If you look carefully, you will find homeware stores selling pockets of history all over Perth, in the form of retro or vintage items. Two havens of retro homewares are Off The Wall, in Fremantle, and Pigeonhole in Perth. Jodie Ronan went shopping…

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OFF THE WALL

Handily located at the beginning of Market Street, Off The Wall draws the eye seductively. A leopard print bra spills from a chest of drawers that any retro-loving femme would be proud to have in her boudoir. Behind it stands a bubble shaped table in which nestles a record player. It is, literally, straight from the sixties.

Owned by the truly bohemian Amanda Woodverry, it is a vintage/retro homewares and clothing shop and an individualist’s dream. Last week a drag queen requested a pair of elbow high red gloves – if she can find them anywhere, it will be here. Each carefully selected item in Off the Wall has a story. ‘I’m going to visit a lady who lived in Italy practically her whole life on Saturday’, she says.

‘A thirst for individualism.’ is Woodverry’s perpective on people’s ongoing love affair with all things vintage. Everything in Off The Wall is unique, a one off. For the vintage ingénue, Woddverry says to let one piece stand on its own. ‘The organic shapes look good on a minimal level.’ You may decide to add to it later.

PIGEONHOLE

Tucked away in the secretive Bon Marche Arcade in Perth’s city centre is Pigeonhole, described by its vibrant owner, Johann Kim, as ‘an indie kid’s paradise’. On the other side of the city on Shafto Lane perches its more sophisticated sibling. Both stores offer quirky, hand detailed homewares by independent designers.

This relationship between Pigeonhole and their stockists is important to Kim, who says ‘I like to feel that we are supporting, growing and developing together.’ Many of the products found at Pigeonhole are modern yet retro inspired – the log cushions made from woodgrain fabric, for example. There are glittering woodland themed aluminium light fittings, beautiful candelabras in menorah configurations and for a dose of fun, try the skype phones in wacky shapes, including a red high heeled shoe.

Playfulness and uniqueness is what retro style is all about. Often you will find something that nobody else has. On a deeper level, buying vintage recycles and celebrates history. You never know what you may find, if you take the time to look.

Pigeonhole
What: Off beat design, off the beaten track
Where: Shop 16, Bon Marche Arcade, 80 Barrack Street, Perth AND
Shop 7a Shafto Lane, 401 Murray Street, Perth,
When: Monday to Thursday and Saturday 10:30am – 5:30pm, Friday 10:30am – 5:30am.
Contact: Bon Marche Arcade Ph: (08) 9221 9837
Shafto Lane Ph: (08) 9321 8112,
www.PIGEONHOLE.com.au info@pigeonhole.com.au

Off The Wall
What: Hand selected, unique vintage and retro homewares and clothing
Where: 6 Market Street Fremantle, five minutes walk from the the Fremantle train station
When: Monday to Thursday 10am – 5pm, Friday + Saturday 10am – 5:30pm and Sunday 12pm – 5pm.
Contact: Ph: (08) 9336 4435

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