House Tour-Julie and Andrew

Name: Julie & Andrew Palmer
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Square Footage: approx 350 sq meters (3700 sq ft)
Years Lived in: Almost one
Rent or own: Own
Describe your style: Clean, modern and a little bit retro
Blog/Website/Twitter: http://oliveandjoy.blogspot.com

What's your favorite free/found item?
A toss up between the Dinosaur Designs (www.dinosaurdesigns.com.au) resin vases and bowls given to me by my family over the years, and the Jonathan Adler vases brought back from New York by my husband's family. They are all the more special because they are gifts.

What's your favorite purchased item?
Our two 1950's dining chairs by Australian designer Grant Featherston. We bought them on Ebay from a seller in Adelaide and had them transported up to Brisbane by Greyhound Bus! We had the reupholstered in a beautiful textured fabric in olive green. I can't imagine parting with them, I love them to death.

What has been your biggest obstacle in decorating/design?
Too much space to furnish. Some would dream of having more space, however sparse spaces do not make a home feel like a home. Over time we are gradually filling up the empty rooms.

Is your design style organic or planned?
Organic, our spaces are always evolving as new items enter our lives.

What is your favorite spot in the house?
Our living room. If the sun is out and I have something to read, there is no place I would rather be. Natural light is so important to me and this room receives beautiful light all day.

How has your style changed in the past 5 years?
I am decorating with more colour than I would have 5 years ago, and I think our style has more 'quirk' now, mostly due to the vintage pieces we have purchased.

What is your favorite resource or store?
Ebay for vintage finds, and Signature Prints (www.signatureprints.com.au) for wonderful Florence Broadhurst fabrics and wallpapers.

What is your biggest decorating/design pet peeve?
I am becoming more appreciative of different styles everyday, even if I wouldn't necessarily furnish my home in a particular style I can still see its merits.

What has been your favorite design trend?
More people embracing vintage furniture and repurposing old wares and a focus on eco-manufacturing of new furniture, fabrics and products.

What is the biggest influence on your design/decorating style?
My training in design, combined with the many, many interior magazines and blogs I read.

What in your home dictates how you design/decorate?
Our cats! Their sharp claws often makes us re-think which fabric we use or the furniture we buy. Such as buying leather dining chairs rather than fabric. They thought our first sofa was a scratching pole, little devils. They are much better now they are older, thank goodness.

What is the simplest thing you have done that has made the biggest impact?
Fabric is the easiest way to add impact on the cheap. I love graphic, geometric prints. I upholstered three long canvas' in fabric and placed them behind our entertainment unit. It helps take the focus from the tv and can easily be changed when we get bored with the design.

all photos courtesy of homeowner. If you would like to have your home featured please send me an email or submit pictures of your home to the flickr group.