“It’s a peaceful room, literally a sitting room! We deliberately don’t have a TV upstairs because we like to sit in quiet reflection amongst the trees. It’s a space of quiet beauty.”
“Frida. She makes my heart sing! Such a colourful, interesting woman. I like the fact that even through her personal hardships she still found the time to create, infact it was her salvation. I love the way she dresses, her colourful Mexican attire and the way her art infiltrated her unique personal style, as well as her home. Colour, pattern, eccentricity, complexities… what’s not to like? I hope to visit Mexico next year and tour her Blue House.”
“We love our Remy boy! He came to us via the RSPCA about 7 years ago. I, (of course) wanted the pedigree Abisynnian cat sharing Remy’s enclosure. She was called ‘Chai’ and her owners had donated her because she was too demanding. I, (of course) ignored this fact and wanted her because I would then own a pedigree Abisynnian called Chai. Sometimes, I can be a real tosser. My husband pointed out that even though Chai was a pedigree cat, she was a complete BITCH and he wouldn’t indulge me. We eventually decided to take the moggie ‘Nigel’, as he was then called. My husband, Serge was obviously right, but we did change Nigel’s name as soon as we could to ‘Remy’. Who calls a cat Nigel?”
“I love that I can sit in my lounge through the summer months, watch the birds play and witness the stunning sunsets. Then, in winter I can sit by a cozy fire and watch the weather roll in over the foothills.”
“I have always loved colour, but I think as you get older you become less concerned with what people think and in my case I’ve gone overboard! Colour, pattern, pattern on pattern on pattern just makes me smile.”
Bree’s favourite piece – the inherited sideboard she received from her grandmother.
“I also really like that I have a candle lit and a photo of my late husband sitting atop the sideboard. I can see him wherever I am in the room. I love to light Palo Santo and let it smoke around the room, setting a peaceful intention for the beginning or even the end of the day.”
“This was Serge’s gardening hat. Never one to be conventional, he used to buy second hand Akubra’s and pull the inside of the hat out…the bit that made it all stiff and Akubra like. He’d then soak the hat in water until it became softer and don it then. To top off the look he’d always find old club pins from op Shops and add those together with a few feathers. This was his last hat and I will treasure it and the memories it holds.”
“My dear friend Peter Delahenty, an artist based in Olinda painted this portrait after I decided it would be nice to have something that celebrated ‘me’ at 40 – something that would exist after I didn’t anymore.”
1. What’s the room and who uses it?
We call it the ‘front room’, but it’s our main sitting room. My daughter and I use it everyday because it’s quiet and relaxing. It’s also the room we like to entertain in and it’s glass doors are a nice entry on to our deck.
2. What do you do for a crust?
I’m a graphic designer and have run my own business Imageffect since 2005.
3. What goes on in the room?
It’s a peaceful room, literally a sitting room! We deliberately don’t have a TV upstairs because we like to sit in quiet reflection amongst the trees. It’s a space of quiet beauty.
4. Favourite piece in the room and why?
My Grandma Gilda’s (GG’s) sideboard. Her grandmother Beck owned it when GG was a little tot and she hung on to it until I popped up my hand when she had to downsize. My husband Serge didn’t think it would match our other furniture and begrudgingly hired a trailer and drove an hour to collect it then back again in the heat of summer. When he got it home and lifted it in he agreed, although tired that I’d made a good decision.
I also really like that I have a candle lit and a photo of my late husband sitting atop the sideboard. I can see him where ever I am in the room. I love to light Palo Santo and let it smoke around the room setting a peaceful intention for the beginning or even the end of the day.
5. Anything on your wish list that you would love to add to the space?
I’d like to change up the lamps, I love the custom lamps and shades at Bowerbird Collections in Brisbane. I’d also like to create more of a feature around the fireplace using a deeper ochre on the walls. But at the moment, it’s one step at a time!
6. What do other people say when they see your room for the first time?
They say, ‘Oh wow, what a view!’.
7. Why do you love this room?
It’s peaceful to quietly sit in and it has the greatest view of our beloved trees. I love that I can sit in my lounge through the summer months, watch the birds play and witness the stunning sunsets. Then, in winter I can sit by a cozy fire and watch the weather roll in over the foothills.
8. What’s one lovely memory you have whilst being in the room?
I did most of my labour in this room back in 2004 with the help of my beloved husband and birthing Doula Maitri.
Follow The Room Illuminated on…
The Room Illuminated 