PROPERTY
Shopping by the sand… at The Strand – Homewear
WORDS: PHOTOGRAPHY
Take the peace and tranquillity of beach living home with you! There are a range of homewares boutiques to browse and pick up that perfect piece of coastal chic you’ve been looking for…
Montego
Embellished Kaftans are a speciality here and sit alongside beautiful homewares in a store which prides itself on service. “I’ve worked in retail for 25 years,” owner Jill Louison tells ORM. “Our homewares come from a local wholesaler and are hand carved in Indonesia. I want to offer home decor that’s practical for apartment living, we stock wall plaques, artwork and plenty of pretty pieces. We also offer floral arrangements for weddings. Our kaftans are made by a fantastic Sunshine Coast designer, I’m excited to be bringing my very best supplier contacts to this store.”
Salt Living
Unique, beach inspired products here bring a touch of coastal living to your life. Beach towels, Ocean Breeze candles, Myrtle & Moss Body lotion, artwork, Japaneze ceramics and Seea swimwear are some of the highlights. Californian brand Seea is an eye-catching range of bikinis and swimsuits specifically designed for women who surf, ensuring they stay in place as well as looking divine. Owner Jacinta Bishop tells us she avoids trade shows, “I stick to one colour palette and work hard to choose every product very carefully. I’m not a fan of trends, they don’t reflect who you really are if you’re being swept along with the crowd. I stay true to things that are timeless and choose products I truly love that are different to what customers will find anywhere else.
The Cabin Store
Coastal, rustic and chic are the three words that embrace you as you walk in store. Palm leaf director’s chairs greet you at the entrance and inside you’ll find bedding, homewares, mirrors, cushions, picture frames and vases sitting alongside stylish clothing for both men and women. Sought-after international brands Maison Scotch, Wanderlust, and Homme Du Martin are among the labels here which ooze sophistication and class. As you browse, you can also enjoy the owner’s flair for style which has added clever twists to the in store design such as using pre-loved sifts as lampshades.
Abode Interiors & Styling
A stylish collection of home accessories encompassing a wide range of decorating styles are found here where coastal meets industrial. Design savvy shoppers will find an eclectic range from shabby chic to retro and love pieces including clocks, statement wall artwork, cushions, candles, throws and rugs. Cow hide bags and rugs, wooden pineapples and chunky photo frames will catch your eye as you wander around. Australian brands like Mezzie & Frank chalk paints are incredibly popular and you’ll also find Divine, a certified organic personal care range by Therese Kerr, in store. Abode are passionate about creating beautiful spaces and offer property styling services as well as chalk paint workshops to teach you how to give upholstered furniture (including leather) a new look.
Johnei & Jo
Inside this clever Aladdin’s cave you’ll find a carefully selected eclectic range of gifts galore, heavenly homewares, ornaments, fashion and accessories. Tucked away inside you’ll find a treasure trove of vintage inspired vases, lamps, antique maps, books, bracelets and pictures nestling alongside stock which is sourced locally. No 1 candles are from Rainbow Bay and Moe Moe jewellery hails from Currumbin. This is a family run business owned by Colleen Graham whose daughter even lends her creativity to gift cards you’ll find in store.
Sun & Sea
Take a calm wander around the gallery to take in beautiful local photography of Snapper Rocks, Rainbow Bay, Fingal Head, Currumbin and more. Sunrises, sunsets and stunning scenery leaps out of frames and is a treat for the eye, everywhere you look. “Photographic and canvas artwork is our speciality,” Alex McFadyen, owner tells ORM. “We also print on canvas so customers can bring in images they want us to print up for them and we do a range of frames. We’ve also branched out into beach accessories that suit our surroundings so we stock round towels and Turkish towels which are proving to be incredibly popular, as well as printed scarves, sunglasses and t-shirts.” Artwork ranges in price from under $20 to $300+, plus you can pick up pretty postcards here too.