Living Materials - A Palette of Natural Leather, Cork and Wool.



In a world dominated by technology and mass production, it’s nice to remind ourselves we live in a beautiful, natural world. There’s nothing like decorating with natural toned leather, cork and wool felt elements to bring a lovely organic aesthetic to your interior space.

These materials add timeless beauty and warmth to any environment and create a subtle colour palette that is honest and energizes through a fresh, modern aesthetic. Robust but with a sense of softness, these products suit all forms whether furniture or decorative.

Their neutral tones looks amazing teamed with other natural elements such as light timber, concrete, stone or metal and sit beautifully against the greenery of your favourite indoor plants.

Combining these details can help to create a warmer or cooler aesthetic and add a touch of everyday luxury. Use alongside monocratic prints or dark charcoal or navy hues, to create a highly sophisticated look with dramatic impact.

You can create a lovely sense of naturalness in your home with these beautiful products below.

Anaesthetic
These awesomely Aussie made pendant lights by Anaesthetic offer a unique marriage of vintage charm and contemporary design, by incorporating both modern and traditional production techniques. Each shade is cut from locally sourced leather, then hand moulded and dyed to the desired colour. 
www.anaestheticdesign.com


Areaware
Areaware's graphic Table Tiles coasters were designed by Brooklyn-based design duo Bower. Fun and forever timeless, the set of six are made of MDF, beech veneer and cork. They can be artfully arranged and encourage playful table top mosaic building! Available through Gretel Home www.gretelhome.com


AVO
You can't go past Avo for a divine range of hand-painted cowhide rugs and cushions. Designer Brit Kleinman takes traditional materials used in innovative ways; playing with the juxtaposition between an organic shape and a striking geometric pattern to create a stunning result! Avo ships these works of art directly from the U.S to AUS. 
www.avoavo.com



Douglas & Bec 
This beautiful handcrafted mirror by Douglas and Bec doesn’t just hang around, it makes a statement! Crafted with solid bent American white oak frame with a raw russet leather strap and gold details, it is the epitome of elegance. www.douglasandbec.com


Elk & Earth 
Soft, plush and oh so Winter warm and cuddly! Offering an aesthetic high without the high price tag, these 100% Wool Felt rugs and cushions by Elk and Earth are impeccably hand-made in Nepal under fair-trade practices. Available through Dwell. 
www.dwell.id.au




Flip and Tumble

Flip & Tumble is the brainchild of San Francisco-based designers Hetal Jariwala and Eva Bauer, who bring a playful approach to sustainable design. Thankfully, they also keep their products well within reach. At $15, a nicely crafted, sustainable wool-felt plant pod is a damn good deal. Available through Upcycle Studio. www.upcyclestudio.com.au
Héctor Serrano 
The Natura lamp and vase collection by London designer Hector Serrano presents a delightful contrasting combo of textured cork with smooth recycled glass. Their warm and friendly shape allow them to integrate well into any context. Hector ships directly from London. 
www.hectorserrano.com

Keep Cup Brew Limited Edition
But first coffee! Jazz up your desk space with a Keep Cup Brew limited edition. A tempered glass reusable coffee cup with a cork band that is beautiful to hold, antibacterial and insulates your hand from heat. Perfect for the enjoying the cafe experience 'to go'. 
Available through www.biome.com.au

Ladies & Gentleman
Introducing the incredible Ovis hanging chair by Seattle based design studio Ladies and Gentleman. Swing and swoon over the simple and organic structure which encompasses a vintage design with a playful contemporary aesthetic. Available through www.douglasandbec.com 


Lightly 
Stack your books neatly and elegantly with the Assemblages Book Girth Belt designed by Cindy-Lee Davies of Lightly. This gorgeous range is inspired by the utilitarian resourcefulness of the Australian lifestyle in the early 1900s. Drawing on a saddlery aesthetic of leather girths and copper belt buckles, and the unmistakable smell of raw leather.
www.lightly.com.au


Made to Measure
Spruce up old (or new) joinery doors and drawers with these beautifully crafted handles are by Made to Measure. Tactile and rich in texture these leather knobs have a lovely stitching detail and will continue to gain character over time. 
www.mademeasure.com

Melanie Abrantis
Stunning in every way possible, these cork vases and planters by Oakland based designer / maker Melanie Abrantis are hand-turned with a she shellacked interior and finished on the outside with a natural orange oil and beeswax mixture. A glass vial is included for fresh flowers. Melanie’s products be directly to Australia. 
www.melanieabrantes.com


Noergaard Kechayas
Artful and earthy, these material pendants from Danish designer Noergaard Kechayas comes (as the name suggests) in different materials: cork, concrete, marble, oak and terracotta. Not that I could discriminate but I think the cork is my favourite, how about you? Available from Great Dane. www.greatdanefurniture.com


Norm Copenhagen
I’m a big fan of anything and everything designed by Denmark-based Norm Architects. The New Norm storage jars are absolutely no exception. There’s such beauty is in the simplicity of the stoneware base with chunky and playful cork top. Available through Design Mode International www.designmode.com.au
OX Denmarq
What could be more beautiful and elegant than blending classic Danish minimalism with the rich traditions of the Argentinian Pampas? Designed by Copenhagen-based label OX Denmarq, The Maggiz Magazine Holder's vegetable-tanned leather is sourced from free-range, Argentinian cattle. A perfect complement to reading chairs and sofas in interiors that demand timeless style. Available from Great Dane. www.greatdanefurniture.com

Patterson & Steel
It was love at first sight when I came across this gorgeous leather plant hanger by Patterson & Steel. Handcrafted from vegetable tanned leather, marine cord and solid brass hardware, your plants should be so lucky to hang from! www.patersonandsteele.com.au

Puik Art
"Time rolls on, but once in a while you need to stand still," The Clork by Dutch designer Ilias Ernst does exactly this. "It doesn’t present a full circle, it has an edge that stabilises you for the moment." Clork is the perfect size for bedside tables, a desk or shelf. Designed for Puik Art who ship directly to Australia. 
www.puik-art.com


Skandinavious
Pairing linen with leather creates a beautiful balance that I find both modern and timeless. These, Handmade Natural Leather Napkin Rings from Skandinavious are perfect for a smart-casual dining setting. They can be shipped directly from Sweden via designer Louise Vilmar’s Etsy shop. www.etsy.com/au/shop/SKANDINAVIOUS



Studiolise
Hot off the press: London based designer Ilse Crawford’s upcoming Sinnerlig collection for Ikea was released in Europe late 2015. This warm and tactile range of furniture explores sustainable design using natural materials and simple, useful forms that fit into everyday life. Great affordable design within reach available from Ikea. www.ikea.com/au/en


The Minimalist
Perfect for small spaces, the Carry Me Home is a cleverly designed tripod table with leather straps that can be tucked away when not in use. Slide it under the sofa on weekdays and bring it out to the amazement of your guests on the weekend to serve them drinks on its handy detachable top! Designed by Tero Kuitunen and made in Finland, it’s available in Aus through the Minimalist. www.theminimalist.com.au


Urban Couture
Combining concrete, leather and wood, these large boxy concrete pots from Urban Couture are individually hand made to become the perfect home decor accessory. Use this for storage, as a vase, in your bathroom, kitchen, or even in your home office.
www.urbancouture.com.au







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