Kelly Doust introduces readers to her wonderful world of reviving and customising vintage pieces, while bringing a modern and unique twist to wearing vintage clothes – Dita Von Teese
Simple idea #5: cute & inventive storage
Old boxes, new tricks
I have a thing for collecting lovely old boxes and tins for re-purposing. It’s clearly in my genes – when I was young, we had to clear out my great-grandparents’ farm after they died, and found decades’ worth of odd vessels hoarded in the outbuildings. From those once used to store gramophone needles or ointment, to liquor and denture cream(!).
Give me a sweet tin from Provence to store random bits of jewellery in any day, I say. Or a wooden camembert box for my rickrack. Here’s some ideas for recycling like Grandma used to.
Brightly coloured bias binding
Monsieur camembert loves to rickrack
Are they sweets?
Not quite, but almost good enough to eat
A cigar tray of Japanese insect brooches
Once Voluspa candle box, now a box full of string
Sugared almonds in a cut crystal sugar jar - as was intended
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A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Flower detail in vintage pink silk Japanese kimono
So said Keats, and by George he was right. Here’s a few close-up details of the items of clothing I found while fossicking in a flea market last weekend.
Vintage silk kimono in a dashing shade of purple
Flower detail on teal kimono's lining
Gold-threaded obi belt
The kimonos are breathtaking – it was hard to come away with only three, and an obi belt – plus I’m pinching myself at the luck of finding a handmade Liberty print skirt. I will pick it apart and reinvent it. As what, I’m not yet sure but at $8, it was well worth the investment.
How I love Liberty
Three new favourites
Bookstores are my downfall – I can be so good at sticking to the budget, except when it comes to books (oh, alright then – and frocks, if I’m honest).
Here’s three new beauties I’ve bought in the past month, read cover to cover, and can thoroughly recommend for their inspirational genius:
Home Love by Megan Morton
I used to snip out favourite columns by stylist Megan Morton when they featured in Good Weekend, but now they’ve been turned into book form (hallelujah, that’s one folder I can chuck from the filing cabinet). I read the interview in Sydney Morning Herald’s Essential liftout, and to paraphrase her here: Home Love has all the style advice I normally charge $300 for, for the price of $55 (and don’t forget, you get to keep the book, people). Enough said – it’s a treasure.
Shabby Chic Interiors by Rachel Ashwell
Rachel Ashwell, the Queen of Shabby Chic hasn’t had a book out for over five years, but her earlier tomes have become bibles for those who love her charming brand of style. If I lived on my own, my house might be entirely taken over by the look but as I share it with a very messy, hands-on little girl and no-fuss man whose favourite colours are stone and prison grey, my inclination to go down this path is somewhat reigned in.
The best thing about Shabby Chic Interiors is that Ashwell’s style seems to have evolved into something more modern, adaptable and, yes, masculine over the past few years. I love the traditional pairing of flea market finds with gorgeous, plush linens and soft furnishings, but here you really see how it can be applied to family spaces, modern homes and blokey interiors to successfully soften and cosy up a room. I absolutely love this book, and the pictures are to die for.
New London Style by Chloe Grimshaw & Ingrid Rasmussen
Thames & Hudson do these sorts of books so well – New London Style by Chloe Grimshaw & Ingrid Rasmussen is brilliant for the glorious, quirky details of these inner-city London addresses of fashion designers, architects and mere mortals. So many fabulous ideas for the placement of objects in one small book, in a riot of colours that have me wishing I were more brave. No matter, I can live vicariously through some of the outlandish choices made by these hip London homeowners.
Love, love, love.
Catherine Swan
Paper butterflies by Catherine Swan
I was in at The Mint yesterday for a meeting with an old colleague who now works at Historic Houses Trust. She gave me a wonderful tour of their collection of vintage lino floor coverings, wallpapers and fabrics, and I even got to carefully flick through a 1920s edition of Home Journal, the magazine du jour for the ladies-who-lunch set. Well worth a look if you have the time or the inclination.
I was also introduced to The Mint Shop, stockng commissioned artworks such as these paper butterflies made with the Trust’s vintage prints by Catherine Swan (also responsible for the stamp-filled heart I admired in a magazine a while back).
What’s the saying? I don’t know much about art, but I know what I like… these are on my wishlist.
Heart of stamps by Catherine Swan
Knit-tastic
I’m definitely feeling the love for all things woollen this week as the chill sets in (I even popped the gas heater on for a minute last night, then sensibly changed into a big Aran-knit jumper and some ugg boots instead).
Check out this fab scarf, a present from Katrina found at a flea market a few weeks ago (lucky me). I’m digging its old-school seventies charm.
Kiss me quick
Kiss tapestry kit - I want this the size of an entire wall
Love this tapestry kit from Cox & Cox, first spied on Decor8. Bellisima!
A much-loved woollen beanie
More on hats, and more on Rebecca, who makes the most wonderful scarves and beanies and sources her yarns from Morris & Sons… for my last birthday, she knitted me this beautifully soft beanie in a lovely shade of eggshell. The delicious chill in the air has prompted me to pull it out from storage so I can finally wear it.
And check out the tag – yes, her handwriting really is that cute.
Must-see exhibition
Master milliner, Stephen Jones
I might be heading up to Brisbane in June for a workshop – good job, as I’m dying to see this exhibition by Stephen Jones: Hats – An Anthology at the Queensland Art Gallery, which also contains hats by Elsa Schiaparelli, Mary Quant and Philip Treacy. Wunderbar!
Erin O'Connor in a favourite Stephen Jones creation
Sofia’s doll blanket
Red, white & blue fabric selection
My friend Rebecca was down in Tasmania recently and visited a group of men in a shed who spend their retiree time constructing honest, beautiful handmade toys and doll’s cribs for children. She bought one of the latter for her daughter Sofia, and asked me if we could make a blanket to fit. On Monday they popped over for afternoon tea and we knocked this up in about half an hour.
The top fabric is a Japanese design from Duckcloth; the polka dots are from Prints Charming, stars from Remnant Warehouse and white an old Damask tablecloth found in a flea market.
Note Sofia’s super-cute babushka doll trouser patches, applied by her clever grandmother? Such a simple idea for making an ordinary item of clothing quite special.
Finished miniature blanket
Cleverly recycled upholstery
Keith's patchwork sofa
My friend Keith Armiger is an excellent upholsterer, and covered our club lounge a few years ago. I was telling him about an armchair I fell in love with at Stem in Balmain recently which was covered in antique Indian silks, and days after he was approached by a client who asked him to do the same for this three-seater sofa. I think he’s done a spectacular job – isn’t it great? I can just see it strewn with simple white cushions in a relaxed Sydney abode.