“It’s a versatile space, which is why I like it so much. Every day I go downstairs and select my outfit. On weekends we turn on the jukebox and have a family dance and dress-up session with the kids. It’s very cute.”
“Vintage clothing, vibrant colours and music are so important to me – they give me life. The room contains all three of these things so it is a very happy place to be.”
“During lockdown we bought an old Seeburg jukebox from a guy in Bendigo and we waited months and months until we were able to drive up and collect it. When the day finally came, we excitedly wheeled it into the room, plugged it in and the whole family had a big boogie until the sun went down. “
Emma’s favourite piece – her grandfather’s little box of bow-ties and tie pins. “It is an unassuming little box and I hardly ever open it because it still smells lovely like him. Opening it immediately takes me back in time. It’s better than looking at a photo.”
“The added bonus of the room is that it has a bar at one end. We like to have a nightcap there when the kids have gone to bed.”
1. What’s the room and who uses it?
I refer to it as the ‘Costumery and Band Room’. It is a big downstairs space that houses all of my vintage clothes and accessories, along with Danny (my husband) and my band gear. The whole family and our band mates use the space often.
2. What do you do for a crust?
I do a lot of things, probably too many. I’m a freelance fundraising copywriter. I’m also a DJ. I play in a band. I host a weekly radio show on 106.7 PBS FM called Switched On. Danny and I also run a music festival called Reservoir Stomp.
3. What goes on in the room?
It’s a versatile space, which is why I like it so much. Every day I go downstairs and select my outfit. Sometimes Danny works from home so while I’m down there pondering the clothing colour palette (my clothes are colour coded!) I natter away to him. In the evenings it gets used as a rehearsal space for my band and Danny’s band, or sometimes Danny and I will go down there and just noodle around on songs together. On weekends we turn on the jukebox and have a family dance and dress-up session with the kids. It’s very cute. The added bonus of the room is that it has a bar at one end. We like to have a nightcap there when the kids have gone to bed.
4. Favourite piece in the room and why?
Gosh, that’s a hard one. There are so many pieces that have special meaning to me, or a great story. My instinct is to tell you about one of the big items like the jukebox or the Rhodes piano and how they came to live in the room, but actually I want to say that one of my favourite pieces is my grandfather’s little box of bow-ties and tie pins. It is an unassuming little box and I hardly ever open it because it still smells lovely like him. Opening it immediately takes me back in time. It’s better than looking at a photo.
Now I also have to tell you about another favourite sentimental item. I also have my Mum’s deb shoes in their original box. It sounds kind of boring, until you see the box which is a Peter Max inspired late 60s illustration of a lady with huge red curly hair, big sunglasses, pouty lips and a beauty spot. I LOVED looking at that box when I was young. It was in a drawer at my grandparent’s house. I would try to squeeze my foot into them to no avail. They’re beautiful shoes – silver, square toe, chunky heel. I think all the years of me forcing my foot into them must have stretched them because I was able to wear them to a photoshoot recently. They’re still not big enough for me to walk in, though!
5. Anything on your wish list that you would love to add to the space?
I don’t think much more will fit in there! Maybe some of those classic netted curtains in a lurid orange or green. I’ve never been able to find curtains that work in the space. It’s the only thing that it lacks.
6. Describe the room in three words.
Colourful, chaotic, noisy.
7. Why do you love this room?
Vintage clothing, vibrant colours and music are so important to me – they give me life. The room contains all three of these things so it is a very happy place to be.
8. What’s one lovely memory you have whilst being in the room?
During lockdown we bought an old Seeburg jukebox from a guy in Bendigo and we waited months and months until we were able to drive up and collect it. When the day finally came, we excitedly wheeled it into the room, plugged it in and the whole family had a big boogie until the sun went down. We even ate our dinner in front of it. None of the tracks were labelled, so it was pot luck when you pressed a number as to what would play. We liked the thrill of it so much, we still haven’t labelled them. It makes the experience much more fun.
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The Room Illuminated 