As you enter the colorful art-filled home of Simone Kelly (and family) it will come as no surprise that she has turned her love of art into a business. She’s the founder of the affordable online art store gussydup.com, which sells prints that stick to the wall from artists like Adrianne Hawthorne, Maggie Stephenson, Alja Horvat, and more. Both her business and home seem to be dedicated to celebrating the energy and color art can bring to life.

Simone’s entire house—a period home in the inner-city Melbourne suburb of Richmond—is a treasure trove filled with objects collected over time, along with personal handmade treasures created by the family. One recent collected treasure is the cane rocking chair found in the affectionately dubbed “green room.” The chair was purchased earlier this year at the Magical Studio auction of the late Melbourne artist Mirka Mora.

My Style: Colourful, eclectic, art-filled, hand made, travel treasures, objects with a story

Inspiration: I love being surrounded by art and color. I love unusual objects and love searching for them like treasure in op shops (thrift stores), markets, and on our travels. I love most things that are handmade, particularly the art and ceramics the kids have created over the years. I often feel I have to “rescue” items from the op shop when I see how much love has gone into creating them! I buy a lot of secondhand furniture and art, and I love either knowing or imagining an object’s history.

Favorite Element: The artwork. I feel privileged to be able to enjoy such amazing works of art every day. I spent a long time not being able to afford any art at all, which motivated me to start painting many years ago. Although I haven’t done much painting in recent times, the same struggle also prompted me to launch my affordable art business, gussydup.com. Everyone should be able to enjoy art in their home.

Biggest Challenge: Feeling like my work is done! I’m always looking at what to change or recreate, but then again, that’s the fun of it, as well—being creative in and with your sacred space.

What Friends Say: They often ask me to decorate their homes! They generally love all the color and interesting things to look at.

Biggest Embarrassment: My Tupperware drawer and my linen closet! I am a highly organized person, so I generally know where everything is, but I’m definitely not neat, so just don’t go looking through drawers and cupboards.

Proudest DIY: My little ceramic rainbow vase that sits on the living room mantel.

Biggest Indulgence: The Jardan mirrored coffee table that is literally NEVER free of fingerprints and hand prints. Gorgeous, but not a great choice for a family home…

Also, the 2.7m (more than 8 feet!) long tan leather couch—it fits the whole family of four plus the two pugs.

Best Advice: Don’t try too hard. Surround yourself with only what you love and it will come together. Be patient enough to wait to find the right pieces. I love scouting for curios and art for our home, but I really do let things choose me to the extent that I have to LOVE something for it to take a place in our home.  

Dream Sources: I’m currently on the lookout for a big, old, solid farmhouse table to restore and use as a dining table. I love restoring old pieces of furniture, and I particularly love old timbers. 

PAINT & COLORS

• Dulux Lamarque (also called White Birch) — Most of the house
• Dulux Army Fatigues — (what we call “the green room”)

ENTRY

• Main painting over console — By Amy Hartelust
• 2 small paintings (to the left of the main floral) — Original Sandra Eterovic illustrations for Gardening Australia Magazine
• Small floral to the right of the main floral — By Amy Schimler-Safford
• Lip mirror — Bride and Wolfe
• Large painting of our house a commission by Marek Willinski
• shell hanging (converted to a light) — Purchased on holidays in the Philippines
• heart wall vase — Because of Jonny
• Frida vase — Lovestar
• Sack by Gorman
• Console/sideboard cabinet — Vintage market find

LIVING ROOM

• Painting over mantel — Rob Howe
• ‘Matisse-inspired’ still life — Ali Wood
• Large abstract over couch — Me
• Top left of large abstract, small painting — Amy Wright
• Shell hanging (converted to a light) — Purchased on holidays in the Philippines
• Couch — Arthur G
• Armchairs — Reupholstered vintage finds
• Cane side table — Thrifted
• Turquoise planter — Pop & Scott
• Vase on coffee table — Madeleine Thornton-Smith

LIVING ROOM MANTEL (L-R)

• Black and white sculpture — Made by my aunt when she was in high school (many years ago)
• My rainbow ceramic vase
• Ceramic hand made — My step-daughter Mariella
• Plate above hand — Miriam Brugmann, one of the Gussy artists
• Cactus is in an original Stella Baggot vase
• Woman bust — Ilha Grande in Brazil
• Wall plaque — Crocodilli
• Face vase — Amy Leeworthy
• Face planter — Third Drawer Down
• All ceramics on lower shelf by the kids

DINING ROOM

• Large abstract painting — By me
• Purple floral still life — Sam Michelle
• Painting over fireplace — Commission piece by Elizebeth Barnett
• Other pieces — Ali McNabney-Stevens, Hope Olsen, Richard Claremont and Sarah Waghorn
• Shell hanging (converted to a light) — Purchased on holidays in the Philippines
• One armchair — The Family Love Tree
• One armchair — From the op shop
• Rattan side table — The Family Love Tree
• Fern planters — By me
• Sloth planter — Urban Outfitters
• Tiger planter — Urban Outfitters
• Colour blocks — Leah Bartholomew
• Gourd lady — Sue Gilford
• Other ceramics — By the kids

KITCHEN

• 2 prints — Madeleine Stamer
• Smiths Chips print — Dawn Tan
• Tiles are hand made Spanish tiles
• Benchtop is recycled timber — The old St. Kilda pier!
• Bubble wall vases — Because of Jonny

BEDROOM

• Pink ‘bum painting’ — Sam Michelle
• Embroidery — Rachel Castle
• Nude — Op shop
• Artworks beside bed — Pete Cromer
• Colourful planters beside bed — Gorman
• Lamps — IKEA
• Bed — Incy Interiors
• Cane drawers — eBay
• cane shelves — eBay
• Rattan side table — From the Family Love Tree

BATHROOM

• Artworks — Buenos Aires (signed ‘Vitial’)
• Pot with gold leaf — Bridget Bodenham
• Other items — Thrifted

GREEN ROOM

• Large landscape — Rachel Hannan
• Rocking chair belonged to Mirka Mora
• Tapestry and wooden woman — Both from Peru

OFFICE

• Artworks all from gussydup.com
• Mood board above desk — Mostly the kids’ artworks
• My beaded jacket belonged to Mirka Mora
• Sloth planter — Urban Outfitters
• Ceramic jugs — Desimone
• Colourful planter — Gorman 

ALEXI’S ROOM

• All artwork is from gussydup.com
• Lightning mirror — Bride & Wolfe

Thanks Simone!

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