Nestled in the lovely hamlet of Olinda is quintessential Metisse, a vintage french homewares store.
When you think of heading to the Dandenong Ranges for a bit of retail therapy you think of quaint stores, bespoke products and an aesthetically pleasing ambience. Metisse in Olinda is the quintessential hills store and with Lorna Jane Bucci, who recently took the helm, the store also has a modern and stylish edge.
The store is within one of the original buildings of the area with timber floors and ceilings to provide a lovely backdrop to Lorna Jane’s eclectic product range.
Lorna Jane’s acquisition of Metisse in the middle of 2013 happened, she said by a combination of fate and slight clumsiness on her part. After falling in the main street of Olinda during a shopping trip on a wintery Sunday, she was ushered into the shop to recover, and got talking to the then previous owner of Metisse. Several hours later she left and not long after purchased the shop. She held a long term dream of owning such a store and of developing her interior design business and Metisse was the perfect fit.
Lorna Jane hails originally from Scotland and she returns to Europe on occasion to source products for the store.
While the shop has a focus on French and vintage homewards Lorna Jane plans to diversify the range with decorative skins, and later this year she will begin a series of creative workshops utilising the many creative and talented people in the area.
Currently you will find everything from linens, and soft furnishings to candles and ceramics in this beautiful little hill’s shop. Later additions will include light fittings and larger pieces of furniture.
Metisse, Shop 8/540 Mt Dandenong Tourist Road Olinda.
(03) 9751 2811
www.metisse.com.au
