Shopping for unique homewares is hard. There are cookie-cutter pieces everywhere a-like and when you do come across a special piece – it’s a big slice of your paycheck! So when we came across Kornelia Paulina, the glassware brand that transports you into a 1970s Hawaiian surf shack radiating tropical heat, flowing spirits and a Summer glow, we knew an introduction was necessary.

Ella Dumbrell and Steph Treeallen are the Sydney based duo behind the new glassware brand. You may or may not be acquainted with the two, so allow us to give you a quick refresher. The BFF pair go back 10 years venturing into their first brainchild Kolide which lead them to The Ardent Co, a digital agency producing content for clients. It was here they “Noticed that styling pieces and props were lacklustre.” With Ella being an avid collector of vintage pieces, the notion behind Kornelia Paulina was a no brainer.

Naturally, they’re a fan of soirée’s that bring friends, food and fun together – as for wine they’re currently into “Orange wine at the moment – especially Jilly Banana Girl from Clunes, Byron Bay which can be enjoyed from the Paulina Flutes or Aurelia Goblets.” Continue on to discover how Kornelia Paulina was born and their tips for hosting a dinner party in style.

Tell us about yourselves and Kolide?

“So we have been working together for nearly 10 years now which is crazy! We started Kolide as our first venture together which was initially a “what’s on” and local advice platform for 20 something girls and boys to allow them to find everything from meal deals to events in the Eastern Suburbs, North Shore and Northern Beaches. We briefly started to manage a few foodie venues accounts by helping them out with content and influencer visits which manifested into us creating our now primary business The Ardent Co! This allowed us to transition Kolide into a more relaxed personal account where we could focus on creating a healthy mix of beauty, fashion and food content. The Ardent Co we have had now for around 5 years, we have a great array of different clients that we consult for everything from daily management of their socials to executing exciting content campaigns. Current day: we have just added into the mix a podcast – Kolide Goss and of course our glassware brand Kornelia Paulina!”

Congratulations, you’ve launched Kornelia, a very cool glassware brand! Tell us about Kornelia and how it came about? Was it a lockdown project or something that you’ve been working on for a while?

“We founded Kornelia during lockdown 2021. Running a digital agency together and producing large scale content shoots for clients, we had noticed that styling pieces and props were lacklustre. While many shoots and campaigns were postponed during lockdown, we had the vision and desire to design beautiful styling pieces – starting with glassware. Even better, we had some time up our sleeves.”

Kornelia transports you to the tropical heat of a 1970’s Hawaiian surf shack. Where did the inspiration come from?

“Ella is an avid collector of vintage pieces and it was our dream to recreate a sense of nostalgia to transport people quite literally into a tropical oasis. It was here that Kornelia Paulina was born.”

Your favourite piece from the collection?

“It’s a hard one but the first concept design was the Paulina Flutes which were inspired by Ella’s Grandpa’s glasses he had purchased in Italy back in the ’70s!”

What’s next for Kornelia?

“Yes! We will be dropping our second drop very soon. Think pastel green and pinks and some edgy play on shapes!”

What are your top hosting tips for a successful dinner party?

No. 1 – Pre-dinner snacks. Ensure as soon the guests arrive you have a solid cheese platter out and an alcoholic beverage ready to crack open. 

No.2 – Think about mood enhancers. Lighting and music play a huge part in the overall mood. Big fan of candles or alternatively dimmed lights/lamps paired with a jazz track. 

No.3 – Table theme. Depending on the menu, try and match the table to the food. It doesn’t have to be over the top. Banana leaves for Asian inspired menu or lemons paired with olive branches for a pasta night.

No.4 – Keep the menu simple even more so – stick to what you know.

You’re hosting your besties over on a whim, what are you serving?

Definitely something Italian. Fresh tomato pasta with garlic, anchovy paste, olives and chilli is such a quick favourite to make for everyone.

And what drinks are you serving on arrival?

Drink wise – really into orange wine at the moment – especially Jilly Banana Girl from Clunes, Byron Bay which can be enjoyed from the Paulina Flutes or Aurelia Goblets!

What are your favourite cookbooks?

The First Mess by Laura Wright has been a long time favourite for us both. They have some great vegan meals that are super creative and delicious. 

To Asia With Love by Hetty McKinnon. If we aren’t going to yum cha this book is the best for gaining some great inspo for anything noodles and dumplings. 

Does Pinterest count?! We have a great Pinterest board we have started and have found some great foodie pages. It’s actually how we came across Laura and her online cookbook!

Shop Steph and Ella’s must-haves, recently purchased pieces along with Kornelia Paulina shot glasses and flutes.