retro playground

I’m very excited to be taking you into the windows of one of my favourite photographers, Arlene. Being someone whose work I both love and admire, I was looking forward to seeing what gems her house might hold.

Arlene describes the house as “Westbury Castle – It’s big and old school”. From the striped couches to the old tv, brightly coloured kitchenware and grand light shades, this place has nothing short of retro charm. In fact, that’s one of Arlene’s favourite things about her home.

“There’s so many things I love about my place – my favorite would have to be the morning sun on the massive verandah, although I also love how well the house suits my obsession for retro style bits n bobs that we collect from random markets and opshops, how the light shines though the front door and the beautiful roof patterns and blind decorations.”

One of the things I love about this place is the way that old cameras are scattered in various places, waiting for someone to create peices of art, but in fact becoming art themselves.

“We have alot of old cameras here and at my studio”, says Arlene. Her housemate, also having a “slight obsession” for all things old school has purchased many of the cameras from auctions. “I have a beautiful box brownie I have never used but just love the look of. I love shooting with the old polaroid cameras – polaroid is just so beautiful.”

It was no surprise then to see Arlene’s photographs grace the walls of this home.

“I call my photo wall ‘the happy wall'”, says Arlene, “and along the same lines, I like to be reminded of how blessed my life is, and how much I still have to enjoy and explore.”

Not just a collector of memories in the form of photographs, Arlene also likes to collect old things.
“I love so many of the old pieces I’ve collected, like the flour canisters and the old world globe. I often wonder about their stories, and where they came from in the past. I also think that a lot of items were designed better years ago.”

Arlene’s home is not just a place of lovely things, but a place where the value of those things is considered important. So, what does she want people to see when they look through her window?

“If some one was looking through our window I would love them to see it like a reflection of our blessed and active lives, a place like a retro playground with the old boards, bikes and cameras.”

Thank you, Arlene for letting me into your home – it has been wonderful!