I’m pressing the pause button on all the holiday-hoopla to share another little tidbit from my Australian adventure today. Why does it already feel like it was so long ago?! While I’ve got complete city guides coming your way, I gotta be honest, they take forever to put together so I thought I’d share one especially cool Sydney spot to tide you over.

It’s called Koskela, otherwise known as my new happy place!

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Located on the outskirts of Sydney’s urban core in the suburb Alexandria {that’s what they call neighborhoods down under!}, you will find a mecca for Australian-made design. The super-cool warehouse space is jam-packed with the wares of Aussie designers and makers – from furniture to fine art to books and everything in between.

Things I learned about Australian design:

~ Neon is still a huge trend in Oz

~ They’re not afraid to use color in general

~ Clean modern lines dominate most furniture – but always with a slightly playful twist

Let’s just say both I and my pocket book were in trouble with a capital T!

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I could have taken virtually every single thing I saw home with me. Like that adorable kangaroo pillow. A tad cliche? Perhaps, but I love the black & white photo print!

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Another fabulous thing about Koskela – it comes with it’s own in-house restaurant – Kitchen by Mike. I remember reading about this spot in Vogue Living when it first opened and bookmarking that page. Thank goodness I did because it was SO worth the visit. The space is open, inviting and seriously delicious.

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Think all fresh, all organic and all local ingredients, delicious flavors and a design-savvy setting {hello jumbo black pendants, I heart you}. I quickly became obsessed with Sydney’s open-faced sandwiches – they’re served everywhere and for both breakfast and lunch – always on fresh toasted bread. At Kitchen by Mike, I enjoyed a marinated pepper, goat cheese and arugula version with a little spicy kick. Light lunch perfection. I could eat at Kitchen by Mike every.single.day.

Getting to see Koskela in person after hearing so much about it was a very special treat indeed. Well worth making the sojourn off of the typical tourist’s path through Sydney. In fac, there were SO many pretty things at Koskela that I couldn’t share them all here. Be sure to check out Facebook for an album of outtakes today!

original photography for apartment 34 by Maya Vidulich // follow Maya on Instagram @pics_missmaya

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9 Comments

  1. sounds like a cool place!!

    ps love your tank! source pretty please!!!?!

    xo jilian

    1. It’s actually a dress by Club Monaco Jillian! It’s a couple years old though…

  2. Such gorgeous shots! So very glad you got to visit us on your holiday. And we hope you took that kangaroo cushion with you – everyone needs a souvenir – and I bet you were hard pressed to find anything with a kangaroo in Sydney that was cuter. 🙂 We’re so flattered by your post and hope you can come again! (Ps: keep an eye out for big changes in the new year!)

    1. So thrilled to see you comment Koskela. You have a huge fan in San Francisco – I can’t wait to see what 2014 brings for you!!

  3. odd that an Australian design store has a Finnish name…?

  4. I love the pictures, great photography! Really feels like being there. As an Aussie, I just wanted to say thanks for portraying my home so nicely!!

    ~Mike