BUILDING group BCM Homes has taken the opportunity to support local within their new Alfredton display houses.<\/p>\n
The homes\u2019 interiors are decorated with wares, furniture, art and plants by Ballarat businesses.<\/p>\n
Knitted textile brand Branberry, Arranmore Furniture, art by Katie McKinnon and Lauren Layton, and interior plant-scaping by Greening Spaces can be found in the two homes on Adrianus Street.<\/p>\n
BCM\u2019s new home sale consultant Joel Spence said the local company has a focus on quality and craftsmanship.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor us to be able to display local products, it just shows what the local community is capable of doing, and we\u2019re very excited and honoured that they\u2019ve agreed to help us out with our display homes and showcase their products,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe looked for companies that had the same interests as us around quality, so these brands not only give bespoke options to clients, but at an affordable price.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou could buy online and go to Melbourne, or you could spend a similar amount on money in Ballarat and get a really nice quality product while supporting the local community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Branberry owner and designer Kassie Blaszak, also from Interknit, said she was keen to get behind BCM\u2019s concept of championing and showcasing what locals can do.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope that while they\u2019re open, the BCM display homes will be a bit of a weekend attraction, and a way to see just how talented our regional goods manufacturing is,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBallarat produces an amazing range of homewares on a commercial scale, with high quality and competitive pricing, so I\u2019m sure local people will be keen to support local industry if only they knew we existed.<\/p>\n
\u201cBCM Homes has given us smaller players a great platform to get out there in the community, and at the same time, I hope they feel our blankets are making their homes look good too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arranmore Furniture\u2019s Julia Pannan said craftsman Andrew Adams can custom-make anyone\u2019s structurally-sound table design in any timber, so it\u2019s positive for the business to have another Ballarat platform.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really exciting for us to showcase locally, be more accessible, and share what we make in Ballarat. We\u2019ve been a little bit under the radar because we haven\u2019t had a proper showroom until recently,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re into a growth phase in this region, and we\u2019re increasing local employment, having taken on new employees as we\u2019re growing the business, and that showcases that furniture manufacturing is still alive in Australia.<\/p>\n
\u201cCustom-made furniture is affordable, durable, flexible and designs can be tweaked to suit a space.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Pannan also explained Arranmore Furniture\u2019s unique selling point. They use natural oil to finish many timber pieces, rather than sprays.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe items can be repaired and are very durable. Most of our furniture doesn\u2019t have a sprayed finish, so you don\u2019t get scorch marks from a hot coffee cup, for example.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven if permanent marker gets on the timber, that can actually be sanded out, before you put the oil back on, and you\u2019ve got this long-standing piece in your home,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want you to have something different, unique and at the forefront of design, because everybody is different, and should have something really beautiful in their home that\u2019s locally made.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BUILDING group BCM Homes has taken the opportunity to support local within their new Alfredton display houses. The homes\u2019 interiors are decorated with wares, furniture, art and plants by Ballarat businesses. Knitted textile brand Branberry, Arranmore Furniture, art by Katie McKinnon and Lauren Layton, and interior plant-scaping by Greening Spaces can be found in the […]<\/p>\n