Retro Active

If you are a regular reader of my blog posts you may have noticed that I have a few loves – great design at great prices, repurposed design, and vintage design. I am nothing if not consistent!

If you really pay attention to my blog posts, then you will also note that I mourn the death of some (once exceptional) design classics, due to over re-producing and their bastardisation by countless Chinese manufacturers that supply Aldi and Officeworks and the like. They are given new names like “The Jackson” or  “The Gus” or “The Charlie” or the name of some other random bloke – but at the end of the day we know who they are (supposed to be)! 

Some of these infamous classics include the Eames Eifel Tower Chair, Tolex stools and even repros from your very own local king of Australian modernism Grant Featherston.

 Aussies – especially Melbournians love a bit of vintage and a bit of retro – hence the repro-reflux.  (Hey – I am all for the idea of ‘accessible’ design – but I do have my limits).

 There is, however, great news for the purists out there  – and it’s better than a single chair. It’s a house – or in this case – many houses, as Melbourne’s outer suburbs are awash with some really awesome and original modern marvels. 

As an interior designer and property stylist, I have been privileged to have worked on some of these very (cool) properties, and the best ones are the untouched time capsules that transport you right back to the crazy era of polyester suits, Peter Pan collars, blue eye shadow and the Brady Bunch. 

These properties are abundant in Melbourne’s Eastern Suburbs, and are often found sandwiched between newly built monolithic monstrosities that are all the rage these days. Sadly, most likely what previously occupied the plot on which the monoliths now stand is another modern masterpiece. RIP Modern Marvels.

I implore you – suburban home hunter, do not buy into the cookie cutter dream of a charcoal coloured box with tiled floors and a 2 car garage – indulge instead in a palatial single story brick clad wonder with a covered 2 car carport (as most of them have). These homes are built for living – they are built for families and they are built for entertaining (keys in the bowl please!). These homes are full of character and details that they just don’t pay attention to these days such as double-wide doors, timber cladding and built in bars. If you are really lucky you may even score some of the original lighting that was installed when the house was built, which in and of itself is worth big bucks.

Look, I am not saying don’t renovate – clearly the amenities of the 50’s – 70’s are not what they are now – all I am saying is put down your sledge hammer and preserve the beauty of the past and save yourself some money in the mean time. Once it’s gone you can’t get it back, so don’t ditch the special details for stock standard Bunnings fittings – think beyond the moment into the future.

Here is one that I recently styled to whet your appetite – it sold for 700K over reserve – I would like to think my styling had something to do with it.

http://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-caulfield+north-120340681