TAAA DAAAAAAAHHHH....OUR NEW LOOK SHOWROOM!...STEP INSIDE....

'NEWS FLASH'...'NEW LOOK' CHARCOAL INTERIORS!

This week is a shortened blog due to the 3 of us madly racing around to get the showroom back into order after finally....drumroll....our timber flooring renovations have been completed!  Oh...we are so happy to be able to announce that we will officially be welcoming customers back into the showroom from early next week, however we have had a few people popping their heads in today and even made some sales in amongst the topsy turvy state of things!

Thanks to our friends Queensland Timber Flooring, we now have a beautiful new floor surface which showcases all of the gorgeous timbers and finishes available through this well established Sunshine Coast based company.

This process has taken a few weeks due to the huge expanse of flooring to be laid and also the very special sections with parquetry.

First, the plastic and particle board were laid over the existing concrete meaning all furniture need to be moved either into storage or covered in plastic and sealed.  Then the timber boards were laid, then sanded and finally coated with a low toxic water based finish which is very durable, eco friendly and can be walked on within an hour of application....as you can see in the photos, not only is the finish really nice on the eye, but also it brings out the richness of the timbers handsomely.

...And now to big job of not only bringing our beautiful pieces out of storage and onto the floor, but also unwrapping some of our 'goodies' that the girls have been absolutely busting to place insitu.  The results are already looking impressive and we have only just started today...

Colette and Cathie unwrap one of many new custom made sofas...this one is in Belgian Linen and so completely comfortable that we all want one for our own!

Below...voila!...unwrapped and ready for you....

Kicking back on of our custom made sofas, with Euro fabric cushioning. Our French Marble Louis 16th Style Fireplace...circa 1900 with art by Warren Haney, tall Candelabra and Italian Standard Lamp trimmed with Swarovski crystals.

www.charcoalinteriors.com.au

Below we are loving our new super comfortable Wingback chair in the Belgian Linen.

Someone bring me my pipe and slippers....

Our 'Narnia' Mirror from France (below), hand carved and simply divine stands pride of place in one of the new floor sections the girls are progressively setting up.

We also love the altar table and lamp.

Warren Haney Art 

 Dont you just love our new chairs in simply beautiful French Fabric..these are one of a kind too!

More to come next week...so much more to come.  This is just a mere snippet of what we have started unravelling for you.

Originality, Classic Style and very carefully selected pieces are what sets us apart...be sure to visit us at 59 Doggett Street. Newstead. Brisbane.

07 38526002

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And so, its a very quick blog from us today, but next week will be packed with recipes, more of our products as we unravel further and further through the week and a few surprising little extras that we are working on.

Until then....

Love, Light and most importantly Laughter at all times!...The Charcoal Team

xxx

Click Here For All Things Beautiful In Furniture and Design

SPECIAL DELIVERY OF OUR SOLID STONE CHINESE WARRIOR...FAREWELL TO DARRYL COTTON....CHARCOAL INTERIORS NEWS FLASH...BAKED RISOTTO (ITS JUST SOOO SIMPLE AND NO STIRRING!)....WOODSTOCK BOTRYTIS TO TICKLE YOUR TASTEBUDS...

SPECIAL DELIVERY

It's all well and good to sell a half tonne solid stone warrior statue, but exactly how do you transport and place in situ?
This really did put our 'no job too big or too small mantra to the test', but thanks to Gavan from 'Smart Crane-Truck Services' the delivery was like a walk in the park.


We pride ourselves on our ethical client dealings and although we could have sold this statue many times over, it had to be situated in an area where the weight could be tolerated....which meant saying no to clients who were looking to place him on a decked area....being so very heavy eventually he would have fallen through the boards!

...easy..... 

 eeeasyyy......

..checking out the view on the way down...I could get used to this!

almost... 

 there....

..safely on solid ground

...goodbye hugs from Michael...


Our lucky client had the perfect position for him as you can see in the photos.  Every care was taken with his delivery and we would like to recommend Gavan for his skill and professional approach at all times which gave not only us piece of mind but also the client.

We Provide A Full Design Service for Home Or Garden Australia and Worldwide

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WE LOVE.....THIS....

Combine books and stunning interiors and this is the result.....

Images Credit to Christoph Steelback via Lost at E Minor Website

German photographer Christoph Steelback's new series, Bibliotheken, explores the elaborate interiors of beautiful libraries around Europe.  The architectural style of the featured libraries ranges from Victorian to Modern, and each interior is a great example of design from different eras.  It might be a little too distracting trying to read a book in such a beautiful space though!

You can find more of Christoph's work on the latest Lost at E Minor website page
Here's the link:
LOST AT E MINOR

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NEWS FLASH!

We have been in full swing over the past weeks with our exciting new Showroom makeover!
Once our flooring is finished all will be back to normal, but to help the workers with this last section of works to be completed we have had to close our showroom doors until Monday 6th of August...only a few days and it will be well worth it once this rather major process is completed.  In the meantime though the design girls are out and about sourcing new and enticing product for the showroom.  We are absolutely bursting to welcome you through the doors!
www.charcoalinteriors.com.au
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This week it is my pleasure to share with you all the most wonderful personal discovery for me since the espresso automatic coffee machine and non-clumping mascara....I bring you...the Baked Risotto!

Having the Risotto flops of attempts years previously I had written off this most delicious of treats and popped it into the Too Hard Basket and never, ever, ever to be to be tried again.  Risotto is one of those meals that needs constant babysitting and stirring for up to an hour...who has time for that?...not me!

And so, this week there was a facebook posting from a cooking site with lots of yummy photos of Risotto dishes and one very clever lady who will I will now be completed indebted to, suggested trying a Baked Risotto...so I got to googling and found this!  You combine all the ingredients like a casserole and bake it in the oven...stirring once...its foolproof and leaves plenty of time for a gazzillion other things that you could do in the space of an hour....I like to use the time to sit with a red wine and my kindle :-)  Thank you facebook lady....xx

BAKED MUSHROOM RISOTTO

Ingredients

(serves 4)

3 cups salt-reduced vegetable stock

50g butter

400g mixed mushrooms, sliced (see note)

1 medium brown onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup chopped fresh chives

1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Place stock and 1 1/2 cups cold water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, until needed.

Melt half the butter in a flameproof dish over high heat. Add mushroom. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned.Transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium. Melt remaining butter in pan. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until softened. Add rice. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine. Bring to the boil. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until liquid has almost evaporated.

Stir in stock mixture and mushroom. Cover tightly with foil. Transfer to oven. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 5 minutes or until liquid has absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in chives and cheese. Serve.

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A 'fancy' meal out for me is always known for the standard fabric serviettes and always, always finishing off at the end of the evening with a lovely dessert wine.  If you havent tried dessert wine yet, its worth the tipple...long gone are the super 'syruppy' sweet vinos of the past, replaced with more sophisticated palate friendly and balanced wines like the Woodstock Botrytis Semillon.  

If you havent visited Woodstock Winery in the beautiful McLaren Vale region of South Australia, then I highly recommend the trip.  When I discovered the Vale region years ago, Woodstock was the very first winery that I stumbled upon.  Its a really beautiful spot with a restaurant that serves amazing food (we had the seasonal platter) and separate tasting room and cellar door area staffed by those who clearly know their wines as we felt quite educated by the end of the visit.



The Botrytis Semillon is for those fans of honey, citrus and a finish of creme brulee on the palate (hello!!...the entire population!)....and matches perfectly with strawberries or lemon tart.  
Serving a dessert wine such as this is a great way to end a dinner party at home with dessert, a platter of cheeses and fruits etc...  

I highly recommend Woodstock Winery for a visit next time you're in the Vale.
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS AUSTRALIAN AND FAMILY OWNED WINERY OF DISTINCTION

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And its the end of another week which saw the start of the Olympic Games in London and the sad and untimely death of one of the greats of Australian Rock in Darryl Cotton...taken from us at age 62 after a very short battle with liver cancer.  He certainly was one of the good guys.

Darryl Cotton credit to The Age

  My Aunty dated him years ago and she always recalls the time with fondness.  For those who are too young to remember, or from overseas check out 'Zoot' on youtube...Rick Springfield was also one of the members as was Beeb Birtles from Little River Band.
So live every day with gusto...Love...Light and Laughter...The Charcoal Team xxx

www.charcoalinteriors.com.au

THERE'S MORE TO US THAN MEETS THE EYE....QUALITY FINISHES FOR QUALITY PROJECTS...WINTER WARMING ROAST CHICKEN WITH A TWIST!...THE FORGOTTEN CHARDONNAY NOW MAKING A COMEBACK!...ENJOY!

DID YOU KNOW??

We are so much more than just an Interior Design and Unique Retail Furniture Business.

Here's just a small list of some of the services that we provide:

• RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL INTERIOR DESIGN
• 
  
• INVESTMENT PROPERTY FITOUTS AND STYLING
• 
  
• CUSTOM MADE FURNITURE AND SOFT FURNISHINGS
• 
  
• FULL UPHOLSTERY SERVICE
• 
  
• DRAPERY
• 
  
• ART CONSULTATION
• 
  
• PROJECT MANAGEMENT
• 
  
• PRE-SALE STYLING AND MAKEOVERS
• 
  
• RENOVATIONS
• 
  
• FURNITURE, ART, RUGS AND ACCESSORIES
• 
  
• GARDEN-SCAPING....AND MORE....

...And so from helping to bring the life back into that much loved sofa, or having a professional eye cast over your home and complete makeover, we do the lot.

Call us today on 07 38526002

or pop into the Showroom any day but Sunday at 59 Doggett St, Newstead. Qld

We look forward to welcoming you soon at Charcoal Interiors

Charcoal Interiors Website Where You Will Find Our Projects, Collections and More!

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FINISHES TO IMPRESS

What's the point in having a beautiful new home or finished renovation if the finishes aren't quality?

It's a bit like having your hair and make up done for a special event and then wearing your tracksuit to the ball....a half baked effort never feels or looks right does it?

Quality Bathroom finishes in our recent Farmhouse Weekender Project.

In our recent Farmhouse Weekender project, the kitchen was finished by quality craftsman using materials designed to last and last.

Here at Charcoal Interiors we pride ourselves on quality, quality, quality in all things we do, from our initial consultation right down to the end result.  We will always recommend quality finishes and we believe that it most definitely gives the job that extra 'finishing touch' that a lot of others will not push for.

Contact us today on 07 38526002 for more information, or you can peruse our projects page of the Charcoal Interiors Website

Click Here To See More of Our Charcoal Interiors Design Projects and Finishes

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We love this recipe because it screams Winter!...

More great seasonal produce abounds in this recipe, with Lemon and Thyme the heroes of this dish...and of course the chicken.

WINTER WARMING

LEMON AND THYME CHICKEN WITH ROAST GARLIC

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:

2 Lemons, rind finely grated

1 bunch of thyme, leaves removed

3 garlic heads

1.6kg free-range chicken

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup white wine

1 and 1/4 cups chicken stock

HOW TO.....

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  Cut the lemons into wedges. Place lemon, 6 garlic cloves and thyme stalks into chicken cavity.

Tie legs together with kitchen string.  Place lemon rind, thyme leaves, 4 peeled garlic cloves, oil and salt in a food processor.  Process until combined.

Place remaining garlic in a roasting pan.  Place chicken on garlic.  Brush thyme oil mixture over chicken.  Pour wine around chicken and place in oven.

Roast chicken for 30 minutes or until wine is reduced by half.

Add stock to pan and roast for 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through.  Transfer chicken to a serving platter.  Cover with foil and stand for 10 minutes.  Serve with roasted garlic.

Great served with a nice Chardonnay....see below for our suggestion.

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IT'S FRIDAY....COCKTAIL FRIDAY....!!

BEST CHARDONNAY UNDER $20

THE GULF STATION CHARDONNAY

The Good Wine Guide which is brought out by the Sydney Morning Herald and Age Newspapers every year is a handy reference point for lovers of wine. It's updated yearly, and I have been a devotee ever since I was given a copy for my birthday a few years ago.  

I needed to do some research into a complimentary Chardonnay for the chicken as Red Wine is my 'thing', however, years ago you wouldnt have seen me without anything else but a crispy Chardonnay in my glass.

The popularity of Sauvignon Blanc seems to have pushed Chardonnay to the backbenches up until significant awards were won at recent notable wine shows which seems to have brought this sometimes forgotten variety back into the spotlight.

Photo via De Bortoli wines website

The Good Wine Guide showcases the 2010 Gulf Station Chardonnay as its pick under $20.  This wine is for drinking now and is a beautifully elegant drop for lovers of peach and nectarine fruits with a touch of pear and spice on the palate.  It's a very fresh wine that will go so well with the chicken recipe above because the meat flavours are delicate and the wine with its subtleties and freshness makes it the perfect match instead of a heavy robust red.

Gulf Station occupies a component of the extensive De Bortoli Wines portfolio.

Gulf Station is the original pastoral holding of the Bell family who settled the Yarra Valley in 1864. The site of the De Bortoli Winery was known as the 'Summer Paddock'. It had a large dam, held green pasture throughout the dry summer months and was a cool place to be seen drinking premium Yarra Valley wine.

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UNTIL NEXT WEEK!

Light....Love and Laughter.....

Colette...Cathie and Jen...The Charcoal Team

xxx

www.charcoalinteriors.com.au