Tattoo parlours and rockstar's kitchens: The unlikely places to source cool homewares

When it comes to finding home decor with a difference, it all comes down to taking a look where others dare not. Sourcing that unusual item for your home is sure to have guests asking, “Where did you buy that?”

Heart and Soul Tattoo in Melbourne has hit the pause button on tattooing for now due to COVID-19-related restrictions, but that didn’t mean the creative team behind those tattoo guns didn’t ink a deal elsewhere.

Homewares have been their saving grace this pandemic year, with a range of flash-inspired throw rugs hand-spun in Melbourne for a cool addition to your lounge or bedroom.

“Creating a homewares range featuring our artwork is something we have wanted to do for a while,” says Teresa Jane Day, co-owner of Heart and Soul Tattoo alongside Brian Graydon.

“It’s been unfortunate that we can’t tattoo, but the lockdown has been an opportunity to focus on this new side of our business.

“The woven throws were a great starting point and a way for people to have some colourful new art at home that’s also functional.”

The tattoo shop’s artistic style is deeply rooted in Western tradition and Japanese tattoo imagery and it made perfect sense to carry that theme to the home collection too.

The throw rugs include imagery of a panther motif and jungle leaves, roses, Japanese clouds and lightening, chrysanthemums and a Tibetan tiger head. They’re 100 per cent cotton. 

“They look great as a bedspread, a throw on the couch and lately people are using them for picnic blankets too,” Day says.

The good news is that the parlour will continue its foray into homewares, with wall hangings on canvas and velvet, throw cushions and rugs on the way.

And who would have thought that Australian singer/songwriter Nick Cave would also turn isolation and a lack of touring into a new business venture, putting his name to milk jugs and wallpaper?

Well, that’s exactly what the maestro of noir poetry and song is doing in his spare time – with more to come to spruce up your literary, home and cool kitsch needs.

Cave’s site cavethings.com is full of objects, apparel and even tiles to spruce up a bathroom wall. The forthcoming 15×15-centimetre tile comes with the words “Dread: Nick Cave” and a hand-drawn bat with fangs on it; the perfect reminder that bleak can be beautiful in the bathroom.

Perhaps the next time you step into a jewellery shop, think beyond your usual rings and earrings to also snoop around for potential homewares too.

Take Nikita Majajas (best known as the maker behind Doodad and Fandango pop jewellery), who also makes custom mirrors and decor for your home in her spare time, while Sydney jeweller Holly Ryan also has a penchant for sculptural works which are destined to add some elegant perspective to your nearest shelf.

“I moved into large-scale sculptural work at the beginning of 2017,” says Ryan, who has been working as a jeweller for 10 years.

“This was originally as a way to showcase my jewellery pieces at Mercedes Benz Australian Fashion Week, but I absolutely fell in love with the process and have been expanding my sculpture practice ever since.”

She’s represented by Jerico Contemporary Gallery with a third solo exhibition happening in December in Sydney.

Ryan’s new bronze sculptures On Self Respect point to an earthed feminine gaze of what is beauty. 

“These objects are like an extension of my sculptural jewellery work, but designed to decorate the home rather than the body,” she says.

Majajas says she dreamed of being a homewares designer after graduating from jewellery and object design with hopes pinned on working for Italian powerhouse Alessi.

Instead, she found her groove with bright bold jewellery, but also makes custom mirrors and frames for a range of clients – including Sydney bake queen and author Kat Sabbath.

“I have continued to make commissioned pieces of art and objects for clients,” Majajas says. “My house is scattered with pieces I plan to go into production with one day.”

She was recently inspired to make a prototype tissue box when she couldn’t find one she liked in store.

“The most humble of homewares is very underrepresented in the shops,” Majajas says.

“I was really unhappy with the choices available – plenty of cheap-looking items or lots of cane options. There was absolutely nothing that filled me with joy.

“So I made a prototype and totally fell in love. I’ll definitely be adding this to my production range in the future, so watch this space.”