradiantskincare]

How Sydney Sweeney Keeps Her Skin Looking Younger

Whether she’s adorned in rhinestones and graphic liner as Cassie Howard in HBO’s Euphoria or sunkissed and radiant on the red carpet for her new rom-com Anyone But You, Sydney Sweeney keeps her complexion on point with a strict skincare routine. The Emmy-nominated actress wakes up at 4am to shower, scrub, exfoliate, and moisturize her entire body before she even reaches for a makeup brush.

If you want to reduce wrinkles, make sure you use a gentle, soap-free cleanser and moisturise regularly. Another great tip is to wear sunscreen – a simple step that will significantly reduce sun damage and prevent early wrinkles. To know more about Skin Care, visit the Peau Radiant Skin Care website or call 0452131286.

Wrinkles are an inevitable part of aging, but there are some things you can do to help reduce their appearance. From non-toxic sunscreens to fermented cod liver oil, these tips will make your skin look healthier and younger.

One of the best ways to reduce wrinkles is to use a moisturizer that suits your skin type. This will keep your skin hydrated and prevent it from drying out, which can cause fine lines and wrinkles.

Another way to reduce wrinkles is to wear sunglasses and limit your sun exposure. Studies have shown that people who wear sunscreen have fewer wrinkles and age more slowly than those who don’t.

Sydney Sweeney is known for her gorgeous, sunkissed complexion, whether she’s sporting rhinestones and graphic liner as Cassie Howard in HBO Max hit series Euphoria or unwinding makeup-free at home. The blonde, romantic-at-heart teenager actress says that her morning beauty routine consists of a thorough cleansing ritual and ample moisturizer.

Using the best skin care products at a reputable Sydney skincare clinic will help to reduce wrinkles and maintain a youthful glow. During your consultation, a specialist will recommend the best cleanser for your skin type and condition.

Using a serum with peptides and hyaluronic acid to stimulate collagen can reduce fine lines. You can also use a product with alpha hydroxy acids, which helps exfoliate the skin and improve its texture and tone. Lastly, using a moisturizer that is suitable for your skin type can help to prevent dryness, which can lead to fine lines and wrinkles.

While you may want to try a few at-home treatments, working with a skin clinic is a great way to get expert advice and ensure that your skincare routine works well for you. Look for a clinic that offers a wide range of services and has a strong track record.

Sydney’s beauty scene is a gold mine for all-natural products. Whether you’re looking for a streak-free tan worthy of Bondi Beach, or an organic facial cleanser that will leave your skin feeling fresh and glowy, there’s sure to be a product for everyone.

The best skincare clinics know that each client’s unique needs are different. That’s why they offer a range of treatments and services to help you achieve your dream skin. They also provide a curated selection of high-quality skincare products to help you maintain your results between visits.

Moisturizing your skin can help keep it healthy and soft. It can also reduce the signs of aging. There are many different types of moisturizers, and each one is designed for a specific purpose. Some are formulated to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, while others can nourish the skin and fight free radical damage.

Moisturization is especially important for certain areas of the skin, including the ears and neck and chest. These areas tend to shed cells more frequently than the rest of the body, which can leave them sensitive and dry.

Although she’s a red carpet regular donning rhinestones and graphic liner, Sydney Sweeney has always prioritized a healthy, natural beauty routine. She’s a huge fan of Australian brands like Eco Tan, which produces tanning, face, and body products using ethically-sourced ingredients and donating a percentage of proceeds to not-for-profits around the world.

A skincare clinic is a great place to get expert advice on skin care. They can help reduce wrinkles and address other common concerns such as enlarged pores, uneven skin pigmentation, fine lines and sun damage. They can also recommend professional-grade skincare products that will help you maintain your results at home. To know more about Skin Care, visit the Peau Radiant Skin Care website or call 0452131286.

[anonsally]

Days 14-16 of Australia vacation: back in Sydney

On Day 14, we got up early to fly back to Sydney.

There were some nice views out the window of the plane, and we arrived early enough to go to the beach in the afternoon. On our way to the beach, though, we had to make a stop. Brother-in-law had found a Sydney funnelweb spider (which is the world's most venomous kind) in their outdoor shower, so he had captured it in a container to drop off so that the venom could be harvested for use in making the antidote. Eeek!

While we were looking for parking near the beach, I saw what the in-laws called an Australian bush turkey, though eBird calls it an Australian Brushturkey. The beach was pleasant; the others snorkeled and I just enjoyed being in the water for a bit and then did some tidepooling. I think I saw a sea slug! And there were medium-sized lizards called water dragons on some rocks on our way back to the car. It was nice to see some wildlife even in the city!

Unfortunately, right at bedtime I found some "wildlife" in the bedroom: a spider was perched on a corner of a cushion on the bed, and everyone else was already asleep. It was not a venomous spider, but I couldn't sleep with it on the bed, and I didn't want to wake anyone up. It took me a while to gather up all my courage to pick up the cushion from the other end and take it outside. But I did it!

Day 15 was our last day in Australia. We had a bit of a slow start. Sister-in-law had returned to work, and Brother-in-law had a work event in the morning but was joining us for lunch. We took the train (I saw what I think was a female Australasian figbird in a tree near the station) into town and took a little walk along the water in Barangaroo. Then we walked over to the Queen Victoria Building, where we had reserved a table for High Tea service at lunchtime with Brother-in-law; Sister-in-law joined us for a few minutes to say hello on a break from work. The Tea Room is a huge hall with fancy chandeliers, and it feels both silly and luxuriously indulgent to have a meal there. We ate an exquisite array of little sandwiches, pastries, and scones on ornate china, accompanied by tea (decaf Ceylon for me) and sparkling wine.

Afterwards, Wife and I visited the Powerhouse Museum, which had an eclectic mix of exhibitions on various industries, including a section on Indian textiles, a collection of clothing designed by Australian designer Carla Zambatti, and the first train engine to operate in Australia along with 3 restored passenger cars (1st class, 2nd class, and 3rd class).

Then we took the modern commuter rail back, and spent a little while hanging out in a small playground waiting for one of the in-laws to get home since we didn't have a key to the house. While there, I spotted a gray butcherbird, which is a species I hadn't seen yet.

We had a relaxed evening at home. Brother-in-law cooked a scrumptious dinner of risotto, chicken, and broccoli, and we looked at some photos from the trip.

On Day 16, we said goodbye to Sister-in-law before she left for work. We then spent the morning packing; we had to borrow an extra piece of luggage to fit everything. When we were getting ready to leave, I noticed a large bird up in a tree. I unpacked the binoculars to look at it and discovered that it was my first Pied Currawong!

Brother-in-law dropped us off at the airport. He had made arancini (fried risotto balls) from the leftovers from the previous night and put some in a box to bring along, so I had a nice snack on the plane. The flight home was 13 hours long; I dozed for much of it, and it was a good thing I had the arancini because the flight was too turbulent for the flight attendants to serve breakfast before landing! We arrived a few hours before our departure time due to crossing the International Date Line.

All in all, we had a great trip--it really felt like a vacation. I was intrigued to notice how very not interested in the urban sightseeing I felt, but most of the time we weren't in cities, and the scenery, wildlife, and birds were great. Somehow I managed to see at least one new species of bird on each day of the trip!

I don't know if I'll ever get a chance to go back to Tasmania, but if I do, I must find a way to visit Bruny Island for a full-on birdwatching tour.

[terrigalaustralia]

Prominent Position & Panorama Views

[vaastudesigners]

Vaastu Designers presents an exceptional opportunity for those seeking elegant and sophisticated townhouse living in the vibrant city of Melbourne. With their expertise in architectural design and a keen understanding of urban lifestyles, Vaastu Designers has crafted a collection of exquisite townhouse designs that perfectly balance style, functionality, and comfort.

[infinitenthq]

congratulations everyone, you’ve all made it to the very end of the tour ! we appreciate all the hard work our artists and staff have put into this journey, it’s been a long one but we haven’t been disappointed with the results. it’s officially our last stop though before heading back home so let’s conclude this the best way we know how — with a fantastic show. the final location of the tour is ; SYDNEY ! we’ve arrived at one of the most iconic cities in australia, also it happens to be the largest one. it’s home to famous attractions such as the sydney opera house and harbour bridge, however there’s many other must-see sights to explore with rooftop bars, theater shows, and designer shops at every corner, perfectly balanced with afternoon naps spent in the sand at cozy beaches ! take the sydney tower skywalk, offering the best panoramic view of the city with heights as tall as the eiffel tower. take a ferry of a 30-minute picturesque ride to manly beach, a relaxing paradise that also gives you access to outdoor markets, scuba diving, restaurants, surfing and lots more. being in a more relaxing city, we hope to take some weight off your shoulders even just a little as you continue to work hard during the tour’s final run, so enjoy and we’ll see you back home in just a couple weeks ! where: accor stadium (stadium australia) when: june 23 - july 7 capacity: 75k

[furnishdaus]

How To Bring Personality To Your Home With Interior Design

You've probably heard the phrase "home is where the heart is," but what if your heart is missing? A lot of us end up living in houses that aren't really who we are — they're just practical. It's time to bring personality back! With a few simple changes to an interior, you can give your home its own unique flair and make it feel like your very own with the help of Interior Design Companies in Sydney. Here are some easy ways to get started:

Update Your Wall Color

Now that you have a better idea of what kind of personality you want to project in your home, it's time to update the walls. Paint is one of the easiest ways to make an impact on the look and feel of any room in your house. Keep these things in mind:

Choose a neutral color for the walls--a warm gray or beige will complement most furniture styles and reflect light well, making it an ideal choice for spaces where there isn't much natural light. If you have more than one person living with you (or even if you're just looking for extra privacy), consider painting an accent wall with a bolder hue like red or purple--these colors can add warmth without drawing too much attention away from other aspects of decorating like artwork or rugs! Just remember that this kind of bold statement piece may require some maintenance down the line...and don't forget about upkeep costs when budgeting!

Consider how easy maintenance would be after purchasing new furniture pieces; while many types will require professional care (like leather upholstery), others won't need any special treatment beyond dusting off every so often (wooden frames). This is especially important if caring for kids around these items becomes necessary later on down life's journey - especially since many parents aren't able to find babysitters willing enough.

Invest In Statement-Making Art

If you're a fan of art, but not ready to invest in a painting or sculpture just yet, consider other ways you can bring personality to your home with interior design. For example, if you want to make a statement about your love for architecture and design (and who doesn't?), consider hanging up some architectural blueprints in the living room. Or if you want everyone who walks through your front door to know how much travel means to you--from faraway places and even closer ones like the beach down the street--hang up photos from all over the world that reflect your interests and experiences.

Refresh Your Furniture

If your furniture is starting to look a little worn, don't despair. It's easy to update your home with new pieces that will bring personality and life back into the space.

When choosing new furniture, keep in mind that neutral colors tend to be more versatile than bold ones. If you want an accent color or pattern on your walls or pillows, try using it sparingly so as not to overwhelm your room.

Mixing styles can also help make a room feel more interesting--just make sure they go together! For example: if you have a modern couch but want something more traditional for the coffee table in front of it (like an oval glass top), consider adding some fun geometric patterned pillows instead of going all-out with another piece of furniture that could clash with everything else in the room.

Conclusion

Whether you're a seasoned interior designers Sydney or just getting started, these tips will help you bring personality to your home. From updating your wall color to refreshing your furniture, there are so many ways to add unique style and charm!

Source Url: https://www.storeboard.com/blogs/business/how-to-bring-personality-to-your-home-with-interior-design/5603756

[familyhomebuildersydney]

Let Family Home Builders bring your home to the next level with a beautifully crafted extension. As the leading home extension builder in North Shore, Sydney, we use only the finest materials and skilled craftsmen to bring your vision to life. Whether you want to create more space, increase your home's value, or simply enjoy a new look, we are here to help.

[verticleblinds]

Why Zebra Blinds are Perfect for Maroubra Homes: A Guide to Modern Window Solutions

With its stunning coastline and laid-back atmosphere, Maroubra is one of Sydney’s most popular beachside suburbs. As a place where natural light and outdoor living are key components of daily life, the homes here require window treatments that complement both the coastal lifestyle and modern interior designs. Zebra blinds in Maroubra are the perfect solution, offering a unique blend of functionality and style to homes in Maroubra. Whether you want to control light, maintain privacy, or add a contemporary touch to your home, zebra blinds are an excellent choice.

Why Zebra Blinds Are Ideal for Maroubra Homes

Versatile Light Control

Zebra blinds are renowned for their innovative design, combining sheer and opaque stripes. This allows homeowners to adjust the amount of light entering their homes quickly. The alternating stripes provide the flexibility to let in soft, filtered light or create complete darkness when needed. For homes in Maroubra, where sunlight is a key feature, zebra blinds offer perfect light control without sacrificing style.

Sleek and Modern Design

The contemporary, clean lines of zebra blinds make them perfect for modern Maroubra homes. Available in various colours and materials, these blinds can complement any room’s décor, from minimalist apartments to family homes by the beach. Their modern appeal also makes them an excellent option for creating a chic, stylish look that suits Maroubra's relaxed yet trendy vibe.

Privacy with a View

With large windows often showcasing Maroubra’s stunning ocean views, maintaining privacy without blocking the view is essential. Zebra blinds strike the perfect balance, allowing you to enjoy unobstructed views of the outdoors while ensuring your privacy. The sheer sections allow light in, while the opaque sections provide the necessary privacy.

Benefits of Zebra Blinds for Maroubra’s Coastal Homes

UV Protection

Living by the beach means exposure to strong sunlight, and zebra blinds effectively protect your interiors from harmful UV rays. The opaque sections of the blinds block out a significant amount of UV light, helping preserve the condition of your furniture, flooring, and artwork.

Easy to Operate

Zebra blinds are simple to operate, allowing you to adjust the light levels easily. Many models come with a cord or chain mechanism, while others feature a motorised option for added convenience. For a modern and easy-to-use window treatment, zebra blinds are an excellent choice for Maroubra residents.

Installation and Maintenance Tips

Professional Installation

For a flawless finish, it’s recommended that professionals install zebra blinds. Expert installers ensure the blinds are perfectly aligned, working smoothly, and securely mounted.

Easy to Clean

Zebra blinds are relatively easy to clean and maintain. Regular dusting or a gentle wipe with a damp cloth will help keep them looking their best. For deep cleaning, consider professional services to ensure the blinds retain their appearance and function.

Conclusion

Zebra blinds offer a unique combination of style, functionality, and versatility for homes in Maroubra. Their ability to control light, provide privacy, and protect from UV rays makes them the perfect window treatment for beachside homes. With their modern design and ease of use, zebra blinds are an excellent addition to any room, enhancing both the aesthetic appeal and practicality of your Maroubra home. With proper care and maintenance, zebra blinds will continue providing beauty and functionality for years.