Autumn/Winter Linen

Here are the latest linen designs for Autumn and Winter 2012.  We do have other designs available on our website www.gemappelle.com.au.

They are all Quilt Cover Sets, which include the Quilt Cover, and one Standard Pillowcase (Single) and two Standard Pillowcases (Double, Queen, King and Super King).  The Standard Pillowcases (pair) are also available separately.

In some of the designs there are other accessories available, eg European Pillowcases, Long and Square Cushions that are of the same design.  Most of the pictures also includes the standard accessories available such as bed throws, coverlets, cushions etc.

For sizing, pricing, ordering, delivery or any other questions, please contact us via email gemappelle@bigpond.com .

Enjoy!

Ashara Blue

Batik Cinnamon

Blake Bronze

Bronson black

Calais Stone

Cheltenham Charcoal

Cheltenham Linen

Cooper White

Essex Linen

Fifi Shell

Garland Ivory

Grace Pearl

Isadora Silver

Kasbah Black

Kashmir Charcoal

Kashmir Silver

Lauren Black

Lawson Ink

Linea Black

Mia Candy

Mia White

Pandora White

Phoebe Leaf

Rialto Black

Saxon Pewter

Sebastian Purple

Shalimar Black

Shoji Linen

Sury Navy

Sweethearts Linen

Tilly Gelato

Twilight Taupe

Tyson Navy

Yolanda Charcoal

Yolanda White

Zambia Black

A recent renovation project

When the kitchen appliances started to need replacing in this home, the owners thought they would like to take this opportunity to bring the central hub of their home up to date.  Originally built in the 1980's the house had large expanses of exposed brick walls throughout with steeply raked timber and exposed beam ceilings.  The kitchen was also in shades of blue laminate and timber trim.  This was tied together with beige carpets and cork tiles.

The original exposed brickwork .

The central hub included the formal living and dining rooms, entry hall, kitchen, family room and office.  The office was the only truly separate room in this space, which was one of the things to be tackled first.  With the walls to this room gone it is now incorporated into the rest of the space.  This was located to the right of the fireplace and is now included within the 'great' room.

The new family room without the office

Step two in the scheme was to organise the layout of the new kitchen.  The kitchen brief from the clients was to increase the storage and create an open, flow through area.  Originally a u-shape with the benchtop following the lines of the bay window meant the usable storage of the kitchen wasn't all that great.  By leaving the main l-shape and replacing the other run of cabinets with an island has achieved an open space that flows.

The new kitchen viewed from the family room

The back wall of the kitchen now houses the two pantries, one at each end, a wall oven and microwave tower, the cooktop and refrigerator.  To help with the storage, both pantries have been fitted with internal drawers, bringing everything within easy reach.  Spice racks are located in the drawers under the cooktop.

The new kitchen back wall

The main l-shape of the kitchen is now a continuous  bench with soft-close drawers and a run of overhead cupboards.  The cupboards under the sink now branch off at 90 degrees rather than following the angles of the bay window. 

L-shape kitchen bench

Quite often it is all the little details added in to the design that help make the space usable and the overall design.  We have tied the whole look together with the Jarrah flooring, the black glass splashbacks.  These are added to with the black powerpoints and the inclusion of the pull-up powerpoints in the island bench.

Power points to match the splashback

Pull-up powerpoint

The previous living and dining areas have been retained but updated with new charcoal carpeting.

The dining and living area

The lighting consultant designed the lighting of the whole area, taking into consideration the overall size of the space, how the spaces were utilised and the amount of light required.  The look is created through industrial led lights installed in the ceiling and various powerpoints connected to the light switches for lamps and the delicate yet modern pendant hung above the dining table.

Close-up of the dining room pendant

The original exposed brick fireplace with timber mantle has been brought up to date with the removal of the mantle.  The brickwork was then rendered and painted a contrasting charcoal.  Finished off with flush mounted black granite floor tiles as the new hearth.

Detail of the enclosed fireplace and hearth

Other aspects of the work done included re-lining the exposed timber and rafter ceiling and re-lining the exposed brickwork with plasterboard.  This was all then painted to modernise and brighten this space.

Please feel free to post your comments below, or contact us to see how we can help you achieve great results for your home.

Grant

Joanna101 asks...

"I am interested in having a dark, manufactured stone in my kitchen. What is the difference between Caesar Stone and other manufactured stones. Also, which brand do you recommend and why?"

Hi Joanna, a very good question indeed!  To start with let me say that Caesarstone is a particular brand of manufactured or reconstituted stone benchtop.  There are a few other brands on the market, (two many to list them all here) such as Essa Stone and Quantum Quartz being produced by different companies.  The main point to note is that some kitchen installation companies will only use one brand, even if asked for Caesarstone.  There is very little difference between these major brands.

Of the above brands, I suggest Caesarstone for my clients.  This is mainly due to the different ranges available.  Such as Classico, Supremo, Motivo and Concetto depending on the desired outcome.

I consider the above ranges as the 'entry' level of reconstituted stone benchtops.  Hence they preform as such.  They are still strong, water and mildew resistant and low maintenance so the real choice comes down to available colour, the application and budget.  As per every benchtop, they will mark, chip, stain, scratch etc.

To step up to the next level, I suggest either Staron or Corian.  Again different brands from different companies.  This level is actually a blend of natural mineral and acrylic resin.  This allows for 'Thermoforming' of the benchtops into flowing curves or sculptured structures.  You can integrate splashbacks and sinks to create a benchtop with no creases where dirt and bacteria can hide.  Another main benefit of this surface is that the joins are almost invisible and it is renewable and repairable.  Even after years of use.

The best preforming 'dark stone' benchtop is Granite, hands down.  This is what I suggest to all my clients that are interested in a dark benchtop.  However it also comes with a high price-tag.  Each piece is individual and if you are looking at this as an option, you should view and select the actual slab they are going to use to create your benchtop.

The above is a brief answer and please visit Kitchen benchtop and kitchen countertop blogs by clicking on the links.  Also feel free to contact me if an In-home Q&A is preferred.

Nicole, via facebook, asks....

 Should you use the same tiles in all the wet areas of the house even if the rooms don't meet each other?

The current trend in house design is very much 'open-plan' with colours and finishes similar throughout.  Where the space is divided by walls or rooms, the idea is to maintain flow through your home by extending the finishes and colours into these new rooms.

I would definitely use the same floor tiles and wall tiles in all the wet areas throughout your home.  Even with the rooms not meeting each other, the use of the same tiles maintains this flow.  Even down to the feature tiles, if used.  Some might think that feature tiles within the toilet and laundry is a little 'decadent' but these small details all help to maintain the flow throughout your home.

To achieve this is a lot easier if you are building a new home.  Although check with your builder as most do have a specification on the tiling for the wet areas and this might need to be changed.  

If renovating you might also need to include the cost of removing any existing tiles when working out your budget.

If you are after a more traditional look, then still use the same tiles in the wet areas but not necessarily the same tiles as in the rest of the house.

Jo, via facebook asks...

 What colour walls really set off artwork? and do different types of artwork look better against different colours?

At first glance, people might think this is a very easy question to answer.  However artwork comes down to  your personal taste.  It is as individual as each artist and each person is unique.   You only choose artwork that 'speaks' to you directly.  Even if you are purchasing a particular artist or style.

So, generally speaking...
 The more colours you paint on your walls and the more features you highlight, the more your artwork needs to compete for attention.

Traditionally walls would be one colour, ceilings another, trims another and doors another.  Further colours might be used if you have extra high ceilings, picture rails, breeze ways and other architectural features.  

The best colour scheme to make your art the statement is monochromatic.  That is, using as few colour variations as possible, as artwork usually stands out best against a neutral background.

Monochromatic doesn't necessarily mean white!  It can be in any shade.  The life of this scheme comes from the use of differing colour strengths and finishes.  This provides subtle highlights whilst not obviously competing against the artwork.

Or, if you are a little more daring....

The other option is to select your wall colours individually for each piece of artwork you are wishing to display.  This 'extends' the boundaries of the artwork past the frame to include the wall.  It generally works best with abstracts rather than the more traditional styles.

He are a few insiders tips when using this scheme;

• less is more - only one or two pieces per room
• maintain the flow with the one colour for your skirting boards
• use the same flooring throughout

In conclusion, there is no definitive answer that covers all options.  A professional Colour Consultant is able to devise an individual colour scheme around you, your home and your artwork.

Your Questions answered....

Do you have any decorating questions needing answers?

If so, just post your question as a comment and we will answer it for you.

It really is that easy!