TH Brown has been reissuing its most beloved pieces and now is the time for the popular Rondo Pouffe Table suite to find a home once again in living, lounge and playrooms across the Australia. Established in 1911, TH Brown is Australia’s oldest operating furniture brand. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Peter Brown, son of TH Brown, designed iconic Mid Century Modern furniture which captured the mood and imagination of homeowners and stylists throughout Australia.
Rondo Coffee Table (multi-colour) with Pouffe
One piece that rapidly developed a cult following at the time and has since become a highly desired and sought-after item in the auction market is the Rondo Pouffe Table (also known as the Fondue, Propeller or Pouffe Table). The classic small table suite consisted of a round, glass-topped occasional table resting on a beautifully shaped solid ash frame. Three distinctive, almond-shaped pouffe seats elegantly nestle underneath, providing additional seating when needed.
The exquisite joinery is what makes this table so unique, using rare techniques. Utilising a hub and spoke design, the result is a three-way starburst of woodgrain which radiates out, creating a visual masterpiece. The oval-shaped legs are crafted in solid timber using hand-turned pieces that cradle the inner frame, using biscuit joints to dramatic effect.
Rondo Coffee Table – clear frame
Simon Brown, managing director at TH Brown and son of Rondo Coffee Table designer Peter Brown, says: “It was a design piece that resonated with so many people back in the day. It was used in the most glamorous of cocktail settings right through to childrens playrooms.”
Rondo Set in dark ash and black
“We’re thrilled to be able to remake this design once again, manufactured by the same South Australian craftsman who produced it back in the 70s. Due to its smaller size and shape, the Rondo is a setting that can easily be moved about in household environments and it’s available in a wide range of upholstery options. We envisage that this beautiful piece will be handed down through the generations. Which is what we aspire to be the case with all our items.”
Simon Brown with Rondo Coffee Tables
Being a classic Australian brand, TH Brown have stayed committed to Australian manufacturing and supporting local business. The glass top for the Rondo will be supplied in a customer’s specific location via a network of national glass suppliers.
TH Brown has a limited supply of this design that will be available for pre-Christmas delivery, so make sure to get in quick if you are looking to purchase one of the iconic tables. The full Rondo Pouffe’ Table Suite has a starting price of $2,500. Each TH Brown piece of furniture is individually numbered and comes with a 10-year warranty and a certificate of authenticity.
The ‘Granny Chic’ or ‘Grandmillennial’ trend is all the rage right now. Everyone is talking about it, as we see shoppers look beyond the much-loved styles that defined the 2010s. It is an expression of personality and has become more prevalent over the past two years. Individuals have been spending more time in their homes, and the desire to evoke positive memories through the interior of their home is becoming increasingly popular.
Essentially, this trend takes mid-20s and 30s items that have a vintage, classic and timeless feel, and works to champion them in the home. These are bold pieces that older family members may have had in their home, or simply ones found at an antique store.
These grand artefacts are being added by 26-to-40 year olds, signalling a rekindling of the elegant homes of yesteryear. We’re now seeing more renovators in their 30s and above, increasingly exploring early 20th century design and adding this into their homes for a sense of uniqueness, impressiveness and timelessness. For some, this trend never disappeared and has been in their homes for years, evoking memories from their younger years.
The style is a combination of new and old, taking the well-known traditional style and adding a twist with modern conveniences that we know so well. It is a trend that encourages sustainability and circularity of pieces, with antique stores being the perfect place to find traditional furnishings for rehoming.
In terms of how to get this look in your home, it is important to mix new and old pieces to create a style that is unique to your lifestyle and pastimes. To create this look in larger areas of your home such as the kitchen, look to include traditional major appliances with the latest technology, pastels and pops of colour, all mixed in with and supported by cohesive decor.
Say hello to grand ovens!
In order to create your forever home with this style, it’s worth taking a look at how you can infuse the trend into your kitchen, as research shows we spend a good chunk of our time in this hub of the home.
Evoke playful memories and create a story in your kitchen that you will love and admire for years to come. Consider major appliances that mirror and harmonise with the style. Iconic Italian brand, Smeg unites European quality with a tasteful, classic Victorian design with ovens like the 90cm Victoria Aesthetic Freestanding Dual Fuel Oven/Stove TRA90P9. This makes for the perfect fusion of a grand, old aesthetic and superior, modern technology.
Infuse old-school colours into the palette
For the last few decades, silver stainless steel and black appliances have reigned supreme in the kitchen, from ovens, fridges, stove tops, rangehoods, even to small appliances. While these tones fit perfectly in any kitchen, this combination of new and old invites a splash of colour that is sure to liven your kitchen space with a positive senses of nostalgia.
Art Deco colour schemes for example, those that are reflective of the mid-20s and 30s cafe and arts culture and what you would have seen in your grandma’s own home, draw inspiration from warm pastels and neutrals, including shades of rose, yellow, beige and green, mixed in with ageless white.
Tie it together with fitting decor & small appliances
Once you’ve harnessed the style in your major appliances, tie it together with fitting small appliances and decor. Think floral fabric accents, vintage lamps, mixed in with modern technologies and the conveniences of 21st century life. One of the great things is the retro style has always been an option for modern consumers, as this aesthetic proves consistently nostalgic. From a Smeg 50s Retro Style Drip Filter Coffee Machine DCF02CRAU to a minty kettle and toaster, adding small accents into your home will help your Granny chic-inspired appliances sing out and feel cohesive within the home.
Following trends can mean we may unconsciously adopt new pieces and styles without thinking about what we really like and what will have longevity in our home. Hence, it is important to stay true to your own style and focus on creating a space that evokes a sense of happiness, warmth and excitement.
Explore whether it fits in with the rest of your home. If you’re looking to renovate and your home contains a number of classic features such as high ceilings, fireplaces, architraves and wainscotting, you will easily be able to integrate Granny chic elements into your kitchen and even the rest of your home.
If your home doesn’t contain many classic features, create your forever home with small and major appliances that will allow you to combine new and old to impart a sense of the style flawlessly.
At the heart of it, this trend is about expressing yourself and evoking positive memories with nostalgic design elements and colour. If you feel uninspired by modern, minimalist design, or almost all-white Scandinavian colour palettes, the traditional design elements of the Granny chic style may be one that works for you – the gateway to creating your forever home.
–Kate McGlone is Group Design Manager at Winning Group.
Cottagecore is trending and it’s big in bathrooms!
From ‘cottagecore’ to rustic vogue, cottage bathroom interiors are super trending in the design world. Seamlessly integrating traditional cottage elements with modern design features, this nostalgic style whisks people away…
Is the all-white kitchen dead? Yes, says Nickolas Gurtler
A significant part of the home improvement industry, there are many renovation companies dedicated solely to kitchen upgrades. And while there are plenty of great businesses in the space, the…
The latest interiors offering to hit Sydney’s Northern Beaches, The Powder Works is a rather special one indeed. Offering a treasure trove of antiques, vintage wares, art and one-off pieces, the store is the creation of antiques purveyor Robbie Carter (formerly of Eclectic Find) and her art collector sister Amanda Gray (formerly of The Bare Wall). The duo have pieced together a pretty alluring mix of pre-loved curios, furnishings and artefacts – perfect for interior lovers seeking that unique one-of-a-kind item.
The Powder Works entrance
Housed inside a large rustic warehouse with high ceilings embellished with an army of towering potted strelitzias, the North Narrabeen space is rather grand and worthy of a visit in itself. The hero of the space, the rear wall is adorned with an eclectic collection of paintings, etchings and drawings, each housed in antique or vintage frames.
“Our vision was to create an awe-inspiring, welcoming space that will take people on a journey. It’s a large warehouse so we have been able to create a few different interior styles while still maintaining a cohesive flow,” says Amanda. And with so much space, the Powder Works’ wares span glamorous Hollywood Regency items to quirky curiosities, French antiques and everything in between.
The Powder Works
The artfully curated, rather whimsical space features a huge Georgian walnut display case, a set of four mid-century Czechoslovakian Linga chairs and a pair of fabulous mid-century gilt wheat sconce light fittings from a New York estate. Sculptures, lighting, vintage books and ornamental coral are peppered throughout.
The Powder Works main hall
Unsurprisingly, the store already has an established clientele of stylists, interior designers and passionate interiors addicts all looking for that fabulous finishing touch. “We have a very full customer request book, and this is part of what we love. Being tasked to find a special, one-off piece that completes a room is incredibly satisfying,” says Robbie.
And for anyone who lives in a modern home and is struggling with how to incorporate a vintage or antique find within it, Robbie believes that antique pieces, with their aged patinas, are the perfect contrast to a contemporary space. “They enhance the beauty of both the piece and its surrounds. I find these pieces draw the eye to certain sections of the home and give a modern home character, depth and personality.”
The Powder Works creators Robbie Carter and Amanda Gray
And if you’re just starting on your antiques journey, Robbie believes that bigger is always better. “If you really love a piece, you shouldn’t be scared to mix old with new. Choose one statement piece that will attract the eye and become a great talking piece. Don’t be afraid to be bold and daring. The more unusual and rarer, the bigger the wow factor and the chance to show your individuality.”
How to decorate with antiques in a modern style home
“I created The Find Antiques because I want to challenge the stigma surrounding the word ‘antiques’ and all the negative connotations that it evokes in most people – the idea…
“I created The Find Antiques because I want to challenge the stigma surrounding the word ‘antiques’ and all the negative connotations that it evokes in most people – the idea that it means outdated, stuffy, dark brown Victorian furniture, reminiscent of childhood or visiting your grandparents’ house,” says Danielle Rusko of her online business The Find Antiques.
The Find Antiques creative director Danielle Rusko
It was after working at an antique store in Noosa that Danielle was inspired to challenge the perception of antiques. “I want to show people that they needn’t be afraid of antiques as they are still quite functional in their use and not just as decorative items. It is not about having a house full of antiques anymore, but how one or two statement pieces can really add a touch of individualism and add depth and texture to a room,” says Danielle who has worn many hats throughout her career including a stint as an accountant in corporate finance and as a makeup artist (a hat she still wears today).
“I had been a lover and collector of antiques throughout my twenties and thirties and it was actually whilst stalking my favourite Instagram hashtag #antiques a couple of years ago that I really believed there was an opportunity to create an online store selling antiques,” says Danielle who has been invited by the Australian Antique and Art Dealers Association to exhibit at its Art – Design – Living Fair in Sydney this month from August 16-19.
The antique drawers add warmth and interest to this modern bathroom
“There is no formula to how a room should look. By adding one or two antique or vintage pieces, you can really transform a space and create a romantic and eclectic fusion of interior design that is visually stimulating and appealing. It also helps the antique item by giving it a new lease of life when mixed with the modern and contemporary and creates a dynamic style and special synergy within the home,” says Danielle.
“I think that we have become a little too seduced by what we see on some reality TV design shows and believe we can’t create a room based on our own style or budget without being ridiculed for it. I personally do not want to live in a ‘same, same’ environment where the interior of my house looks the same as next door,” says Danielle who ships Australia wide and is opening a retail space imminently. “I am in the process of creating my dream showroom in an industrial warehouse in Noosaville which will be a visual utopia of modern and antique,” she says.
“When you can touch a piece and see the artistic skill of the marquetry inlay up-close or you open the drawer of a commode and the scent of old wood overwhelms you, that’s tangible. It is my aim to impart the history of craftsmanship, skill, survival and nostalgic stories of the past to evoke an emotional response and connection with the viewer,” says Danielle who will also use the retail space to illustrate how to blend the antique with the modern.
Danielle’s top five tips for merging antiques with a modern home:
Don’t be afraid to create a relationship between the old and the new. It helps to bring out the personality of the antique and creates depth and texture to a room that can sometimes look too sterile.
Most homes have that classic white wall and tiled flooring, so introducing antique cabinets or tables can really add character and personality to a room.
Use simple form and rich materials in your choice of furniture to create consistency between the older and newer pieces. For example, satinwood is a timber regularly featured in antique furniture and is an great match to complement your more contemporary pieces.
Use the piece in its functional capacity as it was designed to be used. Sometimes we can be a bit overwhelmed by its age and beauty that we forget antiques still have a practical use. It is hoped that as it has already survived this long with a bit of care and consideration that it will last another 100 or so years.
Buy with your personality in mind. Antiques range from the exquisite to the quirky to the questionable – including their price point! Buy what feels right for you and resonates with your sense of style. You may like to start off with something small like a lamp or vase and gradually as you begin to become more confident you can incorporate larger more statement pieces, like a beautiful French commode.
While Early Settler have been impressing me with their latest collections for some time now, their limited edition pieces released this week just took things to a whole new level. So I’m here to highlight the best bits and urge you to get shopping ASAP, because stock (as the name suggests) is limited and once they’re gone, they’re gone! No just that, but one lucky reader will get to win a beautiful luxe velvet sofa. Keep reading…
The best thing about these new limited pieces is there’s not just one look, there’s something for all tastes: the ever-popular industrial, French and vintage looks, on-trend luxe (hello velvet!) and (moody) floral and last but not least, storage. Can you ever have too much storage?!
There’s loads to see in store and online, but these are my top picks.
There are several velvet sofas (gosh, I love velvet sofas) and I couldn’t pick just one. First up, the Lisette 3.5-seater (shown in peacock green velvet) which also comes in dusty pink, purple and indigo velvet). And the price? $1299! Yes, velvet, 3.5 seater and just $1299 for a limited time (full price $1699)! I know! I love its classic shape and proportions and comfy cushions.
If you’re looking to go all out with your statement sofa, look no further than this beauty, the Juel 3.5-seater Chesterfield at $1499. Shown in vintage indigo and vintage gold below, it also comes in vintage peacock, vintage duck egg and vintage plush rose. You can coordinate (or contrast) with the Juel occasional chairs too.
I’m so in love with this ultra luxe, bold, jewel-toned look.
Early Settler have always had great vanities and this 2-door Nico French Vanity with Bluestone Top is no exception. It’s also just $899. Say what?! You can completely change the look of your bathroom by replacing the vanity (without the need for more expensive renos) and I am a big believer in going for something other than the standard white gloss. This piece would add some warmth and character to your bathroom and the stone top is both practical and luxurious. I love how it looks more like a freestanding vintage furniture piece than a bathroom cabinet.
While we’re talking about storage, I absolutely love this Monde Shelving Unit for $1299. It would look amazing in a living room full of books and/or decor items, in a dining room filled with your favourite ceramics or even in a kids or teenager’s room (secured safely to the wall, of course), filled with toys and treasures. This is a great, affordable way to add a great display option to your home.
We’ve seen a growing trend for moody florals and this Louisa 2 Drawer Bedside Table is an unexpected way to add the trend to your bedroom for $399.
Do you have a buffet in your home? Let me tell you, they are so useful! Every home should have one and they can work in your living room, hallway, dining room or even kitchen! They’re not just for storage, they’re the perfect place to display and style up some beautiful vignettes, perhaps with a great lamp, and they can be the perfect item to ground some artwork or a gallery wall of family photos above. The vintage-look Coralie 3 Drawer Buffet comes in indigo (I know, such a surprise for me choose the navy version of something!) as well as turquoise and an easy-to-work-with light cloud. It’s $1299.
I bet you never knew you needed this Juan Bench either. And now you’re trying to work out how you can incorporate it into your home. It’s $499, also comes in white, and looks like you shipped it home from your last overseas holiday. Love it!
If you’re a fan of a luxe gold accent in your home, you’ll easily find a place for this elegant Exford Marble Side Table, which looks a lot more expensive than its $299 price tag.
If you have a bedroom without built-ins, storage can be a real challenge and wardrobes don’t come cheap. I love the clean lines and industrial look of the Sleek Hanging Cabinet. At $499, I think it would be perfect in a guest bedroom.
So, what do you think of my picks? Which is your favourite? Would you agree that Early Settler have seriously upped their game in the last year?
Like I said, don’t hang around, and visit your nearest store or shop online today so you don’t miss out.
COMPETITION TIME!
For your chance to win a Lisette 3.5 seater sofa in peacock green velvet (pictured below), complete the entry form at the bottom of the page by 5pm Sydney time on Thursday 22 March 2018. Open to Australian residents only.
My heart truly flutters with anticipation every time I enter my favourite or discover a new op shop or auction house. There is something addictive about searching for and hopefully finding, a new favourite new old thing, a great bargain or a perfect unique piece. All homes should have a few vintage pieces as they soften and give some curious and unique character to any interior.
Mirrors
They are always plentiful and easy to find. Small ones can be purchased cheaply but often have an interesting appeal and work so well in any décor or any room.
I adore a large old mirror against a wall on the floor in a bedroom or a living room, or any room for that matter. It creates a focal point and I believe can be a piece of artwork on its own.
An old mirror, even in a modern bathroom above the sink, suddenly gives a sense of drama to the room. I went a little bit miror-obsessed for a while and ended up with these cuties everywhere.
Artwork
Finding art seems to be the most difficult part of furnishing a home for most of us. As much as I would love to be buying from artists, the price tags unfortunately often stop me. I am not a fan at all of generic posters you can find in big chain stores. Decorating with vintage artwork has become a fun, creative and inexpensive way to give interest to any of the rooms in my home, even the kids’ bedrooms.
I often find unframed pieces, which I really like and I believe look amazing on the piano, on a small stack of books, or bundled if you have many. Go for it instinctively; once you find a style of paintings you like, you will soon develop a collection that will really work and give so much interest to your room. It does take time; ones doesn’t just go shopping for any vintage artwork, but when you see one you like at a price that suits you, do not hesitate. It probably won’t stay up for grabs for very long.
Chairs
Oh, do I love an old chair! A bit like with art, when it was time to get chairs, I simply couldn’t afford a set of the ones I liked, so I bought one of a kind here and one of a kind there until I had more chairs than I could fit around the table !
Old and non-matching chairs are now found everywhere and my house truly plays musical chairs! They have been used as bedside tables, bathroom utility, living room décor items, bag holders in the entrance. The possibilities are endless and since I’m not precious about them, they can absolutely go outside when we have a big gathering of friends.
Frames
There is a “je ne sais quoi” about an old frame that always seems to grab my attention. I love them empty, damaged even. A modern little piece of artwork looks darling in an old frame, so do childrens’ drawings. They are also the perfect short term solution to anything that you want to display. Taking a work of art or a photo to be framed professionally is quite an investment, you want to be sure you will be happy with it for a while, I am afraid there are many photos or children’s drawings especially that I won’t commit to for very long.
So often I have had the best intentions of repairing these old frames, or using them to actually display an image but somehow, most of them end up living a life on a shelf looking spectacularly empty and gloriously unrestored.
— Alexandra is the owner of The Roaming Atelier, an interior decorating company that focuses on using the beautiful, sentimental pieces you already have, to make your home as unique as your family.
Since her days working as an art director in New York City, Jessica Watts has been collecting discarded graphic ephemera. From vintage bingo cards and antique storybooks to old typeface compendiums and retro seed packets, the list is endless. However, it was an unexpected find in the early ’90s that inspired her to leave a career in advertising and become a full-time painter.
“I’ve been collecting wallpaper ever since I came across a couple of beautiful vintage rolls from the ’40s and ’50s at the 26th Street Markets in New York,” explains Jessica. “The pile grew over the years until it became obvious they needed to be revived in some way.” So came the idea for her Wallflower series.
“My work generally addresses stereotypes and attempts to reimagine fixed ideas,” says Jessica. “So I started to think about the era of wallpaper, when women were sirens, china dolls and wallflowers. The series is an exploration into beauty and the nature of feminine identity. In particular how appearances relate to the inner self and how beauty is more about the hidden than the revealed.”
The art making process begins with Jessica building timber boards, which are then wallpapered. Once dry, she beings painting, layer upon layer, with oils and sometimes a bit of house paint. The end result is feminine, joyful and original, something Jessica accredits to having no formal training.
“When I finished high school, I was leaning towards Fine Arts but my parents felt I should do something a bit more ‘practical’ with my creativity, so I completed a Bachelor of Design majoring in Visual Communications. As a result, I think I’ve been able to develop a painting style that is quite individual. It mixes influences from my background in graphics with techniques I’ve discovered through trial and error.”
Now based in Sydney, her days are spent working in a studio in the beachside suburb of Manly. And the days are long and busy at the moment, with Jessica preparing for two shows opening this September. “I have a solo show opening at Sogo Gallery in Yokohama City, Japan and I am also exhibiting in a duo show locally at Sydney Road Gallery (September 7-to-24) with fellow painter Fiona Chandler. It’s going to be bursting with springtime florals.”
Jessica’s artworks are available as originals and prints. She also does commissions.
Leaving their home and their careers, Susannah and Hugh Cameron packed up their bags and set off to France, ready to chase their dream of renovating and making a new life in a timeless Provencal village.
Susannah and Hugh Cameron
With a love of unique, French furniture and quirky curiosities found at flea markets, it didn’t take long for the couple to figure out their next move… selling antiques.
Their home in France
Launching their online store Chez Pluie Provence they sell French stock to clients here in Australia and all over the world. Because they’re based in France, they are continually updating their range, and unlike traditional Australian importers, who re-stock a few times a year after frantic buying trips, don’t have the massive overheads.
Believing the Australian antique industry is dated and daggy, with many stores filled with dusty accumulated stock, Chez Pluie Provence is the couple’s answer to the problem. Selecting antique and vintage pieces that are suitable for the modern and traditional home, they stock everything from ladders and bread boards to armoires and mirrors. They also offer a Finders Service where they assist people to find specific pieces they have been hunting for, sometimes for years.
Susannah and Hugh firmly believe the industry is in need of a shake up and they’re just the people to do it!
Sarah Power gives literal meaning to the term “personal touch”, with all pillowcases, cushions and throws in her brand Oh Mabel’s limited edition collection handmade by her! Very few Australian linen brands can say as much these days!
“I create Oh Mabel products to be used as a backdrop to the moments and memories that make up family life. All too often products are bought and discarded without a thought to how they were created for the time, effort and sacrifices that went into making them. I believe people are seeking a connection with items in their homes, and I hope to create that for families with my stories and my products,” says Sarah.
All designs are created from Sarah’s heritage-listed homestead in the bush heartland of Canberra. The Cowper Street quilted doona cover is named after the street her Nan lives on and is inspired by a cushion that has been in the living room since her earliest childhood memories.
The Oh Mabel range is all 100% organic cotton, made by certified organic producers using sustainable practices and employing workers under fair trade agreements, and includes sheets, pillowcases, and quilted doona covers, as well as the handmade linen range.
There is definitely a place for online shopping in my world. There has to be – most days I’m here behind my own counter serving, selling, being shop girl. On my days off (not that I am ever totally off, such is my obsession) I’m out and about scouring, sourcing or picking up stuff I have bought online.
We all live and work in a busy world where it seems a perfectly reasonable and sensible use of time to multi-task shopping, on the lounge with the laptop and glass of wine nearby while husband controls the television. I don’t watch that much TV anymore, my channel is the Wide Wide World of Web as Joy once called it in My Name Is Earl. I’m not always shopping, I’m also browsing, comparing my prices, looking at ‘pinteresting’ ideas. I’m trying to cut back though.
Sandy’s shop, Urban Rustic
So what’s a bricks and mortar store got over the online shopping experience? Well very importantly, you know exactly what you are going to get and when, the condition (it is what it is) and it’s right here, right now. Things are not always as they seem online.
I bought something on eBay once (a fabulous retro resin sculpture) which was great only it turned out to be half the size I was expecting. So not quite the bargain or the delightful unwrapping. Huh? Wha?… The glass of wine nearby may have been a factor in the lack of attention to detail. There is definitely something to be said for shopping with the object in hand, and said object not being alcoholic.
Sandy Cash
Come on, who hasn’t done this? Come to your senses people. Go outside. Pick it up. Feel it. The touch, the texture, being able to see the exact colour, the fabric, the fit, the weight, the scale, the smell. All the tactile senses which are not activated by pixels.
I started my shop, Urban Rustic, online and it still functions online, but my passion is for the reality; the walls, the shelves, all my collections coming together. I get so much more enjoyment from serving a contented customer, trading the stories and memories that come with vintage pieces. You don’t get that opportunity with an online transaction. All I get is anxiety until I know that one-off item is delivered safe and sound.
The big players have created an expectation that postage should be free; fine if you’re posting necklaces or books but for me vintage Pyrex (some patterns I can’t even find anymore), art glass and fine china? Nightmare. Forget about it. By the time I’ve weighed it, photographed it, described it, calculated postage and uploaded it, some lucky person has walked in, grabbed it and is on their happy way out the door.
I like being local too. As mentioned before, I sell one-offs. I’d rather see it safely out the door. I’ve met so many wonderful people who I now source things for, customers who’ve become friends and a complete change of pace to my once stressful busy life of broadcast design where I was glued to a screen and had to outsource most of my parenting.
Local businesses offer support, a discount if you’re nice and deserve it, information about an item’s origins and how to care for it and what might work well with it etc. In a nutshell, we offer the humanity. It’s a hard slog though, competing with today’s savvy internet shoppers.
So should bricks and mortar stores drop their prices to stay in line with online? Well, yes, if you can. But it’s a tough one. Obviously real stores have rent, electricity, multiple insurance policies, staff wages, superannuation, etc etc. There are so many expenses before you even stock it and open the door, that someone working out of their garage or warehouse doesn’t have. But are you getting exactly what you want, or think you want?
This has been bothering me for a while after a Facebook ‘friend’ had a rant about an overpriced crystal item in a local boutique homewares store. She says she went home and found it for half the price on the interweb. I kind of hope it was not exactly the same or arrived broken. The important factor people forget is the intellectual property this lady is putting out there. She is a very talented stylist and has, to use a now overused phrase, a ‘carefully curated collection’. You are being showed something lovely that you would not have come up with on your own. On the lounge. Looking at pixels. Alright, yes there is Pinterest but you’re not looking closely, touching, sensing, being in the zone. Knowing exactly.
We are all guilty of seeing something we love in a beautiful shop and going home to look for a cheaper version online. How clever we are. And I get it, we live in an expensive world. I do it too. It’s crazy how much stuff we seem to want and need to have and even more crazy how much it costs. As the saying goes, ‘a penny saved is a penny earned’.
But I like to think that my time is worth something too. My free time. Don’t you? That time spent googling to save a few dollars could be otherwise spent offline, being present in the world. Having extra time with family. You know. Life.
And let that local shopkeeper have the extra dollars if you can (rather than a faceless business who knows where) so they can still be there the next time you want to come strolling the streets for inspiration and a dose of retail therapy. If they call it retail therapy, surely it’s better to get immediate treatment rather than having to wait four-to-seven working days for your remedy to arrive?
Without getting too preachy, I hope that as we people of Earth get more and more homogenised and universal by the virtual world, that we will still value small, family-owned businesses who are working quite often out of sheer passion, rather than for profit, and encourage them to keep going for the greater good of the community.
Otherwise? Have you seen Wall-E? One global store, no competition. The local shopping strip which is so great to wander down of a weekend could die a sad, lonely slow death. You may not be able to look at beautiful decorator shops and get ideas for things to go home and google.
This is perhaps too black and white; online shopping opens up a virtual wonderful world for people in remote areas or have limited access to the shops and of course not everyone behind that PayPal account is in their pyjamas in the garage.
So how do bricks and mortar shops stay relevant? Be as competitive as you can afford to be. Offer the best happy, smiley service you possibly can and hope and trust that there will always be enough people to just be in the moment and get their retail fix immediately or just hate paying postage. And if they do have to go home and think about it well then, I guess that website wouldn’t hurt. I’ll be honest, I have bought things from Lee Mathews online when her store is across the street. Sometimes I just can’t actually get back there.
So yeah, I have to add that I will be working on reinventing my website soon, because even though I would like to host a technology rebellion where typewriters and Dymo labellers rule supreme (yeah right!) I want to be part of this real brave new world, browsing and swiping my life away. It’s #totesawesome.
–Sandy Cash runs Urban Rustic. She’d love you to visit her store in real life at Shop 1/ 371 Barrenjoey Road Newport Beach, NSW 2106.
The popularity of vintage homewares and furniture has undeniably increased over the past few years, and with good reason. In addition to being budget-friendly and good for the environment, using pre-loved vintage pieces that have personality and a story, helps to create unique interiors that are as individual as the people who reside within them.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about creating period perfect vintage homes. Rather, I’m talking about how adding a little old in with the new, produces refreshing, eclectic interiors that challenge those common catalogue reproductions. Because let’s be honest, that’s just lazy and no fun at all!
So, how does one actually do this? There are no steadfast rules in this game, much like a round of pool at your local, but here are a few tips to guide you through and help create a space that speaks to you and your own personal style.
1. Select the right pieces
Like with any interior scheme, it’s important to achieve the right balance in your space. So the first thing to consider (apart from the space itself!) is what furniture pieces you’ll need for a functional space.
Identify a few extra special vintage pieces that will ‘carry’ the room, for example a beautiful Mid-Century sideboard, or an Art Deco armchair. They don’t have to match, or even be from the same style or era. Think of them like celebrities; when rappers hang out with country singers. Everyone can get along in the right setting! Once you have these pieces, fill in the gaps with simple contemporary designs to allow your celebrity pieces to really take centre stage (sorry, celebrity analogy is over now).
When deciding on your vintage pieces, make it personal. What makes you smile, what makes you think, and what is just too cool to pass up?
2. Keep an open mind
When selecting and collecting your vintage pieces, keep an open mind. You may never find the vintage piece of your dreams, so in some cases, you may need to roll up your sleeves and create it yourself. Look to the pieces’ best features; if there’s a winning case that makes you think twice about leaving it behind, then think about how you can repurpose it to suit your needs. This may be a lick of paint, some simple recovering, or a sand-back and refinish, but there are some pretty thrifty ways to get the look you desire — just ask old mate Google!
Once you have a collection of pieces you love, think outside the box when putting them together. Display your pieces in unlikely places, group together in unlikely pairings, and layer for interest and depth.
Achieving the eclectic vintage look is about not being afraid to clash styles and eras, but also consider how you can use colours, textures and themes to build a road between them and tie them all together for a cohesive, harmonious space.
4. Don’t overdo it
When decorating with different eras and styles, there can be a lot going on. So here’s the big tip — just because there’s an empty space, doesn’t mean you have to fill it! Consider yourself somewhere between minimalism and maximalism. Would that be mediumism? Anyway, work with your canvas, allow some of it to peek through, and leave some negative space for the eye to rest.
Finally, it’s worth noting that collecting takes time, so be patient. Your look won’t come together over night. Keep your eyes peeled for vintage pieces that really speak to you and collect them along the way. Add-and-subtract and mix-and-match them in your space and let it constantly grow and change as you do, over time.
— Samuel is a Melbourne-based interior stylist and the founder and curator of Kitsch please — Australia’s first dedicated online marketplace for buying and selling vintage homewares and furniture.
Elegance, beauty, grace – there are plenty of words to describe Smeg’s new stand mixer. Throw in power, performance and Italian engineering, and you’d think I was describing a Ferrari.
Looking past the elegant curves and vintage styling, the new stand mixer features an 800W high-torque motor that can mix the heaviest dough or batter while remaining perfectly stationary on the workbench, with no vibrations.
Stand out features include soft start action (to prevent flour plumes and splashes), a pouring shield, ten speeds and a concealed outlet for optional accessories such as a pasta roller. Speeds are controlled via a top-mounted gear stick, with a handy guide advising which speeds are recommended for which mixing tool.
True to Italian standards, the body is made from die-cast aluminium available in black, silver, panna, red and pastel blue, and the 4.8 litre capacity bowl is top-notch stainless steel.
The Smeg Stand Mixer ($799) is available nationally from David Jones, Myer and Harvey Norman stores.
From roadside lunch stops with crusty baguettes and smelly cheese to digging through a dealer’s shed in search of that diamond in the rough, for Gavin Sainsbury and Scott Jenkins, it’s all in a day’s work.
Owners of Palace Trader, an antique furniture and homewares store in Sydney’s Inner West, their sourcing trips to the French countryside are full of gorgeous scenery and beautiful vintage wares, but also, a whole lot of hard work. “A typical day starts at 6am and ends by doing paperwork around 10pm,” explains Gavin. “To keep costs down, we do it all ourselves, the packing and wrapping, the carting and hauling and all the export and import paperwork. That said, it’s great fun, the shopping is addictive and so is the hunt! But it’s rapid. The most recent trip we travelled 5,600 kilometres in three weeks to fill a 20-foot container!”
Recently receiving their French delights in store, they’ve focused heavily on buying items that are accessible for people in both size and price, whilst still being eclectic, unusual and irresistible. Full of glassware, linen, ceramics and furniture, Palace Trader is the place to discover a vintage French flag for your re-creation of Les Miserables, or pick up a set of fine crystal glasses for your next dinner party.
Opening just under a year ago, Gavin and Scott, a puppeteer and nurse respectively, began Palace Trader with the hope of finding a new full-time profession. Both sharing a passion for antique shopping and collecting unique pieces, they wanted to try something challenging that they could do together.
However, if there were any concerns these were quickly shooed away, for the fact that they didn’t need to rent a storefront, they actually already lived in one! “A shop was added to the front of our 1880s terrace 100 years ago,” says Gavin. “Since then it has traded as a barber shop, a dressmaker, a secondhand furniture store and an etched glass shop. For the past 25 years it has been residential, but then we decided to change it up and start Palace Trader.”
Open Wednesday to Sunday, Palace Trader is the culmination of two people with an eye for the beautiful and unusual. A perfect haven for the high-end interior designer or the average Joe who has fallen in love with that one special item; this is small business at its very best and well worth a visit!
Smeg has added to the allure of its coveted pure retro collection of small appliances with a powerful 800W blender.
The new blender’s design focuses on the same 50s-inspired vintage curves as Smeg’s existing toaster, stand mixer and kettle.
Available in in panna, black, red, silver and, my personal favourite, pastel blue, it features an enamel-coated body and Tritan BPA-free 1.5L jug.
The backlit chrome control knob allows you to select from three pre-set programmes: smoothie, for dense and creamy textures; crushed ice; and pulse, which increases the speed gradually.
With four speeds, the blender has a clever smooth-start function, meaning the blades start slowly and mix all your ingredients efficiently. Perfect smoothie? I think so!
Smeg’s latest creation, along with the rest of its small appliances, is available at David Jones, Myer and Harvey Norman stores.
Anyone with even a vague interest in styling will have heard of Sibella Court and The Society Inc. so there is bound to me much excitement at the news that her former shop in Sydney’s exclusive Paddington has been listed for sale this week. Always thought you’d love to live inside the pages of one her books? Well, now you kinda can… if you have a spare $1.6million.
The terrace at 27 Alexander Street was the part-time home and former shop of the celebrity stylist, known the world over for her eclectic style. Having recently moved to a much larger warehouse space for her work in St Peters, listing the Paddington property on Air BnB for a short while, it is now up for sale.
The space is Sibella through and through and personally I would love to see it bought by someone who embraces that rather than renovates it into something slick and new-looking! But as I’m not in a position to buy the two-bedroom, one-bathroom home set over two floors, I’ll have to let the lucky buyer decide!
It’s in a lovely, leafy, quiet corner of sought after Paddington (on a block that straddles the address of 18 Stewart) and open inspections take place tomorrow (Saturday 12 September) from 11.30am-to-12 noon. It is being shown to buyers decked out in quintessential Sibella vintage finds and collectibles from her travels and will appeal to those who love her quirky look. Frankly, it would have been criminal to clear out this magical space and stage it for sale in the mainstream way.
The Victorian high ceilings are strung with old naval rope and ladders, while the floors and staircase are painted to brilliant effect (no doubt with colours from her own range for Murobond). Those who relish found pebbles and driftwood will adore the designer bathroom, which feels ‘live’ from the pages of one of Sibella’s many design books.
Outside there’s private a courtyard, laundry terrace and on the street, garden beds planted with strawberries, geraniums, nasturtiums, and blossom.
I am full of envy for whoever snaps up this enviable, unique pad in a wonderful Sydney location!
As well as being an interior stylist and author, Sibella, who became a mum last year, is also a product designer, historian and creative director. Her hospitality spaces include Hotel Palisade, Old Joe’s, The Pines, Mr Wong, Palmer & Co, El Loco, MsG’s & The Fish Shop. Last week, her new television show, Restoration Australia, aired on ABC.
Sibella has spent much of her life exploring the globe for inspiration. Formerly a homewares stylist in New York, she has a knack for discovering new artists, designers and products for her much loved shop, The Society Inc. (now in St Peters). Her wanderlust can be seen in all the personal spaces she inhabits and in her many things accumulated over 20 years of shopping!
27 Alexander Street is being sold by Shannan Whitney and Darren Pearce of BresicWhitney, a lifestyle property group that responds to the energy and emotion of inner Sydney. Over the last five years, it has sought to break the mold as a residential property group, by welcoming a new conversation about inner-city living.
Selling a mixture of vintage products, as well as wares she has designed herself, Zona Butt’s e-boutique Tkozi is an amalgamation of the traditional and rich culture of her homeland of Pakistan and the modern and diverse culture of Australia.
The result is an eclectic range of timeless products, which as a rule are all one-offs. “I mainly do one-offs to preserve the integrity of the design,” explains Zona. “I somehow think mass producing my designs would be cheating on them. So even if they are similar products they won’t be exactly the same and will always have their own personality and character.”
Inspired by her mother Fozi, whose nickname is Tkozi, she was the woman who taught Zona how important a good tea cozy was in making a common evening tea that much more memorable. Taking that idea, Zona hopes to source and create products that don’t just make your house look pretty, but enrich your home and life with an age-old history, a spirit and a rich culture.
Ex Blockheads, the ever popular Josh & Jenna, made a bold statement with their blue cabinetry and leather handles on Reno Rumble this week. Lauren Ellis chats to them about their light and bright kitchen design in the latest episode of Interiors Addict TV. Were you a fan?
[contextly_sidebar id=”S12SdeLQhA0rCcjyRtiVGeaWVmM7bRJ5″]The couple talk about how they created a warm, textured, vintage look in the U-shaped kitchen and their love of Caesarstone tops. And how Freedom Kitchens helped them make quick decisions on the design and incorporate some custom elements.
Yesterday, Olivia and I attended the stunning launch event for Real Living magazine’s homewares range for Freedom. It was a gorgeous setting in the old school Palm House in Sydney’s Botanic Gardens, which suited the nostalgic collection perfectly.
Mixing patterned pieces that look like they came from your nanna’s house or a cute country cottage with pops of more modern colour, leather and typography is what this collection does really well. Freedom homewares buyer Korryn Bentley, said: “Ever since we started working together we knew we wanted to create something really special that is the sum of both Real Living and Freedom. The collaboration brings a fresh new twist on homewares. It challenges the idea of a perfectly matched interior. We want you to embrace the mismatched, the cool and quirky, and really carve out your own style.”
Think classic checks in contemporary palettes, vintage-looking florals in new tones, lamps in retro cool colours and even furniture in the form of wire wear storage that’s a little industrial and edgy.
“We welcome you to the 2015 Real Living for Freedom winter range, where the word “home” resonates with memories and emotions of a time gone by – a vintage vibe with a quirky element of playfulness,” said Deborah Bibby, editor-in-chief, of Real Living.
“I’m excited to see how customers bring the collection to life in their own homes with their individual styles — it’s warm, fun and a little bit eclectic, the way any home should be,” added Korryn.
Available in stores and online from Monday 6 April 2015.
