Canberra’s first shoppable home opens its doors this weekend—Emma Macdonald gets the story from boutique female-run development business Bijoux Home.

Have you ever walked into a beautiful home and wanted to replicate every tiny detail–from the vase on the mantlepiece to the painting above the unspeakably chic sofa?

Often furniture and homewares take on a whole new level of desirability when you see them put artfully together in an actual room, rather than staged in a store.

It is something boutique female-run development business Bijoux Home is acutely aware of—having developed and styled homes, only to have prospective buyers want to purchase the building with the contents left inside. On some occasions, they have accommodated this request.

It has led them to try a giant experiment this weekend—the opening of Canberra’s first Shopable Home.

Photography: Anne Stroud

The Bijoux Open Home is located at 4 La Perouse Street Griffith, just behind the Manuka shops.

It is an old heritage cottage that is owned by a friend and ripe for a temporary transformation. With a lick of paint, Bijoux Home partners Isi and Jane have spent the past few months scouring their favourite Australian and international suppliers and artists for items to style the home—from the bedroom to a lounge, a whiskey room and more. 

Each room contains items that simply cannot be found in Canberra and uses the trained eyes of Isi and Jane to curate beautiful interior stories.

Photography: Anne Stroud

Featuring unique pieces from Jardan, Ligne Roset, Fogia, custom furniture by Bijoux, art by Annie Everingham, and ceramics by Emily Ellis, among a host of others, every item in the home will be for sale—on a first-come-first-served basis.

Having met ten years ago in the Public Service, Isi and Jane both renovated their own homes before deciding to take the leap and work together designing interiors, building, and styling homes across the city.

“We started small and have grown from there,” said Jane.

Photography: Anne Stroud

Their work has been featured on The Design Files and the pair currently have four projects underway.

The Shopable Home is something they want to test the Canberra market with.

“We feel that it is a completely different experience to walk into a home and enter a room which we have curated and custom-designed pieces for,” said Jane.

“It allows for an emotional connection that you simply can’t get in a shop,” said Isi.

“It is similar to being able to touch and feel a garment of clothing and to try it on, rather than just look at it online,” she added.

Photography: Anne Stroud

The pair freely admit that their passion began with an innate desire to stickybeak in other people’s homes.

“When we were in the public service we would spend our lunch hours on Allhomes looking at what people were selling and talking about what we would improve,” said Jane.

They now work with a variety of Canberra homeowners and design professionals to bring out the best in each property.

“We just love what we do, we live and breathe design and continue to be inspired by new ways to create original and beautiful spaces.“

Photography: Anne Stroud

For those interested in shopping the Bijoux Open Home, it will have an opening event from 9.30 am-11.30 am tomorrow, Saturday 14 March and will then open for the next month on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday between 9 am-4 pm.

You can find out more details on the Bijoux Home Instagram account  @bijouxhome.cbr or check it out online at bijouxhome.com.au from Sunday.