By Dani Wales
I recently met Anna Curnuck, co-founder of Yarraville home lifestyle store Curious Grace, when she spoke at an event I attended about inspiring interior designers and stylists. I could honestly not get enough of what she had to say. Her passion for design and styling was evident with every word she spoke and with what sounded like an extremely fulfilling career so far, she had many in the audience, well, perhaps a little jealous.
The Curious Grace showroom
With a successful career as a stylist under her belt, the natural progression for Anna was to open Curious Grace with her husband Wayne. It stocks a unique range of furniture, art and homewares that embodies and defines the essence of the Australian way of living. After first meeting Anna, I was keen to get to know her a little better and find out what really makes her tick.
How did your career begin?
As a kid, my favorite thing ever was to build cubbies! I grew up in the country in central Victoria and I had at least 6 major cubbie houses around our small country town all decked out. From a young age I was obsessed with colours, shapes, trends and design.
I would ride my bike around country roads and bush tracks dreaming of different designs for furniture, clothing, design installations, and shows. I think it was this complete unfettered freedom that fed my imagination as a kid. My parents really supported my creativity and as soon as I could, I moved to Melbourne at 17 to study art and design at Prahran TAFE and I later studied Furniture Design and Technology at RMIT. Later, I became a stylist and worked in commercial photography for about 12 years.
How was Curious Grace born and how did you develop your interest in interiors and selling furniture?
I’ve always loved retail and have often found myself engaged in selling in some way or another, whether it’s ideas or products. At some stage I decided I wanted to open a furniture and homewares store. I think it can be a natural transition for a stylist, after being professionally paid to shop all those years you become finely attuned to sourcing! My husband was very supportive and had always dreamt of us both owning a business and working together. We started a small retail business 3 years ago and this evolved into Curious Grace as it is today. He runs the business and I source the products and furniture, and we drive the direction of the brand together.
Wares at the Curious Grace showroom
I know you are all about beautiful quality furniture and homewares. Where do you source your products?
My sourcing is almost like breathing; it’s non-stop wherever I go. I just love looking and absorbing. I get ideas from everywhere. On a more tangible level, it’s from a mix of online, magazines, trade shows, markets, stores and directly working with designers, artists and makers.
And what is important to you when selecting these amazing products?
It’s interesting, I guess we all have our own innate sense of what style we like and feel inspired by. I have always been inspired by modern art and furniture and original Industrial pieces and of course Danish design. I think it had something to do with the wonderful retro orange-brown 50s sofa I grew up with. Our mix is usually along these lines with a contemporary translation. The most important thing to us is that it is original and not a replica, and that there is a direct, live link to a designer or maker.
Anna’s mum on the fifties sofa that started it all
What do you love most about styling and where do you draw your inspiration?
I love bringing a look together most, whether it’s in a photoshoot, in store with a product mix or in a room (or in a cubbie house). I just love arranging things!
On a styling job, I draw my initial inspiration from my client or my styling brief. Actually, at the end of the day, you are styling for them and you need to strive to understand them and what they need. Likewise, in the store you are actually sourcing for your customers and working to make them happy with your selection and service.
I am currently styling a lovely home in Newport for an adorable couple and they have been a complete source of inspiration. Of course there has to be an initial interest in my style as they chose to work with me, but my challenge has been to truly understand them and help to pull a whole look and feel together that is ultimately an expression of them, not me.
Can you give us some hot tips for styling and picking furniture that Interiors Addict readers can apply to their own homes?
The first thing is to work out the style that is you, then it’s much easier to choose furniture, materials, colours and decorator pieces that suit will your home. Stick to that brief (you can do that “other” style or colour you just love in your next home!).
My suggestion is to do the obvious; collect magazine pics or create online mood boards using Pinterest etc. and then cull them. Cull, cull and cull! If you don’t, you can be overwhelmed, as there is just too much out there.
If you can’t do it then get someone else to help you; a friend or a professional stylist or interior decorator, and reduce these down to about 15 images of colours and style you really can’t live without. This will give you a clearer guide to your style and will act as your brief.
Who are some of your favourite designers?
Brancusi is one of my all-time favourite artists. I see all artists as designers. He has the ability to reduce down to the very essence of someone or something in his abstract sculptures. He is a constant source of inspiration for me. Danish furniture designer Hans Wegner, superstar legend designer Patricia Urquiola never puts a foot wrong, and the ever-amusing jester, Marcel Wanders, constantly makes me smile.
And getting to know you a little better, what is the last thing you purchased for your home?
A piece of Megan Weston art, it’s stunning.
Your go-to colour palette at the moment?
It’s great to have pinks and greens somewhere in decorator items or art.
What is the one furniture item you want but don’t have right now?
An Urquiola anything!
Your favourite item?
My 3-piece circular vintage mustard velvet Louis style sofa, sitting on my soft beige grey cowhide at home. It’s divine! Especially with my cat curled up on it.
What is the best advice you have been given?
My mother told me to do whatever I want as long as it makes me happy and I have always followed this.
What item could you never live without? Coffee.
Favourite café/restaurant?
Both in Yarraville of course… for coffee, the Cornershop, and my local tapas bar, The Yarra Lounge.
What one item in your house could you never change?
Is it bad to say my husband? I don’t think he’d like to be called an item! Frankly, at the end of the day the people around us are more important. Items are wonderful but can be fun to change and have come and go. If I had to choose, it would be the aforementioned sofa!
Favourite magazine?
Too many to say… I really love the Australian mags more and more as they really express our keenly developing sense of what Australian style really is. Belle, Real Living, Habitus, Inside Out and many others. I can never get enough! Also NZ mag Urbis is an all-time favorite.
See some of Anna’s work for yourself and shop online at Curious Grace.
Anna Curnuck
Dani Wales is a former contestant on The Block and The Block All Stars as one half of Dan and Dani. She now has her own blog, The Home Journal.
Jen is currently on honeymoon in Tokyo, Venice and the UK, and has opened up the blog to a series of fabulous guest posters to share their interiors-related expertise in her absence. She hopes you’ll enjoy them and look out for the odd honeymoon post from overseas! The new Mrs Francis (who will still be known as Bishop for work purposes) will be back at her desk on 11 November.