Simon Howard of Secret Gardens | Photography by Nicholas Watt

Lee Tran Lam, Managing Editor of Inside Out Magazine dropped by our inbox today with a sweet little sneak peek of their latest issue (May) coming out this Thursday! A big shout out to Magazine for hosting us on their IG feed last week, we were super honoured!




The theme for May is Family Spaces, and "how to create a home that keeps everyone happy"! If we had that lovely pool (above) we know we'd always be happy!  Let's check in with Lee Tran to explain the photo's she sent over (note they are cooling down in Australia as we warm up here):


"So given the drop in mercury, we've got a 'Best Buys' story on rugs – perfect for softening footsteps on cold days and also strengthening the conspiracy that makes it hard to leave the house! A rug adds a nice toasty element to a cool room and can be a vivid addition to a place, too, as you can see from these picks, styled by Jessica Hanson. Photography by Craig Wall.

Styled by Jessica Hanson. Photography by Craig Wall

 (Top photo): Simon Howard of Secret Gardens also eliminates any need to even go outside, with his amazing indoor oasis. He's brought a pool and a lush garden indoors – a genius move given how bone-chilling the days can be! A warm dip inside is very hard to say no to. Photography by Nicholas Watt.


And you can even bring the jungle into a kid's room – as stylist Jessica Hanson has – so unpredictable adventures can happen right at home. Photography by Sam McAdam-Cooper. 

Stylist Jessica Hanson | Photography by Sam McAdam-Cooper

To prove that we're not total homebodies, we did invite some guests to leave the house and head to our latest 'Open For Inspection' tour, thanks to Bugaboo. We opened up this child-friendly residence for people to wander through. One of my favourite aspects is the kid-compatible Bolon carpet tiles in the playroom – these colourful Tetris blocks of vinyl are so child-proof that even food spills are no big deal and do not cause the screams that are spurred by someone accidentally tipping a drink onto carpet. I also love the nook and the generous stream of light that appears in the bedroom instead of a standard bedhead. We'll have a video tour of the home soon, for anyone who wants to take a look at insideout.com.au. Styling by Emma O'Meara. Photography by Nikole Ramsay.

Styling by Emma O'Meara. Photography by Nikole Ramsay

Styling by Emma O'Meara. Photography by Nikole Ramsay

Two of my favourite homes in the magazine are overseas dwellings. First up is a 19-century French apartment in Bordeaux, with lots of beautiful detailing and a few modern touches (like the Ikea sheepskins that the owner found for a bargain). Photography by Julien Fernandez/Gap Interiors.

Photography by Julien Fernandez/Gap Interiors

And while living in a garage might sound like an uncomfortable stopgap before finding a proper home, interior architect James van der Velden saw beyond the original car space and turned the site into an amazing, space-savvy home (without a petrol stain in sight)! Styling by Marc Heldens. Photography by Alan Jensen. "





Thank you Lee Tran! The May issue of Inside Out Magazine is out Thursday and is available at newsagents or digitally via Zinio, Google Play, iTunes & Nook.