#housenerd
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Photo
Our client partnering approach is unique to the construction industry. Putting our clients first and going the extra mile to meet deadlines and deliver exceptional homes is a small taste of what we do. Seeing our happy clients faces when we hand over the keys makes it all worth it. . . . . . . . #perth #perthisok #perthlife #perthlifestyle #perthstyle #perthtodo #perthwa #perthhomes #perthluxury #pertharchitecture #bespokehomes #perthbuilder #dreamhome #perthcustomhomes #perthdesigner #justanotherdayinwa #perthbuilders #perthrealestate #homegoals #perthproperty #designandconstruction #perthdesign #homedesign #designideas #perthhomebuilders #perthhomes #housenerd #luxuryhomedesign #design #pertharchitecture #wahomes #clientsfirst (at Subiaco, Western Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5jF8ZrFRM3/?igshid=1ataxypeewfks
#perth#perthisok#perthlife#perthlifestyle#perthstyle#perthtodo#perthwa#perthhomes#perthluxury#pertharchitecture#bespokehomes#perthbuilder#dreamhome#perthcustomhomes#perthdesigner#justanotherdayinwa#perthbuilders#perthrealestate#homegoals#perthproperty#designandconstruction#perthdesign#homedesign#designideas#perthhomebuilders#housenerd#luxuryhomedesign#design#wahomes#clientsfirst
0 notes
Text
A House Clean by Fantastic Services Review (and WIN a Clean!)
Have you ever had a house so messy you feel like you are going to scream? If that’s never been you, I envy you. (And how are you managing to achieve this?)
While we have had numerous fantastic once-off cleans and had a terrific weekly cleaner back when our first-born was a baby, for the past couple of years we haven’t had a cleaner. Unsurprisingly, with two kids now (and a hairy dog) our house also gets messier than ever.
I really don’t know why I get so stubborn and weird about hiring a cleaner, to be honest. In my mind I’m like – “Well, I’m at home, I’m lucky enough to work from home, too, we’ve got a Roomba too, surely I can manage to stay on top of the cleaning?” Or I think about how much hiring a cleaner costs, and I think, “Oh, for x amount of money we could put that away or do y, surely I can just bang out cleaning the bathrooms while the baby is having her nap.”
But then without fail, EVERY week I am exhausted from juggling two little kids and a job (not to mention cooking, cleaning, a dog and exercise).
To be quite honest, not so long ago, when Little Nerd was four and Miss Nerd was 18 months, we were in a spate of horrible 40-degree days, and I’d nearly had a meltdown at the state of our house and garden and my hubby (away on a job at the time) had suggested I hire someone just to come do a once-off clean. However, it was such an unsatisfactory experience it made me even more stubborn about “I can clean my own house myself!” This is what happened: a couple of friends suggested I use a fairly well-known site where you can advertise any sort of job that you need doing, write a little description of the task, share some photos, and state how much you’re happy to pay for it. Then you choose from the people who put their hand up. I put up an ad asking for someone to clean just our two bathrooms and vacuum and mop the floors; no need for them to do the kitchen or dusting. I picked a lady who said she had a professional cleaning business and had five star reviews, and arranged for her to come in first thing in the morning that weekend. She came in with her vacuum cleaner and tools and I took the kids and dog down to the river for a playdate, knowing that in our smaller house it would be easier for her to get the job done without them underfoot. I came home and the first thing I noticed was the floor. Small clods of matted, dog hair were stuck all over the floors. They’d obviously been wettened and now were drying and sticking to the floor. I can’t lie – I was miffed (and annoyed). I remember the cleaner had carried in her vacuum with her, but oddly, she started mopping just as I had herded the kids out of the house. I had dumbly just thought, ‘That’s strange and different, maybe that’s her method and she will vacuum and re-mop later after she’s done the bathrooms?’
I messaged her. “The bathrooms are spotless, but did you actually vacuum?” “Oh, no I didn’t vacuum, I just used the mop to pick up the dog hair,” came the reply. Who on earth – especially as a professional cleaner – thinks you can pick up dog hair with a wet mop? Even I, a cleaning rookie, know that’s a no-no. I sent the photos of the clods of not-picked-up dog hair, and can’t remember what I wrote back but let’s be honest it was probably something wildly passive aggressive. “Oh that does look bad doesn’t it?” came the reply to my photos of hair stuck all over the floors and to chair legs. Yes, it did. She did apologise, and offered to come back to “do the floors properly” during the week, but honestly, I just wanted it done properly the first time. I was so annoyed and just getting my two out of the house in the morning, at that time, was a mission and a half that normally resulted in shouting and tears (theirs, mostly, mine, sometimes). I vacuumed up the dog hair myself and vowed never to use that website again. I know, I know. It’s such a totally privileged first world problem (“the cleaner didn’t clean properly”) but I can’t lie, I was so tired at that time, and I was cross – that niggling feel when you feel like you have been nice (and had paid her promptly via the site without even seeing the house first) and had been taken advantage of.
So we just went on without a cleaner, me boring EVERYONE with the story of the cleaner who didn’t, stubbornly running myself ragged every day trying to keep up with the house, two little kids, a dog, cooking and a job, so intent that, “I can do it all myself.”
But the thing is, whenever I DO try to do it all myself – the cleaning, the gardening, the cooking-from-scratch – I feel like I end up sacrificing other things – like my own sanity and wellbeing. Like yeah, I might be ABLE to scrub my bathroom, but the whole time Miss Nerd will be whining or crying for my attention, and by the time the job is done we’re both stressed and unhappy. Really, rather than scrubbing the shower, I would rather be spending my weekend time pottering around with the kids in the garden or taking them out on a playdate – something we all enjoy. Something that fills my cup and theirs. I know from having had great house cleans that there is something great for your wellbeing when you have a clean, shiny house to live in.
That was when Fantastic Services, who pride themselves as being a sort of one-stop platform for people to book all kinds of home cleaning and maintenance services, emailed to ask if they could gift me a house spring clean or some other sort of service in return for a review on House Nerd. I had sinusitis at the time and felt like death on toast. However, you might be surprised to learn that I actually still hesitated – so put off was I by my experience with that other-website-we-shall-not-name!
Then I looked around at the current hovel that was my home, and realised I was guilty of tarring one with the same brush. After a closer inspection of the Fantastic Services website, I felt much more confident about responding with an excited, slightly desperate, “YES PLEASE” because I could see that they worked with only legit, approved cleaning businesses and specialists.
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
Their services don’t run to just house cleaning, by the way, they cover all kinds of things from pressure washing, carpet cleaning, gardening and odd jobs, etc. Price-wise for house cleaning, they are not the cheapest, but also not the most expensive I’ve come across either. Their hourly one-off cleaning rate is $45 per cleaner per hour without any discounts; for Fantastic Club members, who receive discounts and special offers, their fee is $41 per cleaner per hour. We had two cleaners for three hours which came to a little below $300 (we have a three bedroom, two bathroom house with no carpets). With the oven clean, it came to a little over $500 (we have a double oven). They list their prices for each type of service on their website to minimise any hidden surprises or time wasting, which I thought was good (you can see their prices here).
The cleaners came (two of them) and they were polite, professional and friendly. While they cleaned, I took Nala and the kids out for a play in the morning, then went to my mum’s, put the baby down, went for a nice long walk with Nala and my sister along the river and grabbed a takeaway coffee at one of my favourite cafes before returning home. Like, an ideal Saturday.
Fantastic Services had organised for our house to have a spring clean as well as an oven clean, something I’d never had before. Oven cleaning is another one of those household tasks where I’m always like, “I can do it myself.” Well, let me tell you. I have NEVER cleaned our oven to that standard. It looked like brand new. I don’t know what kind of voodoo they did to our oven but it absolutely sparkled. I was so impressed. Now I totally see why people spend money to get their ovens cleaned professionally.
The bathrooms were spotless, the floors were clean, the windows glowed and looked like they didn’t even have panes of glass in them. They had never been so clean in their window lives. I cannot even explain how even three weeks later, the windows have sort of STAYED cleaner than they have all those times I’ve painstakingly Karchered them myself (again, some sort of amazing cleaning repelling voodoo? These cleaners clearly knew tricks I didn’t). The house smelt pleasantly like eucalyptus oil (the cleaners Fantastic Services organised for my house prefer natural cleaning methods).
One of the fantastic Fantastic Services cleaners. KIDDING. It’s just my child slave, doing his favourite job.
After a hectic fortnight, I cannot explain to you how nice it was to have a proper Saturday, then sit back that night to a nice-smelling, freshly cleaned house – I didn’t even want to mess up the kitchen, so I treated myself to takeaway. It sounds so weird that a house clean would be my Saturday night ‘treat of choice’ as an adult in my 30s (I can see early 20s Maya shaking her head in sad disbelief at her future self) but trust me. Who needs flowers or chocolates or a massage? A super-clean house feels so very good. I felt so quietly relaxed. I have 2.2 kids, a marriage and a mortgage – but it’s having my house cleaned that makes me feel like I am A Real Mature Adult.
I’m thinking now of hiring someone through the site to pressure-wash our garden path – again, one of those tasks I could really do myself, if I wanted to – but sometimes it’s just nicer to stop trying to ‘do it all’ and take the pressure off. Er, no pun intended.
Thanks to Fantastic Services for gifting us this clean! If you register to join the Fantastic Club at this link (you must use this link!) and use the referral code ‘housenerd’, you’ll get a $20 credit to use off a clean or service. You can follow them too on Instagram @fantasticservices or Facebook.
WIN! A HOUSE CLEAN, DEEP OVEN CLEAN OR OTHER SERVICE FOR YOUR HOME – WITH A $200 FANTASTIC SERVICES VOUCHER
Have something around the house you’d love to have done for you? Whether you’re craving sparkling clean windows, your bathrooms need scrubbing or you would love your crusty oven brought back from the brink, you can win a $200 Fantastic Services voucher to spend on or put towards your dream home service. Leave home (if you can), relax a little and come back to a cleaner house.
All you have to be doing is follow Fantastic Services on Instagram @fantasticservices or Facebook and leave a comment below saying what you’d love to have done below. Don’t use social media? Let me know in your comment and don’t forget to include your email (not published) so I can contact you if you win!
Good luck!
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
● We provide a $200 worth voucher that can be used towards cleaning services from Fantastic Services. ● Won service to be delivered by three months from the draw. ● Valid for Sydney, Melbourne and Perth residents ONLY. ● Winners must be following Fantastic Services Instagram or Facebook account at the time of the prize draw. ● T&C and minimum charges apply. ● The prize does not have a cash equivalent and cannot be exchanged for another service. ● Prize cannot be regifted. ● If chosen service/s price exceeds voucher value, it is the client’s responsibility to cover the difference. ● Cannot be combined with any other deals and promotions. ● Subject to availability. ● Must be 18 years old to participate. ● If the won prize is not claimed by 48 hours after contacting the winner, a new winner will be drawn.
Competition drawn 11am Sunday September 13th.
The post A House Clean by Fantastic Services Review (and WIN a Clean!) appeared first on House Nerd.
from Home Improvement https://house-nerd.com/2020/08/18/win-a-house-clean/
0 notes
Photo
Via @empireexplorer - Then/Now The Jug Tavern Originally located along the Albany Post Road, it was built around 1760 as the home of tenant farmer, Peter Davis, who rented 200 acres of Philipsburg Manor. After the Revolutionary War, the Manor was confiscated by the Commissioners of Forfeitures because the Lord of the Manor, Frederick Philipse III, had been a loyalist during the war. It is not clear how the house got the name "Jug Tavern.” Nineteenth century owner, Nathaniel Garrison may have sold liquor by the jug, but he would have done it unlicensed since no record of a tavern license exists. The house was sold to the Town of Ossining and the Ossining Restoration Committee in 1975 before they transferred the deed to the non-profit corporation Jug Tavern of Sparta Inc. in 1976. Tell us your story and share your homes' photos at BrickStory.com. #BrickStory, #storystylesoul, #architecture #historicpreservation, #househistory, #architecture, #designer, #preservation, #historichome, #oldhouselove, #realestate #americanhome, #vintagelife, #americanhistory, #americanpride, #thisoldhouse, #ancestry, #thenandnow, #nowandthen, #oldpics, #realestatelife, #historicdistrict #housenerd, #tavern (at Jug Tavern)
#brickstory#storystylesoul#architecture#historicpreservation#househistory#designer#preservation#historichome#oldhouselove#realestate#americanhome#vintagelife#americanhistory#americanpride#thisoldhouse#ancestry#thenandnow#nowandthen#oldpics#realestatelife#historicdistrict#housenerd#tavern
0 notes
Photo
Flashback Friday to 2014 when I commented on this one for @housenerd and featuring @switch_homes #decoranddesign #dailyinspiration #dailystyle #dailypic #perthgram #perthigers #perth #perthdecorator #whiteonwhiteonwhite ✖
#perthgram#decoranddesign#perthigers#perth#whiteonwhiteonwhite#perthdecorator#dailyinspiration#dailystyle#dailypic
0 notes
Link
I just launched a micro-website about the new startup. Check it out on Houzz!
0 notes
Photo
We are so excited to announce that Cassari Group were a finalist for this years HIA Professional Small Builder Award. This was a first time entry for us and very honoured to be a finalist in the state. . . . #perth #perthisok #perthlife #perthlifestyle #perthstyle #perthtodo #perthwa #perthhomes #perthluxury #awardwinninghomes #pertharchitecture #bespokehomes #perthbuilder #dreamhome #perthcustomhomes #perthdesigner #justanotherdayinwa #perthbuilders #homegoals #perthproperty #designandconstruct #architecture #perthdesign #homedesign #dreamhome #perthhomebuilders #perthhomes #housenerd #luxuryhomedesign #design #pertharchitecture #hiamember (at Subiaco, Western Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5ZvMZKF3Zm/?igshid=1ryp57ipoho1q
#perth#perthisok#perthlife#perthlifestyle#perthstyle#perthtodo#perthwa#perthhomes#perthluxury#awardwinninghomes#pertharchitecture#bespokehomes#perthbuilder#dreamhome#perthcustomhomes#perthdesigner#justanotherdayinwa#perthbuilders#homegoals#perthproperty#designandconstruct#architecture#perthdesign#homedesign#perthhomebuilders#housenerd#luxuryhomedesign#design#hiamember
0 notes
Photo
SHHH... a sneak peak of our new restaurant project in Fremantle.... How cool is this artwork! . . . . #perth #perthisok #perthlife #perthlifestyle #perthstyle #perthtodo #perthwa #perthhomes #perthluxury #perthrestaurant #pertharchitecture #perthbuilder #perthdesigner #justanotherdayinwa #perthbuilders #perthrealestate #perthproperty #designandconstruct #architecture #perthdesign #designideas #grafittiart #housenerd #design #pertharchitecture #commercialconstruction #fitout #perthfitout #japaneserestaurant (at Fremantle, Western Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5Wba5slO2n/?igshid=1ql8znbax8wu8
#perth#perthisok#perthlife#perthlifestyle#perthstyle#perthtodo#perthwa#perthhomes#perthluxury#perthrestaurant#pertharchitecture#perthbuilder#perthdesigner#justanotherdayinwa#perthbuilders#perthrealestate#perthproperty#designandconstruct#architecture#perthdesign#designideas#grafittiart#housenerd#design#commercialconstruction#fitout#perthfitout#japaneserestaurant
0 notes
Photo
What a great morning to pour concrete for this new home. . . . . #perth #perthisok #perthlife #perthlifestyle #perthstyle #perthtodo #perthwa #perthhomes #perthluxury #awardwinninghomes #pertharchitecture #bespokehomes #perthbuilder #dreamhome #perthcustomhomes #perthdesigner #justanotherdayinwa #perthbuilders #perthrealestate #homegoals #perthproperty #designandconstruct #perthdesign #homedesign #designideas #dreamhome #homegoals #perthhomebuilders #perthhomes #housenerd #luxuryhomedesign #design #pertharchitecture #wahomes (at Cottesloe, Western Australia, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5T2NWWFKii/?igshid=7ja8353dbesa
#perth#perthisok#perthlife#perthlifestyle#perthstyle#perthtodo#perthwa#perthhomes#perthluxury#awardwinninghomes#pertharchitecture#bespokehomes#perthbuilder#dreamhome#perthcustomhomes#perthdesigner#justanotherdayinwa#perthbuilders#perthrealestate#homegoals#perthproperty#designandconstruct#perthdesign#homedesign#designideas#perthhomebuilders#housenerd#luxuryhomedesign#design#wahomes
0 notes
Photo
Slab cleaning and final checks before we pour. We always do a thorough clean of our suspended slabs to ensure the highest quality finish. . . . . #perth #perthisok #perthlife #perthlifestyle #perthstyle #perthtodo #perthwa #perthhomes #perthluxury #attentiontodetail #pertharchitecture #bespokehomes #perthbuilder #dreamhome #perthcustomhomes #perthdesigner #justanotherdayinwa #perthbuilders #perthrealestate #perthproperty #designandconstruct #architecture #perthdesign #concrete #dreamhome #homegoals #perthhomebuilders #perthhomes #housenerd #luxuryhomedesign #design #pertharchitecture #wahomes (at Cottesloe, Western Australia, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5SCWkrFDWp/?igshid=x2yjksqn4r8w
#perth#perthisok#perthlife#perthlifestyle#perthstyle#perthtodo#perthwa#perthhomes#perthluxury#attentiontodetail#pertharchitecture#bespokehomes#perthbuilder#dreamhome#perthcustomhomes#perthdesigner#justanotherdayinwa#perthbuilders#perthrealestate#perthproperty#designandconstruct#architecture#perthdesign#concrete#homegoals#perthhomebuilders#housenerd#luxuryhomedesign#design#wahomes
0 notes
Photo
Plumbing prelay done for this new home. Great work by the boys at @dynamicplumbinggas Thanks for your patience and attention to detail. Set out is so important. . . . . . #perth #perthisok #perthlife #perthlifestyle #perthstyle #perthtodo #perthwa #perthhomes #perthluxury #pertharchitecture #bespokehomes #perthbuilder #dreamhome #perthcustomhomes #perthdesigner #justanotherdayinwa #perthbuilders #perthrealestate #homegoals #perthproperty #designandconstruct #architecture #perthdesign #homedesign #bathrooms #dreamhome #homegoals #perthhomebuilders #perthhomes #housenerd #luxuryhomedesign #design #pertharchitecture #wahomes (at Cottesloe, Western Australia, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5CLy2RFgyz/?igshid=1rrojt7qhpuqz
#perth#perthisok#perthlife#perthlifestyle#perthstyle#perthtodo#perthwa#perthhomes#perthluxury#pertharchitecture#bespokehomes#perthbuilder#dreamhome#perthcustomhomes#perthdesigner#justanotherdayinwa#perthbuilders#perthrealestate#homegoals#perthproperty#designandconstruct#architecture#perthdesign#homedesign#bathrooms#perthhomebuilders#housenerd#luxuryhomedesign#design#wahomes
0 notes
Text
Make Your Home Beautiful with Bambury (and WIN a $500 Gift Voucher!)
If you are after one of the quickest, most affordable and also easiest ways to freshen up a bedroom or living space, I always think new cushions are a fail-proof way to go. Nothing brightens and lifts a space quite as easily! Add in a fresh new plant and you’ve treated your room or outdoor area to a speedy, mini facelift that will lift you up as you walk into it.
I keep cushion covers in our linen closet, and rotate them through the year. I buy what I love, and although I try to declutter our things often I find I rarely get rid of cushions. Yesterday a friend visited my house for the first time and commented on how pretty a cushion in our lounge room was – I told her I’d bought it about eight years ago! Although I LOVE following interiors trends (so much so I even write a weekly interiors trends and looks column for STM in The Weekend West) I still go by the ‘buy what you love’ rule. Trends will come and go, but if you buy what you really love, you’ll never go wrong, and you can usually find new ways to rework an ‘old’ trend into a new look. (I may make a small exclusion here for chevron… however, if you still love it, that’s the important thing!)
So I have a small library of cushion covers filed Marie-Kondo style in our linen closet, and I love pulling them out and using them again and again. When I first bought a couple of cushions from Bambury recently, I was blown away by their gorgeous – and very expansive – range of cushions and textiles. I was blown away a second time when I realised they are local – I’d never actually realised they a Perth-based company, I’d thought they were in Melbourne.
In fact, Bambury is one of Perth’s oldest – and most successful – textile companies. They have beautiful wares, and they’re run by a really nice group of people too. It’s probably quite obvious by now that I’ve always loved learning the stories behind start-ups (since I was a teenager, I used to cut clippings about businesses and business people that inspired me and saved them all in a folder). Well, Bambury began in 1994 in a Fremantle garage – just like many businesses do when they are starting out. It was a small wholesale business founded by now-managing director Andrew Lodge. Andrew was working in the sales within the textile industry. He saw a gap in the market for beautiful and individual wholesale products, and decided to manufacture his own.
It wasn’t long though before his product range of sheets and towels expanded and Bambury needed to find new premises – this time a warehouse in North Fremantle. Now 25 years later, Bambury have a vast range of products stocked across Australia and New Zealand – and amazingly, they’re still local! Their design team consists of Design Director, Amy Clarke, Textile Designer, Anne Campbell, and Graphics and Marketing Stephanie Harrison. “We are very proud to be a West Australian company,” Amy tells me. “There aren’t many textile businesses based here in WA and a lot of the industry and customers are located on the East Coast, however we have overcome all geographical challenges and have kept Bambury’s head office here in Perth.
“From very early on Andrew knew that design was going to play a key role in the business, it was to become Bambury’s strength and point of difference, and it still is today. All of our designing happens in our studio in Bibra Lake, in Perth’s south, not too far away from Fremantle.”
Recently Bambury experienced a big change as the company went from a wholesale-only business to an online retailer as well, delving into the world of social media too – which is how I actually stumbled upon them online, through their Instagram.
I couldn’t take my eyes off their beautiful images and brand photography, but what I liked too was that while they have so many on-trend cushions and throws (with their newest palettes featuring the latest hottest colour trends of dusty pinks, ochres, terracottas, burnt umbers, bracken, tinged mustards and army greens) they are still the kinds of pieces you can keep and style with for ages. And they’re easy to style with too – their feed alone gives you so many ideas for colour combinations and textures that work together. Their products range from cushions and throws to bed sheets, towels, bathroom products, rugs, ottomans, beach towels and bags, wall hangings, teatowels, pieces for outdoor living, exercise and things for kids.
It’s not a complete surprise that everything Bambury creates looks as complementary as it does – the design team have been working as a tight-knit team for almost eight years now. “Anna and I develop the prints and product ranges, while Stephanie works on photography, catalogues and marketing,” says Amy. “We have quite similar tastes, so we all work really well together.”
Styling and photography by @villastyling. Assistance from @rmcbuilderswife
The whole team is West Australian-born – Steph was born in Perth, Anna is from Fremantle and Amy grew up in Carnarvon and Bunbury. “We have all travelled a little over the years and lived in other places, but our families are here in WA – Perth (and Fremantle) is home,” says Amy. Each of the girls has a new home that they are all busy decorating and styling.
They design two main ranges a year. “When we first come together to discuss the next range, we usually have a few ideas that we have bookmarked to bring to the table,” says Amy. “These ideas might be as simple as a colour, a fabric we have collected from a trade show or a motif that we think will work; quite often it is an extension of the previous range. Like most creative people, your work never stops, you are always taking things in and on the constant lookout for exciting new ideas, trends and products. We sometimes attend overseas trade shows, and we make sure we keep on top of the latest design and interior trends.” After collating and editing ideas, they play with colour and drawings until they are happy that they have a good range.
“It’s hard to explain, but I do think gut instinct pays a big role too – if we all start noticing or loving something, there’s a good chance our customers will pick up on that soon too,” says Amy.
So what colours and textures are they predicting will be big in 2020? “Trends have been moving to warmer tones for a while now, beautiful terracotta and nude tones – this will continue for a while longer,” says Amy.
“It’s less about the grey and white Scandi look, and moving towards a colour palette with warm greys and natural earthy tones – think soft taupe rather than silvery grey. There’s also a really fun play with unexpected colour combinations such as terracotta and lilac, or ochre and blush pink.
Andy and Deb from The Block styled this gorgeous living room with a Miimi and Jinda painting and cushions from Bambury.
“There’s definitely a move to being more nature inspired, which is where olive greens come into play, as well as products that are more textural and artisan looking, a more hand-made look, like our macramé products.
“The 70s vibe is well and truly here for 2020, so lots of floral patterns with mustards and straw yellow tones – look out for our next range in March, it will feature some 70s-inspired brown velvet and corduroy!”
If you love interior design but have ever felt nervous about styling your own home, I completely understand – sometimes I take a while to choose things for my own home and like to play around with mini moodboards or Pinterest boards (like below!) other times I can make a decision in a snap (it gets easier the more you do it!)
And a common piece of feedback I get from House Nerd readers is that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when it comes to choosing things for our own homes. So how can you confidently choose pieces that you’ll really love in your own place?
“I think a room definitely needs to show the owner’s personality,” advises Amy. “Go with a colour palette that feels natural to you, don’t overwhelm yourself with colours you aren’t comfortable with. You don’t have to follow the latest trend, just keep it simple. If navy is what feels natural to you, go with it and pair it with a neutral tone like white or taupe or keep it really tonal, and create interest with different textures and fabrics.
“The other way to do it would be to start with something you already have, something that you love whether that’s a vase, or a cushion or a painting, use it as a starting point and add pieces that match it, but also items that just make you happy.” Maya x
The perils of styling with children about….
WIN! A $500 BAMBURY GIFT VOUCHER
The team at Bambury are really kindly giving me an epic competition prize for one lucky House Nerd, who’ll score a $500 Bambury gift card!
Think of all the gorgeous goodies you could get with this! Would you give your bedroomor guest room a stunning new look? Replace all your old bathroom towels? Refresh your living room with some beautiful new cushions or throws? Get kitted out with colourful new beach towels and beach bags for this scorching summer? Or maybe your kids rooms could do with some fun new cushions and bedsheets? The choice is totally up to you.
There are four ways you can gain entries into the draw:
Visit the Bambury website and leave a comment below telling me which piece you love from their range (1 entry).
Visit the Bambury website and sign up for their email newsletter (worth 5 entries).
If you’re on Facebook, follow both Bambury @BamburyPtyLtd and House Nerd @Housenerd (1 entry). Tag a friend on the Facebook competition post for an additional draw entry. One friend, one additional entry, five friends, five entries and so on.
If you’re on Instagram, follow both Bambury @bambury and House Nerd @housenerd (1 entry). Tag a friend on the Instagam competition post for an additional draw entry. One friend, one additional entry, five friends, five entries and so on.
COMPETITION RULES:
Winner will be drawn Jan 10th, 2019. There is a complete release of Instagram and Facebook by each entrant. Promotion in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by or associated with Instagram or Facebook. Competition open only to people living in Australia or New Zealand.
Good luck!
The post Make Your Home Beautiful with Bambury (and WIN a $500 Gift Voucher!) appeared first on House Nerd.
from Home Improvement https://house-nerd.com/2019/12/15/bambury-win-a-500-gift-voucher/
0 notes
Video
instagram
All clean and ready for concrete! #perth #perthisok #perthlife #perthlifestyle #perthstyle #perthtodo #perthwa #perthhomes #perthluxury #qualitybuilder #pertharchitecture #bespokehomes #perthbuilder #dreamhome #perthcustomhomes #perthdesigner #justanotherdayinwa #perthbuilders #perthrealestate #homegoals #perthproperty #designandconstruct #architecture #perthdesign #homedesign #designideas #dreamhome #homegoals #perthhomebuilders #perthhomes #housenerd #luxuryhomedesign #pertharchitecture #wahomes (at Cottesloe, Western Australia, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5SFQ8-FTVb/?igshid=s8l7tdz6p74z
#perth#perthisok#perthlife#perthlifestyle#perthstyle#perthtodo#perthwa#perthhomes#perthluxury#qualitybuilder#pertharchitecture#bespokehomes#perthbuilder#dreamhome#perthcustomhomes#perthdesigner#justanotherdayinwa#perthbuilders#perthrealestate#homegoals#perthproperty#designandconstruct#architecture#perthdesign#homedesign#designideas#perthhomebuilders#housenerd#luxuryhomedesign#wahomes
0 notes
Video
instagram
Top steel going in. Nearly ready to pour this slab. #perth #perthisok #perthlife #perthlifestyle #perthstyle #perthtodo #perthwa #perthhomes #perthluxury #pertharchitecture #bespokehomes #perthbuilder #dreamhome #perthcustomhomes #perthdesigner #justanotherdayinwa #perthbuilders #perthrealestate #homegoals #perthproperty #designandconstruct #architecture #perthdesign #homedesign #designideas #dreamhome #homegoals #perthhomebuilders #perthhomes #housenerd #luxuryhomedesign #design #pertharchitecture #wahomes (at Cottesloe, Western Australia, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5HTgJ-lPUp/?igshid=mojz6sy6rggg
#perth#perthisok#perthlife#perthlifestyle#perthstyle#perthtodo#perthwa#perthhomes#perthluxury#pertharchitecture#bespokehomes#perthbuilder#dreamhome#perthcustomhomes#perthdesigner#justanotherdayinwa#perthbuilders#perthrealestate#homegoals#perthproperty#designandconstruct#architecture#perthdesign#homedesign#designideas#perthhomebuilders#housenerd#luxuryhomedesign#design#wahomes
0 notes
Text
Spring Cleaning Tips with Max Kater – and WIN an Epic Murchison-Hume Prize Pack!
If you’re like most people, the very mention of the words “spring cleaning” makes you want to dive under the covers and hope for six more weeks of winter. Decluttering, doing a deep clean of your whole house, knocking off all those cobwebs to get your outdoor area ready for the warmer weather… we all know spring cleaning is a great idea, a fresh start to welcome the warmer weather (and discover horrible half-eaten apples left under the sofa by the baby, as I did the other day) but getting it done isn’t always so fun. However, you CAN make spring cleaning much more bearable, and today I’m sharing the tips of none other than green cleaning products expert and Murchison-Hume founder and CEO, Max Kater, a mother of two.
A little Murchison-Hume in our laundry.
Murchison-Hume CEO Max Kater.
When I think of Max Kater, I have in mind the ‘original’ green cleaning products mastermind. She was onto this stuff LONG before most people were even aware that a ton of commercial cleaning products can have chemical nasties in them. She actually started Murchison-Hume when she realised that her youngest son had inherited her allergic sensitivities to common cleaning and bath products. His skin would react even to the products on the market that were labelled “eco-friendly”.
The crux came when Max pulled Charlie out of the bath she had just cleaned one day – his poor skin was red from the waist down, exactly on the water line. Max vowed to find a safe, plant-based cleaning product that worked, and when she didn’t, she decided to make her own!
Like many people who start a hugely successful business, it all began when Max saw a niche, and since its conception in 2011, Murchison-Hume is a massive company with an library of incredible safe, plant-based products, and they’ve expanded to the U.S, where Max and her family are now based.
If you follow my Instagram or have even just seen a few of our room makeovers on this blog; you might have picked up on my love for Murchison-Hume’s very pretty amber-tinted bottles. These are cleaning and beauty products that look so nice you actually don’t mind leaving their iconic brown bottles out on display – they make your room look better!
Picture by @caro_kmartin.
You want Paw Patrol? You know the drill.
But better yet their products actually work, and they smell good enough to drink (but don’t, even though they’re made from non-toxic ingredients). Our laundry cupboard is full of Murchison-Hume products, and even our four-year-old son uses them – he loves to wipe down the benchtops and cupboards for me with his rag and the Counter Intelligence Spray. And because the products are non-toxic, I feel a little less guilty about the child slavery being practised in this house. (I’m KIDDING. I never felt guilty in the first place). But seriously, I think it’s good to try to get kids involved with chores when they’re little, and he loves that I let him use a specific ‘grown-up’ cleaning product. (We have a rule in my house – he is sometimes allowed to have screen time while the baby has her nap, but he has to clean up first – it’s a win-win!)
I have also always liked the Murchsion Hume company ethos. Their products are 100% cruelty-free, palm oil free (you can read about their ingredients on their site – they’re very transparent – and their containers are made from glass and recyclable PET plastic, with many products designed to be refilled and reused. The products make nice gift ideas. And the MH team are really nice people to boot! I’m a fan.
So, back to spring cleaning. “A good seasonal deep clean and clear-out gives back in countless ways that actually make your life better,” says Max. “But the hardest part is knowing where to start.” So today she’s sharing her easy-to-follow tips to help you navigate your seasonal cull and clean. “You can get it all done without getting overwhelmed and at the end you’ll be rewarded with a happier, healthier and more stress-free home,” she says.
AND if you need the perfect dose of motivation, Murchison-Hume are very generously giving one lucky House Nerd the most epic spring cleaning prize pack!
You can score every single MH product pictured here – make sure you check it out at the end of the post. I can guarantee that even the most reluctant cleaner won’t mind doing some cleaning when it’s with products that smell as amazing as these!
TIPS FOR EASY SPRING CLEANING – FROM MURCHISON-HUME CEO MAX KATER
1. Step one. Get your cleaning kit together. Everyone knows that a job is easier when you have the right tools. We recommend our Clean Starter Kit plus some specialty cleaners for furniture and stainless steel. A few good brushes, mops and lint-free cleaning cloths will help too.
Try and keep everything together in an organised cleaning caddy. You might like to make it easy on yourself by keeping a small one under every sink, so you can easily maintain it and don’t have to lug one around all the time. (Murchison-Hume also have these great bamboo caddies – I have one under my laundry sink – Maya).
2. Now. Let’s set the mood. We highly recommend cleaning to music. It just makes everything more fun and feel less like hard work!
Photo by Amy Bartlam. Design by Jennifer Muirhead Interiors.
3. Tackle the big jobs first, that means windows. The thing about windows is that you don’t really see them…you feel them. Once they are done, everything looks brighter, more cheerful and just…better. If possible, choose a cloudy day (or early morning) to tackle the windows, as a hot sun can dry them faster than you can, leaving those nasty streaks. Once you are inside you can take it room by room.
4. Work from top to bottom. Start with a general tidy up. Open the windows. Even if it’s chilly outside, all rooms benefit from a blast of fresh air! Bang cushions together and drag them outside if it’s sunny. Vacuum under the sofas and move things around. It’s amazing where dust can accumulate! You should be good and warm by now.
5. Dusting down: Once the cushions have had a good vacuum and airing, spritz all the surfaces with our Furniture & Upholstery Cleaner and wipe them down with a clean, lint-free towel.
After dusting, it’s time to strip the beds completely bare and let the mattresses and pillows breathe a bit. You can use our furniture cleaner on them too, just let air dry before making them again. It’s a good idea to have at least two of everything for each bed (including mattress & pillow protectors) so there is always one set ready for service while the other is being laundered.
6. Scrub your surfaces. The kitchen and bathrooms will be your biggest challenge (but also your biggest pay-off area). Start by removing all of the towels and throwing them in the laundry. Carefully remove everything off the counters and give them all a good scrub.
7. De-clutter. If like us you have zero patience for trying to find something you need, your favourite seasonal activity will be re-organising the drawers & cupboards. Throw out all the half-empty shampoo bottles and out of date medications.
Check the junk and utility drawers and toss out dried up pens, used batteries and all of the assorted stuff that’s clogging your life.
Finish with the mirrors and stainless surfaces. Once your reflective surfaces are good and gleaming, you are nearly done. (The Murchison Hume team – and I – loved the Marie Kondo show Tidying Up on Netflix – make sure you check it out if you’re after some decluttering motivation! You won’t be able to help yourself).
From @donnaguylerdesign.
8. Do the floors last. Dirty floors, like dirty windows aren’t immediately obvious, but you really do feel the difference when they are clean! For the best results, you’ll want to sweep or vacuum first before mopping.
Please don’t make the rookie mistake of boxing yourself into a corner. Clear the floor as much as possible by removing small furniture, trashcans, and rugs before you start. Work from the farthest corner to your exit.
We don’t even bother with a traditional sponge mops anymore. A good floor cleaner in a trigger spray mop is much easier and faster than traditional mopping.
Make yourself a hot cup of tea and leave it just outside the room you are working in. You’ll be done before it cools.
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
9. Stand back and admire your handiwork. Reward yourself with a nice hot bath or shower and your skin will be glowing from your exertions!
Now that you’re done, the house will be clean and fresh and so much more comfortable. Happy Spring!
WIN! The Ulimate Murchison-Hume Spring Cleaning Prize Pack
To get one lucky House Nerd in a spring cleaning mood, Murchison Hume are kindly giving away the most amazing army of their cleaning products. One lucky nerd will score all of these beautiful products for their home.
Win all the products pictured here!
Classic Six Set
• Bamboo Caddy (RRP $30) • 500ml Boys’ Bathroom Cleaner (Original Fig – RRP $14) • 500ml Premium Glass & Mirror Polish (Original Fig – RRP $14) • 500ml Spit & Polish Stainless Steel Cleaner (Original Fig – RRP $14) • 500ml Everyday Furniture & Upholstery Cleaner (Original Fig – RRP $14) • 500ml Counter Intelligence All-Surface Spray (Original Fig – RRP $14) • 500ml Effortless Floor Cleaner (Original Fig – RRP $14)
For The Kitchen
• Porcelain Tray (RRP $20) • Signature Amber Glass Bottle Heirloom Dish Soap (Australian White Grapefruit – RRP $40) • Superlative Hand Soap (Japanese Quince – RRP $20) • Velvet Glove Hand Cream (Japanese Quince – RRP $25)
For The Laundry
• Porcelain Tray (RRP $20) • Everything Laundry Soap (Basil | Mandarin | Kale – $RRP $25) • Garment Groom (Australian White Grapefruit – RRP $14) • Porcelain Laundry Cup (RRP $15)
You can enter in one of three easy ways:
If you’re entering on Instagram:
Follow House Nerd @housenerd and Murchison-Hume @murchisonhume and tag a friend for entry. One friend, one entry, five friends, five entries… you get the idea.
If you’re entering on Facebook:
Follow House Nerd @housenerd and Murchison-Hume @murchisonhume and tag a friend for entry. One friend, one entry, five friends, five entries.
OR just leave a comment with your own cleaning or decluttering tip on this blog post with your full name (and don’t forget to include your email address, which stays private).
Winner drawn Friday 18th October and notified by email. Entry open to residents of Australian only. Good luck! Maya x
The post Spring Cleaning Tips with Max Kater – and WIN an Epic Murchison-Hume Prize Pack! appeared first on House Nerd.
from Home Improvement https://house-nerd.com/2019/10/06/spring-cleaning-murchison-hume-win/
0 notes
Text
How to Make An Amazing Succulent Bowl
If you have ever admired a pretty succulent bowl but thought they looked too tricky to make one at home (or that you’d kill it anyway) I have good news! Succulent bowls are super-easy to put together; and even if you’re a total black thumb with plants, you can keep one alive and thriving, I promise.
Now I’m no gardening expert and I’m sure there will be lots of right ways and wrong ways to make succulent planters, but this is what I tend to do and it has always worked out, so today I’m going to give you my tips. One of the best things about succulents, aside from their huge amount of variety, it that they are really hardy and resilient, so if you’ve never tried to grow them and have always wanted to, I hope I can inspire you to give it a crack.
The other day I was talking about how I think hobbies for adults – especially parents – are so important and I rambled on about how much I love succulents and what a nice pastime planting succulent bowls has been for me while I watch the kids. I’ve made so many now! (Succulent bowls, not kids. Just two for me thanks).
I think I’m slightly addicted but I love mucking around with plants – it is a relaxing, slow, relatively mindless thing you can do with your hands while being able to keep one eye on the kids. Succulents are very forgiving, so if there are sudden murderous screams coming from your children over a Paw Patrol toy and you need to abandon ship in haste, your forgotten plant isn’t going to die because you’ve accidentally dropped it (probably not, anyway!)
I think a nice succulent bowl looks terrific on a table or on a windowsill – and they’re great things to keep around for presents, like host/hostess gifts. Ever been off to a friend’s house for dinner and you’re running late and you’d normally bring a bottle of wine but you realised you’ve already drunk all the wine you had while watching bad TV? (Totally understandable). Grab a plant instead. Wine and plants are great gifts, always. Like who is ever like, “It’s ok, I have enough wine and/or plants.” (Who says that? No one worth being friends with). Little Nerd, who’s four – loves to make succulent bowls with me too. He’s also a dab hand at quickly filling my trolley at the nursery with plants I wasn’t really intending on buying, but hey, it all works out.
So let’s get started!
HOW TO MAKE A SUCCULENT BOWL – MY TIPS
Find your bowls or planters. These can get pricy, but I always find Kmart has a nice range of very affordable pots and planters, Bunnings has some nice little terracotta pots, people on Facebook Marketplace or at markets often sell them cheaply. Whatever you get, try to get one with a hole/holes on the bottom for drainage.
These basic black bowls are $7 from Kmart.
You can even find free planters! I keep an eye out at markets for pots and bowls and for vergeside collections because lots of people throw out old pots or things that could make cute planters – look at this old mid-century letterbox I found on the side of the road, it made a perfect succulent planter.<blockquote class=”instagram-media” data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=”https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp1kjUJBoO6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading” data-instgrm-version=”12″ style=” background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% – 2px); width:calc(100% – 2px);”><div style=”padding:16px;”> <a href=”https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp1kjUJBoO6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading” style=” background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;” target=”_blank”> <div style=” display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;”> <div style=”background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;”></div> <div style=”display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;”> <div style=” background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;”></div> <div style=” background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;”></div></div></div><div style=”padding: 19% 0;”></div> <div style=”display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;”><svg width=”50px” height=”50px” viewBox=”0 0 60 60″ version=”1.1″ xmlns=”https://www.w3.org/2000/svg” xmlns:xlink=”https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink”><g stroke=”none” stroke-width=”1″ fill=”none” fill-rule=”evenodd”><g transform=”translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)” fill=”#000000″><g><path d=”M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631″></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style=”padding-top: 8px;”> <div style=” color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;”> View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style=”padding: 12.5% 0;”></div> <div style=”display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;”><div> <div style=”background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);”></div> <div style=”background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;”></div> <div style=”background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);”></div></div><div style=”margin-left: 8px;”> <div style=” background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;”></div> <div style=” width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)”></div></div><div style=”margin-left: auto;”> <div style=” width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);”></div> <div style=” background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);”></div> <div style=” width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);”></div></div></div></a> <p style=” margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;”> <a href=”https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp1kjUJBoO6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading” style=” color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;” target=”_blank”>My friend Katie and I went verge hunting and we found this cute broken terrazzo letterbox in front of a mid-century house in Melville. I hefted it home and filled it with succulents I was going to paint it black but now I think I'll leave it. #needsucculentemoji . . . . . #plantnerd #housenerd #home #succulents #succulentbowl #potplants #indoorplants #greenlove #terrazzo #letterbox #recycle #deck # #reloved #thrifting #vergehunting #kerbside #vergepicking #midcenturymodern #midcentury #mailbox #homeblogger #gardeningwithkids</a></p> <p style=” color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;”>A post shared by <a href=”https://www.instagram.com/housenerd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading” style=” color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;” target=”_blank”> House Nerd | Maya Anderson</a> (@housenerd) on <time style=” font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;” datetime=”2018-11-06T11:22:33+00:00″>Nov 6, 2018 at 3:22am PST</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async src=”//www.instagram.com/embed.js”></script>
You don’t have to do this step, but I like to add a bottom layer of rocks at the bottom of your pot for drainage – I just use that cheap bluestone.
Succulents usually tend to like well-draining, slightly more sandy soil, but they are not fussy. I’ve used both soil just dug up from our garden and specialist succulent soil/potting mix – both have worked fine.
You know how you buy some plants or seedlings from the nursery and the little tag tells you to space them 25 – 30cm apart. Succulents are different – you CAN squish them together. They don’t mind it! So go for it. You don’t need to plant baby ones and wait until they grow big, as you create your DIY succulent bowl, you can plant them all quite tightly up against each other.
Don’t overwater succulents, they hate having really soggy roots. Think about where most succulents are from – really dry environments. It makes sense that they don’t like being overwatered. I tend to give mine a light misting with the hose every few days, but they can go for longer without being watered.
You can generally tell by looking at the leaves, or gently touching them, if your plant needs water. If the leaves look a little puckered, or you gently squeeze a leaf and it feels soft and squishy, it needs watering. If the leaf is firm, it should be fine.
Keep your succulent bowl in a well-lit place – in sun or under a patio with indirect sun is great.
You can add a layer of gravel or small riverstones on top, but this is just a matter of preference. It can look nicer and stop dirt splashing up onto the leaves.
The Golden Rule! I think I’m too stubborn so I don’t like ‘rules’ in general when it comes to plants (create what you like to look at!) but one ‘rule’ I’ve heard about making succulent bowls is, “You need a thriller, a filler, and a spiller.” So if you think about it, a thriller would be something kind of speccy or strange or sculptural, a filler to me is like echeveria or graptopetalum, and a spiller is a tumbling variety that will spill over the edge of your bowl.
My sister messaged me a photo the other day with all her newly-bought succulents and an empty bowl on her outdoor table and went “HELP. What do I do now.” Like I said, I don’t really like ‘rules’ for things that are meant to be just for pleasure, but I think if you feel a little hesitant, a good way to start off is by putting one larger, taller, more spectacular (or spiky! Like an aloe… or try something like a haworthia) plant just off-centre in the middle of your bowl. Then I’d put a big rosette-looking type of succulent – the ones that kind of look like flowers (like aeoniums – aeonium dinner plate, Black Rose, or Lily Pad, or echeveria or sempervivum) close by it, also off-centre. There’s something about the neat symmetry of a rosette that looks so nice next to something big and sculptural. And then I’d add in a few more rosette-types or sedeveria and frilly little succulents around the edges (where you can also plant your ‘spiller’, the trailing succulents that tumble over the edges, like donkey’s tail, string of pearls.
Lots of succulents are toxic to children or pets if they eat the leaves – so just exercise caution if you have a pet or child that puts plants in their mouth. Our dog has never eaten plants, neither has our little boy (now four year old) but our one-year-old girl puts everything under the sun into her mouth and is also seriously destructive so I keep our succulent planters well out of her reach!
Lastly, have fun! I think playing around with succulents kind of feels like you’re making a living artwork. And just like art, I don’t think you can go too wrong. If you put one in and you don’t like where you’ve put it, or you go a few weeks and it doesn’t seem too happy in its bowl, you can just take it out again and put something else in. Succulents can handle tough love.
Need to get your succulent stocks up? Here are some cool places in Perth you can get succulents on the cheaper end of the scale.
WHERE TO BUY SUCCULENTS IN PERTH
Andrew’s Succulents in Neerabup Blooming Good Succulents in Wanneroo Farmers Markets on Manning at Clontarf every Saturday morning Melville Rotary Markets on Sunday mornings
Zerascapes in North Fremantle No Vo’s Home Nursery, Leeming
And if you don’t fancy making a succulent bowl but would love to buy one, here are some terrific small businesses that sell gorgeous ones – how spectacular is this picture of one at Andrew’s Succulents?
PERTH SUCCULENT BOWL SELLERS
I Wet My Plants @i_wet_my_plants_ Pretty Little Thingz Succulents @prettylittlethingz_succulents Andrew’s Succulents @andrewssucculents The old Italian lady at Melville Markets Perth Succulent Bowls No Vo’s Home Nursery
Have fun! Let me know if you make one! Maya x
The post How to Make An Amazing Succulent Bowl appeared first on House Nerd.
from Home Improvement https://house-nerd.com/2019/09/15/how-to-make-a-succulent-bowl/
0 notes