Pottery Barn is here!

Ok,   I am a little excited to learn that Pottery Barn has opened in Australia this year!  I was introduced to this beautiful homewares store on a recent visit to New York and once inside both myself and dear friend Rima were hooked to the point of lugging beautiful throws unlike any I had ever seen before over 16,0000 km from Manhattan to Melbourne (see pic below)

The style which this store depicts is totally 'me' - If I could afford to do my whole house with everything in this store I would.  When I think of my favourite  homewares stores I have a list of stores I frequent often even if it is to get ideas or windowshop or imagine for when I am actually living in my beach retreat; my favourite Australian stores come to mind; Adairs , Bed Bath 'N' table, Freedom Furniture, Provincial Home Living & an ex local homemade furniture store I used to love in Briar Hill, Purdey's.

 The exciting thing I found about Pottery Barn was that it was so different to what I had seen before and totally in touch with my style of relaxed and homely. When I was in the US, it was during their Fall season and as I am a sucker for all things warm and fuzzy, this store was like birthdays, Christmas's and everything which makes you smile all at once. I don't know how long we spent in that store that day but remember walking in during daylight and when we were walking out it was not.

I am a longtime linen lover, a quality I picked up from my own mother who appreciated beautiful linen and had a special linen cupboard full of lace with handmade stiching and doilies as I grew up...I think that's where my penchant of throws must has developed from.  I finally have the chance to showcase some wonderful homewares of good quality which I have appreciated for so long but never indulged while I was bringing up my family.  And whilst researching for this blog post I have realised that you can get some great specials by shopping on line with some great Aussie companies such as My Linen and Abode Living which will come in handy when I move, as I will no longer be living near any of these stores. 

Anyhow, it just so happens I am attending a renovations seminar in Sydney later this year where the Australian Pottery Barn store is located, so might just have to take along a bigger suitcase to sneak a few items for the beach retreat home back to Melbourne, and if my suitcase is not big enough, there is always online shopping!

Today we had our new kitchen table delivered from Freedon Furniture, a real bargain at a discount as it was floor stock and had a bit of scratching on it - nothing my handy hubby can't fix to make it not so noticable. Its all white wood which means my old dark leather chairs wont work with our new table.  I am thinking I will have to search for some slip covers which will match our new style.

And as for new places to shop where I am heading, I already love The Tenby Store in Queenscliff, so will definately be picking up a few choice pieces from there, I am yet to discover what I'll find in Geelong but I can always hop on the ferry and cross to Sorrento where I know I will find some lovely things on the other side of the bay.

I really think you cant be surrounded by the sea and coast without bringing it into your home because it becomes a part of you.  I am hoping to design my new house style on the variants and themes I see in coastal living styles.  I have collected many different colours and pictures to get ideas in my mind of the type of living space I would like to create.  I have collated this coastal image theme to inspire and get some ideas for 'My beach retreat'. You can view my Pintrest board on 'coastal living' here.

In a very short while, I will be packing up my household for the very last time and as daunting as that seems, I am comforted by the fact that in three weeks time that little thought which never left my husband's mind of having a dream to live by the sea, will become our reality...and for that my friends, I will be forever proud that we made this happen and never gave up on what we thought for 23 years was just 'a pipe dream'