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Your go-to destination for design inspiration and practical tips to transform your home. Discover the latest interior trends, style hacks, and budget-friendly ideas to create a space you'll love.
Contemporary styling with Mocka
Decorating your home in a contemporary style is a simple way to add class and sophistication to your personal space while maintaining a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Once thought of to be cold and minimal, modern contemporary styling has shifted direction and is now about creating a clean space that is comfortable and inviting utilising neutral colours, and impacting and accenting with bright or decorative pieces. If you're looking to style your home with contemporary furniture Mocka's range of adult furniture will help you to achieve your desired look without breaking the budget. When decorating your home in a contemporary style focus on clean lines, textures, colours and shapes, and utilise the space that you are decorating to reflect the pieces you want to showcase. When deciding on colours remember that black is often used to define and ground, whereas whites/neutrals are used to feature and complement. Bright colours can then be added through simple and minimal pieces to define the room. Mocka's Britta Chairs and our red Industrial Stools are a great way to accent a neutral room with texture and colour. Both make stunning feature pieces that, when styled with neutral colours and furniture can add the 'wow' factor to any room. Lines and spaces are great elements to define, especially if the room you are decorating has striking architectural features. If not, you can add great lines to a room with simple pieces that feature striking lines. Mocka's Albero Coat Rack is a classic piece available in true contemporary colours that feature clean lines and simple curves. This piece can be used as a foundational piece to feature and define the space in the room without overdoing it. Mocka's Twin Coffee Table is another foundational piece that can be used to accent a room with bright statement accessories. Remember when decorating your room in a contemporary style keep it simple with a neutral colour pallet and use furniture and accessories with bold colours, shapes or textural elements to make a statement. Have fun picking bold pieces that accent the room and create the 'wow' factor.
Cool Cubbies for Kids and a Good Cause
Mocka loves giving back to the community and are committed to supporting local and national charities when they can. Therefore, when Porter Davis Homes contacted Mocka and asked them if they would like to donate some Mocka products to support a cause, naturally they jumped at the chance. The Cubby House Challenge is organised and run by Under Cover Kids. Under Cover Kids is a charity that supports the prevention of homelessness among youth around Australia. It works with an early intervention approach to implement preventative strategies to keep youth in homes, education and to provide security for at-risk young people. They provide scholarships, mentoring and housing opportunities for young people that are affected by serious life circumstances. Under Cover Kids Cubby House Challenge 2014 was held at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show on the 26th to 30th of March. The five luxury cubby houses were designed and built by Australia's most prestigious architect and building firms. The cubbies were then auctioned off and the highest bidder was lucky enough to take one home. Mocka was fortunate enough to be approached by Porter Davis Homes to donate three Mocka Kids Tree Hangers for the exterior decoration of their cubby house. Porter Davis Homes designed a remarkable cubby house called 'The Hatch'. They made dreams come true for kids around Australia with their fun but contemporary cubby house featuring its very own ball pit along with comfortable interior corner seating. The exterior featured three of Mocka's Kids Tree Hangers in pink, blue and green. "The Hatch was specifically designed as a monolithic sculptural piece to be part of the surrounding landscape in any backyard. With angled walls, the cubby demonstrates visual stability that gives it a more natural form. Inside, there is a bench to play games and draw on, a comfy seat in the corner to chill out and relax on, or sit back and read, but the best part- 'The Hatch' has its very own colourful ball pit. The perfect place to hide from parents!†The auction raised over $40,000 for the Kids Under Cover foundation. Mocka was very proud to have been involved in this wonderful charity event.
Mocka's Classic Children's Toys
There are a great range of classic toys that continue to make their way into family homes throughout generations. Toys including rocking horses, easels, block trolleys, hobby horses and more are continually being reinvented and redesigned because children love them. They are the toys that your children play with non-stop and the ones that they remember right though to adulthood. Mocka design a range of fun classic toys that children can learn fundamental skill from. How many times have you heard your child ask for a dolls pram? The classic dolls pram has been around since the 1900's and is a favourite and much loved toy among children. The Mocka Moova is the latest toy to hit Mocka's store and is a fun take on the classic children's doll pram. The Moova is built for durability with its solid wooden frame and wheels making it a perfect dolls pram for your child to use throughout their childhood and pass down to siblings when they outgrow it. Its fun colourful design will excite any child and it has plenty of room for all of your child's dolls and toys. The classic dolls pram is a great toy for encouraging social role playing with friends. The Moova can also encourage your child to take on a small amount of responsibility by caring for their dolls or toys. Mocka's Hobby Horses are another new arrival at Mocka that will have your child running around the house with excitement. Mocka's Hobby Horses, Mr Ed and Miss Rose, are a fun take on the traditional style hobby horse and feature adorable faces that your child will fall in love with. Mocka's hobby horses also make a sweet horse sound with the squeeze of their ear making it seem even more realistic to your child. Hobby Horses are great for inspiring imaginative play and are perfect for encouraging your child to play outside in the garden. The classic easel is another toy that has been loved and cherished in households for centuries. Mocka's Easel is a classic toy that will keep your child busy learning. Your child will love having their very own area in the house where they can get creative and play whenever they like. Mocka's Easel features a white board on one side and a chalk board on the other making it perfect for households with multiple children. Easels are a great way to encourage drawing, spelling and creativity while making it seem fun to your child. Classic toys will continue to make their way into family homes as they provide hours of fun and entertainment while help your child to learn new skill through play. Mocka's quality classic toys are great investments for families who can pass them down to siblings. Browse Mocka's website to view their great range of classic toys.
How to Style a Side Table
Whether they're in a bedroom or a living area, side tables usually end up cluttered with junk and odd bits and pieces. It can be hard to style side tables and get the right look for the room due to their small surface area and practical nature however; with a few simple styling tricks you can transform any side table into a beautiful space that will completely refresh the room. When styling a side table think about height, colour, shape and detail. The overall look of your side table styling will depend on the design and shape of the table. Round side tables look great styled with simple objects that enhance the circular lines, whereas small and square side tables suit objects that have curves to balance out the straight lines and angles. If you have a large wooden side table you will want to offset the heavy elements with softer accessories and colours. Balancing the style of your side table with different shaped décor will help to create a cohesively styled space with components that complement each other. Height is an important element to consider when adding accessories and décor to your side tables. Choose objects that are tall, medium and small in stature as well as wide and thin. Unless you have a large piece of artwork leaning against the wall, a lamp is usually the most prominent piece on a side table. To achieve various heights, use a few coffee table books stacked on top of each other and place a vase of flowers or a statement object on top. Use small or flat objects like trinket trays to add subtle detail to the surface of the table. When adding colour to your side table, choose a colour scheme that blends well with the table and the room. Style an attractive mix of coloured and textured objects that complement each other but ensure that you don't over clutter the space. Regardless of the size or shape of your side table, you can create a look that is suitable for both your lifestyle and interior décor theme. Have fun mixing and matching objects and colours to create a look that you will love. Images by Katy Thomas - They Eye Spy Milk bar, The Style Compass, The Jaded Monkey, Tarina Lyell - oh.eight.oh.nine, Clair Barnes and The Urban Quarters.
Pros + Cons Of Drop-Side Cots - Learn More At Mocka
When it comes to cots, there is often much debate about whether a drop-side cot or a fixed side cot is best. Many modern designs are forgoing the drop-side for fixed, leaving parents-to-be wondering which is the best option. So to help out, Mocka have put together a quick, no-fuss pros and cons list for the traditional drop-side cots to help any new parent make an informed decision. Drop-side cots have three fixed sides, and one side which can slide up or down to make it easier for parents to pick up and place the baby back into their cot. Despite their initial popularity, drop-side cots have now been banned in the USA and Canada, and in Europe drop-side cots are required to lock in the dropped position for additional safety. Here are the main benefits of a drop-side cot: PROS OF A DROP-SIDE COT Drop-side means parents don't have to reach over as far to pick up or place down a baby Easier to lay a child down without waking them Beneficial for parents with back problems Easier to change bedding on the cot mattress with the side lowered Drop sides are a more traditional design so can be easier to find second-hand However, there are many negatives to drop-side cots which should be considering when selecting a new cot for your nursery. CONS OF A DROP-SIDE COT Wear and tear on latches can become a serious safety concern with drop-sides mechanisms failing Can be difficult to unclasp a latch and drop the side while holding a sleeping baby Some drop-sides can be noisier to operate around a sleeping child Due to moving parts, not always as sturdy as fixed cots Often more expensive than the fixed-side equivalent Often cannot easily be converted to a toddler bed Starting to be phased out with manufacturers and retailers due to declining popularity Overall it is really up to you and what will suit you and your baby best. At Mocka we stock a full range of fixed-side cots and cot mattresses, all of which are manufactured and tested in accordance with AS/NZS 2172 safety standards for peace of mind. For any more information about fixed cots or drop-side cots, please feel free to contact us for assistance.
Interior Styling with Mocka
Mocka's range of contemporary furniture is quickly becoming loved and used by interior designers to style their homes. Featured in this month's issue of Adore Home Magazine, Michelle Halford from interior design blog The Design Chaser, shows off her Scandinavian inspired dream home. Check out page 90 of the Dec/Jan issue for the amazing photos of Michelle's home - available online for a limited time. Michelle's Scandinavian interior styling is flawless and unmatched. She uses subtle and warm hues offset by crisp white walls to enhance clean lines and a feeling of space. Michelle has used various pieces from Mocka to help her create her Scandinavian look. You too can achieve a similar Scandinavian inspired home like Michelle's with a few tips and some key pieces from Mocka. Scandinavian interiors are clean, bright and spacious. White walls make a great foundation for Scandinavian styling however, if you are after a hint of colour, warm hues or cool greys work well too. Once you have your foundations set you need to start adding your main furnishings. Timber is a main feature in Scandinavian interiors as it provides a raw element to a room. Mocka design a range of contemporary furniture made from Beechwood that will help you to achieve this look while still keeping your room bright and spacious. For the living room, Mocka's Albero Coat Rack in natural or Asta Chair in white are fantastic functional pieces that will add to your look. Mocka's Leni Bentwood Stools are also perfect and have multiple uses for the kitchen, bedroom or living room. Michelle used Mocka's Hudson Wooden Stools in her kitchen to add that Scandinavian timber element. This allowed her to develop a functional yet inviting space that still looks clean, fresh and modern. Finally you need to accessorise but not too much. Scandinavian style is very functional and uncluttered. Use accessories that provide clean lines and enhance the subtle hues in your coloured walls or furnishings. Pictures or accessories in black, white or with your chosen subtle hues can be hung on your walls or positioned on your furnishings. Vignettes can be made by grouping small accessories including vases, candles or ornaments together. Mocka's Floating Shelves are great for showcasing minimal accessories and can help to keep your Scandinavian style spacious. Add a white sheepskin or cow hide rug in your living room or bedroom and your look will be complete. Mocka make it easy and affordable to restyle a room. Just remember, when recreating a Scandinavian style always create a clean, crisp space that isn't too cluttered.
