Bholu is a homewares brand with a difference. Jodie Fried designs her work in Australia, but it is brought to life by traditional Indian artisans using age-old techniques. This helps preserve tradional craft techniques and enables these communities to gain an income and independence. Furthermore part of the proceeds go back to women and children living in these communities to help fund education facilities and programs. And if you need any further reason to support such a socially minded brand, just have a look at all the beautiful things!

(above) Sas Lena Rug

(above) Lambu Throw

(above) Monkey Rug

(above) Felt cushion

(above) Assorted Bholu toys

We were tickled by this student-song sent to our Perth team from Ferguson Architects who designed this amazing new building at the University of WA.  Living Edge supplied a large number of the desks and chairs which are paid homage to in this love of learning anthem.

We recently came across this set of bespoke Eames LCW’s by UK design studio I Love Dust. The graphics were inspired by the 1956 TV interview with Charles and Ray Eames on the Arlene Francis Home Show, which the studio felt took on a ‘his and hers’ point of view and had a classic 1950’s aesthetic to it. We think they’re pretty fabulous.

The photo below of the Eames Walnut Stool was sent in to us by Phorm Interiors. It’s from a Gold Coast beachfront apartment project Phorm completed. The stool is sitting on a marble floor ‘rojo alacante’ with a flamed finish, bordered by copper. Photography by Kylie Hood.

The Pop Up Co Op is a little design shop that has recently made my day by popping up in Bowral’s Corbett Plaza. I moved to the Southern Highlands 4 months ago and have watched with intrigue over the last few weeks as this little shop took form. It’s a collaborative effort from designers Sarah King, Monique Germon and Tamara Maynes and it’s getting quite a bit of attention, recently also popping up on the inside out blog. The sad thing is it’s only here until 11th of November, a good reason to make a road trip down here if you’ve got the time.

Living Edge has recently partnered with CERES Environmental park in Brunswick East, VIC to support a program called the EcoHouse. EcoHouse is a project that has been running since the 1980’s that promotes energy and water conservation, but has recently been redesigned to show that sustainable design can not only reduce costs and reduce the environmental impact but also create a beautiful architecturally designed home as well.

This summer CERES will be running a series of free workshops and we’re proud that LE staff member Mary Holmes will be presenting at the February workshop, which focuses on sustainable home renovation and making environmentally aware choices when it comes to selecting building materials, fittings and furnishings. You can download the CERES Sustainable Summer brochure here.

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This Saturday and Sunday (24-25th Oct) the pyd. design markets are on in Waterloo, as part of the Dank Street festival. They will feature the work of eighty of Australia’s best emerging designers that have been chosen by a panel including David Clarke from Vogue Living. See the pyd. website for more info and list of participating designers whose wares will include furniture, lighting, textiles, ceramics and jewellery.

Pony Rider is a new brand of textile based homewares by Sydney designers Jacqui Lewis (of Distillate) and Kelly Searl (who’s designed for the like of Sass and Bide and Woodford & Co). Their gorgeous yardage prints have so far been fashioned into cushions, napkins, teatowels and teakins (a cute cross between a napkin and tea towel) and will also be available as large scale wall art. Next up there are plans to move into limited edition quilts, table cloths, picnic blankets and bed linen. Best of all you’re supporting local design and industry as all of Pony Rider’s fabric is both screen-printed and cut and sewn into products in Sydney. Check out their website to view the whole range and start shopping.

Living Edge is delighted to be working in partnership with The Australian Indigenous Education Foundation to provide furniture for this important organization.

The AIEF  is a non-profit organisation focused on empowering Indigenous children to build a future through education.  The AIEF aims to provide scholarships to educate 2,000 Indigenous children at some of the best boarding schools across Australia.

Living Edge shares the vision of the AIEF to create tangible, measurable and enduring social change through social investment and to address Indigenous disadvantage through education.

Visit www.aief.com.au for further details and to make a donation.

52 Suburbs is a brilliant new blog that really stands apart from the rest. Its creator Louise Hawson is going to travel to one suburb of Sydney each week armed with her camera and keen eye. So far she’s covered Wahroonga, Potts Point, Lakemba, Cronulla and Cabramatta and the results are stunning, she has a beautiful way of cropping, pairing and captioning her images – it will make you fall in Sydney all over again.

There’s a great interview with Louise over at the Inside Out blog. Below are some of the photos featured for Cabramatta.