The glam home office

Working from home has an interesting set of challenges, not least of which is finding motivation. When it’s just you and your stapler at home, it’s easy to fall short. One of the simplest ways to motivate yourself into getting work done – and doing it well – is having an extraordinary environment to do it in. Forget boring office furniture and decorate yours with the same panache you would use in your lounge room. A fabulous chair, stylish shelving and a luxurious desk will go a long way towards getting an upbeat vibe.

Built between the trees

Sydney based architect Susan Rothwell is known for her eye for detail and passion for gardens in the natural habitat. Susan explains that this particular house in Palm Beach is a favourite, mainly because of it’s unique position on top of a hill with breathtaking views through tress and bushland to Pittwater on one side and Palm Beach on the other. The sitting room is an intimate area defined by the grouping of the furniture and neutral-toned carpet.

Nordic design

Modernist design from the ‘50s and ‘60s has established its popularity well over the past few years – from vintage pieces being revamped and restored to older designs being reproduced and sold in stores. Now, beautiful Norwegian-designed pieces are gaining momentum for 2010. The chair and rosewood sideboard are both from Vampt Vintage Design, whilst the cushions and fabric wall hanging are from Nordic Fusion.

Get outside

Australia is known for its sunny, outdoor lifestyle and, true to form, the latest trend is the outdoor room, which is transforming backyards across the country! The ideal outdoor room is an area that flows seamlessly from the indoor living area to the outside; blending together to create one continuous space.