Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Peeking inside The Pink Door

As promised, here's a tour of Div's creation for this year's Sydney Miniatures Show. It's a shabby chic shop called The Pink Door.
Front view of a three-storey modern miniature shop building.

Close up of a modern miniature shop, showing a display window showing shabby chic items and a pink front door.
Div's houses always have a fascinating back story to them and she has agreed to share the story of the shop's owner, Lily Love: 
Looking through the front window of a miniature shabby chic shop with the owner peeking in from the back,
 'Lilly was born Elizabeth  Langham in England to a well to do family in Tonbridge Kent. She grew up in a somewhat run down old Georgian mansion that belonged to her Grandmother who it was rumoured to have been the mistress of the Prince of Wales before the First World War.
Back view of a modern miniature shabby chic shop, showing three levels of sales areas.
Lilly loved her grandmother and the family always told her how much “Lilly Beth” looked like her. Lilly Beth became an actress with her grandmother’s encouragement much to the dismay of her parents and brothers, who did not approve of a life on the stage .At the age of twenty she ran away from home to star in the Australian production of “Hair” and created the stage name…Lilly Love. 
Ground floor of a modern miniature shabby chic shop, with a counter to the left, a dining table covered in candlesticks in the centre, wallpaper books to the back, fabric and paint on the right.
While in Sydney Lilly met and fell in love with a handsome young artist Damien Miller. They planned to marry but he was conscripted and went to fight in Vietnam. So they became engaged and had a blissful 6 weeks before he was shipped out to fight.
Close up view of a modern shabby chic shop, showing the counter area with plate racks behind it.
Lilly left the stage so she could always be with Damien whenever he had leave. She got a job with an interior decorator named Ray Siede. She rented apartment in a big old Victorian mansion on Moore Street in Surry Hills owned by a star of “Le Girls”.
Middle of the ground floor of a modern miniature shabby chic shop, with someone peeping in the front window.
Damien survived his first 12 months and they had a wonderful holiday together in Hong Kong. But six weeks after he returned to Vietnam Damien was killed in the battle for Long Ton.
The right-hand side of a modern miniature shabby chic shop, showing wallpaper sample books, and shelves full of fabric and paint tins.
 Lilly lost the love of her life but thank fully with the support of her landlord and a close band of friends she survived those first months of utter despair and loss. Lily decided to stay in Australia and with a generous inheritance from her Grandmother she found a house she could afford to buy in Surry Hills next door to her landlord. She threw herself into her work and doing up her rather run down new home. She loves cooking and the kitchen is the hub of her home.
The first floor fo a modern miniature shabby chic shop, with blue cabinets displaying a range of dinnerware and decorative items.
She found she had a talent for decorating and a number of the stars of Le Girls had her create on a shoe string budget comfortable rooms  and flats for them. Then she got a call from America to make a film in Hollywood.
The left-hand side of the first floor of a modern miniature shabby chic shop, with a range of canisters and baskets on display.
So off she went really excited only to find it was to be an erotic movie. The producer saw Lilly in Hair and thought that as she had taken her clothes off in Hair she would not mind staring in an artistic film. 
Modern miniature shabby chic shop three tier display of macarons, tea cup sets and cook books.
Lilly was taken aback but when she found out the money that was being offered she thought what the heck, she put on a black wig and called herself Lilly Loveless and went ahead and starred in the movie.
Close-up view of a modern miniature shabby chic shop, showing a dining table displaying a dinner set.
 Lilly spent six months in Hollywood and met a lovely young English lady called Rachel Ashwell who was just starting to make a name for herself, as an interior decorator. Rachel had introduced America to the concept “Shabby Chic”. Lilly fell in love with the concept, it reminded her of the happy home she had shared with her much loved grandmother.
Modern miniature shabby chic shop bookcase with 'Simply shabby chic' sigh, pink painted basket filled with paper and a small model house.
She left America with the idea to return to Sydney and open a shop. While in Hollywood she visited a shop called “The Pink Door” and liked the name so much she thought she would name her shop “The Pink door”. Lilly liked America, but found she missed her home and her life and friends in Sydney. She realized she did not want to act anymore so home to Sydney she came with idea of the shop firmly fixed in her head.
Third floor of a modern miniature shabby chic shop, with a display of soft furnishings and furniture.
Shabby chic made her think of the home she grew up in and the comforting surrounds of her grandmother’s home in the beautiful Kent countryside. She knew she could make a success of championing the style in Australia.
Modern miniature shabby chic shop close up with display shelves, wall pictures and sot furnishings.
Lilly opened her shop in 1982. It is  a treasure trove of the style and her home  next door reflexes her love of the comfortable style that is “Shabby Chic” She loves the soft pastel shades and has created a shop and a home that reflexes her instinctive ease with this type of interior decoration.
Modern miniature shabby chic shop display of sheets towels, cake stands and toiletries on cream shelves.
She has a couple of pieces that are family heirlooms and collects blue and white china and antique books.
Modern miniature shabby chic shop display of linens and quilts on cream shelves.
She has never married and lives a full and happy life with many friends in the art and entertainment industry.'
Modern miniature shabby chic shop display of soft toys in a tin tub on the floor, with a display of quilts on cream shelves behind.
(Thank you Div, for sharing Lily's story with us!)

2 comments :

Mad For Mod said...

Love the story!

Susan@minicrochetmad said...

I love this! Right from the terrace house building to the last tiny detail. The story behind is great, I'm off to read it for a third time. Tell Div she has a new fan :)