Is it true you worked for a skip company prior to Ma House?

I worked the same job for a skip hire company for 7 years. They treated me really well and the salary was amazing considering the position. It did not inspire in the slightest but it gave me the ability to travel and buy things and they are my two favourite things to do.

Do you remember when you decided to quit your job?

I think it was in COVID. It got weird at work and it just got weird in general. The world got weird and I think everyone felt a bit more like they should start doing what is more important to them but um I think it was just a series of fortunate events like I got a new house and I really liked the house and got a bit more into design. And I think there was just a lot of friends and family really encouraging me.

Have you always been creative?

Yes but when I was younger I loved acting and drama. I was a bit of a class clown, disruptive but charming.

What was the question again?

Were you creative?

I guess yes but Its always been difficult to express it. I can't paint or draw or do anything like that. Finding my literal creative outlet took a long time. Having the store and styling different spaces has definitely become the outlet. When your styling or merchandising or even decorating in your home that’s the outlet, that’s where I get to have my escape and spread my message or whatever. I did photography when I finished high school for like a semester and um it was good to get some principles but I couldn't focus enough to stay there. I tried to study interior design as well but I'm just not made for studying.

Yeah studying wasn’t for me either. What is it like working for yourself? I've been thinking about that a lot lately.

It's very good it's just yin and yang. Or there's that um I think he's Italian and he's like the coach of the soccer team or something he says “sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe shit” It's a lot like that. Sometimes good sometimes shit.

Unpredictable?

All unpredictable and yeah I mean we were saying before how working for someone else can make you less stressed but it can also make you more stressed. But also I think working for myself, I've never done that before so it's like learning a whole new life and what it actually takes. Which is way more than you think it's going to take to be honest with you. Like not for you specifically. I just mean for everybody that thinks it's just easy to run your own business it's like you have to run the whole fucking business and be every single part of it and that is really difficult.

I love how unapologetically you are yourself. Do you think that contributes to some of your success?

I think that because I'm a little bit older I do know who I am more than I did 10 years ago. And I don't try to be anybody else. You are the most interesting when you are just yourself and I think everybody learns that eventually, that it's not worth trying to be or please everybody. But also in my old job I had to speak to tradies and rude people all day and they were assholes and because you're in a service working for somebody else you have to be nice to them and say yes that's fine that you're calling me a c- u- n- # you know what I mean when really you want to say go and fuck yourself are you kidding me? like how can you talk to a person like that.

I remember reading something and it was about creating for yourself and doing what you love and how being authentic will only allow for the right opportunities to come your way

It took me having the shop and dealing with different people everyday to realise I’m a little eccentric. Well perhaps just eccentric. Its great for in the shop you hold court in your own little world and do and say things on your own terms. In the real world its a little different and trying to ‘fit in’

Do you write lists?

Yes but not really um I think I write lists when I'm like overly anxious I think I should write more and then I would be less anxious. normally I'm so anxious by the time that I write the list that it feels like this list will never get done.

I feel like I'm one of those people that writes the same list everyday

Um and then because I sometimes I write a list and I think oh great I've got everything down on paper now I can clear my mind but like you missed eight things that you needed to put on the list.

what did you you dream of last night?

I often dream about a house I lived in on Gore Street when I first moved to the city and I find it strange that it’s the house that I go to in my dreams, it's not like a childhood home or whatever but it's often that house.

Was it a share house?

It was a share house. Yeah it was old and like it was definitely an important part of my life but it wasn't like I don't know maybe it was a good time. That’s good that I'm dreaming of times that were good.

what does home mean to you?

It's probably my things, because wherever you go you take your things. So often when I move I'll try and get a good deal and I'll get a place where it's cheaper but the place is fucked and so you have to spend the first six months trying to make the place look pretty and then you finally get to put all your things out and enjoy it and that's when it feels like home

do you get attached to objects?

Yes I always have and it does worry me into the future because it's like I'm already sort of at max capacity but I can't stop. The secret really is that every antique dealer that has ever lived was just a romantic hoarder with a shopping addiction.

How do you decide what makes the cut for ma house supply store?

Um as far as like going out to buy I have to like it. Thats the number one thing and most of the time it's like on the verge of me keeping it. You know its like a good piece if I really want it. and then it's just about materials after that I guess. I love metal and brass and wood so you just get attracted to those things and they also I think when you're sort of selling your aesthetic the things that you like go well together then obviously buying them and putting them in a store it'll go well together so you do tend to buy similar things all the time

your style's very nostalgic. I feel it’s quite romantic, imperfect perfect where does it come from?

Yes well I mean I think it does have to do with life and the way I grew up and like I think in a past life I was like uh some kind of like um prince or something in Venice like a merchant. I grew up very poor but I think everyone in my family likes nice things but mum in particular. I didn't grow up with mum I grew up with dad and he had some antiques that he sold when we were younger but I think he had a good eye but didn't really care he was too busy buying booze to buy antiques um and then when I went to mum's house for like school holidays or whatever her place was immaculate and everything was really beautiful I mean to me as a kid. There was like a warmth there I think she's really good with colours as well like I definitely like the same colours that she does. But when I was young I always wanted to emulate mum and we didn’t have all the nice things back at dads so I really had to make do and find the beauty in whatever was around.

how do you feel about this year?

I took a month off at the start of the year and you would have thought that kind of chilled me out but I hate the fucking heat so I got nothing done and what I did get done I guess is good but there is just never enough time. Im forever praying for a pause button so I can sleep for three days and then get everything done I need to do.

yeah but you've got good things happening?

Yes! Good things I’m super excited about Design week I’ve got a great show planned with Andy ward and 8 local makers that I love. I love being able to showcase these guys.

Coke Zero?

Its pretty obvious from the photos isn’t it? I mean um it's just my go- go juice I guess I do have an addictive personality and I do feel like I'm a glorified housekeeper with the shop and shoots upstairs. I'm not kidding there’s like eight rooms here and people are shooting all in the shop and there's always dust and mess and like I have a high standard of how I want things to be and look and it just feels like you're doing that all the time, everyone always thinks that people that run their own businesses like they'll ‘oh my boss is crazy’ or whatever and it's like fuck yeah they're crazy like they have to do so much and it's so stressful so yeah if I drink a lot of coke zero and have a few cigarettes, sue me.

gardening is that like a new found love?

I think this is the first time I've been successful at gardening so that's why it's probably a new found love I've always tried to but I guess when you're younger you forget to water the garden or you know the seasons change and everything dies and you just get over it. But I think the condition in this garden are really good.

Um as far as like where the sun comes and everything and it's easy for me to water and I like sitting out there so yeah I definitely would like to have a garden for the rest of my life, I don't know if a balcony will do it. I really want to have plants in the ground and big trees. Basically huge house with a huge garden haha

Yeah like a country house?

Yes like all gay men of a certain discretion I would love to have a hotel or like a bed and breakfast. Somewhere for all the treasures to live forever.