Well, we’ve done it—as of November, we have officially moved into our Manuka Village studio and placed all the major items in their new home. Like moving into a new house, we still have a few furnishings ordered and headed our way (like custom benches and fabric cabinets), along with a huge shopping list of those little things we need, like a rack to hang the tea towel. Essential.
We have split our new home into two parts: the shop and the studio. My dream is to be THE home of classic design in Canberra and the ACT, and I love that we can offer two ways, a design shop and a design studio, for you to get exactly what you need, with a little help or a lot!
Today, I’m walking you through each of these spaces virtually, but if you’d like to come see us in person, we welcome the visit! At some point we may open on a by-appointment basis, but for now I am really curious to see how we can help so far. (We’ve met quite a few downsizers that are loving the display but are concerned they have too much furniture. Don’t worry, downsizers, we solve that problem, too.)
Visit us at:
Shop 8 Manuka Village
33 Bougainville, Manuka,
Canberra, ACT, 2603
In the arcade behind Witchery and Perri Cutten. ** Holiday closures: 19-Dec to 08-Jan.**
Here’s what you can expect to find…
Hamptons Style Furniture Shop in Manuka Village
Our shop includes a display area at the front, where my goal is to entice you to come on in, talk to us, or simply browse our collections. (Boasting Hamptons-inspired style, of course.) This is something Canberra has been sorely missing, forcing us classic-style lovers to drive to Bowral and visit Susie Anderson Home. Now, our tribe finally has an authentic Hamptons retail display in Canberra!
You’re welcome to come in to experience the feeling of stepping into a professionally decorated space and shop our collection of classic style furniture, lighting, and decor. You can also view the quality of pieces usually only accessible to the trade, and book with me or Lorraine to find out which of our products or services will solve your decorating dilemmas.
For example, if you need a rug, we are proudly stocking Dash and Albert Rugs and have a wall of swatches to choose from. (If you haven’t heard of them, Dash and Albert is an American brand famous for the best indoor-outdoor rugs and their variety of styles.) I’ve also noticed a distinct lack of wall lights (well, nice ones anyway), so we have a few of those on display to make finding them in Canberra a bit easier.
Wall of swatches for Dash & Albert Rugs and more…
If you need help figuring out rug sizes and what would suit your interior, we have services to cover that, too. In which case, we would lead you past the display area and into…
Our Manuka Village Interior Design & Decorating Studio
At the back, we have our design studio, where we have well-stocked resources for our design team and clients. This is where we work on projects, present designs to our full-service clients, hold virtual consultations for our many other services, design custom pieces (like window treatments and rugs), and so much more.
Interesting side story about this table: It is only a temporary fixture in our design studio, and yes, it is a little rickety, but it has some history… This was my first real furniture purchase. My old Sydney address is still on the underside! Ah, the memories of being a bachelorette in Sydney around the time of the Olympics…but that’s not the story I have in mind for today.
At the time, I was 28 years old and I knew I didn’t want a straight leg table. Working in marketing (not a designer just yet), I didn’t know that what I was looking for was a “cabriole leg” table with an apron — quintessential French Provincial Style. I looked everywhere, and the shops spoke to me like I had two heads! (Even though the Hamptons trend has brought classic design to the fore nowadays, this still does happen a lot when you are niched in Classic interiors.)
Anyway, eventually I mentioned it to Mum, who happened to be a decorator (what was I thinking going to stores anyway?), and what turned up is my little French provincial dining table and a few other lovelies.
The piece is now 20+ years old and has served a variety of purposes. It was a desk at one point, and for the last ten years, it’s had casters on its feet to lift it and serve as a kitchen island. I do love a bit of furniture in a kitchen to visually break up all the joinery. After a decade at its kitchen post, this table is now serving as a temporary bench in our design studio. Given it was originally a second, It’s still a bit rickety, but it could be tightened up with screws if I chose to do that.
Two decades have gone by, and I still love this sweet table. I guess the lesson learned is that even your affordable furniture can sometimes last a long time if it’s made in timber, and it’s better to choose items you love and won’t feel stuck with later.
Many of our clients have reached a similar stage in their lives, where it’s time to enjoy grownup furniture, instead of that old “uni” or make do for the kids’ things. I can tell you from experience, if you take the time to find and invest in what you love, it may just take care of you down the track!
Behind it, you can also glimpse our charming kitchenette, with a water bowl for my goldie, Bailey, and basketweave tiles, just like the ones in my new bathroom.
What’s coming next?
If your home is anything like my business, there is a laundry list of bright shiny ideas to do right. Creating the beautiful destination and result we want requires taking massive (sometimes scary) action. But doing one thing at a time is the most efficient way to move forward, and I am taking my own advice in this!
Over the coming months, my plan is to button up our processes and to further improve our high-quality service to clients. Moving to new premises means a transition phase, so I’m looking forward to creating synergy and routine that makes our high-quality service feel extra effortless, for us and for our clients.
Later in 2022, we also plan to expand our online ventures with the Journey Home Shop and our online decorating classes. Is there something you need support within the new year or want to see? Send us a quick email here — we would love to hear from you!
See you next year,
Nadine
