Sandra Eterovic is an artist, an illustrator, a talented maker of all kinds of things… and as is clearly evident when admiring these mind-boggling shots of her eclectic Richmond home, she’s also a committed collector!
This is the home of someone who is surrounded by inventory – mountains of cushions, paper ephemera, paintings and textiles and stacks of greetings cards. These treasures tell the story of Sandra’s colourful and creative world!
Front room book shelf details. Painted mirror and wooden mushroom by Sandra Eterovic, vintage Japanese wooden animals, tiny round blue fabric ornament by Evie Barrow from Etsy. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
The eclectic home of Melbourne artist and maker Sandra Eterovic. Living room details. Danish couch from Modern Times, cushion covered in Svenskt Tenn fabric, and a selection of cushions and painted wooden figures made by Sandra. Vintage stuffed duck from Etsy. Large painting on the wall also by Sandra. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
1930’s illustrations of Slavic costumes framed by Michael Cleary. Wooden clock hand, stuffed dinosaur, tiny face painting and Village Head by Sandra Eterovic. Watercolour of two ladies by British artist Lizzy Stewart. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
In the kitchen, a selection of vintage items, gifts from friends and Sandra’s own work. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Kitchen details, including an artwork by Jo Grant and a collection of mostly vintage items pinned onto a Melway’s map glued. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Kitchen and living room. Tin Mexican bird from Market Import was a gift from a friend, woollen oven gloves from Cottage Industry, vintage Danish couch from Modern Times, knitted cushion was made by Sandra Eterovic, and large cushion from Svenskt Tenn fabric. The boxed clock on the back wall was made by Sandra’s brother. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
A selection of vintage items, Marimekko, Cornish Ware and Ritzenhoff crockery, two painted wooden eggs that Sandra designed for Seed, cups handed down from Sandra’s mother and grandmother, and a selection of vintage wooden spools that belonged to her friend David’s mother. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Kitchen details. Copper cake tin that was given to Sandra’s mother by her father when she first arrived in Australia, a philodendron that was propagated from her friend Anna Parry, a curtain that was embroidered by one of Sandra’s father’s four sisters, hand painted mirror by Sandra Eterovic, a dinosaur planter made by Jason Parkinson, and a Chinese stencilled bowl from Cottage Industry. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Bathroom details including a collection of packaging and pharmaceutical products from Chinese supermarkets, Job Warehouse, Italian and Croatian pharmacies, gifts from friends, and vintage items. Sandra built the shelf with the help of her brother, and painted the succulents below. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Bedroom details. Sandra Eterovic ‘Wheel of Fortune’ artwork, two versions of her painted wooden Apple Man, striped African bowl from Hut 13, a selection of vintage items from Sandra’s childhood home, The Chapel Street Bazaar, and various antique and op shops. Vintage Moomin fabric from Stockholm. The folded patchwork is Sandra’s home made yoga mat, the rag rug was her grandmother’s. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Bedroom details. Colour coded knitting yarn storage, a framed collage of roller skaters made by Sandra when she was a child, a selection of Sandra’s cushions and painted Veins and Arteries clock. The teddy bear was made for her brother Nick in the 1970’s by an old lady in Adelaide. Les Olivades fabric serves as a curtain and the checked green blanket was a prop on Winners and Losers. The stool was hand made by Sandra’s brother in the early 1990’s. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Bedroom details. Vintage Ravensburger ‘Mix Max’ game pieces from Etsy (on the wall), Sandra’s artwork ‘The Severing of Relations Between East and West’ on the bedside table, and her embroidered pillowcases ‘Stay’ and ‘Go’ on the bed. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Sandra’s backyard with many plants and succulents which she has propagated herself from borrowed clippings from friends. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Sandra Eterovic has lived in her tiny two bedroom cottage in Richmond for almost twenty years. She was encouraged to buy the place when still in her twenties by an ex-boyfriend. ‘I was looking for an apartment in St Kilda, when my boyfriend pointed out that on the other side of the river I would be able to afford a house!’ says Sandra. ‘I consider myself incredibly lucky. How things have changed in this city.’
The first and most wonderful thing that Sandra invested in after taking possession of her home was hydronic heating! She also pulled up what she describes as ‘filthy cream coloured carpet’ and had the floorboards polished, whilst most of the walls were painted white by her helpful dad.
Granite benches were installed in the kitchen, and a dark green marble top in the bathroom (also thanks to Sandra’s father, who used to be a stonemason). An enormous custom bookshelf was installed in the front bedroom, which doubles as Sandra’s study / workspace. A big white shed which took up a quarter of the backyard was replaced with a smaller (and cuter) one, and silver birches were planted on either side.
Sandra loves the sweet Ikea daybed in her front room / study, which is piled high with her favourite colourful painted cushions and soft sculptures. ‘This daybed took me over two days to assemble, and I shed many a tear of frustration in the process. Now when I rest on it, I feel that it is thoroughly deserved’ she says. She’s also very fond of her many vintage treasures, amongst them a 1940’s Italian Alimentari map, and a 1960’s German light-up globe, both of which were found at The Chapel Street Bazaar many years ago.
Of course, what’s most distinctive about this home is quite simply, all Sandra’s amazing collected STUFF. As you’ll note if you’ve taken a moment to read through the epic captioning effort above, Sandra’s home is a living museum of sketches, paintings, embroideries, artworks and other collected ephemera kept, in some cases, since childhood! Amongst these treasured items are a copper cake tin her Father gave to her Mother when the family first arrived in Australia, fabrics handed down from her Grandmother, and collages made by Sandra when she was a child, alongside more recent acquisitions made by friends and fellow local creatives.
‘This is the home of someone who loves odd and somewhat childish vintage items, textiles, books, maps, plants and the colour RED’ explains Sandra! ‘It is also the home of someone who is surrounded by inventory: hence the mountains of cushions, wooden artwork and stacks of greetings cards. After writing the captions to the photos, I have realised that it is also the home of someone who spends WAY WAY too much time buying vintage tchotchkes on Etsy’.
OMG!! Love, love love this crazy little house. So full of character and personality. Well done Sandra.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE , right up my alley… a little bit quirky too very inspiring
Sandra’s home is as delightful as I imagined. It’s always nice to see a home created from the passions of the inhabitant and not overly styled or contrived. Love Sandra’s work, love her home.
Sandra is the greatest – she is one of my absolutely all time favourite artists. Thank you for sharing this home. I love it!
So lovely having a peep into Sandra’s gorgeous home. Beautiful photos – I’ve scrolled through them three times. So much fabulousness!
So, so adorable!! It’s lovely to see something as colourful, eclectic and characteristic as this among all the polished and ‘designer’ homes we see so often these days. Not that I don’t appreciate the other aesthetic but always good to see the different kind of looks out there.. This one is especially delightful as it so captures the quirky personality of the homeowner :)
OMG i LOVE LOVE LOVE it.
Sandra you home is incredible! Loved seeing inside your world x
Love your home Sandra! I could wander through these treasure filled images for days. What a colourful happy home. So wonderful seeing where your artwork lives too. And I love the new lungs blue bauble scored, I knew he was in good hands ; ) Thanks TDF for capturing and sharing x
What a feast for the eyes! Thanks for sharing.
WOW! Great house and that first photo of the lounge room, with the painting of the lounge room, completely does my head in, in the best way possible!! :)
so wonderful…
Thank you so, so much Lucy, Eve and Lisa for the feature, which of course, makes my house looks approximately ten times nicer than it actually is. There are no winter washing racks, rugs that need vacuuming or shelves that need dusting. The miracle of the home feature! I will gaze upon it whenever things around here really start to get out of hand…..
Thank you so much too to Karen, Suse, Estelle, Meg, Sass, Jun, Ruth, Jules, Evie, Sue and Cara for all of your lovely comments. Greatly appreciated on what was a nerve wracking morning!!
Wishing you all the very best.
Just perfect. I feel very lucky to have some of her artwork in my home. Thank you so much!
Beautiful! Lovely soothing colours with curiosity and quirkiness in every corner. It feels as though every piece has its own personality and history.. and is cherished, embraced as part of the family.
Absolutely lovely! This is definitely art! It looks so unique and tells me a whole lot about Sandra as a person, I think. Thanks so much for sharing!
Cutest home ever!!! So so so gorgeous in many ways! ❤️
Beautiful artist’s home full of warmth, personality and treasures. Love it!!!
Love your creativity that you have brought into your home, especially your hand made pieces. The one thing that brought back memories and l still make a comments today is your drawings always stood out from mine. I can only imagine every piece of item in your home has a story behind it. Wishing you the very best.
A pure delight to peek inside your home Sandra!!
These are my favourite types of Australian Homes, totally unique.
What an absolute pleasure and privilege to be allowed ‘in’ to this beautiful home. It’s originality and vitality and sheer fabulousness have made my heart sing.
How lovely to hear from you, One Sheep Town, Suzanna, Anna, Kath, Clare, Michelle, Anna, Jacqueline and Jordan.
But a special thank you goes to Linda. What a lovely, lovely surprise to read your sweet words. I hope you and the boys and all the kids are VERY well!! xx
please tell me where you bought your pink and white stripped curtain/ curtain material featured in your kitchen window on page 36 in sunday telegraph magazine?
I am in Sydney. Thank you Anne