As a 28-and-a-half-year-old, the running joke in my friendship group as we edge toward our thirties is that: "you know you're getting older when you're excited by a *insert various appliance or homeware item here*. Whether it be my elation at buying my first Dyson cordless vacuum (HIGHLY recommend by the way), or the joy that comes with hanging your first piece of art from a gallery on your wall, it feels like there's something inherently more mature about placing value on your space.
Gone are the days when we would decorate our share houses exclusively with kerbside pick-up day garbage and hand-me-downs from our parents. If you're also inching toward your thirties, this is our pick of the 30 homewares you should have among your earthly possessions by the time you get there.
1. A great vacuum
I know, I know – I've lost you already. But hear me out. Investing in cleaning appliances that actually work and are a breeze to use make your world a better place. I actually enjoy vacuuming now. Can you believe that? It's something I do when I'm bored because it's so easy now. Right now, we're loving: Dyson, Samsung, Nilfisk, and Roomba.
Dyson V8™ Absolute vacuum
SAMSUNG Bespoke Jet Vacuum
2. Real artwork (no, Etsy prints don't count)
I mean real art – from a gallery or an artist friend. It doesn't have to be expensive to count. You could even have picked up a painting from your local St Vincents. The point is that by the time you're 30 years old, you shouldn't be surrounded solely by lifeless Kmart or Etsy prints in frames. At least by a good quality print from your favourite museum or gallery and have it framed. We're loving: Hake House, Rainbow Studios, Bula’bula Arts, Saint Cloche Gallery, China Heights and Sunday Salon.
Phoebe Stone ‘Grey Zucchini, Wicker Jug' from Hake House
Cassidy Jackson 'Fallen Angel' from Rainbow Studios
3. A luxurious bathrobe
If you've ever had the privilege of staying at a nice hotel, you'll know the unexplainable luxuriousness involved in donning one of their fluffy hotel robes after a shower or bath. Heck, even pool-side. The older I get, the more I want my day-to-day to feel like I'm on vacation, and a great bathrobe slung over the back of your bathroom door is an inexpensive way to Pavlov yourself back to the relaxed mindset of your last vacation. Right now, we're loving: HOMMEY, Tekla, OAS company, Deiji Studios, Andine and Ace Hotel.
HOMMEY Robe in Mist
COUNTRY ROAD Farrah Bathrobe
4. Matching bed linen (and two pillows)
Gone are the days when we could get away with a single 10-year-old pillow flatter than a pancake under our heads, and a slightly stained and old set of sheets we kidnapped from our parents' linen cupboard upon our moving-out ten years ago. It's time to invest – and yes, they are usually an investment – in some good quality sheets and manchester for our beds. Trust us, your sleep pattern will thank you for doing it a favour. I read a quote once as a kid that said to "Invest in your shoes and your sheets, because you're always in one or the other" and that's always stuck with me. We're loving: Cultiver, Bed Threads, Studio Sutram, West Elm, and
CULTIVER Cedar Stripe Linen Duvet Cover Set
BED THREADS 100% French Flax Linen in Cacao
5. Dinner-party worthy glassware
The house-party-to-dinner-party pipeline is one slippery slope from 25 through until 30, and there's nothing that elevates a potluck evening quite like some special glassware for the occasion. And who says you can't use them when you're home alone too? It's a great way to make your solo cooking adventures and accompanying glass of wine feel much more productive. Right now, we're loving: Fazeek, Maison Balzac, Waterford and Kate Mitchell.
FAZEEK Striped Martini Glasses
WATERFORD Aran Wine Glasses
6. Coffee table books
Every house, I think, could benefit from some beautifully designed books made to display on your bookshelf, coffee table or bedside. I'd advocate that you nominate books for your home that reflect your own interests – art, cooking, gardening, architecture, design, cars, fashion – and stay away from super-popular titles that everyone has. Head to your local op shop to pick up some vintage Martha Stewart cook books or 80s home-and-garden publications. Or, we're loving: Phaidon, Kinokuniya, Lee Mathews, Booktopia, and SSENSE.
CLIMAX The Romance of Food — 1st Edition
PHAIDON Herman Miller: A Way of Living
7. Good quality towels
Again, one of life's small luxuries. A good towel set – fluffy, unstained, preferably matching – makes the prospect of your daily bathing routine one to look forward to. In my humble opinion, the more oversized, the better when it comes to bath towels. And while a crisp white set is easy to keep maintained, there are plenty of sophisticated patterns and colours to choose from too. We're loving: BAINA, Tekla, Autumn Sonata, Missoni, KOBN, Sheridan and Country Road.
BAINA Brown & Black Essential Bathroom 04 Set
COUNTRY ROAD Eve Australian Cotton Bath Sheet
8. A signature home scent
No, not for you, but for your home. Aromatherapy is not to be underestimated, and your home should be no exception to the rule of wanting to smell nice in your thirties. Whether you're an incense person or a candle person, an essential oil diffuser person, or somewhere in between, we caution you to use these items in your household safely – but know that they will bring you so much joy when used appropriately. We're loving: IKKARI, Hibi, Maison Balzac, Byredo, Glasshouse Fragrances and Aesop.
IKKARI Aura Balancing Mist
BYREDO Sweet Grass candle
9. Eye-catching servewear
When it comes to hosting, servewear is key to making your meals look amazing. It doesn't take much – a stainless steel tray or a ceramic bowl – but it makes all the difference when laying out your goods, whether it be a bowl of corn chips and guac to sidle up to while watching the footy, or a 4-course meal for friends. Right now, we're loving: Soft Edge Studio, HAY, Dinosaur Designs, Gohar World, autotellic objects, Hasami, and Service Projects.
SERVICE PROJECTS The Arlo Espresso Set
DINOSAUR DESIGNS Moon Cheese Platter
10. A cool lamp
Lighting is penultimate in any space – elevating it from drab to Architectural Digest-worthy in an instant. Troye Sivan once said he preferred his home to be a "soup of light" and I think this summarises my standpoint fairly succinctly. You want warm, ambient light coming in from all angles so that you're bathed in light, rather than standing under a waterfall of harsh down lights that do nothing to make a space feel calm and beautiful. Right now, we're loving: Akari, HAY, IKEA, Flos, and Louise Poulsen.
FLOS Blue Bellhop Portable Table Lamp
AKARI 3X Lamp
11. Cute cutlery
I hate to admit this, but I am an offender in this category – my cutlery (purchased via Target a good six years ago) is tarnished and mixed in with an assortment of mismatched forks and spoons that seem to have spawned out of nowhere (likely taken home from communal work kitchens over the years by my housemates and I). There's something incredibly chic about a beautifully designed set of cutlery, and I am desperate to get my hands on a great set before 30 encroaches. We're loving: Georg Jensen, Sabre Paris, and In The Roundhouse.
GEORG JENSEN New York cutlery set
MAISON BALZAC Cutlery Set L'Escargot
IN THE ROUNDHOUSE Green and WHITE Stripe Cutlery
12. A good-quality rug
One of the greatest interior decorating hacks I've learned over the years is to never underestimate the importance of a great rug in your living or sleeping spaces. They're a great way to anchor your furniture, and to zone any open-plan areas. Right now we're loving: Armadillo, Double Rugs, RJ Living and Finnish Design Shop.
ARMADILLO Agra Rug in Artichoke
DOUBLE Checkered Brown New Jute Rug
13. A statement piece
I'm a minimalist at heart, but that hasn't made my personal interior design style boring. There are plenty of statement pieces that you can invest in, or find second hand, that will add character to your home and stop it from looking like you copy and pated the Kmart aisle. Simple, interestingly structured chairs, bookshelves or even decor like vases will elevate your space – and whatever you do, do not give in to trends. Right now we're loving: Fluer Studios, CLO Studios, Ellison Studios, HAY and West Elm.
FLEUR STUDIOS Franca Rosa Levanto
CLO STUDIOS Mariachi Chair
14. A beautiful vase
As you get older, you realise how special it is to dress your home up with fresh flowers. It's certainly become one of the indulgences I most look forward to at my weekly market shop. But importantly, you need to have a great vessel for displaying your blooms – and past 25 years old, its nice to have something a little more sophisticated on your hands. Right now we're loving: Dinosaur Designs, Ferm Living, and Rachel Donath.
DINOSAUR DESIGN Medium Moss Vase
FERM LIVING Off-White Large Moire Vase
15. An eclectic coffee mug
Even if you're not the biggest fan of a caffeinated beverage, a gorgeous set of eclectic coffee mugs are a must in our opinion. Eat your ice cream or sachets of soup out of them if you must, but they're a great way to jazz up your serve wear in a way that's truly unique to you. Whether you pick up a couple from your local op shop, or track down a mug from a favourite ceramicist, it doesn't really matter what they look like or how kooky they might get. Right now we're loving: Fazeek, Henry Holland Studio, Soft Edge Studio, MUD Australia and Finnish Design Shop.
FAZEEK Orange Wave Mug Set
HENRY HOLLAND STUDIO SSENSE Exclusive Green Mug
16. A cocktail shaker
As you get older, the urge leave your house for the local bar wanes. But the urge to have a wine or cocktail with your friends does not. And so the home becomes the bar with the addition of some select barware and spirits on hand. And there's nothing that the humble cocktail shaker can't whip up in a hurry. There are plenty of classics you can buy, but we've picked out some fun ones too. Right now we're loving: Soho Home, Georg Jensen, Anthropologie and Palmer & Penn.
SOHO HOME Silver Rochester Engraved Cocktail Shaker
GEORG JENSEN Silver Sky Cocktail Set
17. A good quality kitchen knife
One of the biggest pet peeves you will face as a budding cook in your home kitchen is the blunt knife. Hopelessly frustrating, time consuming and not to mention dangerous – we are getting rid of the knives not doing our prep justice and investing in a good, solid set of knives that will let our culinary skills flourish (and make us want to spend time in the kitchen). Right now, we're loving: Baccarat, Provider Store, Wusthof, and Furi.
Baccarat Damashiro EMPEROR 3 Piece Santoku Knife Starter Set
PROVIDER STORE Chef's Knife in Wild Cherry
18. A slick coffee machine
If you're a heavily caffeinated person, then you know how important it is to get your daily dose. And once you hit those later twenties and on your way into your thirties, the less you'll want to leave the house for it – or compromise on taste with that damned Nescafe blend. Right now, we're loving: SMEG, KitchenAid, and Breville.
ANZA x SSENSE Exclusive Grey Concrete Espresso Maker
KITCHENAID Espresso Machine
19. Linen napkins
It seems less common in Australia, but table linens have always been an important part of a set table in my family's home. Whether it be a freshly starched table cloth or placements, or a set of ironed linen napkins for your cutlery to rest upon. The days of using paper towels as serviettes are gone, my friends. It's not expensive (and certainly less wasteful) to grab yourself a set of napkins to use and reuse at mealtimes. Right now, we're loving: In Bed Store, HAY, Pottery Barn and Cultiver.
ANTHROPOLOGIE Finley Seersucker Napkins
POTTERY BARN Scallop Border Cotton/Linen Napkins
20. A powerful blender
There's nothing worse than an appliance that doesn't do the job – and a blender is one of those items in our 20s that we probably brought to our first share house as a hand-me-down from Mum, or which we replaced with a cheap Kmart alternative at the earliest convenience. But were they really doing the job? Hardly ever. And now is the time to upgrade before your 30s. Right now, we're loving: KitchenAid, NutriBullet, ThermoMix, and Alessi.
ALESSI Plisse Blender
KITCHENAID K400 Variable Speed Blender
21. A full-length mirror
"Only psychopaths don't have full length mirrors" is a sentence I've heard myself say more than once in my 20s. And it's true – even for those not vain enough to admit it, it's nice to be able to do a quick twirl in front of a full-length mirror before you head out the door to face the rest of the world. A handheld or bathroom cabinet mirror simply won't cut it. We're loving: IKEA, MCM House, Ellison Studios, RJ Living and Freedom.
WEST ELM Mid-Century Asymmetrical Wood Floor Mirror
MCMULLIN & CO. Florence Mirror I Chrome Floor
22. A magazine subscription
Sure, we're biased, but there's nothing more chic than subscribing to a magazine that suits your niche interests – whether that be fashion, tennis, philosophy or interiors. Of course, IMHO, there's none that compare to RUSSH, but we're also loving: Racquet, Apartamento and Tart Magazine.
RUSSH
Racquet
23. A reading chair
A reading chair is a great way to elevate your space from functional to cosy. They're armchair-adjacent, preferably with a little extra wiggle room to truly get comfortable. Whether fluffy, boucle, leather or linen – we suggest comfort over everything. We're loving: Coco Republic, RJ Living, McMullin & Co. and Castlery.
COCO REPUBLIC Aspen Channel Occasional Chair
CASTLERY Sacha Performance Bouclé Armchair
24. Salt and pepper shakers
For the majority of my 20s, salt and pepper was relegated to the cheapest plastic containers they came in from the grocery store, and often times the manufacturers make them impossible to open and refill. Because our 30s should be about aesthetics as well as conservation, a refill-able and beautiful salt and pepper shaker set should be on your wish list. We're loving: Country Road Home, Le Creuset and Ferm.
THE CONRAN SHOP Brown Teak Walnut Salt & Pepper Mill Set
THE COOL HUNTER Brass Salt & Pepper Mills
25. A sleek kettle
If you're still boiling your water in a pot on the stove, we forgive you (it's convenient, we know). But perhaps your 30s might see you graduate to a little more counter space in your kitchen, and with it, the availability of space to fill with appliances like a great kettle. Right now, we're loving: Fellow, Alessi and Smeg.
FELLOW Black Walnut Studio Edition EKG Pro Electric Kettle
ALESSI Il Conico Water Kettle
26. Cheese knives and serving sets
Yes, you could probably just use normal cutlery to cut your cheeses and serve up your salads, but it's so much more chic to do so with a designated, matching set of tongs or cutlery built for the job. It's also my opinion that having special servewear set aside for job makes it so much more special to host. We're loving: Dinosaur Designs, Saarde and Victoria's Basement.
SOHO HOME Silver Masen Serving Gift Set, 3 pcs
SAMBONET Living Cheese Knife Set (Set of 4)
27. Board games
This one's a bit left of field but let me explain. In my humble opinion, every adult in their 30s should know how to play at least one classic board game – whether that be chess, checkers or backgammon. It's incredibly sophisticated, but also incredibly fun – and a great way to inject a sense of play into your very grown up space. We're loving: 1st Dibs, Farfetch, Anthropologie and Pottery Barn.
TROJAN IXX Chess Table and Set
BUSINESS & PLEASURE CO. Backgammon Set
28. Candle stick holders
Our 20s were about shoving a candle stick into the top of our empty wine bottles, and letting the wax drip down artfully until the cleanup became too much. Now, approaching our 30s, it's time to invest in a real candle stick holder – and it doesn't hav to be expensive. Most op shops have an abundance of funky, unique and simple iterations, but if you're looking for something more specific, we're loving: The Oddative, Abask, In The Roundhouse and Maison Essentielle.
LOUISE OLSEN X ALEX AND TRAHANAS Corda Candle Holder
MAISON MARGIELA Candle Holder
29. Quality speakers
Your measure of what entails a 'good' or 'quality' speaker may differ from the next persons, but as long as we're upgrading from the $50 bluetooth speaker we've held onto from our high-school bag rack hangouts, I consider this part of the job done. There are obviously an abundance of measures by which to upgrade, but you don't have to go for top-of-the-line speakers to avoid tinny results. We're loving: Bose, Ultimate Ears, Bang & Olufsen, and Sony.
BANG & OLUFSEN Black Oak Beosound Balance US2 Multiroom Speaker
BOSE SoundLink Max Portable Speaker
30. Cast iron pot
And finally, perhaps most importantly as someone who loves to cook, a cast iron pot is a must-have investment. Sure, buying them brand-new can be expensive, but who says you need to do that? The great thing about them is that they are meant to last a lifetime, so it's no lesser deal to grab one second-hand off Facebook Marketplace, or at your local op shop. We're loving: Le Creuset, Staub, Our Place and Crumble.
LE CREUSET Cast Iron Round Casserole
STAUB Round Cocotte
