Now that spring has arrived, summer is not far away! With Dollar Curtains & Blinds’ awnings and outdoor blinds, everyone can enjoy life outdoors all year, including through the hot summer months.

Whether you’re looking for a traditional awning to provide shade and increase your home’s insulation this summer or alfresco blinds to create an all-inclusive outdoor room to enjoy over the holidays, DCB has the outdoor product to suit – all custom-made right here in Victoria.

DCB’s traditional awnings are the ultimate product for protection against the harsh Australian sun and coastal weather. Reducing sunlight and glare on your windows, they offer protection for the inside of your home from sun damage and greatly improve your home’s energy efficiency.

It’s never been so easy to create a space that can be enjoyed 365 days a year than with DCB’s range of outdoor blinds. Creating an all-inclusive outdoor room not only offers privacy and sun protection but wind, rain, dust, dirt and insect protection. DCB’s Alpha Awning range features five matching styles including cable guide, straight drop, side retention system, pivot arm and deep channel, all of which can be customised specifically to suit your lifestyle.

DCB’s outdoor range has been developed to offer maximum flexibility for operation, including motorisation – giving you the option to control your awning with the touch of a button.

DCB is offering 10 per cent off all awnings and outdoor blinds this month, so make sure you book your free in-home measure and quote soon to beat the Christmas rush.  Call 9704 8654 or visit DCB’s Fountain Gate team at 10/44 Victor Cres, Narre Warren. Alternatively, contact the Mornington team on 5975 3655 or drop by their showroom in the Peninsula Home Centre, Shop C4 1128-1132 Nepean Highway, Mornington. Both showrooms are open seven days.

 

DOLLAR CURTAINS & BLINDS

A: 10/44 Victor Cres, Narre Warren

T: 9704 8654

A: Shop C4, 1128-1132 Nepean Highway, Mornington

T: 5975 3655

 

Five of the Peninsula’s most stunning gardens will be open to the public next month as part of 5 Gardeners’ Gardens Around Mount Eliza.

Run by The Anglican Parish of Mt Eliza every two years since 2009, 5 Gardeners’ Gardens has been sponsored by Mornington Peninsula Magazine since its inception, and this year James Crowder Community Real Estate is also a proud sponsor.

Victoria is known as The Garden State, and the Peninsula has some wonderful treasures in this respect.  The five on show around Mount Eliza have not been professionally designed but developed by passionate gardeners and include an organic revelation, a garden that has evolved over 25 years, and the stunning Morning Star Estate.

The featured gardens will be open from 10am-4pm on Saturday and Sunday, October 28-29. Tickets can be bought at any of the gardens for $30 (admission to all five) or $7 (entry to a single garden) and can be used all weekend.  School-aged children are admitted free; no dogs allowed.  When you buy your ticket you’ll also receive a handout detailing the development of the garden as well as the plantings.

This promises to be a wonderful way to spend a spring weekend, so get out there and explore the creations of some of our keenest gardeners – and pick up some inspiration for your own at the same time.

 

1269 Nepean Highway, Mount Eliza (Melway: 105 D6)

Don’t expect neat lawns and clipped hedges in this organic garden. It is an abundant garden tucked away on a standard house block and is a tribute to its dedicated owner, a gardener of only eight years’ experience. It has a sustainable vegetable garden and an orchard where fruit trees are espaliered to minimise the use of space. There is also a courtyard complete with a pond and bridge as well as hundreds of roses, perennials and bulbs to arouse the senses and calm the soul.   

 

Morning Star Estate, 1 Sunnyside Rd, Mount Eliza (Melway: 105 B8)

With sweeping views, more than 800 varieties of roses and about 11ha of vineyards, this estate is a feast for the eyes. It boasts a number of formal and informal gardens, olive trees, an orchard as well as a vegetable garden used by the restaurant and a picking garden for restaurant flowers.

 

5 Amesbury Road, Mount Eliza (Melway:  101 K11)           

This is a rambling garden that has evolved over 25 years. It has different areas depending on the microclimate, including a dry garden, orchard, vegie garden, chickens and bees. As much as possible is recycled, reused, cooked, preserved or given away.  In the words of the owners: “Our retreat.”

 

Willowie, 10 Watts Pde, Mount Eliza (Melway: 101 E10)           

Willowie is another wonderful garden. Established on a battle axe block, it really is a hidden gem. On traversing the long driveway, you’ll find the garden formally arranged around the pool.  It features many roses, camellias, and hydrangeas among a delightful range plants. The garden also offers glimpses of the bay.

 

65 Boes Rd, Tyabb (Melway: 148 C12)

Lyn and Doug McDonald’s garden offers a leisurely stroll around the park-like woodland and lake. Quirky sculptures emerge along the walk with interesting succulent and native plantings as well as a large variety of trees surrounding the house. The dam is home to many ducks and water birds. Blue wrens, spotted pardalotes, eastern rosellas and willie wagtails are among the frequent visitors to the garden.

 

For further information, phone 9775 3301 or visit mteliza.melbourneanglican.org.au

 

Harcourts has become the fastest growing group in Victoria and celebrates its 20th birthday this year.   Its new office, Harcourts Central in Frankston, is co-owned by Brent Pullar and Steve Foster-Swan.  The team are passionate and have a strong focus on property management; they are determined to alleviate the most complained about issue across the industry: communication breakdown.

“We ensure our property management ratio is kept low so we can focus on providing excellent customer service,” said leasing department manager Nicola Mackinnon.  “Communicating effectively with our landlords and tenants is the key to a successful investment.”

Harcourts Central has the technology to keep landlords and tenants informed at all times.  An online portal gives landlords, tenants and accountants access to files such as invoices or maintenance inquiries. This achieves effective communication and detailed reporting.

Nicola is a licensed real estate agent, giving you the assurance of understanding legislation so she can manage any problem that may arise and answer any legislation specific questions her clients may have when she meets them face to face. This reinforces the bond between her and the landlords and tenants so they feel valued and listened to.

And as gift for you, you’ll receive $100 when you refer a listing to Harcourts Central (terms and conditions apply).

 

HARCOURTS CENTRAL

A: Suite 2, 459 Nepean Highway, Frankston
T: 1300 503 000 

E: [email protected]

 

Dollar Curtains & Blinds’ sheer curtains softly filter light through windows and soften the link between your indoor and outdoor living areas while enhancing the ambience of a room by adding movement and texture.

DCB’s Wavefold sheer curtains drape with a smooth continuous wave effect, creating a relaxed and elegant look. They are also surprisingly easy to operate - with the flick of a wand and minimal effort, your curtains can glide easily from side to side.

If functionality is as important as aesthetics, opt for a combination of sheers to filter the light and blockout blinds to block out the sun. This is a popular layering option to ensure flexibility over your windows’ privacy and light control. 

Dollar Curtains & Blinds has specialised in manufacturing custom window furnishings for over 50 years, all made right here in Melbourne.

Call 9704 8654 for a free in-home measure and quote service or visit the Fountain Gate team at 10/44 Victor Cres, Narre Warren.

Alternatively contact DCB’s Mornington team on 5975 3655 or drop by the showroom in the Peninsula Home Centre, Shop C4 1128-1132 Nepean Highway, Mornington.

Both showrooms are open seven days.

DOLLAR CURTAINS & BLINDS
A: 10/44 Victor Cres, Narre Warren
T: 9704 8654
A: Shop C4, 1128-1132 Nepean Highway, Mornington
T: 5975 3655

Wrought Iron Online crafts truly beautiful statement pieces that add a touch of class, style and dramatic design to your home or business premises.

Working closely with each client to create wrought iron doors (including security), gates and fences, balustrades, handles and spiral staircases, Wrought Iron Online is the place to go when searching for craftsmanship and individuality. It designs, distributes and installs hand-made wrought iron products produced in Indonesia and works closely with each client to achieve the best outcome. If you have your own design in mind, Wrought Iron Online can make that too.

All work at Wrought Iron Online complies with Australian Standard and Building Code Australia and comes at a completely competitive price. The simply stunning indoor or outdoor spiral staircases with plain (beginning at $1120 per metre height) or scroll (at $1350 per metre height) balustrades are functional, attractive and uniquely affordable.

Make your Wrought Iron statement today. Just go online.

WROUGHT IRON ONLINE
A: 9 Wooten Close, Frankston
T: 9766 1008
M: 0418 522 477
W: wroughtirononline.com.au

It all started at home on the Mornington Peninsula, when over dinner, a glass of wine and hand-drawn diagrams, Woodtron was born.

Geoff Sellman, head of the family and director of Woodtron, saw a need in the market to develop state-of-the-art CNC routers for the Australian woodworking industry.  Not only this, he realised there was a demand for customisable solutions to suit businesses, whether they be furniture making, cabinets and shop fitting or even plastics and caravans.

Recruiting his two sons, Luke and Kyle, and wife Jennie, Geoff took his 30-plus years of experience in the industry and built Woodtron, a company that recognises the need to have hands-on professional service to all customers and understands the value and requirements of a high-quality, reliable machine.

“At Woodtron we design and manufacture all our own machines, so we ensure only the highest quality components from all over the world are used on every machine,” Geoff said.  “It also gives us a true understanding of all the machines we sell, allowing us to provide only the very best service to our customers.

“As Woodtron grows, so do our customers, and we continue to be a leader in the Australian woodworking industry.”

WOODTRON
A: 1/20 Malibu Circuit, Carrum Downs
T: 9775 4100
W: woodtron.com.au
 

Being self-employed doesn’t mean home ownership is out of reach.  The key is to be prepared, do your research and speak with a home lending expert.

RAMS, which was named Best Self-Employed Lender at the 2017 Australian Lending Awards, has developed five simple steps to help you along the way.

1. Know your business: It’s important you know key financial figures including your current income, net profit, expenditure and future projections. 

2. Check your credit file history: Run a credit file report on your personal and business credit file history. 

3. Work out your loan-to-value ratio, which is your loan amount shown as a percentage of the market value of the property you want to buy. The percentage that lenders are willing to accept will vary. 

4. Keep track of cash flow: Lenders will look at your personal and business cash flow to analyse your ability to make loan repayments. 

5. Collate supporting documentation: It’s good to get together some of the supporting documentation you may need before your appointment to support your loan application.

For more information, advice or assistance, phone 13 RAMS (13 72 67) or go to RAMS.com.au

RAMS HOME LOAN CENTRE
A: 3/490 Nepean Highway, Frankston
T: 9770 2277
W: RAMS.com.au

Now this is something smart. Magefekt’s Tardis batteries are specifically built fit for purpose and can be adapted to a wide range of uniquely diverse projects.

Magefekt director Max Coulthard says the innovative Tardis batteries, devised five years ago, are an attractive alternative energy source for more reasons than one.

“Tardis batteries can tolerate heat and perform at peak level even at 60C,” Max explains. “They are also smaller and lighter per energy available than any other battery of their type we know of.”

And that’s just for starters. These ingeniously rugged and water-resistant batteries can be used almost anywhere. They have found their way into applications such as water and sewage management to drive pumps and even power an entire town water supply. They are made from specially formulated urethane, are terminal-free (so there’s no chance of wayward sparks) and leads are available at any length for extra safety and flexibility. The battery always remains cool to the touch during fast charging or when supplying a home’s power needs because of its low internal resistance. 

“Tardis batteries are ideal for home energy storage because of their compact design,” Max says.  “The aluminium purpose-built cabinets which house these clever little energy providers can be carried on to premises easily and be installed almost anywhere without using special carrying equipment. That’s one of the reasons they provide a safe and secure energy storage system that gives families real peace of mind. Another reason is because of their low heat generation and capacity to provide an uninterrupted power supply even when the grid power goes down. The batteries are long lasting and  are managed by smart inverters that can operate in either AC or DC mode automatically.”

Contact Magefekt to learn more about the powerful locally made Tardis battery-driven Home Energy System. Just think - no more external fuses, inverters or controls spread all over your internal or external walls.

Power on safely with Magefekt.

MAGEFEKT PTY LTD

A: 28/73 Assembly Drive, Dandenong South

T: 9776 6058 

W: magefekt.com

It has been a remarkable decade at Luduco Living, which celebrates its 10th birthday in November and recently received two of the most coveted awards in the Australian furniture industry.

Luduco was voted Top Studio in Australia for both the Stressless and IMG international brands out of more than 150 retail outlets across Australia.

“It’s been a fantastic 10 years and over that period we have steadily grown in every sense,” said owner Jeremy Brook. “Thanks to the fantastic loyalty of our customers and our brilliant team our business has thrived and we continue to serve the local community with the best of furniture design and product quality backed by our award-winning customer service.”

The awards were most unexpected, Jeremy said. “We were attending the annual Stressless AGM in Sydney as we do every year and the announcement was made that we had won the award for Australia.  I was so surprised. 

“And amazingly within a week IMG made a similar presentation to us at their head office - so it’s been a great accolade for the business and the Luduco team and a wonderful way to celebrate this very special anniversary.

“Our heartfelt thanks to all our customers - past, present and future.”

LUDUCO LIVING

A: 1128-1132 Nepean Highway, Mornington

P: 5973 4899

W: Luducoliving.com.au

‘Backyard Blitz’ days have been carried out by Greg and the Crown Lawn & Garden team across the Mornington Peninsula for over 15 years. This team of experts is constantly approached by families and professionals who have residential, rental, holiday or investment properties in need of a clean-up, or by those looking for a pre-sale photograph or property freshen up.

A ‘Backyard Blitz’ can include all of your lawn mowing and edge trimming needs, overhead tree pruning and chipping, the removal of leaf and garden waste or a new design to incorporate turf and paving. You’ll be truly amazed at how good your garden can look!

A ‘Backyard Blitz’ transformation with the full Crown team begins by working closely with each client to discuss and provide the most economical means to attain the desired garden, whilst utilizing the best means available.

Book with Greg & the Crown team today and watch the change begin!

 

CROWN LAWN & GARDEN SERVICES

M: 0417 415 417

E: [email protected]

W: www.crownlawnandgarden.com.au

 

If you’re on the lookout for the right window covering this winter, then look no further than Dollar Curtains & Blinds’ floor-to-ceiling curtains.

Short curtains are out and floor-to-ceiling curtains are in. Short curtains reduce the height of your windows and the height of your rooms, making them feel more enclosed.

Designed to hang the full length of windows, custom-made floor-to-ceiling curtains are a must. Hanging curtains as high as possible creates the illusion of height to a room, making windows look bigger and rooms feel more spacious, so it’s no surprise they are becoming more and more popular in Australian homes.

Now for the endless practical benefits that make these curtains so popular. Floor-to-ceiling curtains ensure complete light control, privacy and thermal insulation, so in winter they are the top choice to ensure your windows keep the cool air out and hot air in.

Dollar Curtains & Blinds has specialised in manufacturing custom curtains for more than 50 years, all made in Melbourne.

Phone 9704 8654 for a free in-home measure and quote service or visit the Fountain Gate team at 10/44 Victor Cres, Narre Warren.  Alternatively, contact the Mornington team on 5975 3655 or drop by their showroom in the Peninsula Home Centre, Shop C4 1128-1132 Nepean Highway, Mornington.

Both showrooms are open seven days.

DOLLAR CURTAINS & BLINDS
A: 10/44 Victor Cres, Narre Warren
T: 9704 8654
A: Shop C4, 1128-1132 Nepean Highway, Mornington
T: 5975 3655

Winter is not the time to neglect the garden.  But with cold and grey days it’s hard to muster the enthusiasm to get outside and do something about it.

That’s where Crown Lawn & Garden Services comes in.  Crown not only works hard to prepare your garden for the beauty of spring, the team can also create a new landscape - complete with new pathways, new lawn, lounge and fire pit areas - that will allow you to make more use of your garden on those colder evenings.

Greg and the team can aerate, top dress and fertilise your lawns to rejuvenate them in time for spring, prune trees, cut back the invasive climbers, roses and grapevines, and rake and remove leaves. If home-grown produce is your specialty, Crown can build a new vegie garden or garden bed in plenty of time for you to grow some fresh tasty vegetables like snow peas, English spinach and some varieties of lettuce.

All gardening tasks revolve around preventing the mess that manages to creep up on us over winter, so call Greg for your winter quote.

CROWN LAWN & GARDEN SERVICES
M: 0417 415 417
E: [email protected]
W: www.crownlawnandgarden.com.au

The benefits of curtains are endless, but one of the most important features is that their added insulation will result in greater control over the interior temperature of your home, keeping it warm in winter and saving you money on your energy bills.

By choosing curtains from Dollar Curtains & Blinds, you can preserve up to 20 per cent of the total heat in your home, creating a trapped layer of air between the fabric and the window, which results in an insulating air pocket.  Curtains are the ultimate in light control and room darkening, offer complete privacy and provide year-round insulation, protecting the interior of your home from the sun as well as shaping and framing your windows.

Dollar Curtains & Blinds has specialised in curtains for more than 50 years and has Melbourne’s largest range of curtain styles and fabrics, all of which are custom made in Melbourne.

Choose from Dollar Curtains & Blinds’ extensive selection of fabrics and styles, and match with the latest tracking, pelmets, swags and tails, and decorator finishes. Whether you’re looking for classic elegance or a more contemporary finish, curtains provide colour and impact to every room.

Call 9704 8654 for a free in-home measure and quote service or visit the Fountain Gate team at 10/44 Victor Cres, Narre Warren.  Alternatively, contact the Mornington team on 5975 3655 or drop by their showroom in the Peninsula Home Centre, Shop C4 1128-1132 Nepean Highway, Mornington.  Both showrooms are open seven days.

DOLLAR CURTAINS & BLINDS
A: 10/44 Victor Cres, Narre Warren
T: 9704 8654
A: Shop C4, 1128-1132 Nepean Highway, Mornington
T: 5975 3655

Mould growth is probably the most common and frustrating tile-related problem for many households.  But Jorg from Bayside Grout Solutions will have your bathroom and shower looking sensational again in just one day with a full shower rejuvenation.  The tiles and all shower surfaces will be professionally cleaned and disinfected to ensure mould spores and bacteria have been killed before Jorg replaces the grout with sanitised grout, which has an in-built sealant that helps keep the new grout looking fresh.  All tiles are then manually polished until they shine like new, and silicone seals are reapplied to the shower screen, base line and verticals as needed.

BAYSIDE GROUT SOLUTIONS
A: Somerville
M: 0424 843 358

Sam Elaridi, of Bayssour Painting & Decorating, specialises in transforming homes and properties inside and out.  With more than 30 years’ experience, Sam’s your man whether the job involves a new building, a renovation or a refresher.

Sam is also fully equipped to handle larger projects with a team of trusted contractors to assist when required, and because he regards client satisfaction as paramount he guarantees 100 per cent satisfaction.  

“I can also give advice if needed on new trends and fashions, colours and what will look good,” Sam says.

Bayssour Painting & Decorating services houses and commercial properties from Portsea to Melbourne.  Why not call today for your free quote?

BAYSSOUR PAINTING & DECORATING
M: 0414 741 203

Frankston City Council hosts masterclasses where attendees can get their hands dirty! A professional expert will teach you how to be a terrific composter and worm farmer in no time! The class includes an interactive session with time for discussion and questions. The students can learn how simple it is to make their own compost or worm juice in their own gardens. Not only will it be enjoyable, but it’s a perfect way to help the environment all the while reducing your household waste and improving your garden soil.

By attending you have the chance to WIN a compost bin or a worm farm (complete with worms), as they will be given away on the day!

When:
Saturday April 29
Composting: 9:30am – 10am
Worm farming: 11am - 12pm

Location:
Frankston South Community and Recreation Reserve, 55 Towerhill Road, Frankston.

Bookings:
Sessions are FREE, but bookings are essential. To reserve your place for either class visit
www.frankston.vic.gov.au