Tag: orange

Orange & Bathurst: a trip for all the family

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date October 21, 2020
2 Comments on Orange & Bathurst: a trip for all the family

Time has flown since our minibreak to Orange, somewhere Damian and I had wanted to visit for years. Everyone we told either said they had been meaning to go too, or that they’d already been and loved it! We’d hyped it up in our heads so much, I was a little worried it wouldn’t live up to our preconceived ideas but oh my goodness it did, and more! We already can’t wait to go back!

It’s almost a four-hour drive from our side of Sydney, so we decided to stop en route and have a night in Bathurst, which was just under three hours. It was a good call because not only did we stay in the most gorgeous rental home, but it turns out Bathurst has loads to offer for young kids, and when your five-year-old is racing car obsessed, the chance to drive around Mount Panomara (in a decidedly underpowered family SUV) multiple times, is not one to pass up. He still talks about it now. Often!

One of the greatest days of Seb’s life so far!

Alfred on Keppel is a beautifully restored and stylishly furnished heritage terrace house in the heart of town. We had a really comfortable stay here with special mention to the balcony off one of the bedrooms and the gorgeous backyard (although it was a little too chilly to use it!).

The next day we had great takeout coffee (definitely as good as any in Sydney!) at a cool shipping container conversion right over the road called Doppio Espresso which obviously has a loyal customer base of locals. The service was super friendly. It’s part of the Tremain’s Mill complex. We also took a stroll around the town which is really lovely and full of heritage buildings (did I mention how much I love old buildings?!).

_{We had plenty to eat in Bathurst too, at the famous Annie’s ice cream parlour (I cannot tell you how inappropriately cold it was for ice cream!) and pizza at Church Bar}

We visited the new train museum with its excellent Kid’s Central space (one of the largest permanent Brio sets in the world no less), which is great for old (sorry Damian) and young train buffs alike. So while we were being stereotypically male, we had to add dinosaurs to our race cars and trains, and we paid a visit to the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum. Mummy would have liked to have spent a bit more time in the gem section because oh my WORD, I have never seen such incredible and also HUGE gemstones and crystals. Again, we’re talking world class collections. In Bathurst. Who knew?!

We packed a lot in to our Bathurst 24 hours but it was time to finally visit Orange. And it snowed. The boys’ first snow. We couldn’t have organised it better!

First stop was the Byng Street Hotel, which I was really excited about. It has quite the reputation in design circles and there’s nothing I love more than a truly unique and design-led boutique hotel. And it was just as amazing as I hoped. What Kristen and Thomas Nock have done here is so impressive. It opened a year ago following an epic modern (yet very sympathetically and cleverly done in my option) extension behind it.

Byng Street is without doubt one of (if not the) premier streets in Orange and the houses will make you want to sell up and move there immediately. Gorgeous! We drove up and down a few times (it was freezing) before parking at the hotel.

Inside, the 4.5-star hotel is quirky and colourful, full of great art and beautiful, comfortable furniture. Our suite (The Beech Tree Suite) was heaven! And the lucky boys shared a comfy sofa bed in the lounge area which was a couple of steps down from the main bedroom.

These pictures speak for themselves but what also stands out is the friendly and excellent service and the little touches, like coming back to your room to find there’s been a turn down service each afternoon, and there’s looseleaf tea and mini sweet treats waiting for you. And the breakfasts! There’s no buffet here, but a choice of lovely a la carte options cooked to order. And you’re welcome to start with their famous granola while you wait for it to be cooked. With my favourite stewed rhubarb!

On the subject of beautiful interiors and art, high on my hit list for visiting Orange were its homewares shops, not least Jumbled which is part of The Sonic (the old Masonic Hall building).

I’ve blogged about this wonderful space and know it by its reputation and Instagram feed, but in real life it was even better! Part homewares store, part cafe, part fashion store, part art gallery, Just wow! If this store was in Sydney you’d say it was one of the very best, so to find it in a regional town, it just feels a bit magical! Luckily us Sydneysiders can shop online from it whenever we like!

There are plenty of shopping gems in Orange. My other favourite was the gorgeous The White Place (yes, I’d like to move in please!) and Hawkes General Store is another cute little spot, with coffee!

We had a couple of lovely, family-friendly early dinners while in Orange, at The Ophir Hotel and Avido Ristorante. Orange has many more ‘fancy’ restaurants but they’re not really suited to travelling with a two and five-year-old when you have to have a 5.30pm sitting!

_{^{Avido with its fire was great on a cold cold night!}}

When in Orange, another must is to try the local wine, and we headed to Heifer Station for this (via great coffee from Groundstone). It was cold and rainy but we cosied up inside the cellar door and tried amazing wine and cheese. Sadly it was too muddy to venture to the mini petting zoo on the grounds which the boys would have loved. Got to admire somewhere that caters to the wine-loving parents!

Sampling divine wine by an open fire at Heifer Station

We couldn’t go to Orange without visiting our friend Steve Cordony, the renowned Sydney interior stylist who has made the town his second home with partner Michael. They’ve been beautifully restoring Rosedale Farm (following their account on Instagram is such a lovely escape!) and it was so wonderful to see it in real life!

They have plans to open a luxury farm stay there soon. Yet another reason to return! This weekend, Steve’s opening the doors to lucky styling enthusiasts for the first time as he hosts two sold out one-day masterclasses.

There are a few gorgeous smaller country towns a stone’s throw from Orange and many venture to Millthorpe but we decided to explore the lesser known Carcoar, mainly because I wanted to visit the gorgeous Tomolly homewares store and meet its delightful owner, stylist Belinda Sattherthwaite. Neither disappointed! And Belinda’s opening a holiday rental soon so we may have to return to check that out!

The town itself is like a timewarp. In a really good way. We absolutely loved it and we left planning when we could come back and open a cafe or buy a holiday cottage too! Girl’s gotta dream…

All in all, our trip to Central NSW was refreshing, beautiful and full of things to do. It was wonderful to see snow although the cold did make it a little restrictive with the kids (one memorable time we rugged up and drove to Orange Botanic Gardens so the kids could check out the playground, parked, got out of the car then promptly got straight back in again when the icy wind hit our faces!). We will definitely go back again in warmer weather because we’d love to have been out of the car more. Would I recommend Orange? In a heartbeat. If you, like me, like wine, homewares shopping and beautiful countryside, why wouldn’t you?!

Artist profile: Kezz Brett’s joyful semi-abstract works

Post author By Amy Collins-Walker
Post date July 31, 2019
2 Comments on Artist profile: Kezz Brett’s joyful semi-abstract works

Artist Kezz Brett has always painted but between raising two children and owning her own fashion boutique for 24 years, she never had the time. But all that changed upon retirement three years ago when Kezz started focussing seriously on creating her joyful, colourful semi-abstract works that are inspired by the landscape in Orange where she lives. The vibrant works also look right at home inside her exclusive stockist Jumbled; the award-winning homewares emporium owned by her daughter Pip.

“I have always had an interest in art and am a very creative person by nature. I did art for my HSC and then trained as a teacher before moving into fashion so I really only got back into painting before my retirement,” says Kezz who now paints as much as she used to work in between playing golf and travelling the globe.

Kezz painting outdoors — Kezz’s work is inspired by the Orange landscape

Vibrant, colourful, bold and unstructured, Kezz’s work combines abstraction with figurative elements and Dulux sample pots are her medium of choice. “Their colour book is like my bible with literally thousands of colours. I love that I can dunk my brush in and slap it on – its a really versatile medium. I also use acrylic tubes of paint too.”

Constantly creating, the artist finds that her best paintings are often the ones that are the quickest to create. “I like my art a bit abstract but so that you can still see what it is. Most times I pick up a brush and let it all flow out. Sometimes the faster and more furious I go, the more energy the painting has. I try not to overthink it too much!”

It’s an approach that is clearly working with most of her works selling within 24 hours of appearing on the Jumbled Instagram feed. And instead of creating collections, Kezz works on a constant basis with each piece making its way into the Jumbled online or bricks and mortar store.

“I try to do a bit of everything to appeal to everyone and I feed them into Jumbled a couple of times a week and don’t sell anywhere else,” says Kezz.

It’s the lack of deadlines and the ability to remain fairly anonymous that Kezz finds most appealing about her new life phase. “I have loved every part of my life, but retirement and being able to paint when I want to, is really the icing on the cake. I feel very lucky.”

Shop online | Emerging artist Tim Freeman’s minimalist seascapes

Tags art, artist, australian artist, colour, jumbled, kezz brett, orange

Design Interviews Shopping Styling

Jumbled: Ruling homewares retail on a global stage!

Post author By Amy Collins-Walker
Post date July 11, 2019
No Comments on Jumbled: Ruling homewares retail on a global stage!

With traditional retail a very challenging space to inhabit, much has been said about the need for retailers to innovate. Given online shopping is so temptingly easy, I believe you have to create something truly experiential and notably different to lure people out of their homes. And one such space is the glorious Jumbled in the regional NSW city of Orange.

The brainchild of Pip Brett, Jumbled is so much more than a retail store – the shop is housed alongside a clothing store and coffee shop inside a beautifully renovated old Masonic lodge, collectively referred to as The Sonic. “Our aim was to provide customers with a space to connect, be inspired and feel joy and I feel we’ve really achieved this over the years,” says Pip who opened the space in 2013 and offers workshops, events, styling and travel experiences to Morocco amongst many other things.

“Although the landscape is changing, there are still some really exciting things happening in retail, but you can no longer get away with just having a shopfront,” says Pip who explains that having a cafe within the space has turned it into a meeting place that encourages a feeling of community and delivers a special experience unlike anywhere else.

“We’re also trying to give back to our customers where we can, and our free e-book worked really well with brand interviews, travel features and inspiring images to enjoy. You also need to stay true to what you love and only sell products and brands that you personally believe in and that authenticity is what keeps the customers coming back,” says Pip.

And what a product line-up Jumbled has – some of the best Australian homewares and furniture rub shoulders with leading Australian art, and it’s all styled up to look like a series of heavenly domestic interiors that no doubt help customers envision the products in their own spaces.

Sage x Clare, Society of Wanderers, Langdon LTD, Kaz Morton, Marmoset Found, Globewest and Castle are just some of the brands to be found – all merchandised with a captivating, signature sense of abundance. Those brands sit alongside beautiful original art from Australian artists such as Annie Everingham, Spencer Shakespeare, Leah Bartholomew, Georgie Wilson and Elle Campbell.

The success of Jumbled continues online too where the store has built an enviable social media community of over 90,000 followers across multiple platforms. “Social media has been a total game changer! It’s really allowed us to connect with people well beyond the boundaries of our region as well as some amazing artists and brands. We love that we can share part of ourselves and our store with people all over the world,” says Pip who runs a successful online arm of Jumbled to cater to the brand’s many fans across the world.

Jumbled’s success was recognised in Chicago recently when it went up against 30 other winners from across five continents to take home the Global Honoree Award for Excellence in Homewares Retailing.“When we arrived in Chicago, my first impression was ‘Oh my God, this is a huge deal!’ Seeing the other finalists from all over the world inspired me to do more and be better. The options are limitless, and retail is not dead, but you need to be more than just a store and you need to sell more than just products,” says Pip who celebrated the win with her team and loyal customer base upon returning from the US.

One such innovation, and a great example of offering more, is the recent launch of the Jumbled Art Superstar Competition, designed to unearth an amazing new artist. A long-held dream of Pip’s, she relished sifting through the work of the many hopeful artists that applied. “I originally hoped for maybe 20-to-30 entries, but in the end we had over 180 amazing artists apply which was beyond my wildest dreams! My team and I shortlisted and shortlisted again, but in the end the decision was unanimous,” says Pip who selected Newcastle artist Jackie Anderson as the inaugural winner. Jackie’s prize includes the opportunity to sell her art at Jumbled alongside a 12-month mentorship. “Her work makes my heart sing!” says Pip.

One of artist Jackie Anderson's works — One of artist Jackie Anderson’s works

And with such a great eye for interiors, I couldn’t help but ask Pip what her design ethos is. “I live by the mantra ‘more is more, less is a bore!’ and try to advise people to buy homewares that they absolutely love, not simply because they think it it’s on trend or because it might work with their colour scheme. I love colour and texture, which I definitely get from my mum and I truly believe you can make anything work together, it’s just about finding a key item or cushion to tie it all together.”

Photography: Jacqui Turk

Shop Jumbled online | Another Aussie homewares retail success story

Tags art, colour, cushions, furniture, homewares, interiors, jumbled, orange, pip brett, retail, retail innovation, retailer, shop, styling

Before & Afters Design Designers Interviews Kitchens

Before & after: Country kitchen gets classic makeover

Post author By Amy Collins-Walker
Post date April 3, 2019
1 Comment on Before & after: Country kitchen gets classic makeover

Located in Orange NSW, this kitchen renovation was completed just prior to last Christmas when the project’s interior designer Christine Ghrayche, of One X One Interiors, handed it over to her excited clients. “The brief for this project was all about functionality. Prior to the renovation, the kitchen was small and pokey, and simply didn’t provide enough space for a family of five. The renovation also had the goal of future proofing for when my client’s children reach their teenage years,” says Christine.

“It was a massive transformation that included the demolition of a wall and it also included the removal of ugly orange timber veneer that was replaced with contemporary black and white joinery,” says Christine of the home that was built in 2008 in traditional country homestead style.

“My client’s dream wish list included induction appliances, double ovens, double dishwashers and my client Sarah loves to bake so she wanted more preparation space for cooking. She also wanted clean lines, a repurposing of the linen press, and a style that complemented the traditional country style of the house,” says Christine.

Classic features aside, the kitchen certainly has a seamless vibe courtesy of its integrated dishwashers and custom-made cavity sliding door that leads to the adjacent mudroom. “We had it made in the same profile as the kitchen panels,” says Christine.

Silverdown mud room — The custom cavity door to the right leads to the adjacent mudroom

Christine also made sure to keep the family’s many bench top appliances out of sight with the addition of some clever storage. “My favourite aspect by far has to be the hinge up doors that sit below the open shelves. Both cabinets have power installed in them and they house everyday items such as the toaster and kettle.”

Hinge-up doors — Kitchen appliances are stored behind hinge-up doors inspired by this one. Image source: Design Dazzle

For more | Neale Whitaker’s new kitchen and top 10 design tips

Tags before and after, design, home reno, interior, interior design, interiors, kitchen, kitchen reno, kitchen renovation, orange, real home, reno, renovating, renovation

Art Bathrooms Homewares Interviews

The Sonic: Orange’s ultra hip interiors and fashion store

Post author By Amy Collins-Walker
Post date February 1, 2017
1 Comment on The Sonic: Orange’s ultra hip interiors and fashion store

Located in the regional NSW city of Orange, inside a Masonic hall dating back to 1864, The Sonic is a gorgeous interiors concept store, the likes of which you’d hardly expect to find in a country town. Combining a cafe with two existing businesses under the one roof, the large, lofty white space is something of a retail nirvana.

“My husband and I purchased the old Masonic Hall and renovated it into a fresh new retail space. It is the total shop of my dreams! I’ve had my stores in several shops over the years – iglou is now 10 years old, and I’ve had Jumbled for almost five years – but this is the space I’ve always dreamed of!” says owner Pip Brett.

After completing a Bachelor of Design (fashion and textiles) at the University of Sydney, Pip swiftly opened her first retail store. “I had watched my mum run a successful fashion business for the previous 20 years, so it just seemed like a natural progression. I launched iglou over 10 years ago and focused on bringing the best fashion brands out to the country. Then five years ago, Jumbled happened – it’s an eclectic mix of all things wonderful for your home and it’s pretty much everything that I love and want myself, all conveniently located under the one roof. I only sell things that I love and so far that strategy is working beautifully!”

“I had always dreamt of the idea of a ‘concept store’ with coffee, fashion and home all under the one roof, and The Sonic allowed us to turn it into a reality. Having both of my stores and a cafe under the one roof has simplified everything and now it’s all just about making each and every shopping experience magical,” says Pip of the space that was transformed with the help of designers Studio Esteta and Pip’s builder husband Nick.

“We were able to transform the building in nine weeks. We pulled it back to the bare minimum, gutting it out and revealing all of its history, and then we painted it all white for good measure. We wanted a crisp white canvas to display all of our goodies whilst still staying true to the history of the building. We have created different zones – bedroom, living, nursery, bathroom and kid’s room. My favourite part of the space is the drama of the exposed ceiling beams and the way in which the bricks tell the building’s history,” says Pip.

With a fabulous mix of Australian brands including Kip & Co, Space to Create, Globewest, Uimi, General Eclectic and Langdon LTD, The Sonic certainly is a major drawcard for interior lovers in and around Orange. “People have been coming from far and wide to visit our new store and it has been incredible. I am so proud of the space and just so pleased that it has been so well received. Orange is a bustling regional city and is going from strength to strength on the back of food and wine tourism.”

The store also stocks a fabulous line-up of Australian artists including Leah Bartholomew, Lumiere Art + Co, Jessie Breakwell, Belinda Marshall and Middle of Nowhere. “I just love art! We are constantly changing and evolving and are always on the lookout for new designers or artists. We love Australian designers!”

Pip manages a hugely successful online business too. “Having an online store means that we are competing Australia wide, not just locally. We have tried to focus on colour, original art, quality and continually sourcing exciting new product and talent that hopefully sets us apart. Social media and in particular Instagram, has been a huge source of growth and excitement in our business. It has allowed us access to a much greater audience and has in turn allowed our buying to be a lot more adventurous and crazy.”

If you can’t make the trip, they sell online too: Jumbled and iglou

Check out The Sonic.

Tags art, bathroom, bedding, bedroom, cafe, colour, cushions, design, furniture, homewares, iglou, interiors, jumbled, orange, the sonic

Expert Tips

Orange paint: How to master one of life’s trickier shades

Post author By Amy Collins-Walker
Post date May 19, 2016
No Comments on Orange paint: How to master one of life’s trickier shades

While hugely popular, orange is a difficult shade to get right. Too much and it overwhelms and yet too little can look like an afterthought. It’s also a colour that demands that you dive right in. A fabulous winter pick-me-up for tired walls, a splash of orange can be just the antidote to the darker days and is gorgeous when layered back with winter-weight textiles. See below for some orange colour tips from Taubmans.

Test & Learn
Before you paint, make sure your new, bold orange palette will work with the existing features of the room like window treatments, carpet and floorboards, as well as your bigger furniture pieces, like couches, sideboards or your bedhead. When you’ve made the decision to go with a bold colour, paint one room first so you can better adjust to the change and gain the confidence to continue with a bolder colour scheme throughout the home. It’s best to choose a frequently used room to start with, like a hallway or bedroom, so that you see it often and grow accustomed to it.

Balance orange with white
A secondary colour, orange is a blend of two primaries – fiery red and sunny yellow. They’re bold parents, so it’s no surprise that orange is a daring colour to use in the home too. So restricting the other elements in the room, such as trims, doors, ceiling and bedding to a basic white is a sensible option. Alternatively, adding an orange feature wall, in an otherwise plain room, works well too.

Combine pastels with metallics
Orange doesn’t always mean citrus bright. Picking up from last winter, we’ll continue to see a shift towards muted, warm tones mixed with whites and greys in the home. Pastel orange tones like Taubmans Endure Rosette Royale and Sweet Peach, work particularly well with blonde timbers. This combination will create a modern look with an organic, slightly Scandinavian feel, adding a sense of warmth to a winter palette. Taking the lead from the trends of metallic colours like copper and bronze, hues of orange and salmon, such as Taubmans Crab Bisque, will emerge in winter palettes too.

A minimal pick-me-up
A restrained, natural palette can come alive with the introduction of a punchy orange accent. As more homeowners are turned on to the aesthetic of polished concrete floors and walls, some may experience a turn-off when they start to feel that their minimalist dream is becoming a chilly reality in winter. Orange is a great pick-me-up in these situations. The variety in shades, from autumnal warm to neon pastel, means there’s an option for every tasate. In this case, there’s the fashion-forward neon-tinged pastel of Taubmans Endure Blushed.