habitat | Your natural abode & lifestyle news update | Winter 2020

Hello & Welcome to the WINTER edition of “habitat”.

Grab yourself a much needed cup of tea, warm blanket and take a few minutes to kick back, relax, and have a read of the latest edition.

Habitat Trends

Being Beige isn’t so uncool anymore….
We all know it – and have seen it all before – but here comes the revival of “Natural Colours”.

One of Home Beautiful’s Top 8 Home Design Trends for 2020 – the complementary hues that we see so much in stone, soft eucalypt greens and earthy browns, the textures of Rattan, Hemp, Jute, Sisal, un-dyed wool, natural clay tones, natural stone, they are here and on-trend.

However, there is Solace for those who love colour! Strong colours such as merlot, peacock blue, mustard, clay, and spicy pink with added shading are also on trend.

Habitat Palette

Sharing with you this fine Winter’s day is the 2020 Comeback Palette released by Dulux…
The Comeback palette is inspired by travel, adventures and escaping away from the chaos of the world.

The colours in this palette are tonal blues, warm burgundy, rust and mustard. Together they create a sense of calm in a room, playing well alongside mid-century modern styling or homes that combine vintage and antique pieces with the new and contemporary.

Get creative around your home! These are bold colours, designed to make a statement wherever they go. Layering these tones upon each other will help to give depth to the look that you are trying to achieve.

Look to utilise your existing “natural” furniture tones, such as jute, rattan and timber with added pops of the bold Comeback palette as seen in image below, with the addition of a bold feature wall, throw rug and bedside table.

Habitat Loves

To support the locals..
In this edition of Habitat, we shall be looking at the boutique stoneware producer, koa by kaitlyn.

Nestled in the streets of Frankston, Kaitlin’s ceramics are designed to bring a sense of slow living into your home while leaving a positive impact on the environment around you. Hand-crafted from earth, these unique multi-functional collections combine colour, pattern and texture to evoke playful tea parties, calming ‘me time’ and feel good spaces.

Inspired by her travels, Kaitlin works with a small boutique stoneware production house in Bali to bring her exclusive ceramic collections to life.
Each piece is hand sampled by Kaitlin before being expertly crafted by the studios artisans in limited edition runs.

Head to https://www.koabykaitlin.com.au/ to check out more of Kaitlyn’s gorgeous stoneware.

Habitat Reviews

With Winter and the second wave of home lock downs now upon us, it is the perfect time to snuggle up next to a fire with a good read!

Simply Spaced
Clear the Clutter and Style Your Life
by Monica Leed

To find a copy of Simply Styled, check out Kmart or Fishpond online for stockists.

Habitat Must Have

Habitat Food

It’s cold outside and we all CRAVING foods to warm our soul…. This quick (45min) and easy soup recipe is sure to be a crowd favourite!

Vietnamese Chicken Pho Soup

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil.
3 shallots, sliced.
3 garlic cloves, sliced.
1 lemongrass stalk, chopped.
2½ cm piece ginger, sliced.
3 star anise.
1 cinnamon stick.
1 tsp coriander seeds.
¼ tsp Chinese five spice.
¼ tsp black peppercorns.
1 tsp caster sugar.
1 tbsp fish sauce.
1¼ – 1½ litres good quality fresh chicken stock.
3 large chicken breasts (about 500g).

To Serve

450g rice noodles.
4 spring onions, finely sliced on an angle.
1 carrot, shredded or peeled into ribbon with a vegetable peeler.
2 large handfuls (150g) mung bean sprouts.
Large bunch coriander, chopped.
Small bunch mint, leaves chopped.
1 red chilli, thinly sliced (optional).
2 tbsp crispy fried shallots (optional).
1 kaffir lime leaf, tough central stalk removed, very finely sliced, (optional).
1 lime,  cut into wedges.

Method

1. Heat the oil in a small frying pan on medium heat and gently cook the shallots and garlic until caramelised and golden brown (about 4-5 mins).
2. In a large saucepan, add the caramelised shallots and garlic, lemongrass, ginger, star anise, cinnamon stick, coriander seeds, Chinese five-spice, peppercorns, sugar, fish sauce, chicken stock and chicken breasts. Cover with a lid and bring to a very gentle simmer for about 15 mins.
3. Meanwhile, cook the noodles, following pack instructions, until just cooked through (do not over-cook). Rinse under cold water to prevent them sticking together. Drain and divide between serving bowls.
4. Strain the soup through a sieve. Discard the spices. Shred the chicken and keep to one side. Return soup to the pot and bring to a boil. Season to taste with more fish sauce if needed.

5. To serve, ladle piping hot soup into bowls of noodles and chicken, and top with spring onion, carrot, bean sprouts, and herbs, plus the chilli, crispy shallots and kaffir lime leaf if using. Serve with a lime wedge to squeeze over, and more fish sauce and chilli to taste

Such a COMFORTING BOWL of GOODNESS…. Enjoy!

We hope you enjoyed our latest Newsletter, happy styling!

The Property Stylists & Co Tribe

Briana Cadd & Michelle O’Connell
Property Stylists