Style Icons: Jen Bishop

Style icon Jen Bishop is a former journalist turned full-time blogger at Interiors Addict, where the slogan is ‘style without the snobbery’. The blog is about Australian interiors, homewares, furniture and the personalities behind them. Jen wants to encourage everyone to love their home, whatever their taste or budget.

It’s relaxed, colourful and eclectic but it’s still very tidy and everything has its place! I love mixing vintage finds and modern bargains and saving up for the odd dream piece. I’m not snobby about design and I don’t think you have to have a big budget to have a really unique, stylish home.

When I grow up I dream of a monochrome kitchen that’s just slightly industrial, with marble bench tops, fabulous lighting, a butler’s sink and a Smeg fridge. It’ll have huge amounts of storage so everything can be hidden away, apart from the items I want to show off. My dream dining room would have a great table for entertaining which can survive the odd knock, talking point art on the walls, cosy mood lighting, built-in wine storage and a bar for my glassware collection.

1. Keep it relaxed so it doesn’t feel like a formal dinner party at your parents’ place. Mismatch linen and use it to brighten up the table and add some fun.

2. Invest in good cutlery and glassware (I love Reidel and Waterford crystal glasses and Laguiole cutlery).

3. Ground your dining table with a great rug. This is really helpful to zone the space in an open plan living/dining area.

Use flowers, candles and a statement table runner to create a sense of occasion in your dining room without spending much. Start with a great table and source bargain mismatching vintage chairs for a unique look.