Hotels are great, but sometimes you just want to pour yourself a glass of wine and cook a little pasta while on holidays.

It’s this relatable sentiment that inspired the creation of Shadow House – a newly opened architect-designed Airbnb in Carlton.

Previously a rundown terrace, the owner (also the interior and landscape designer!) Natalie Watson has turned this inner city home into a beautifully detailed space to suit tourists and staycationers.

When most people think about reimagining an interior, they visualise a layer of decoration over an existing room. But this approach often doesn’t do justice to the architectural subtleties of a space.

Rather than viewing bare rooms as a blank slate, interior designer Chelsea Hing seeks to dissolve the distinction between interior architecture and decoration. She approaches her projects with a sympathetic eye for the building’s existing design, and strives to create complete harmony between architectural structure and interior ambience.

The stunning transformation of this sprawling home in the Melbourne’s North Eastern suburb of Park Orchards exemplifies this approach – enhanced by precise art curation, and some seriously wow-factor furniture!

Emiko Davies is an Australian foodie, Italo-phile (is that a word?) author and photographer, based in Florence. The popular blogger has written two cookbooks on Italian cuisine (Florentine: The True Cuisine of Florence and Acquacotta) and is currently working on her third, due for release next year!

Having written extensively for titles including Conde Nast Traveler, Gourmet Traveller, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Jamie Magazine, Delicious and more… we’re PRETTY CHUFFED today, to feature Emiko’s mini-guide to Florence.

She’ll also be back in the not-too-distant-future, for a month-long stint sharing authentic Italian recipes for our weekly food column. Bring. It. On!

From nautical to gingham, Breton to tartan – there’s no shortage of names for a classic striped or checked pattern. But whatever the name, these versatile prints are timeless for a reason! Whether strong and bold, or subtle and minimal, checks or stripes are having a renewed moment in the spotlight right now – and there are so many ways to incorporate them into your space.

Our ever-faithful interiors columnists Lauren Li breaks down how to integrate stripes and checks into any contemporary interior AND recommends her fave brands making excellent geometric-printed products. Check ’em out! (See what we did there?)