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Monday, April 7, 2014
South of the Border's Style Secrets Shared @ 6:07 PM

South of the Border's Style Secrets Shared

We are always being asked where we find the antiques and other treasures that fill our shops. The style of our shop is a massive part of our brand and as we grow more retail spaces this is how we will be recognised.
I guess my style is kind of Hamptons went to South America? I evoke the Hamptons by using warm whites, dark wood flooring and wainscotting (the timber panelling) and throw in a bit of colour (and skulls) from Mexico. I’ve long collected rustic and industrial antiques, so there is a bit of that in there as well. 

ANTLER LIGHT FITTING

The Heritage Building Centre, West Botany Street Rockdale.
This place is a treasure trove of goodies for those who love things with a bit of a story to tell. They have anything a renovator who appreciates times gone by could dream of - collections of beautiful old tiles, antique doors, shutters and window frames, recycled timber for flooring


COWHIDE RUG - Birdsall Leather in Botany  
They sell cow hide rugs in Ikea for about the same price, but Birdsall’s are nicer colours and are larger

LITTLE BRASS AND ENAMEL ANIMAL HEAD HOOKS

Every time I visit the states I pop into Anthropologie and pick up a couple of these. They are quite heavy and I always wonder what the xray examiners at customs must think of them?

COW SKULLS

I’ve been collecting these since my first trip to Mexico with my friend Mille. We stumbled upon this amazing shop run by an old lady and her husband in Taxco - it was full of skulls and skeletons. Everytime I go back I make a special trip to visit and although my Spanish is limited and her English non-existent we just hug and smile like long lost friends.

FLOORING AND WALLS
I like dark floors with warm white walls - I think this combination is inviting and warm.

The floor I’ve chosen this time is bamboo (colour, brushed walnut), although it scratches more than a laminate flooring and everyone told me not to, I just think it is more authentic - I prefer natural fibres at all times.

The paint that I’ve chosen is Stowe White. I always use Stowe White. Again, it is a warm white - it looks more expensive than a blue based white and is more welcoming.

I insist that my builder use the single strip design pine for the walls - although you can buy sheets that look like timber panelling, it is just not authentic, so each strip needs to be painstakingly cut and fitted together just to keep me happy. My very patient builder is Michael Hickey. This is the fourth time that we have built this style of wall together - he doesn’t even bother arguing for the sheeting anymore and he does an amazing job…

LIGHT FITTINGS

Lighting is so important in any space. It sets the mood. My electrician loves working with me because I love lighting.
For the new store fit out, my electrician, Steve Kelly made the feature lighting in the change room using jam jars. He wound twine around the cord and the effect is just amazing - it works beautifully with the vintage rope that I’ve used as door handles and to hang my clothing rails. I use Edison bulbs - I love the vintage look and the effect is soft and flattering.

STAR LIGHT

Vegas Boneyards Star Light by Fromage La Rue
 Sarah Fisher and her husband design and make these out of their Byron Bay workshop - they are genius (and Sarah grew up in the Shire, so that makes them extra special….)

CINEMATIC LIGHT BOX
 from Page Thirty Three.


Bits and Pieces

Doug up on Bourke, I seriously love this place. If I had to name my favourite shop on the planet (beside my own, of course) it would be Doug up on Bourke. I’ve loved them for a long time - since the days of Doug. His daughter Sophie and her husband Craig took up the reigns some years back and it just keeps growing. I would never open a shop, dress a window or renovate a house without checking what the Dougies have in stock. Over the years they’ve been my go to store for vintage typewriters, phones, suitcases, ladders, birdcages, taxidermy, rope, antique flags, cane garden furniture, retro beach umbrellas, anchors, desks, dressmakers dummies, brass bells and scissors, silver, tools, hooks, antique medicine cabinets and lawn ornaments, just to name a few!


  
The tables and counters in both my Bondi and Cronulla stores came from Doug Up.

Timber Deer Heads


 I found the antique wooden deer with antlers in a shop called Lemari on my last trip to Bali. Although this shop has many amazing treasures worth checking out, and the prices were very reasonable, there were lots of hidden costs in importing them to Sydney and I am not sure that I would recommend it. The costs of clearing them at port was almost double what the items cost and that was not delivered to my door. The whole port thought it was hilarious to watch me spend 2 hours dismantling the crate with a crowbar because it would not fit in my four wheel drive! I would say PROCEED WITH CAUTION!

CHAIRS

I’ve picked up so much old stuff from the side of the road over the years that when I asked my youngest child what he wanted to be when he grew up, he said he wanted to be a junk collector. Whoops. 

TUNES
Hehehe what I play and what Bek and Tara want to play is contentious - I tell them BBQ music - Jack Johnson, Angus and Julia, Donovan Frankenreiter, Rodriguez and Belle and Sebastian. I love the soundtrack from Juno. Lucky they bring in some fresh ideas and we all agree on Lordes and The Preatures and Triple J's Live at the Wireless (mostly Volume 7!). 

FLOWERS

Banana and Bowie Floral Styling drop flowers into the store once a week and every time it's like our birthday. Contact Joanna Stalker for all you floral needs on 0466631364.

xx The Border Team



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