Industry Folk | RAW Concrete

There’s nothing more inspiring that hearing stories of creative folk who take the leap to leave the safety of big city and corporate jobs to chase the dream of building their lifestyle around creating more time with the family and getting back to nature. This is the story that Toby from RAW Concrete has created for himself and he has well and truly found his place in the raw world of concrete. We were lucky enough to find out more about how RAW came about.

30-years of working with wood sparked the inspiration for this book and aren’t we ever grateful for it.

In our line of work we meet some pretty darn clever makers, and we're big fans of the ones who take care of their work, conscious of environmental impact whilst designing thoughtful, functional and timeless products.

We recently chatted with Annie Loveridge, about her store The Ivy House, and how it represents her meaning of “home” (whist admitting she too is a homebody at heart)

Annie and her delightful team firmly believe that natural materials, sourced kindly, produce healthy homes, and live by their number one belief “choose what you love".

If someone had told me 20 years ago there was no right or wrong with colour, it just came down to personal choice - I would have stopped the search. This book makes you want to unleash colour in your home, wardrobe, and even your lips (why do I reserve red for confident days?).

I have a reckless love of linen and our house is full of Foxtrot goodies. My respect for these two sisters is enormous – running a fantastic business together, growing a great brand and product while working remotely.

Linen is equal parts functional and beautiful, it has breathable qualities, a great depth of colour when dyed, and the more it’s used (and washed) the softer it gets. Keep it on your bed all year round, because linen is warm in winter and cool in summer too.

Here’s what our friends at Foxtrot had to say.

We’re putting the spotlight on suppliers! I’m so excited to showcase the talent, energy, and creativity that sits behind a few of our favourites, starting with Emma Hayes Textiles.

Emma Hayes Textiles is a New Zealand based design company with a vision to “create beautiful textiles for beautiful spaces”. Oh how we relate. Wallcoverings, fabrics and accessories are a major weapon in our style armoury.

Call it the rebel in me, but the title of book #9 in our Book Club really grabbed my attention. Individual is a celebration of 15 Australian interiors that don’t conform to latest fads, seasonal ‘must-haves’ or a cookie-cutter design approach.

A series of stories from people who see work more than a simple job. Some with a single vision, some in a working partnership and some creating communities. Followed by a lengthy chapter of TIPS (worldly advice from workers in the know).

This book had me at; “A home is one of our most important creations. Within its frame, we create lifelong memories and manage our lives…” and, “Homes must not start with the end in mind.

They need to begin with our story. To unearth a home, we have to dig deep, to understand ourselves as well as others who live there… home design should shift from the surface to the sensory.” If there is one thing I stay true to in my work, it is these very sentiments.