Log Side Tables

This week marks the start of our storm season with a collection of palm fronds, branches and seeds already littering my garden courtesy of a recent hail storm. If you do come across a tree stump or fallen tree wide enough to make a side table, instead of disposing of it why not make a piece of furniture from it like these lovely log side tables below? 

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This white washed log side table by The Dharma Door has been made from rainforest establishment trees in the Byron Bay Hinterland. Gum trees were originally planted to create a canopy to allow rainforest remnant seedlings to grow. When the Gum trees have served there purpose the trees are cut down and made into furniture. What a great idea!  AU $299.00 from The Dharma Door

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A little more rustic but I also love these painted tree-stump stools by designer Marie-Laure Helmkampf.

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If you fancy making your own, here is a great DIY instruction project from Curbly to transform your tree trunk into a coffee table.

I will be keeping an eye out this season as I need a few side tables for my bedroom.

Have fun.

Recycled Burlap Coffee Sack Ideas

Last weekend I went to see a cafe that I designed called Kiva Han in Mermaid Beach. 

I am quite excited about this project as there are many interior design elements that are recycled, reused leftovers or adaptations. I will post in detail later this week about the design and refurbishment.

They roast and grind their own beans on site, so while I was behind the roasting area I was able to grab some of their used coffee bean bags. They smell great! All I need now is to decide on what I shall recycle them into; cushions, outdoor bench seating or a couple of ottomans?

image via Houzz

image via Better Living Through Design 

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Latest Interior Design by ifdesign :: The New Wardrobe, Brisbane

I am so excited to tell you that one of our latest projects, a new women' s fashion store called The New Wardrobe, opens this Friday here in Oxford Street, Bulimba.

I was approached by the owners Lisa Norman & Maree Diamond to come up with an interior concept using natural colours and materials that reflects the feel of a walk-in wardrobe.

An early design style mood board

The store itself is a cute size so the next challenge was to create a store that felt brighter and more spacious. To do this we kept the joinery lightweight in look, used glass for some of the shelving, made the clothing, rear wall and central table the focus of the room and introduced plenty of mirrors. The use of a natural colour palette for the materials and finishes also helped to keep the room looking light and welcoming.

An early sketch of the shopfront

A sketch of the proposed interior design

Rather than selecting mass produced furniture Lisa & Maree had a fun time sourcing reclaimed and second hand furniture from the Woolloongabba Antique Centre and Brisbane Fabric Market. A few of these items were then re-upholstered for a fresh new look.

Shoe lasts and recycled furniture

For some of the smaller details timber shoe lasts were sourced from a small shoe making business in New Zealand and used as feature display mounts. Black cord was also used to make the drawer handles and timber from Dwyers Recycled Yard was used to make the mirror frames.

The store finished and ready to shop!

The use of low VOC paints for the walls, wood wash from Porters Paints for the display cabinets, 100% wool carpet for the central floor finish, recycled timber for the feature table and recessed LED lights were used to create a healthier, sustainable and low energy environment.

This has truly been a self build with a lot of love put into the construction as vast amounts of the store fit out has been implemented by Lisa, Maree and their supportive families.

This approach has given a small space a new lease of life with a strong identity and with the added bonus of reducing their energy and fit-out costs. 

If you are in Brisbane this week and would like first dibs at their gorgeous selection of clothing and shoes click here for information on the opening day this Friday.

I wish both Lisa and Maree all the best with their new business venture and an exciting journey as one of Brisbane's new fashion retailers.

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Recycled Upholstery Chairs & Poufs

How about these Drops chairs and poufs for recycled inspiration... This lovely idea is by a Norway based furniture designer Camilla Hounsell Halvorsen.

images via Khio

These chairs are made from inner tubes wrapped with recycled upholstery fabric. As the tube seat is not attached to it's frame it can be tilted for comfort or removed and used as a pouf.

It just goes to show it's worth keeping all the scraps of fabric!

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Green Furniture Upholstery Fabric Alternatives :: Knitted Stools

I happen to agree that reupholstering furniture is a quick and easy way to bring new life to an old piece of furniture and make a basic piece of furniture look amazing. 

Also it does not have to stop with recovering chairs, you could recover stools, make a new headboard, transform an ugly ottoman, recover old cushions, beanbags, the list goes on...

Also there is no reason why you could not use these fabric alternatives:

• Vintage curtains


• Old covers for sofas


• Thick felt blankets


• Old thick clothes like denim


• Knitted wool

So following on from last weeks knitted lamps I found these lovely knitted stools. 

Created by Claire-Anne O'Brien these stools are a texture mix of hand and machine knit stitches inspired by the elements of the knitted stitch itself such as rings and loops. 

image from Claire-Anne O'Brien

Also these Urchin Poufs designed by Christian Meindertsma are hand knit in the Netherlands using wool from a New Zealand and when you purchase your stool you get a card identifying where the sheep flock came from!

images from  Christian Meindertsma 

They are so inviting don't you just want to sit on them all?

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Decorating With Ladders :: In The Bathroom

I am now looking at the fun decorative part of my bathroom renovation and have always wanted to incorporate ladders in a bathroom. 

They are great a piece of furniture that can be both practical and decorative, act as storage for towels or as a simple towel rack. 

Easy to find, cheap to recycle and they make a nice decorative DIY project. 

I am just loving these below...

images from Pinterest, Remodelvista & Pottery Barn

I just have to find space for them...

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Kitchen & Dining Room Furniture Ideas :: Timber Stools

What if we could create a beautiful piece of furniture from a forest weed? 

A local Queensland furniture designer has done just that.

Designed by a local Queenslander Darcy Clarke, these stools are made from Champor Laural timber and fully recyclable plastic (moulded from the timber stool). These simple stools have a natural honest charm reminiscent of camp fire logs. 

They also come in a variety of colours and can work in a wide range of situations like kitchen stools, dining room seats and outdoor furniture. 

I love the timber with the yellow stools!

images from darcyclarke

Also there is no need to worry about the source of the timber because in SE Queensland, Champor Laural is classed as a weed, and is threatening the native blue gums which is home to our Koalas.

You can see more of Darcy's designs at darcyclarke.com

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Dining Room Design Ideas :: Recycled Timber Tables

It's amazing what you can create from a pile of timber off-cuts. 

Pacha Design, a design and make partnership based in the UK, do just that! They specialise in creating simple pieces of modern furniture from waste timber and natural materials sourced from local shipyards, skips, farms and storm damage.

This rustic table and bench set are made from a mixture of recycled oak finished with a hard wax oil and cornish slate for the seat.

From timber off-cuts to pieces of furniture

In addition to furniture they also make some beautiful natural accessories like these recycled timber mirrors, artwork and delicate leaf skeleton tea lights. 

all images and designs by Pacha Design

They also have a blog if you want to keep an eye on their latest creations!

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Recycled & Up-cycled Furniture :: Grand Designs Live 2011, London

There were a few furniture design companies at the show but these three recycled furniture designers / businesses really caught my eye as all three have a very different approach to recycled and up-cycled furniture design. Hope you enjoy...

Wind-felled Salvaged Timber Furniture

Firstly, the beauty in Jonathan fields work is that each piece of furniture is made from wind-felled salvage timber and inspired by the grain and cut of the timber. 

With each piece of timber being hand selected and designed around the shrinkage cracks, burrs and line of the grain for the right look and minimal wastage. 

With this in mind each piece tells a unique story and celebrates the age and history of the tree.

images via Jonathan Fields

Old Boat Furniture

This company aptly named Old Boat Furniture supply furniture to any design and colour combination, recycling timber furniture from no longer seaworthy fishing boats sourced from around South East Asia.

Each piece is slightly different thus making a new unique piece of furniture with both character and history.

images via Old Boat Furniture

'Once a Door' chairs by Claire Danthois Designs

Finally, this chair is bespoke up-cycling at its finest! Old doors, landfill recycled timber and old pew seats are used to create this new piece of furniture. 

Claire even makes sure that old markings from the previous use of the wood are not covered. 

For more recycled and up-cycled chair ideas check out Claire Danthois Designs.

image via Claire Danthois Designs

Have fun.