Hi again! Next, I want to share this incredible homewares shop called Shelter 7 that I found through Tara Pearce, a brilliant photographer who wrote in earlier this week about Shelter 7, since she recently shot it and hoped I'd be open to sharing it on decor8. Of course, I said YES! Styled by Sami Johnson, this shop shoot came out so nice! I thought though that I'd go above and beyond sharing her amazing visuals and so I made contact with the shop owners to learn more about who they are and what they do. I've included my interview the Shelter 7 founders, husband and wife team Rebecca and Terry Meyer, below.

 

For a jumbo-sized view of the above image, click here.

First of all, where are you located? S7: We're at 131 Ryrie Street, Geelong, Victoria Australia

How did you come up with the name Shelter 7? S7: The name took a long time to come up with. We wanted an original name to capture the essence of where we live, so we went back to basics and came up with Shelter 7.

Can you tell us about your shop – the inspiration behind it? S7: The shop is very much an extensions of mine and my husband's love of unique and inspirational pieces. A combination of travel and vintage pieces sourced across the globe and some unique and very clever Australian designers.

 

For a jumbo-sized view of the above image, click here.

Describe your style in a few words: S7: A combination of old, new, unique and well designed.

What are some popular brands in your shop? S7: Pony Rider, Kip & Co, and La De Dah Kids for children's toys.

 

For a jumbo-sized view of the above image, click here.

 

For a jumbo-sized view of the above image, click here.

Tell us about La De Dah Kids because I heard that this is also your company. What do you design? S7: La De Dah Kids is our toy and kids accessories brand and our own unique designs. We design two ranges a year with the aim to design quirky and unusual pieces, with an ever-present emphasis on both affordability and quality. For our niche product range, we use old school making techniques such as knitting and crocheting. Our products are all made from the finest 100% cotton yarn and produced ethically in the comfort of our producers homes enabling them to work around their family needs such as child care etc. Our La De Dah Kids products are not only our own unique designs but are also made with love. They are tailored towards both children and the child at heart, lovers of the quirky and unusual, and anyone who reaches out to the amazing world with imagination, wonder and creativity.

The bicycle print over the stairs – can you tell us more about that? S7: This is created by Australian designers Pony Rider. They create versatile and inspiring pieces that look great thrown across your sofa, bed or hung as an artwork in the home.

Can you tell us about the shop space – it looks old and interesting. Did you have to renovate? S7: The space had amazing light - but needed a huge amount of work to bring it back to life. It previously had been a costume shop for about 10 years. After a long 3 months of renovating and many late nights we found that we had uncovered the beauty and old character of the building. This gave our collection of sourced products the perfect home.

What challenges do you face as a shop owner? S7: The work life balance is a big one and something that we have to constantly reassess.

How? S7: We know that whilst the business is in it infantile stages this is difficult to overcome. So being aware of these problems and planning ahead the best we can.

What advice to do you have for others who want to launch a shop, whether online or brick and mortar? S7: Ensure that you have a strong product line and strong and unique imagery that sets you apart from all your competitors.

Can you tell us more about the candles with the rifles on them? I want one! S7: These are amazing aren't they? This is a beautiful boutique brand in Sydney called Pigeon and Weasel. Their Triple scented soy wax candles are hand poured here in Australia into recycled glass beer bottles that the two co-founders collect from there local drinking hole. The scents are beautiful.

Can you tell us about the textiles on the hooks and the pillows? I'm in love! S7: These are created by the very talented local Australian girls Kip & Co. They make the most beautiful bedlinen, towels and now rugs. Their designs are very unique and inspired by unique, wild, and brave art and nature, soaked up on their backpacking adventures around the globe.

Who makes the big pillow shown above? S7: Again this is another of the lovely Pony Riders designs. These cushions are perfect for lazing around on a slow sunday afternoon.

Where do you source products for your store? S7: We source products all over -- from local designers here in Australia. We produce our own kids range and next year we will launch our adults line of homewares under the Shelter 7 brand.

Where do you go online for inspiration? S7: Pinterest, photographers and decorating blogs are my biggest inspiration for the home.

Do you find blogs helpful in promoting your work and shop and if so, why? S7: Blogs are very helpful in promoting our work on a global platform and also for finding shops. I know before I go on holidays I often research my favourite blogs for the "go-to" places and bloggers definitely do a great job of keeping us up to date on new and interesting places to visit.

Thank you so much, especially for sharing your gorgous shop and tips on new and inspiring products, with us today. Have a great weekend!

(images: tara pearce with permission)