Top spots to source good furniture

My friend Edwina is moving house and asked me where to find furniture, similar to what we have in our home. I thought I’d share with you what I told her – this is a very local guide to my favourite places:

The Lewisham Auction House on Old Canterbury Rd is quite fab and open most days for viewings. Auctions are held on Sunday mornings. The best thing I ever saw there was a Victorian four poster bed… Another good spot is Lawson’s in Annandale, particularly for the auctions held on the last Friday of every month. The art is also great – have missed out on not one, but two amazing Mirka Mora paintings there (yes, still upset) but have brought home lots of other treasured pieces such as the Mark Ward lino print hanging on our living room wall.

Our 1920s club lounge is from Mitchell Rd in Alexandria, but even though we bought it for a song, it actually cost a small fortune to re-upholster and have it French-polished, so beware buying something that needs new upholstery.

Have a look back at this post. Both wardrobes were quite cheap – $600 for the antique cedar one and $90 for the one I painted grey (plus about $100 extra for each on paint & beeswax from Porter’s Paints). The white one is from Mitchell Rd and the grey from Rozelle markets (also the place we found our outdoor cane sofas). Much of the furniture we own is also from Brady’s Used Furniture on Marrickville Road in Dulwich Hill. Definitely worth a look and I always seem to find something to cart home.

Ellen’s Interiors in Summer Hill is a favourite spot. It is a boutique so costs more than the auction houses, but does very reasonably-priced antique chairs, upholstered beautifully. Same for Monica Trapaga’s gorgeous Reclaim boutique. And if you’re down south, check out The Shed at 120 Main St Mittagong. Another favourite, more upmarket place is Le Forge – divine pieces imported from France you won’t see everywhere. Particularly the bedheads.

And to be honest, all the modern stuff in our home is from IKEA – I’m a philistine when it comes to modern furniture, but it doesn’t look much different to me than the stuff you find in SPACE, much as I always love stopping in for a visit (you can start chucking things at my head now). IKEA really is the best for canny storage items. I love those funny little room set-ups – “we live in 20 square feet!” – which make me feel like I’m in Tokyo.

Good  luck.