Tripette to Tasmania Part II - The Hotel. Shops and purchases!

So, better late than never. Sorry I have procrastinated about getting this post out; so many photographs to sort out!! Here is a little more about our stay in Hobart, Tasmania. As I mentioned before, the hotel we stayed in was The Henry Jones Art Hotel. It is Australia's first dedicated Art Hotel and the site on which it is located dates back to 1804. A former jam factory has been transformed into this hotel but it has been converted in such a way as to keep the original features of the building.

Henry Jones logo.

Reception above and below.

The hotel houses over 300 pieces of art work from Tasmanian artists - all presented like a gallery and all for sale. It means you can experience the art in a completely new and unique way. Obviously it also means that the 'exhibitions' are continually changing as pieces are sold.

These two above are going to a house in Surry Hills, Sydney we were told. They were sold a month or so back.

In contrast to all the modern art the actual building has been preserved as much as possible within the conversion. I loved seeing the original beams etc. Right up my street. as they say.

These two machines I think were the actual 'clocking on' machines from the factory floor.

Exposed brickwork and very Australian, - the good old tin roof!

The whole hotel is so different - it's an unexpected combination of the antique and the ultra modern in every room.

Our bedroom.

And the lovely bathroom.

One of the original stones of the building. These stones have a dark past - see the little marks on them? The buildings were in part constructed by convicts and each convict had their own pattern on 'their' stones so at the end of the day the foreman could see how many had been laid by each convict.

I have to say I have never enjoyed a hotel so much. Each Friday evening there is a completely free tour of the hotel which gives an insight as to how it was converted as well as about the art in the hotel and a little about Tasmania too. And you don't have to be staying at the hotel to go on the tours. Highly recommended.

Go to
http://www.thehenryjones.com/ for more information about the hotel if you'd like. It's fascinating.

Now for the shops.

Tasmania is full of craft and artists. This shop above caught my eye.

I bought these silver earrings above. A bit unique and they appealed greatly.


The next two shops we went to were recommended by Janelle McCulloch who has a wonderful blog Library of Design. If you have not yet visited the library I highly recommend it... Click HERE.

A fabulous garden shop in Hobart called Karen Wagner Garden and Design.

And then joy of joys we drove about 25 minutes from Hobart to this GORGEOUS place... Again recommended by Janelle.

The Drill Hall Emporium in New Norfolk, Tasmania.

Just feast your eyes on the next few photographs.

I was excited just to see the outside of the shop!

And when I got inside I didn't know where to look first - it was filled with gorgeousness of the kind I LOVE.

I was fairly controlled (!) and managed to constrain myself coming away with 3 purchases only....

A gorgeous thick linen French red and white table cloth, a French white china heart shaped cheese mould and 3 old terracotta flowerpots. Am going to plant these 3 up with little rosemary plants.

And I leave you with another look at the goodies.

For more information about this wonderful antique store (and they have a blog) the link is :

http://www.thedrillhall.com.au/

It was such a fabulous tripette to Tasmania... I want to return again, and soon!

Happy Days until a Volcanic Disruption

Up until yesterday we were having such a wonderful time down at our friends the antique dealers (Kiel and Stuart of FONTAINE) at their cottage on the Kent coast. Then the news came that due to a volcanic eruption in Iceland all airspace over UK and Northern Europe has been closed.... Unfortunately, this now means that my daughter is now stuck at the ski resort in France where she has been working since the end of last year and we have no idea when her flight will be re-instated. Also, Mr SE who was due to fly back to Australia this morning is not going anywhere fast either. That is not quite as bad as we are here together but there are several work commitments he needs to be back for next week. What a difficult situation it all is. However, let me tell you about the nicer times before this volcano fiasco... Photograph above shows a few of the French antiques ready to be loaded onto their van as they are doing Battersea Decorative Antiques Fair next week... Apologies that I could not take many photos as much of the stock was packed up in bubble wrap/blankets in readiness for transportation....

This was a present from them to me... It was such a lovely surprise - a late Georgian / early Victorian piece of spongeware - in perfect condition - I am thrilled and was very touched.

Photograph above shows their cottage to the right of the picture.

Another closer shot.

This is looking up the road from their cottage. Look at these perfect specimens of Georgian homes. I absolutely LOVE this period - it is my all time favourite English house...

We went out for dinner here.... Unusual, in that there is a fishmongers underneath and the restaurant is above. As you could probably imagine, we had wonderfuly fresh fish. (Stuart is standing outside waiting for me to hurry up and stop taking photos!)

Yesterday, before we returned to 'SE Cottage' we went to Margate where they are building the huge new Turner Contemporary gallery.... It is going to be one of the biggest galleries in the South of England and due to open in the Spring of 2011.... There is much excitement about the regeneration of the coast and generally in this area. For more information click HERE.

So, now we just play a waiting game and hope and pray that the volcano stops emitting dust and ash and the wind blows the other way which will enable airspace in Europe to open again. Never in living memory has this happened before - all so unfortunate.

Bargain Oil Painting

I do love a good bargain (who doesn't?) and when it is an antique too it is even BETTER!!

Photographed above is my still life oil painting which I found in a Charity Shop, or, as they call them over here in Australia, Op. Shops ......

There I was just walking along looking into shop windows as is my wont when I spied this - well, as fast as I could I rushed in and slapped down my $Aus. 30 which was the marked price..... In other currencies of the world this is approx. $USA =27.50 Euros = 18.50 and UK pounds = 17 so you can see - absolute bargain!

I also happen to love still life oil paintings of food and this gorgeous one is of mushrooms - we have it positioned at the entrance to the kitchen and it gives me such pleasure looking at it each time I walk by and doubly so knowing that it was such a good bargain...

Like a headless 'Chook'

To use an Australian term - I have been running around like one.... All day....

Tomorrow afternoon I go to Heathrow Airport and fly back to Australia to resume my Semi-Expat life again... Mixed feelings about leaving UK - very definitely sad feelings about leaving my daughter.
All day I have been itching to get onto my laptop and to post and now having done 95%of what needs to be done by tomorrow I am allowing myself the luxury of seeing what everyone is up to in the blogosphere and catching up and writing for the last time from UK for a while... Forgive me as there will probably be a few days 'silence' whilst I re-adjust and get back to life down under.... However, you never know I may really 'go international' and do a post halfway to Australia from the Qantas Lounge in Singapore. All depends on my frame of mind and how tired I am !!

Anyway, the photographs are from yesterday - I rushed over to see two of my dear friends - my antique guys (well, they are not 'antique' as such of course, - they deal in them!)
I have known Stuart Atkinson and Kiel Shaw (who trade as FONTAINE) for over 10 years and at the moment they are trading from Blanchards in Froxfield. They live in France in Normandy but hop over the Channel regularly replenishing their stock in Blanchards and in their place in Tetbury in Gloucestershire. They also exhibit at Battersea Antiques and Decorative Fair and the Bath Decorative Fair. Yesterday was a Christmas preview at Blanchards and I helped them out for an hour or so (I used to work for them years ago when we all lived in Sussex) They are amazing guys and have such a 'good eye' - they are wonderful house makers too (they have property for holiday rental - see inside their house at www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/accommodation/property/151054

Well, that's all from UK for a while... - take care and I will be in touch when I re-surface the other end!

Antiques at Indigo

Well, as promised, I am posting for today, albiet a little late as I was at Indigo all day preparing for our Open Day at the weekend...
Indigo is small company housed in a large complex of old Dairy barns in the Wiltshire countryside but they have a big reputation...
As well as many retail customers we also sell to large department stores in London and buyers from abroad. Indigo have also supplied big productions (films etc.) with pieces for sets and at the moment are in the process of fitting out a large liner which is due to set sail in 2010.
I am really lucky in that when I am back from Australia I am called upon to work with them again as they are (happily for me!) pleased to welcome me back to the fold and anxious for help especially with days such as the Open Day Christmas Preview.

I have taken the following description directly from the Indigo website :

Established by Richard Lightbown and Marion Bender, Indigo is a small company which takes pride in quality. We have been importing & restoring antique furniture from India, China, Japan & Indonesia for more than 20 years supplying both trade & retail customers
All of our furniture is individually selected by ourselves, at source, on the basis of originality & patination.
We restore all furniture in our own workshops in Wiltshire.
We always carry a large selection of antique furniture, architectural antiques, textiles & smaller collectibles. Restoration can be carried out to your own taste or requirements.
A small range of reproduction furniture is also available.
The majority of our antique furniture dates from the 19th century, although some pieces are 18th & early 20th century.

I think that just about sums up the company - the first photographs are all directly from the website showing a few of the type of things stocked from small pieces and decorative antiques to larger pieces of furniture and the last photograph shows my red cabinet from them.... It is a Chinese Wedding cabinet - very decorative and also extrememly practical for storage....
So there we are... a little introduction and there will be no doubt another busy day there tomorrow too...

Indigo (but not the colour)

I will be posting today but later on this evening as I am just rushing off here to work......
This is Indigo Antiques - a wonderful place stuffed full to the brim with all kinds of interesting pieces and gifts and accessories....
It is all 'hands on deck' as we are preparing for the Christmas Open Day on Saturday - delicious food and drinks are served and our customers make a start on their Christmas shopping... It is usually so very busy and I spend the day helping people with decisions and also at the cash till taking £££ and wrapping...
Till later when I will tell you a little about some of the items there.
p.s. If you can't wait till later have a sneak preview at www.indigo-uk.com

ANTIQUEY PURCHASE FROM LAST WEEK

This is my purchase from The Inner Yard last week - the lovely antiquey/gift shop that I wrote about (19th October) ......

Needless to say it is not yet up but I DO know where it is going to go - we have a rather ugly looking glass door from the sitting room leading to the (miniscule) garden and it will look great hung above the door. The other colours in the sitting room are dark creams and reds and the whole scheme quite warm. The colour on the walls is a Farrow and Ball colour (Cord) which I have now used in 3 houses (yes, just call me a 'serial' mover!) and every time it warms my heart and says 'home' (by the way this photograph is taken on the floor just in case you think that the background (carpet) is the aforementioned wall colour!)

I will take a couple of photographs of the room to show you in a later post - when you first put the colour on the wall you think 'Oh, am I sure about this?' but you have to persevere and carry on and the whole room is transformed with a creamy warmth.......

Are there any colours that you use time and time again and couldn't imagine a house with them?