Dirty Old Town

If walls and floors could talk then Dirty Old Town furniture have a wealth of stories to tell.

WORDS :: DIANNE ENGESSER

ased in the idyllic landscape amongst the rolling green hills of Eureka in Northern NSW, Dirty Old Town is an up-cycled, reused timber and steel furniture and wares business.

Johnny and Helene Thompson are the Dirty Old Town (DOT) creators and artists. Their love of the old sees them breathing new life into the discarded. Taking the old, rustic, industrial and dirty – and creating something new and beautiful they have a style of their own with an extensive range including Fine Rustic, Industrial Edge, Steam Punk, Shabby Chic, Vintage Edge, & Distressed. All pieces are handcrafted with acombination of ready-made designs by Johnny & commissioned bespoke pieces.

When we stepped inside the world of the duo behind Dirty Old Town, we were mesmerised by the beauty of their furniture and art, that radiated through their showroom, workshop as well as their home and lifestyle. Not only do they produce furniture, but they also produce artwork, wall sculptures, lighting pieces, and a collection of trinkets and sell the works of like-minded local artists in the area.

DOT’s clients are scattered throughout the East coast of Australia, from corporate companies to small businesses, architects and interior designers to everyday people that appreciate the beauty and quality of hand made furniture and the value in its uniqueness. They work only with Australian made timbers and materials and produce an endless array of furniture including dining tables, trestle tables, stools, bench seats, shelving, shadow boxes, kitchens, shop counters, bedroom furniture, wall sculptures the list goes on.

Sustainability to Johnny & Helene is the underlying ethos behind their work. As Johnny told us “I hate waste. I was always really fond of the thoughts behind alchemy – turning **it into gold. Turning raw materials into something that can be use productively. I wanted to take something that is filthy and dirty and really turn it into something beautiful”.

“We have a very loyal client base. Some of them have mentioned they have a DOT addiction, which is really cool. So they’ll buy one piece and a couple of months later they’ll be looking for the next,” says Helene.

They also believe that the history behind the materials used in their work, attributes to the beauty and uniqueness of the pieces. “We choose to work with salvaged materials not only because we believe in recycling and reusing, but also because they hold a lot more character. A lot of timbers that we use have been used in old homes and factories that have had a lot of history created in them. We feel the timber retains a lot of that life and it gives the piece a new beginning” says Helene. “It’s like giving them a new life. People say walls can talk, a lot of our dining tables use to be walls. And floors can talk, and a lot of our dining tables used to be floors. And there’s so much that goes on around a dining table: celebrations, grievances, arguments, happy times, and the timber then gets to soak up that new history, and have a new life”. There is also the element of quality that comes with using recycled timbers.

Most of the timbers DOT uses have been grown in the area 100 to 150 years ago. As Johnny tells us, “Timber doesn’t grow the same way it did years ago. Timbers grow so much faster now, especially with mass-produced furniture. And I like slow grown timbers, and I can only get that grain from recycled timber.”

For Dirty Old Town, every piece is made to last through the ages. It’s a thoughtful process; carefully restored and handcrafted “I want something that will definitely be an heirloom to be passed on. Something real that’s made by hand,” says Johnny. “Every piece does have its own story to tell I think. And that is because of the imperfections and the patina, the age. It’s become itself. Like an old tattooed sailor, the stories that his body tells. For me the timber lends itself to that.”

It’s well worth the trip to the not so dirty town of Eureka to soak up the beautiful rustic warm experience of the Dirty Old Town showroom, meet the makers, take home a ready made piece, or commission your very own specialty piece for your home or business. Otherwise you can order through their website, or contact Helene for the new creations in waiting.

For more information & direct orders www.dirtyoldtownfurniture.com PH: 02 6688 4708 Visit the showroom by appointment: 143 Whian Rd Eureka, NSW 2480

Photography & Video Matthias & Dianne Engesser www.narrativepost.com.au

Click here to watch the story of Dirty Old Town.