Styling w/ Ikea

In my past life I was an interior designer and merchandiser, so I am always impressed by what stylists can pull together. Creating stories with objects is still a favorite past time of mine, especially when it is using more inexpensive pieces to get a beautifully pulled together look. Check out all the amazing creations put together with Ikea merchandise. It looks so high end! I picked a few favorite images, but you can see more beautiful details right here.

The Bendy Street Emporium

I am so excited to share this little shop peek of The Bendy Street Emporium located in Canowindra NSW, Australia. The owner, Kate, recently placed an order with us and I was instantly impressed by the beautiful shots on her website and wanted to see more. Unfortunately with me being in California and Kate being in Australia, sadly I can't hop right over and peek around the shop myself, so I figured this would be the next best thing! If you are in the area be sure to stop by and visit Kate, you can also shop online where you will find all kinds of goodies for just about every room of your house! Thanks for sharing, Kate!

How long have you had the shop and what inspired you to open it?

I have had the shop open for 7 weeks now but have had it in my mind for the last 15 years after a visit to Scottsdale Arizona of all places. I was on my first honeymoon (Elizabeth Taylor would be proud, I am remarried to my second husband now - another story), a 7 week road trip through the States. We found this cookbook shop, only small, but crammed with great books and there was a fantastic smell coming from the back room. The food wasn't for sale but I was sold. The woman who owned it was so passionate about food, books and living a great lifestyle, it left an impression on me and I thought that one day I would have a similar shopping experience.

We went to NY, Colarado, San Fran and all over. Coming back to Australia, which I love, I found a hole in the market, we are not great at shopping experiences, wrapping, showing off. I got sick of hearing "Do you want a bag with that" If you buy something that you love, it should be wrapped up and lovingly presented not shoved in a plastic bag. So a long story short, I met my farmer husband and we moved to Canowindra, a quirky little country town of 2000 people in the heart of wine and food country. It is full of farmers, artists, winegrowers and foodies. Lots of creative people. I thought that just because we live in a country town doesn't mean we shouldn't have access to beautiful products from around the world. I am constantly trawling the web, Twitter, Etsy, magazines etc to find new designers doing something a bit different. The shop has something new every week and the website lets me keep the stock flowing so it is always fresh. That and I will probably send myself broke by just having to have things I see and love. I have had the shop open for 7 weeks now but have had it in my mind for the last 15 years after a visit to Scottsdale Arizona of all places. I was on my first honeymoon (Elizabeth Taylor would be proud, I am remarried to my second husband now - another story), a 7 week road trip through the States. We found this cookbook shop, only small, but crammed with great books and there was a fantastic smell coming from the back room. The food wasn't for sale but I was sold. The woman who owned it was so passionate about food, books and living a great lifestyle, it left an impression on me and I thought that one day I would have a similar shopping experience.

What is the most challenging part and your favorite part of being a store owner?

The biggest challenge of owning the shop is probably freight. The irony is that I can get things more easily from the US or Europe than I can from our own capital cities. The great thing about being a shop owner is seeing the reaction to the store. The town has adopted the shop and it has a nickname already. I have a vintage bike out the front which everyone loves and even the school kids are worried that it might be stolen one day. I love that it is a happy place to visit, not eliteist like some boutique shops can be, but a place for everyone to come. I have music playing that I love from all eras, probably not the taste of the very trendy, but if I feel like a bit of George Micheal then that is what we will all be subjected to.

What are your favorite products that you carry in the store right now?

My favourite product in store now would have to be Mr Darcy T-Towels from Brookish from the US. I found her on Etsy and love these towel printed with Mr Darcy's marriage proposal to Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Predjudice. I love watching people read it then get to the end and swoon. From our Australian designers I am also loving baby bangles from Little Lamb Designs . They have lamb, fawn, elephant and bluebird charms and great hand knitted lambs included. So gorgeous.

Vintage Oil Cans

Searching for some "new" accessories for our humble abode. My mind keeps going back to this cool collection of vintage gas cans. Now where to put them....

Have a great weekend! Check back next week, we are excited to do a little feature on one of our newer retailers, The Bendy Street Emporium in Australia. What a a beautiful shop! Can't wait to share! xo

New House Sneak Preview

We are trying to get back in the swing of all things Branch- we are looking forward to creating some new designs, expanding the bedding line and we have a few more things up our sleeve! At the same time getting our new house fixed up is a major priority. I'm not ready to fully show off the interior yet (guest bedroom and dining room left to do...) but for now here is a sneak peek of the back of the house. I am absolutely in love with the lines of our Eichler. The colors are perfect, and I love the way its set against the back drop of the rolling hills.

Road Trip...

After a 5 day trip from NJ to CA, we have happily arrived and are getting settled into our new home. Our road trip was so much fun- just us and the two dogs. We did have a slight mishap, when the cars fuel pump went right outside of Albuquerque, NM- the funniest (and I will admit, I was a little nervous at first) part of the trip was seeing the dogs in the back of the car hoisted onto the flat bed of the tow truck as we were in the cab on the way to the dealer. They were a little afraid at first, but as soon as the truck got moving they were right back to sitting in the back and enjoying the ride! We took so many pictures and saw just about every climate and landscape in the US. Some of my favorite pictures are above including an old stop on Route 66, Tucumcari, NM filled with vintage motels and restaurants and old signs from the 1950's.