The original "Pool Room"

When we purchased our home at Auction in April 2011, after the fall of the hammer we discovered that we also suddenly owned a pool table. I initially had mixed feelings about this because where the pool table sat, I actually had other plans for that space. But I also love playing pool!

Being the vintage lover that I am, I decided to hold onto the pool table for a while, play a few games of snooker, and use it as a work bench. I wanted to see if I could make this work after all.

Challenger Deluxe

But unfortunately for the "Challenger Deluxe", there came the time where it was just not that practical to have in my design studio. It was taking up so much room and I was restricted with how I could arrange in the space.

So after much thought and about 1.5 years of leaving it sit there, we decided it was time it had to go. However this posed to be a big problem because it would not fit down the stairs - plus we couldn't lift it! The only solution was to dismantle it, but after checking this out we realised this would be a difficult thing to do without damaging it.

The only option really was to pull it apart with the risk of damaging it, but to try and salvage the slate top and use that in the garden somewhere.

The sad job of breaking the Challenger Deluxe down

So we hired a skip bin, and Denis started to carefully dismantle the table. Then to our surprise we discovered the slate top was not actually one piece of slate, rather a concrete compound of some sort which was not really worth saving for the garden after all. It crumbled and broke up into small pieces.


So in  the end we sadly had to go against our beliefs of trying to SAVE EVERYTHING and the poor Challenger Deluxe ended up in the skip.

The End. :-(

PS this 'pool room' is currently being transformed into a lounge and Pilates/meditation space. Will share renovation update once it's complete!

Life in Adelaide in the 1960s! A short film made by The Commonwealth Film Unit 1966 and directed by James Jeffrey.   

This is a brilliant snapshot of what things were like around Adelaide at this time. See local landmarks including King William St, North Tce, the hills and beaches, fashion, dining, shopping, gorgeous architecture, and even the The Popeye on the Torrens!

Toodle-pip!

Inspiration from Modern 50

Inspiration from Modern 50

Inspiration from Modern 50

Initial Concepts

Colour choice was easy once a background image was selected for the email and postcard promo. The vintage green worked well with the finished logo -simply inspired by the green book on the desk!

Postcard and Email Design

Printed Postcards (Photo - Denis Smith Photography)

The Shop Window - finished result. (Photo - Denis Smith Photography)

Toodle-pip!

Sneaky snap of Jacqui the talented Photographer

All happy with the composition!

So what does a photo shoot involve? Well, a stylist and photographer spend a full day setting up, composing and capturing the best possible angles in the best possible light. Luckily our home has heaps of natural light and lots of 'retro delights' to use as props, so Rebekah and Jacqui were happy with what they had to work with.

An eye for design, Rebekah the Stylist sorting out the props inc. Denis!

Even Hestor our cat had an important role. It was very funny trying to get him to sit in a certain spot, or lie a certain way on the couch while enticing him with cat biscuits!

Hestor our official Model

Then there were the portraits of us standing at our newly painted exterior door, and a couple more pics of us sitting in the lounge sipping empty cups of 'tea'. (Scullery Made of course). Oh, and the one of Denis cutting fruit in the kitchen was rather sweet! It will be interesting to see which photos they end up using.

I now have to do an interview over the phone for the feature story and it is likely to be published in May/June of next year. So a lengthy process overall!

The Team - the Stylist, Tea Maker and Photographer!

I learned so much and thank both Jacqui Way (Jacqui Way Photography) and Rebekah Cichero (of One Small Room) for allowing me to hang out while they wove their magic around our place.

This is going to be the most anticipated magazine in all of history!!!! A big personal design achievement for me too!

Toodle-pip!

$1 Reserve - "Three Chairs"

OMG, I was scouting eBay about a month ago and look what I spotted. I couldn't believe my eyes... $1 reserve, based in Adelaide and a listing titled "3 x chairs". Yes these were the real deal. My opportunity to finally own an original *Featherson - 3 in fact!

Anyway, when I placed my auto bid, there was one other bidder and so the bid climbed to $25 with me being in the lead. So it appeared the other bidder didn't plan to go too high.

I had 6 whole days to wait for the auction to close, which felt like a lifetime, and anything could happen in that time! I decided to send a cheeky message to the seller asking if they would consider a buy now, but also made it clear that it was totally cool if they preferred the auction to simply run its course.

I was on such a high, so so excited, and just couldn't believe my luck. Not just one Featherson, but three. The listing description basically said "3 chairs taking up space in the shed, need to make some room"...No key words like "retro" or "vintage" or "Featherson", so few people would pick up on this listing...

Then within about 5 minutes my elated feeling suddenly turned to confusion and absolute despair. There was no reply to my message and THE LISTING HAD DISAPPEARED! After checking again and again, the listing had been removed. I sent another message to the seller asking if the chairs had sold, and again no reply.

So I spent the rest of the week pining over the chairs and wondering what happened to them. Maybe the seller also had them listed on Gumtree or elsewhere, hence the sudden removal of the listing.

I only hope they have gone to a good home full of people who will love and adore them forever!

After this eBay disaster I really felt like I had been on a mad emotional roller coaster, and it has taken me this long to recover before I could share this tragedy with you!

Sad face!

*Grant Featherson (1922-1995) was the genius behind this chair design. Self-taught, he produced the first of his famous plywood shell Contour chairs in 1951.

R152 Contour chair by Grant Featherston. (Image Source MidCenturyJo)

R160 Contour chair by Grant Featherston. (Image Source MidCenturyJo)

B230 Contour Chair. (Image Source badass mustache)

The Key

Blame the key I say... yes that is what sold me on this teak Fler Sideboard. The turning mechanism makes the coolest sound when you lock and unlock the door. Kind of clunky sounding but retro cool. I just had to have this key, so lucky I liked the sideboard that came with it!

Original Fler Teak Sideboard

A little collection displayed on the Sideboard.
Fler Teak Sideboard

Bits and bobs in the hallway...
• Fler teak sideboard from Lou's Shed in Unley
• Painting by Artist Carey Potter
• Eames replica (sorry not original) hat/coat wall mounted rack
• Crazy looking plant from IKEA and plant stand a second hand find
• West German Vases from EBAY and North Adelaide Vintage & Fashion Fair 
• Hoop artwork by Gretel Girl
• Giant peg from Hobart Museum shop
• Vintage glass bottle - my Mum found this at the dump before I was born. I used to roll around on it when I was a kid!
• Original 1950s wall light
• Wall painted in Dulux Pale Tendril Quarter

Toodle-pip!

I've just spent the past week pulling together a new brand and 4 websites for my partner in crime... Denis Smith - Photography Video and Media will officially be launched in the new year and we are feeling pretty excited about our new business adventure. Looks like I will be getting a bit of styling work and art direction on the side too which will be fun!

So where did I find my inspiration for this colour palette and logo? Of course it is retro/vintage inspired using the colours from the interiors image above. The organic shape resembles a retro TV and the traditional serif font adds a quirky contrast - kind of reminds me of a subtle yet modern take of the TV program "Get Smart".

Maybe this colour palette could be the inspiration for our design studio too!

Toodle-pip!

This gorgeous teapot caught my eye last week at Three Card Trick here in Adelaide. I do have a bit of a weakness for Danish design, and my new love of Scullery Made Tea lends itself to starting a teapot collection...

"Relief" by Jens Quistgaard. Click to enlarge image.

I decided to do a bit of research about the teapot and discovered it is part of an exquisite range called "Relief" designed by industrial designer Jens Quistgaard.

Serving Pieces c.1960 by Jens Quistgaard

Odin 200 1958 by Jens Quistgaard

Quistgaard was known for his fluid lines and for using unusual materials, often in combination. His signature pieces included salad bowls and cutting boards of teak and other exotic woods, and elegant stainless-steel cutlery, that was an affordable alternative to silver.

Enameled Kitchenware by Jens Quistgaard

He was also one of the first designers to rehabilitate enamelled steel as a medium for cookware.

His work, which won many international awards, is in the permanent collections of major museums, among them the Metropolitan Museum, the Museum of Modern Art and the Louvre.

Thank you for bringing your beautiful designs to our world Quinstgaard.  Jens Quistgaard (Denmark, 1919 - 2008 ) 

[ Photos from Decopedia ]

Chinese Girl

My first sighting of a Tretchikoff print (Chinese Girl) was in the home of one of my friends in Auckland. At the time I was curious of the art choice, but I have to admit it did look amazing in a room that had touches of glam, and a high quality reproduction gold/mustard modular couch!

Lady from Orient

One of his most famous works, the print above titled 'Lady from Orient'. I have even started to spot this artwork on cushions and coffee mugs of all things! But to be respectful to the artist, if you are looking at purchasing a reproduction for yourself do visit the authentic Tretchikoff website. The website also has an amazing Bio in a timeline format that steps through Tretchikoff's life in great detail.

Lost Orchid

I have also discovered that Tretchikoff was a very innovative marketeer in his day too. Tretchikoff was the first artist to make and sell lithographic reproductions of his work, making it affordable and accessible to the ordinary person. At the time, art critics objected, saying he was devaluing and commercialising art. To which he responded, "Why should my art only be available to the rich and famous? I want everyone to enjoy my art." 

Ballerina

So how did this happen you ask? Well I ended up sharing a before and after pic of our laundry reno and kitchen time-lapse video on the IKEA Facebook page. They loved it so much they asked if they could feature it on their website homepage!! So I am proud to say that our kitchen reno is a wee bit famous now with over 1500 views!! Classic hey!

I'm loving my sewing projects at the moment, but it just hasn't felt right using a newish plastic sewing machine. So I have been on the hunt for a reliable retro model.

After hunting on e-bay for weeks I found this beautiful vintage green "Singer". It is made of metal, and is very strong and robust. Certainly not like my other plastic model! I will keep the plastic one as a back up machine, but somehow I don't think I will need it. This is definitely a case of "they just don't make them like they used to!"

I feel much happier now making my retro inspired creations (K2 Scarf) on my retro sewing machine!

The Honesty Box is a new business delivering fresh fruit boxes to corporates around Auckland CBD. A cool business concept, but what caught my eye is their branding. Love the look and feel of their logo, the colour pallet, fonts and product display. Semi retro, yet fresh! Of course good design coming out of New Zealand again! Absolutely nailed it!

I spotted this wonderful retro inspired packaging on The Dieline. Designed by an ingenious Australian firm Studio Bomba, this packaging would look absolutely gorgeous in my 1950s kitchen!