Designers we love around the globe: Australia

This week it’s designers from down under that are captivating us here at Roost Living, with a bit of an unintentional print theme – we're sure you'll love them, too.

Everingham & Watson
Brisbane based design duo Susie Everingham and Liz Watson create Australiana inspired homeware, injected with fun and colour.   We love their bold shapes and colour and this very prawntastic prawn

And of course we are not biased,  even if we do know them from our high school days..

Ink and Spindle

Melbourne-based Lara Cameron and Tegan Rose are the creative forces behind interiors label Ink & Spindle. Together, Lara and Tegan screenprint all of their textiles by hand, using ethical and sustainable processes wherever possible. It’s their prints that really set them apart and we’re coveting each and every one. If we simply had to choose, it’d be ‘blockprint’ which adorns their cushions, and ‘wrens’; a lovely inky blue pattern upon neutral cotton that you can use for all manner of furnishing projects.

Bonnie & Neil

Also in Melbourne, Bonnie Ashley and Neil Downie describe themselves as “compulsive hoarders”, clinging onto scraps of vintage fabric and pieces of timber that often serve as inspiration. The design duo, similarly to Lara and Tegan of Ink & Spindle, hand-print their expressive shapes upon bedding and tea towels to beautiful effect. We love the organic feel to their use of paint, and their choice of equally natural materials such as linen.

Shoes, just not quite as we know them

Every woman loves shoes, but for art and antiques dealer Susan Gaston, they're quite literally an obsession.

It's little surprise really as three generations of Susan's family have worked in the shoe trade -  it was only a matter of time before she caught the bug, too. Susan and her husband Jimmy are the creative force behind White Dove & Wonder. Together, they reclaim the wooden shoe lasts that are used to make shoes; and transform them into all manner of objets d'art. 

From clocks to candle holders, loo roll holders (yes, really!) to coffee tables, the "What shall we do with these?" conundrum that Susan and Jimmy once faced has long been forgotten - only to be replaced with a whole host of striking, one-of-a-kind home accents. 

Vintage Shoe Last Bookends - now available at Roost.

A chat with Thornback and Peel

Deck chairs, hankies, wallpaper, and cushions - there's almost nothing that Juliet Thornback and Delia Peel aren't itching to adorn with a curious, quirky print. 

Since 2007 they've been doing exactly that and under the name of Thornback & Peel they've quickly become known for their sketch-like motifs and unexpected take on home furnishings. We sat down with the ladies for a cup of tea and a chit-chat about everything from how they got started to their favourite food.

How did Thornback and Peel come to be?

We [Juliet Thornback and Delia Peel] met in 2004 and recognised a mutual taste for the surreal that bordered on grotesque. Our first collaboration was a collection of evening bags printed with brains, pulled teeth, and beetles. Delia had studied textiles at Goldsmiths and was working as a set designer at the Royal Court; Juliet was working as a florist. In 2006 we joined Cockpit Arts and a year later we established Thornback & Peel – a brand focusing on products for the home and inevitably reining in the grotesque a little.

Where do you find inspiration?

From everything and anything! Classically though it would be: Victoriana, Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management, Mr. McGregor’s garden, our own gardens, and 17th century microscope imagery.

Who is your favourite designer and what aspect of their work do you most admire?

Juliet: Eric Ravilious; the designer of my coronation mug. He is a ceramicist, artist and textile designer and did all the designs for Wedgwood. My husband gave it to me and it is more of an ornament; I can’t bear to use it in case something happens to it.

Delia: At the moment, the late designer, illustrator and commentator Olle Eksell.

What aspect of your work gives you the most pleasure?

Lifting up the screen and seeing the first print of a new design.

Where are you most creative?

All of our designs are collaborative so we start of the creative process by clearing our desks and making a cup of tea. We are looking forward to moving our office into the new shop on Rugby Street where we’ll have room to spread out.

What is your workspace like?

It is no longer chaos thanks to our amazing studio manager Emma – now there is a place for everything. We’ve been in this studio within Cockpit [Arts] for three years now, and we feel pretty established in the space – it has worked as an incubator for us; both creatively and commercially,

How do you describe your style?

A celebration of the traditional quirkiness of British humour and design.

What are you currently working on?

We’re just beginning to sample some beautiful rabbit coasters and placemats, and we now sell fabric and wallpaper by the metre, which is an exciting addition to our product range. We’re also in the design process for the opening of our shop in Rugby St (off Lamb’s Conduit St).

What was the best advice you received when you first started out?

Try to stick to your plan.

What advice do you have for other designers starting out?

Get as much work experience as you can afford to do.

How do you achieve a work/life balance?

Er, it’s a juggle, but there is a structure under the chaos…somewhere.

What are you other passions?

Our families.

What is your favourite food?

Juliet:  fish and chips.

Delia:  roast chicken.

What is your greatest weakness?

Delia:  impatience.

Juliet:  hesitation.

Thornback & Peel's Artichoke Apron, Tea Towel and Hankies are available Exclusively at Roost Living.

Introducing our feline friends Bandit and Fidel

Two new arrivals have stopped off at Roost - Bandit and Fidel, the curious kitties that will have your door propped open in no time, not to mention add a touch of fun to your décor.

Both humourous characters are crafted by Charlene Mullen, a London-based designer whom since graduating in illustration at the city's Royal College of Art, has become known for her quirky, sketch-like embroidery. 

Bandit and Fidel's inky lines epitomise Charlene's love of the drawn line. Plus, each feline is scented with of a hint of lavender too, making them a welcome addition to any home. Get them before they're gone! 

Charlene with her London Scenic Cushion

Making the most of photos

You know the drill - you get a little snap happy and take lots of photos, only for them to sit in a folder on your computer. If you do get round to printing them, they more often than not, act as magnets for dust in a drawer.


Not any longer! We've been thinking of a few ways to showcase those special memories - from making a feature wall out of a cluster of frames, to hanging huge space-changing canvases.


Take a look at the simple ideas below for easy ways to let the moments that were special enough for you to capture forever, take pride of place in your home.