FLORAL FLOURISH
Ornament homeware store in Pt Chevalier
If you’re yet to come across Gina Riley’s dried floral arrangements, prepare to swoon. Her whimsical, architectural creations add serious wow factor to any living space and can be designed to match colour schemes. Make a custom order and have a good browse at Ornament — Gina’s new homewares store and studio on Pt Chevalier Rd. It’s a haven for flower lovers. “It’s very much a studio store so sometimes there’s hydrangeas and branches all around the counter,” laughs Gina. “There’s a pulley system above my workbench with bunches of flowers tied to a big gum branch that I can lower up and down to grab stuff off... actually it looks so pretty I’m trying not to touch it.” Since opening in September, Gina has added more homewares to complement her floral designs. The collection, chosen here and overseas, is “natural, raw and a little bit rustic”. It includes locally crafted pottery, with some pieces exclusive to Ornament. Then there’s hand-blown glassware, linen from Bali, Fine & Dandy tea, hand and body range Meraki from Denmark, plus art and fashion books, and more, displayed on white shelves and wooden tables. With an undeniably good eye, Gina plans to develop styling services as an extension to florals in the business. She has a background as a graphic artist for fashion brands and owned her own fashion label. Before that she spent most of her late teens and 20s as a professional ballet dancer in Melbourne. “People love the look and feel of the store and can see that I do the styling,” says Gina. “So it’s happening organically. “I’m working on three house renovations currently, adding on to their floral arrangements with chairs, beautiful big vases, coffee table books, and candles. All the fun finishing touches that work with what clients have.”