Every Thursday without fail, I make sure I obtain a copy of the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH). I could be interstate, OS or even unable to venture down to the local newsagents. Somehow, someway, whether by bribing family members, begging co-workers or ringing the newsagent, I always get Thursday’s edition. I once forgot to purchase it & out of sheer desperation, put out a plea on a national forum & begged for someone to find a previous Thursday SMH to post to me.
Why such antics you may ask? Well, I’ll let you in on the reason for my compulsion/addiction/obsession. Thursday is the day that the SMH has the fabulous Essential Style lift out included.
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| The SMH Essential Style lift out This little gem of a lift out has a fantastic editorial & writing staff. The Source by Melissa Penfold (or as it happened this week, by Alexia Briggs as Melissa is on holiday) is my first destination in the lift out. The part I find an invaluable resource is the Secret Sydney blurb. The information divulged is as good as gold. In it is revealed priceless info with regards to those artisans or places only known to the doyennes of interior design & style. It’s these contacts & addresses that I file away in my little black book for future use. |
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| Melissa Penfold's latest tome - Melissa Penfold's Little Black Book |
For example, this week happened to list the details of a highly regarded ceramic restorer. A previous week mentioned the picture-hanging expert, known cleverly as The Hangman, who is used by all the elite designers. Now, really, can you glean this info from the yellow pages & feel secure in the person’s ability or qualifications? No, I didn’t think so. But when it comes as a recommendation from one of Style’s high priestesses, then special attention should be paid.
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| Jonathon Lee aka The Hangman |
The Source is also a great section for finding out that your favourite interiors destination is either having that must-not-be-missed sale or has had a fabulous to-die-for shipment of new goodies arrive.
The home mini trend is another section I love to peruse. Sometimes you come across that one fabulous item that becomes a must/lust have or it leads to you researching more about a designer or store whose product is featured.
The other regular interior design section is “My Village”. This section features the highlights of a particular suburb or street with the best of the best shops. Again, another fantastic section to broaden my resources especially as I don’t live in Sydney & must plan expeditions to the big smoke very carefully.
The other interior design sections seem to vary each week, from actual interiors, to homewares in general, to what is “hot right now”.
Last week’s “hot right now”, featured Peter Lewis of Porter’s Paints. Porter’s is an iconic Australian company that fortuitously appeared on the scene when interiors in this country were in dire need of a specialist paint supplier with a unique product. Porter’s Paints has some very exciting developments coming up shortly & later in the year that are deserving of it’s own post.
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| Porter's Paints images via Porter's Paints collage of images by Sandy K |
From this post, you would think that the Essential Style lift out only features interiors. It is however a mix of interiors & fashion related articles. The fashion sections are just as inspiring & are of as high a calibre as the interior sections.
Alas, fashion will have to wait another day.
Sandy K
Sandy K
