Fall in love this autumn, with the relaxed elegance and luxurious comfort of natural linen and wood.

For a classic look, keep it simple with the ease of linen paired with expertly crafted wood for a comfortable and refined look. This gorgeous combination can be seen throughout the home from a French Linen Armchair in the bedroom, to a simple “Pyrenee” Hemstitch Grey Linen placed on a rustic kitchen table. Let the quiet elegance of this natural palette inspire the look of your home.

Shop this look at a Provincial Home Living store near you or shop online.

When the days start to have an autumn chill, there’s nothing more comforting than the aroma of a soup simmering in the kitchen.  We just love an afternoon making real homemade Soupe a l’Oignon au Fromage, otherwise known as French Onion soup.  This simple recipe from Provence is a nourishing favorite, filled with the flavour of slowly cooked carmelised onions, fresh herbs, garlic and finished off with crusty bread covered with bubbling Gruyère cheese.

Take the time and enjoy the change of seasons, give in to your desire for cozy fare and indulge in the Provincial classic. C’est merveilleux!

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 50g unsalted butter
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 4 large onions (about 1kg), sliced
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• 50ml brandy
• 3 cups (750ml) chicken stock
• 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 4 thick slices sourdough
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 1 cup (120g) grated gruyere cheese

Method

1. Melt the butter with the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, sugar and 1 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until golden and caramelised.
2. Add the brandy, then increase heat to medium-high and cook for 1-2 minutes until liquid is almost evaporated. Add the chicken stock, balsamic and herbs, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to high.
4. Grill bread on both sides until golden. Rub one side of each slice with garlic, top with cheese, then grill for a further 1-2 minutes until the cheese has melted.
5. Divide toasts among 4 soup bowls, then ladle over the soup and serve.

Items show above available at Provincial Home Living;

Soup Tureen Lions Head
Large Wooden Chopping Board
Blanc Llion Heads Bowls

“Hot cross buns, Hot cross buns,
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns.”

At Provincial Home Living we believe entertaining is about timeless style and enjoying the simple pleasures of a good meal with friends and family.   Easter is about hot cross buns, a traditional family recipe hand-written on a card, rich wines, and an unhurried meal where the pleasure of family memories are made.

Creating the perfect look for your Easter, is as simple as selecting a few decorative elements to set the tone for an effortless balance that mixes moods and style, that unfolds in the unique character of your surrounds. Once you put all the elements together, the guests arrive and enjoy a lovely meal filled with great friendships, and family.

Take a peek at Provincial and see what we have in store to help decorate your Easter nest.

Our gorgeous new store is now open at 150 Pakington Street, Geelong West.

We’re absolutely thrilled to open our latest store, and would love to share with you a few happy snaps. We’ve been so busy finalising the look and feel of the new store, to make sure it’s absolutely perfect.

At Provincial, we have crafted an inspiring collection of homewares, with furniture, to transform your home into an escape from your everyday hustle and bustle. Provincial helps you create your sanctuary with homewares and furnishing that is distinguished by it’s timeless style and reliable quality at an affordable price.

Experience a slice of heaven today at Provincial Home Living.

Designed in Melbourne, manufactured around the globe, Provincial will nestle in your heart.

Every season the team at Provincial Home Living scours the world for inspiration, from finding just the right font on the Internet, to traveling to Paris for Maison & Objet.  If you were to walk around the office, it is filled with storyboards, style boards, product samples, idea boards, colour samples and pin boards, inspiring our every move. We spend endless hours hunting and collecting gorgeous images of interior styling and new products ideas from every source possible.  It wouldn’t be fair to give away all our secrets….

But, we’ll divulge one tiny little secret; we have a serious infatuation with Pinterest at the moment.  Pinterest is the perfect place online, to collect and share all the things that inspire us from the books we’re reading, holiday dream destinations, to our Autumn 2012 Inspiration board.  It’s such a fabulous way to curate what inspires us at Provincial Home Living, and we’re thrilled to share it with you.

Pinterest allows you to create an online collection of images of anything from fashion inspiration, decorating ideas, funny quotes, and delicious recipes. It’s a brilliant way to keep track of all the gorgeous and interesting things that you discover on the internet. It’s so simple, just click and pin.

We have big plans for our Pinterest boards, and we’re thrilled to share with you, a bit of what inspires us.  We invite you to have a look at our Pinterest page at http://pinterest.com/provincialhome/ and follow us.

If you’re a hunter and collector of beautiful images and want to find out more go to www.pinterest.com. Have fun and set a side a bit of time, because it’s seriously addictive.

We’re not giving away all our secrets, but we’d love to share with you our latest obsession.

When the blockbuster Melbourne Winter Masterpiece Vienna: Art & Design, unveiled in 2011 at the National Gallery, we like millions of visitors were absolutely enthralled with the show.  From the impressive artwork, to the sublime design of the exhibition, the story of this exhibition unfolded brilliantly. So, when we found out that our next interview was with Katherine Horseman, Exhibition Designer at the NGV, we were beyond thrilled. Katherine, (along with John Eccles), designed the 2011 Melbourne Winter Masterpiece Vienna: Art & Design.

Katherine’s background in Interior Design, she received a Bachelor of Design from RMIT, definitely informs her work.  She shows sensitivity to her subject matter, as it doesn’t overpower the artwork or overwhelm the space.   Her design work seems to support the curator’s mission and ultimately enhances the audience’s experience. Putting a show of this magnitude together, is no simple task, but she manages to do so with grace and determination.

What an amazing chance to chat with the supremely talented, creative and charming (how many 11 years old wrangle their parents to spring for a Vogue Living subscription?).  We’re just thrilled to share with you on our blog,  “5 Minutes with Katherine Horseman”.

We can’t wait to see her most recent work.  She’s recently designed Linda Jackson Bush Couture a fashion and textiles exhibition showcasing the work of Australian fashion designer Linda Jackson at the NGV.

Here’s a small sample of her design work at the NGV.

Linda Jackson Bush Couture, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia. Designer Katherine Horseman

Title sign for Vienna: Art & Design, NGV International. Design team: Katherine Horseman & John Eccles

Kaleidoscope: Art and colour, NGV Kids Space, NGV International. Design team: Zera Haisma, John Eccles & Katherine Horseman

Dressed to Rule: Imperial Robes of China, NGV International. Design team: Diana Dzelalija & Katherine Horseman

Riesling, Shiraz, Cab Sav, Pinot Gris, Rosé, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

So many delicious wines, so little time.  So on your next visit, set aside a bit of time and discover the rustic charms of Salix Bistro at Willow Creek Vineyards.  Nestled in the Mornington Peninsula hinterland, between the back of beaches of the Southern Ocean and the tranquil waters of the bay, lies one of Australia’s best cool climate wineries. They have a serious passion for pinot, and so do we.

As you turn off the main road, at the end of a long gravel driveway, you’ll approach the estate consisting of timber and brick buildings, surrounded by vineyards and a charming garden. They’ve just completed a stunning makeover of the wine tasting room and Salix Bistro, and you must come see for yourself the beautiful new interior.  It’s a perfect example of impeccable country style, that has a relaxed friendly vibe that’s matched with delicious food and stunning views.  The recent refurbished verandah is perfect for chilling with friends, surrounded with the picturesque views overlooking the rolling hills filled with rows of neatly planted vines.

They’ve created a simple but divine menu that contains grazing plates, substantial mains and delicate desserts. sourcing most of their produce from the Mornington Peninsula. Risotto of pulled venison, Otway pork belly, Petuna smoked salmon bruschetta, Navarin of lamb, potato, carrots & turnips – just a tiny sample of some of the delectable items on the menu.

Every once in a while all you want is just a good steak.  So we ordered the char-grilled eye fillet, crushed chats, roasted red onions, jus, watercress with a side of fries and a green salad. This is melt-in-your-mouth steak that is coming from the same kitchen serving the highly acclaimed Salix Restaurant. For dessert, the Vanilla crème brulee, with roasted spice rhubarb & strawberry, palmiers is a must.

Take a drive to the Mornington Peninsula and enjoy one of Australia’s best cool climate wines, spectacular views and one of our favourite  bistros  – Salix Bistro.

For more information www.willow-creek.com.au

From Mexico, New York to Sydney,  it seems like the humble icy pole has had a bit of a fancy makeover. Gourmet artisan icy poles can now be found at specialty stores like Liana Raine and La NewYorkina, and farmers markets around the globe.  Unlike the icy poles of our youth, these are made with a modern twist using exotic and exciting flavour combinations like – Chocolate Coconut Milk, Mango Chile, Saffron Rosewater Cream, Vietnamese Coffee, and Havana Mojito Icy Pole, These gourmet icy poles may sound a bit posh, but they’re actually super easy and fun to make and just perfect for entertaining during the summer.  They’re made with fresh wholesome ingredients that can easily be found at your local grocer, it just takes some fresh fruit, sugar and water (and a bit of an adventurous spirit).

To start with you’ll need a few icy pole moulds.   There  are quite a few possibilities, from plastic pre-made moulds, paper cups and even specialty machines like the Zoku pop maker. Popsicle moulds are sold at department stores or kitchen supply stores.  We found a plastic mould at Kmart for under $5 that worked perfectly.   As for the sticks, we didn’t use the plastic ones it came with, instead we opted for the simple and classic wood sticks that can be found at your local craft store.

Make – The ingredients are simple -fresh fruit, water and sugar. Be adventurous and try out different flavour combinations.  We made Balckberry, Honey and Yogurt, Rockmelon & Lime, Strawberry & Pineapple, Pineapple & Pomegranate and the classic Strawberry, essentially following the simple guidelines of fresh fruit, a bit of syrup and freeze.

Here’s one of the recipes that we loved!

Rockmelon & Lime Icy Poles

¼ cup castor sugar

¼ cup water

1 (1 ½ kilo) ripe rockmelon, pealed, seeded and cut into 3 cm pieces

2/3 cup fresh limejuice

Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Chill syrup until cold, about 1 hour. Blend melon and juice in a blender until smooth. Add syrup and blend. Pour  into icy pole moulds and freeze until slushy, about 2 hours. Insert sticks and then freeze icy poles  until completely hardened, at least 8 hours (or overnight).

Enjoy – Simply dip the bottoms of moulds into hot water for 20-30 seconds to loosen pops. Remove pops and serve.

Notes & Tips: Depending on the sweetness of the fruit you can adjust the amount of syrup in the recipe.  You can make multicolour icy poles, by freezing the first layer for 30 minutes until slushy and then pour the next flavour.  In order to help keep the sticks straight, put plastic wrap over the moulds when you stick in them in and wait about 30 minutes for them to be a bit slushy.  They can be made a few days ahead, but they’ll lose some flavour if kept for over a week.  Also, make sure your freezer is cold and don’t open and close the door, as it will result in ice crystals.

Whether you decide to try a simple recipe of fresh watermelon or something more adventurous like Vietnamese Coffee, we know one thing: Summer + icy poles = happiness.

This summer invite your friends, open your doors and throw a dinner party.

When it comes to entertaining, there’s nothing quite like dining al fresco. Everything seems to taste better with a warm summer breeze on your shoulder, the sound of cicadas in the background and friends laughing over a few glasses of rosé.

There are so many ways to entertain, from a formal dinner party with linen tablecloths, matching plates and crystal glasses to a backyard barbecue with plastic tumblers and fresh cut flowers from the garden.  When you’re entertaining al fresco, it’s so easy to get by with just a few decorations.  No matter how you choose to entertain, it’s always nice to add a few finishing touches to add a bit of magic to the evening.

We suggest that you invest in a few good pieces.  Whether it’s formal or casual, finding the right lighting can transform the ambiance from just ordinary to a fabulous and inviting dinner party. So, as the summer sun sets and you’re eating under the canopy of a starry night, nothing is more gorgeous than the flicker of candle in a lantern that will instantly enhance the party and create a bit of magic.

Quite simply dining al fresco is one of life’s simple pleasures.

May we suggest for you….

Cool off this summer and be inspired by the classic colour combination of blue and white.  Throughout the home, a crisp clean white is bright, refreshing and simple, while touches of blue bring a tranquility and calmness.  Blue and white is just the perfect combination of colour for a relaxed summer.