How to do colour

We think it's probably quite rare for people to buy old homes and not change anything. It's especially remarkable when the new house has a highly personal and rather brave colour scheme that comes with it. When Judy Park bought her 1920's home, she loved her inherited reds and oranges and pinks and yellows and embraced them as the perfect backdrop for her own unique style.

 Nostalgic pieces and family portraits pop with freshness and fun

against their vibrant backdrop. The painting on the right is Judy's 

grandaughter Lottie (now 20) painted by her mother Sassy. It's

based on the idea of a 17th Century portrait with the Park family

motto. See http://sassypark.com/ for more of her fabulous work.

The centrepiece table and single chair are from Judy's parents 

home. Judy's mother loved buying wonderful pieces from

auction - a talent Judy shares. Judy discovered she also has a 

talent for French polishing after a little mishap with the table.  

Apparently layers of newspaper do not protect varnish from

lifting while doing a bit of handiwork with metho!  

 


Leslie Moline, a family friend and artist, painted the large portrait

of Judy's mother in the 1950's and the smaller ones of Judy's

son and daughter when they were little. Apparently Leslie lacked

confidence in her work - amazing we know. Judy's supportive

mother commissioned the artist to paint the family.

Clearly this was a win-win arrangement!

Judy loves bentwood chairs and bought this one when she

married. It's been recovered several times since and we love

this subtle classic floral against that wall.







A zinc top kitchen table and chairs bought at auction originally

came from a Domestic Science School

(the Tech. Colleges of the 1950's). The wording on the back

of the chairs reflect the domestic skills taught to the young

female students. Judy bought six chairs but only three had

writing on the back - the other three she stencilled to match with 

made up lessons; "Laundry", "Sewing" and "Baby care".

Fabulous!




Judy's collection of muted milky tones began with a milk glass

goblet bought in 1959 from Marion Best fabrics in Woollahra. 

We confess we're thrilled that Judy visited the first shop in Sydney

selling Scandinavian design. 

The groundbreaking shop closed in 1974 but see www.hht.net.au/online_features/highlights/finding_aids/marion_hall_best_collection 

for a fascinating insight into the legendary Marion Hall Best.

Judy has been adding to this beautiful collection ever since,

including hand made porcelain made by daughter Sassy.

 


An adventurous use of colour looks incredible in this sumptious

room. The rich red walls are capped with an orange ceilng. And

we love the stark white wall asserting itself through the doorway.



This fireplace is just stunning - such a feminine colour but striking
effect.



The lovely peasant lady on the right of the window was bought in

Russia on a trip by ship from Moscow to St. Petersburg.

Judy loves it's naivety - the cows outsizing the chickens -

and she wishes she had more of this artist's colourful work.

Judy laments there was no time to shop - the MS.Tolstoy was

about to leave!





Judy has portraits of all her children painted by talented 

Rockhampton artist, Ben Wichkam. This young boy

however, was adopted from hard rubbish day! 

Judy's "adopted son" has replaced the portrait of Judy's

younger son (who has been relegated to the dressing

room as he wasn't keen on his portrait).



Judy says this home has a very welcoming feel and that she

was very lucky to buy it.

We couldn't agree more.

Thankyou so much Judy for sharing your beautiful home with us.

A home showcase for decades of careful collecting

Ann Wilkin's enthusiasm for auctions and markets really

shows in this luscious, leafy home brimming with treasures.  

Ann refers to a fondness for finding bric-a-brac while her husband

calls it junk (cheeky)! And then there are staff at some auctions who tell Ann they "prefer to call it object d'art."  Well whatever you call it, it all comes together in an intriguing and wonderful display of Ann's very personal style.

What Ann refers to as "the mess behind the sofa" we prefer to call a beautiful display of special pieces. The purchase of the two brass candlesticks with funnel holders was nothing short of a miracle. Ann bought one at auction over two decades ago and it lived for years alone outside on the balcony. Then only four years ago Ann found another one exactly the same at a different auction! Now the pair sit happily with a painting by Sassy Park and head figurines from Manila.  The heads were bought in the 1970s by Ann's sister who lived there and sourced interesting paintings and crafts for Ann during that time. 

Clever positioning of this shelf lets the glassware glow in the sunlight - the luminous pinks and greens echoing the colours of the furnishings. The green glasses and cake stands are uranium glass with the beautiful lime green coming from the uranium. The plates on the bottom shelf were bought at auction where Ann was told they were glazed by a nun in Orange (in country New South Wales) and which the cheeky husband calls "green plates by Orange nun".

Just opening a draw in this home unearths a gorgeous nest of collectables!



Paintings of French costume designs from the 1920s hang above

a collection of fountain pens, inkwells and personal photos. 



The bird paintings here are by Australian painter Neville Cayley who illustrated

the classic reference book "What Bird is That?"  Amongst the lovely Australian

birdlife are gifts from friends and pictures that Ann took a liking to at auction.



The John Duffecy dining table was bought at auction about 15 years ago for less than two hundred dollars.  Amazingly, Ann had longed for this same dining suite when she got married in 1961 - but at the time it was very expensive.  Ann has since bought another table to match so there are extra chairs to use when the table is extended.  The second table went to a friend. We're sure Ann never imagined back in 1961 that she'd be giving them away!



Another auction find.  The heavy wrought iron kitchen table was bought 

30 years ago. The angel candlesticks are one of the few pieces bought

new but Ann thinks they are probably reproductions of something old.  

Ann loves to look at them from the kitchen sink as they remind

her "of statues you see as you turn a corner into laneways in Europe."

Lovely!



Thankyou so much for sharing your gorgeous home and your lovely stories with us Ann!



Home of the Merewether family. 1959 - 2010.

We are so happy to have captured this immaculate modernist home before sadly...
The builders arrive.
Designed and built in 1959 and recently sold, this incredible house has timeless style and a heartwarming history. 
For over 50 years the Merewethers have lived in this home created for his family by architect John Merewether.
Now with new owners, it is due to double in size and lose many of its original features. 
So here it is before the new residents moved in.
We can only hope they will appreciate and respect this house as much as we do.

It's just wonderful when a home is filled with authentic pieces
bought in their original era. 
Resisting the changing trends of later decades, 
this home looks fresh and modern - with a
 vintage edge.
It has truly withstood the test of time.







We adore the kitchen but there are plans to replace it. Of course.





Echoes of mid-century California in suburban Sydney. We wouldn't change a thing.