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The creative minds behind the Chalet Motel in Brunswick Heads have done it again, this time a bit further north in the picturesque coastal town of Kingscliff. Their new look boutique accommodation, Blue Water Motel has been reimagined by renowned designer, Mr Jason Grant. It is a nod to the cool and relaxed coastal vibe of Kingscliff but with a hint of retro. Honouring the peach / lemon vibes of the 60’s, making it the ultimate mid-week getaway, family holiday, relaxing vacation dogs always welcome kind of stay. The symbolism in the design and interiors is that nostalgic motel stay, casual and comfortable accommodation, differentiating at Blue Water, with a touch of subtle sophistication. Experience a luxury stay, without the premium price tag. Their reimagined coastal motel is centred and inspired by the colours of the beach, the Northern NSW coastline and a feel-good summer stay. Think margaritas by pool and sunsets at Cudgen Creek. Guests of Blue Water Motel are within walking distance to Kingscliff beach and some of the best surf breaks along the Kingscliff coastline. This feeling and vibe of a calm and relaxing holiday is translated throughout the motel. The dusty blue, the anecdotical features, Lulu’s (converted lemon yellow retro caravan and soon to be coffee van) the nautical / coastal theme of each room and much-loved feature pelicans. The property is complete with a renovated reception area, saltwater swimming pool, 24x7 kitchen, alfresco common areas, bike hire and onsite parking. The Blue Water Motel offers 17 newly renovated and uniquely designed rooms. All rooms include: Malin + Goetz Toiletries, a dedicated work station, unlimited WiFi, TV / Foxtel, air conditioning, Byron Bay tea and Dukes Coffee, with local craft beers from reception and more. Book your coastal getaway now! 129 Kingscliff St, Kingscliff, NSW 02 6674 2999 thebluewatermotel.com.au @bluewatermotel_
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Designer of Blue Water Motel, Jason Grant, with the beloved pelicans
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I
am Carla Grace. I am a wildlife artist that works in acrylic and oil paint, creating realistic animals that seem to interact with you from the space within the painting. I was born in South Africa, but grew up in Zimbabwe, New Zealand and Zambia. My early childhood years in Zimbabwe exposed me to a life full of wildlife, and that formed the foundation of my career as a wildlife artist. I now live on 14 acres in Aldinga Beach, South Australia with my husband and two young children. I paint in a traditional, realistic style. Most people call what I do photorealism, however, to be technical, my work is not refined enough to be quite that perfect. I call my style realism, as what I depict, the details and the nature of my work is very close to being real. However, when you move up to the canvas and look closely at the brush work, there are clumps of paint, areas of incomplete details and many artist marks all over the work. I don’t want to take away from the artwork the fact that it was created by a human hand as opposed to being printed. I find that there is great beauty in imperfections, and I love that my work still looks like a painting when you take the time and care to inspect it. I began my career at the age of 17, when I would draw portraits for pocket money during high school. As people would happily pay upwards of $150 for a portrait done by a teenager, I figured that there was something unique in what I did. I tried to study art at university in Auckland, New Zealand, but found the disconnect between academic art and commercial art to be too large. I didn’t fit in with the academic world, as my business mind was too keen and spoke too logically about what I had experienced on my own outside of art school. This led to many arguments with the tutors, and so I dropped out at the end of 2014, after achieving my diploma and moved to Australia where I registered as a sole trader within the year. Carla Grace Art became my official business in 2015. I became a full-time artist in 2018 after slowly transitioning away from my day jobs as the demand for my work increased. I am inspired by nature first, by the beauty I can feel and see around me. I am motivated by the potential wildlife art has in the overall narrative of art history. Its lack of presence there gives me hope that throughout my career, and through uplifting other wildlife artists along the way, we can make wildlife art a significant genre. I see it as a challenge to accept, knowing that other areas of art, portraiture, still life, landscapes and so on, have been done so well by so many others over hundreds of years. Realistic wildlife art is criticised by many as being pointless, the most common comment being “why not just take a picture?”. I am inspired by the critiques as much as by the potential I’ve found in the art form. My work is going beyond the photographs, indeed, making it impossible to capture in a photograph what I capture in my paintings. I love that the animals feel as though they are about to take a breath at any moment. That they feel alive. Like I have been able to give others an opportunity to connect with an animal in a unique and permanent way. Above any other ambition of mine, my work would be a failure if I could not give the eyes of the animal’s life, without that there would be no spirit to my work. I have just returned from maternity leave after having my second child. With an exciting new series planned, I will be spending the rest of 2022 painting things that other wildlife artists have never painted before (that I can see based on my research). This new series is the start of my plan to reform wildlife art, and to motivate others to do the same. I teach everything I know through my tutorials, and through my social media pages, hoping to help others lift their game and to encourage a better quality of work being made available to collectors.
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To purchase Carla’s art or follow her tutorials visit: carlagraceart.com @carla_grace_art
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The Home Edit Meet Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin, the Nashville based home organisers who have made organising fun, turning their passion into the Netflix hit, Get Organised with The Home Edit IMAGES: Supplied
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The Influencers
Q&A
The Home Edit founders, Joanna Teplin and Clea Shearer
Tell us about yourselves and how the two of you came to know each other? We were both new to Nashville and a mutual friend set us up on a “blind date” because she thought we had a lot in common (Jewish, husbands both in the music industry, kids of the same age, wanting to start an organizing business). That same night, we came up with our company name, designed our logo, bought our domain, and registered our LLC. Organizers are nothing if not efficient. Looking back, it’s probably ill-advised to essentially get married after a matter of hours, but we knew it felt meant to be. Tell us about your business? How did the two of you begin your careers in home organisation? Clea: We’d each wanted to start organizing companies on our own but hadn’t made the leap. Once we met, it just felt right. We’re both extremely organized people, obviously, but coming from different backgrounds, we balance each other in terms of style and utility. Joanna: I'd never wanted a business partner before meeting Clea. But truly the minute I met her, I thought, This will totally work." We have seen a huge popularity surge in home organisation and a desire for simplicity in our lives. Why do you think this is? Clea: There’s so much we can’t control in the world right now but you *can* control the way your home operates. An organized home makes your everyday life feels less chaotic. People are Wrealizing how gratifying it can be to just start the day with everything in its place. It lifts a mental burden. Organizing gives people something productive to do, rather than just refreshing their news feeds every five minutes. Joanna: People are definitely looking for a sense of control and to create a more peaceful environment in their home. Life is hard enough…if you can avoid unnecessary frustration in your life, why wouldn’t you?
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The outdoor shower is the perfect spot to wash off after a quick ocean dip. Tiles are from ele HOME Mr 44 Jason Grant’s range, New Paradise – Skyfall Hexagon, in collaboration with DiLorenzo.
Favourite places to eat and shop in your region?
To eat: Mavis’ and Tweed River House in Murwillumbah (both for atmosphere), and Harvest in Newrybar (they have their own forager). To drink: Wandana in Mullumbimby and Red Earth in Cudgen – both are micro-breweries. To shop: Clem’s Cargo, Resould and Oscar & Keene in our very own Bruns – for pre-loved pieces and furniture. Favourite pieces in your home?
We have a painting by Mullumbimby painter Heath Wae that we really love – he’s a philosophical painter whose studio is just 10 minutes up the road. Biggest splurge?
A New hot water heater on the roof that we had to install when we burst a water main when we moved a big tree in the front yard. Greatest budget buy or budget decorating tip?
We make no secret that we really like Kmart – they have a mustard 70s dinner set that takes pride of place in the kitchen! What’s your favourite way to spend a day in your region/home?
A sunrise walk on the beach (yes, we wake up early, and so do a lot of folks in Bruns!); the Mullum market on Friday to pick up local coffee and bananas; on the weekends, a drive through the hinterland to do a hike or visit quirky little villages like Burringbar and Uki. @brunssurfshack www.brunssurfshack.com.au Bruns Surf Shack is available for stays via Airbnb
The simple but warm kitchen cabinetry is by Turner Joinery in Alstonville. Pendant light from Bisque Traders in Bangalow.
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The open-plan kitchen is anchored by a broad central island, which accommodates a hob, oven and prep sink plus concealed storage underneath and a flank of exposed storage shelves in the adjacent dining space finished in colours that refer to the kitchen's colour palette.
Interestingly, this space – sheltered from the elements, and with its back to the sea view – feels dusky and seductive: it's pretty much the antithesis of expected beach house decor 101, yet turns out to be the most socially popular of the whole compound. “We wanted to make it feel like a muted and cosy retreat, the domestic equivalent of sheltering in the shade of a huge tree,” explains Robin, “almost like an alter ego of the other living areas, which with their bleached palette, definitely communicate a sun, sand and surf blitheness.” And the genesis of the black stone wall? “It was white to begin with,” Robyn recalls, “and then Lisa and I looked at it and thought no way. It jarred, it was too Mykonos.” Painting the surface black – not jet black, but a more mercurial, cast-iron black – gave the room an earthy and grounded focus that in turn invited bold upticks of decorative language and colour contrast. Cue a 2.5 metre-long sofa in kingfisher blue, which faces the verdant leafy garden via huge sliding slatted doors, and a round, four-seater, marble-topped table at which the home's wine-connoisseur owners gather in the evenings when they feel for an outdoorsy but secluded spot. Designing for the way the owners wanted to live here on holiday was a key driver for the interiors throughout. “They didn’t want a highly styled layering of composed collections and tablescapes,” says Robyn. A fuss-free, fit-for-purpose tableau has obvious benefits for a second home, but it can often be at the expense of character. However, Lisa and Robin soundly trounced that possibility with their cohesive and combined approach to the project, knowledge of the owners' lifestyle and understanding of the climate. “The details, interest and information had to be in the architecture, the fixtures, wall features and furniture,” says Robyn. “The design of this was absolutely making sure those aspects did all the work.” lisaroricharchitects.co.za
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Decorator Robyn Constantinou (left) and architect Lisa Rorich (lisaroricharchitects.co.za).
Details of succulent plants and grasses, all of which thrive in these coastal conditions, growing in the many cultivated roof garden planters.
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Bedlinen from I Love Linen, mirror from Hello Trader, black bedhead from Create Estate, side table from Clo Studios and print from Kuki Prints.
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The V-groove kitchen cabinetry is from The Kitchen shop, coupled with SMEG appliances, and aged brass tapware from Astra Walker.
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