Vast Interior

Geelong Store Opens

Vast Interior — 2010-01-22T15:04:45

Vast Interior, an Australian owned retailer specialising in sustainable, quality hand-crafted home furniture and exotic homewares since 1999, has opened its 5^th Victorian in Grovedale, Geelong.

The eagerly awaited new store boasts a fantastic series of beautiful and interesting pieces. The impressive expansive showroom is home to a wide selection of both hardwood timber dining tables, eco-chic natural fibre patio chairs and lounges, durable outdoor entertaining settings to exclusively hand-picked and designed homewares and textiles.

Vast Interior is renowned for its eclectic mix of furniture and is now carving a niche for itself with its Vast exclusively made earthy timber designs handcrafted and imported direct from India.

The brands globally sourced original pieces are also at the heart of Vast Interior's product lines. Each store embraces individual style with unique collections offering infinite variety. Always searching, Vast Interior owners travel the world sourcing their gorgeous pieces, leaving out the middleman so that prices remain affordable. It also means every Vast store is different and stock is continually changing.

The new Geelong store is the brands 42^nd store and recently Vast Interior unveiled a new website to showcase their high quality product range and culturally inspired designs. There is also a 'Vast marketplace' where customers can browse one of a kind found antique inspired items hand-picked from exotic locations, and a travelers' blog to keep up to date with global buying trips and entertaining travel tit-bits.

For new Geelong owners Rowan and Debbie Kent it was the freedom of being able to inject their own individual style and design flair into their own Vast store as well as access the incredible portfolio of imported furniture from trusted and quality exclusive suppliers.

"We fell in love with Vast products while on holiday at the Gold Coast last year and after furnishing our Tweed Heads holiday house with Vast furniture we looked into the opportunity to open our own store in Geelong. The Grovedale location was perfect, there is nothing comparable in the Geelong or Torquay area"

Vast Interior Geelong is inviting locals to join the Vast Culture Club and take advantage of exclusive savings on selected items with specially tagged items in store. The Vast Culture club is a membership program offering exclusive savings, perks, promotions and scoop email alerts. It is free to join, to become a member register your details on the Culture Club page on the Vast Interior website.

The new store is situated at 130 Torquay Road, Grovedale, Geelong. The store is open Monday to Friday 10.00-5pm, Saturday and Sunday 11-4pm.

New Look Queensland Stores

Vast Interior — 2010-08-30T16:33:50

Vast Interior Tweed Heads and Logan stores have had a revamp for Spring. Tweed Heads store is under new management with the 700 square metre showroom reconfigured to boast a wider collection of Vast product lines including, outdoor settings, leather lounges and an abundance of globally sources found pieces. While the Vast Logan Mega Centre store, opposite IKEA, has now doubled in size to house more of Vast's signature timber collections and living ranges.

Perth Stores Open

Vast Interior — 2013-04-11T13:25:38

Vast Interior, an Australian owned retailer specialising in imported, eco friendly, quality hand-crafted home furniture and homewares since 1999, will open three new stores in the Perth suburbs of Joondalup, Nedlands & Port Kennedy in early December.

The eagerly awaited new stores will boast a fantastic series of beautiful and interesting pieces that range from huge 12 seater solid hardwood dining tables to delicate exotic homewares.

Vast Interior now has 43 franchised stores throughout the East and West Coast of Australia, and New Zealand. Eleven years on, the furniture franchise has evolved to position itself at the forefront of the hand crafted furniture and homewares market and carved a niche for high quality timber ranges and unique earthy designs.

The product range of Vast Interior consists of dining, living, patio and outdoor furniture with each showroom offering infinite variety with an individual eclectic mix of cultural homewares and textile designs for the home.

Always searching, Vast Interior owners travel the world sourcing their gorgeous pieces, leaving out the middleman so that prices remain affordable. It also means every Vast store is different and stock is continually changing.

Vast Interior WA is inviting its VIP Culture Club members to take advantage of exclusive opening specials with selected savings on specially tagged items in store. The Vast Culture club is a membership program offering exclusive savings, perks, promotions and scoop email alerts. It is free to join, to become a member register your details on the Culture Club page on the Vast Interior website.

Joondalup & Nedlands stores are holding their Grand Opening on Saturday 4th December. Port Kennedy store opens on Saturday 11th December, 2010.

Vast Opens at Point Cook!

Vast Interior — 2011-03-16T13:23:10

Vast Interior, an Australian owned retail franchise specialising in imported, eco friendly, quality hand-crafted home furniture and homewares, has opened a new Point Cook store located within in the new multi-million dollar Point Cook Town Centre, 23 km from Melbourne CBD.

The eagerly awaited impressive new store will boast a fantastic series of beautiful and interesting pieces that range from huge 12 seater solid hardwood dining tables, vintage leather lounges, found original pieces to delicate exotic homewares and interesting art pieces.

The opening of Vast Interiors fifth Victorian store, comes just one year after Franchisee store owners Rowan and Debbie Kent opened their first Vast store at Geelong in January 2010. Since joining the Vast group and becoming a 'Vastie' 12 months ago they have not looked back, their Geelong store recently took out the brands prestigious Outstanding Achievement Award for their record turnover in their first year of trade.

"We are excited to be opening our second Vast Interior store, especially in such and exciting community and retail centre just 20 minutes from Melbourne" Mr Kent said.

"We have invested wisely to ensure the store's fit out is both unique, inviting and can accommodate our vast collection of furniture designs. Debbie and I have been sourcing pieces over the last 6 months in preparation for the opening so Point Cook will be stocking an impressive collection of interesting pieces and new designs"

Vast's design ethos is one of sustainability, quality design and individual style. Appealing to people who are passionate about their homes, Vast Interior stores are unique in that every store is different with each owner having the freedom to source items independently from around the globe.

An Australian success story the Brand has now grown to 45 stores across Australia and New Zealand, the expansion in Victoria also follows the opening of three Western Australian stores in December.

From humble beginnings in Coffs Harbour in 1999, Vast founder and franchisor Ross Clayton has seen the furniture retail industry evolve considerably over the last decade to now cement its position as a leader of hand crafted furniture and homewares and carve a niche for high quality timber ranges and unique earthy designs.

At a time when many furniture retail chains are struggling, Vast Interior's own model seems to be unscathed, with three of its Queensland stores also re-opening brand new showrooms in the last month.

"Victoria is a strong market for us and we can't wait to unveil our 45^th store to the greater Wyndham community. Debbie and Rowan are outstanding operators, with a true passion for furniture and creative design. I have no doubt our new Point Cook store will be a stand out attraction for home lovers and shoppers" Mr Clayton said.

The Point Cook store is open 7 days.

Address: Shop 134 & 135 Point Cook Town Centre, Cnr Boardwalk Blvd & Murnong St, Point Cook VIC 3030. Phone 03 9395 9488

New Gold Coast store opens!

Vast Interior — 2013-04-11T13:24:52

Vast Interior, an Australian owned retail franchise specialising in imported, eco friendly, quality hand-crafted home furniture and homewares, will open a new Ashmore store located within in the Harvey Norman Super Centre, Ashmore Rd, Gold Coast.

The eagerly awaited impressive new store will boast a fantastic series of beautiful and interesting pieces that range from huge 12 seater solid hardwood dining tables, vintage leather lounges, found original pieces to delicate exotic homewares and interesting art pieces.

The opening of Vast Interior's new Gold Coast store, comes just months after Gold Coast Franchisee owner Chad Sawtell expanded the Vast Logan store (opposite Ikea). The new store will replace the Bundall Rd store at Bundall.

Since joining the Vast group and becoming a 'Vastie' 6 years ago, Mr Sawtell now has four Vast stores in the Gold Coast region (Tweed Heads, Ashmore, Helensvale, Logan) but this 1200 square metre showroom will be the region's largest flagship store.

"We are excited to be re-opening our new larger Vast Interior store within the Harvey Norman Super Centre, especially in such a premium and central location" Mr Sawtell said.

"We have invested wisely to ensure the store's fit out is both unique, inviting and can accommodate our vast collection of furniture designs. Our product development team have been sourcing pieces from all over the globe in preparation for the opening so Ashmore will be stocking an impressive collection of interesting pieces and new designs"

An Australian success story the Brand has now grown to 45 stores across Australia and New Zealand, the expansion in Victoria also follows the opening of three Western Australian stores in December.

From humble beginnings in Coffs Harbour in 1999, Vast founder and franchisor Ross Clayton has seen the furniture retail industry evolve considerably over the last decade to now cement its position as a leader of hand crafted furniture and homewares and carve a niche for high quality timber ranges and unique earthy designs.

At a time when many furniture retail chains are struggling, Vast Interior's own model seems to be unscathed, with two more of its Queensland stores also re-opening brand new showrooms in the last month (Virginia and West End).

"The Gold Coast is very familiar with Vast with our highest loyal customer base in Australia. The Ashmore store is set to be our largest showroom, stocking the most extensive Vast collection of eclectic designs." Mr Clayton said.

The Ashmore store is due to open March 12. The store is open 7 days.

Photo Comp winners!

Vast Interior — 2013-04-11T13:15:31

Thank you to all our passionate customers who entered our Image Is Everything photo competition. Congratulations to the following customers!

Best Vast Space Winner: Joji Jacob (Well)
Runners Up: Joji Jacob, (Well) Jackie Cooke,(Kawana), Tama Milne (Chc), Peta Bollard - various stores.

Best Location Winner: Andrew Pinkard (Gold Coast)
Runner Up: Michelle McKee (Well)

Best Story to Tell Winner: Paola Serola (Chc)
Runner Up: Sharni Cameron.

No applicable entries in the Most Famous

Our Stand out "Best Story to Tell" entry:

This the story of what happened in the famous days after the terrible earthquake that shaken Christchurch on the scary night of 4 September 2010.

I'm trying to tell this story seriously because it deserves to be tell in that way but...believe me…there 's no way! First of all sorry for my English, we came from Italy and I still struggling with this amazing but difficult language so please forgive me for all grammatical mistakes you'll find in it.

It was 4.35 in the morning when Hattie, our little dog started to bark and broke
the silent…."The wind is so strong…I thought….seems the house is flying away…
away shhhhhh Hattie why are you barking for???…..Gosh…what's this noise…
…Wrooam trrrrrrrrrr brum ratatatatataata……….wow…………..I woke up my husband……..Marcooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just put a few seconds to
understand that something was wrong as..…"Un terremotoooooo!!!!!"….that
means in Italian…..

"An earthquakeeeee!!!!"………..Everything round me was turning around or maybe was just my head I don't remember, but my tummy was so scared that seems to have two people inside fighting….Mr. Fear and Mr. Brave…the first one was saying to me "Paola don't move".. I was terrified, the second one was saying "Paola run as fast as you can…run out!!!!" I followed the instruction of Mr. Brave.

Yes, out… because we had experienced the earthquake in Italy, non personally, but it was very bad. Only last year more than 400 people died under the rubbles, and the intensity of that shake was even less and less of our 7.1. So it was in the past. The earthquake in Friuli (6,4 Richter, 989 died) and Irpinia (6,5 Richter, 2.914 died). So….earthquake.. "Gosh" I thought we are living in the house as the tale "the Three little pigs"….but not!!!!! It was't! Our house turned, jumped, shacked..and then…in a moment of peace we realized it was still stand. We were alive! Completely in the dark, but everybody alive. Just one missing and was our eldest son Ivan. He was sleeping in a garage with some friends somewhere….Arghhhhhhhhhh why just this night????

During that shake I shouted to my husband to grasp our little Fabio on his room and I went to pick up Jacopo our second child, in the other room.

He didn't want to wake up and because he was sleeping in a bed very high with a ladder, I pulled him out from his bed pulling him from his pajamas because he was screaming "It's a dream mum, leave me sleeping!!!" Oh no dear….rolling both from the ladder!

We spent the first 15 minutes outside in the garden, in pajamas, it was freezing but every time I tried to go inside to pick up blankets or fleeces another shake got me so scary that I run back as a fox saying …"Sorry I just can't!!! "

I can't forget the faces of my children sleepy, incredulous,…their goose-bumps, so I find the brave, I entered in the house fierce…and… I run in my room, I pick up just my windbreaker and even this was very difficult, just touching with my hand in the wardrobe to find the right one!!!! Believe me…I forgot to pick up something for them!!! Shame of me!!! "Mum!!! You thought just about you!!!" They cried very upset to me! This is unbelievable but this is what I did that night! So in the middle of another shake with my heart sunk in my tummy, I went back inside without power just lighted from the night stars and bravely I took something to cover them….Wroooammm… trrrrrrrrrr brum ratatatatataata..ok gotcha!

In the main time my husband was struggling in the garage to find something for help us trying to contact our teen and to take off the car from it… we realized how unprepared we were for an event so big!... Shame of us!

The hours after as Italians do in this case, we find shelter in the car, until the first light at daybreak……without understand actually what was happening because our radio didn't work in our Japanese car..only classical music but not news…damn!

The rest is story…

We spent, listen well…, the first three night in the car!! Actually we tried to sleep the second one on the floor in the house, but every aftershock was so noise and these were to go all the night long that my husband decided that the only place we can have a good sleep was the car! Oh no … the car again!

The four of us were squeezed into my husband Toyota car that is big enough to became like a bed for two but can you picture for four of us, plus the dog…was a nightmare trust of me! I still don't know how my husband said it the only place where was possible sleeping good. We woke up in the morning with a river of water on the windows one feet in my mouth, an arm around my neck, my head like a flat cake on the inside car door,… there is no bone in my body painless. After three days sleeping in that way I had to take for one week anti-inflammatories!!!! Stop please no more there!!! Don't ask about our teen that he thought, as maybe our neighbors, that we are a very funny family…in turn they came to convinced us that the car wasn't a safe place and that our house was the only one where was better to be, they were so kind and lovely… but I suppose we becoming the joke of the street!

And was in that moment that I decided without conditions to stop sleeping in the car and go back in our house again. "Or with me or without me, it's your choice" I said resolute to everybody! Yes,… but where??? Nobody want to sleep in the own bed…But…but….on reflection, in the end..after racking my brains…my mind enlightened!!! Of course silly me…why I didn't think before? Of course yes!!!!! Under our amazing, beautiful, strong, huge, "VAST Mammoth" table!!!

This was the place where we slept for the other days until we didn't find again the brave to come back at normal life!

This was the only very safe place in the house, the only place where we all can sleep comfortably together without fear! It's a very strong table!

I always said proudly this was one of my best purchases here in New Zealand!

Vast Comes Down to Earth

Vast Interior — 2013-04-11T13:14:21

In each Vast Interior store you'll find a furniture safari of earthy sustainable designs combined with brilliant ethnic influences: now it's a destination to find world style and a refuge for earth's materials that have been re-created into functional and fashionable furniture.

Vast has favoured humble, recycled, and natural materials for over a decade and these new designs are set to complement its signature timber living collections which are made from sustainable mango timber.

The collection introduces a new era of classic rattan designs and a re-invented use of recyclable and reclaimed timbers which come together in this mosaic of retrospective designs. The funky furniture pieces are also matched with a unique naturalist lighting collection, exclusive to Vast Interior.

Vast founder and owner Ross Clayton says this collection is a salute to their eco-roots but offers a spectrum of price points and style.

"Our product design philosophy has always been to source and use Natures materials to create and market functional, durable and soulful furniture with minimum effect on the environment and keeping the prices as real as the materials used to create them" Mr Clayton said.

Naturalist Collection at a glance:

Rattan Revival
The collection embraces a love of natural weave materials and its environmental origin which is deep seeded in all Vast products. The return natural seagrasses…rattan and natural fibres have long been an eco favourite for patio designs, old classics are reinvigorated with a modern twist on vintage rattan with new contemporary style.

Old Wood, New Life
By natural resources in the most efficient way, the furniture has either been created from small scrap pieces, crafted from reclaimed teak wood, fast growing local plantation wood or recycled timber from Indonesian villages or unseaworthy boats.

The collection offers limited edition designs and everyday items that customers can find at 22 of the 45 Vast stores Australasia-wide. The beauty of Vast is that every store is different so these designs are expected to be even more sought after for the 'individualist' buyer who is seeking something on trend yet a little different, and of course environmentally ethical.

Albury moves up

Vast Interior — 2011-10-03T14:42:36

Vast Interior's Albury store haas moved into a new bigger and bolder location within in the Harvey Norman Centre at Borella Road, East Albury.

Since opening Vast Interior on Dean Street five years ago, owner Judy Celin has created one of the most desired destinations in town for locals to source original and exotic furniture pieces for the home.

Walk into her Vast Interior store and you'll find a furniture safari of earthy sustainable designs combined with brilliant ethnic influences: it's an enchanting place to find world style for your home without getting on a jet plane.

You will also find arguably the world's toughest dining tables, built to withstand a lifetime of mealtimes.

Now, having built up such a reputation and with plans to introduce more extensive product lines, Judy's new store will be nestled among retailers Harvey Norman, Everyday Living, Early Settler, Focus on Furniture and right next to Freedom ...and she can't wait.

"We have some beautiful new product in store to show off, from new recycled industrial ranges, one off found orginals from India to some bold colourful new homewares for summer" Judy said.

The Albury store will open September 22^nd and trade 7 days. Mon, Wed, Fri 9am - 5.30pm, Thurs 9am -6pm, Sat 9am - 5pm, Sun - 10am - 4pm

Address: Shop 4 Harvey Norman Centre, 94 Borella Road, Albury NSW

Vast Gallery Geelong Opens

Vast Interior — 2013-04-11T13:13:13

Vast Interior has opened its first Gallery concept store in Newtown, Geelong. Perfect for home decor enthusiasts, professional designers and new home owners alike, the new Vast Gallery store creates a completely immersive experience into the world of home fashion and sustainable style.

"Vast Interior has always represented the best in sustainable table craft, timber furniture engineering and the special culture of unique and interesting finds. This concept allows us to offer a complete showcase for our latest on-trend products, globally sourced cutting edge designs as well as a creative aspiring setting for our customer. Vast Founder Ross Clayton says.

With the vision to create a unique lifestyle and shopping destination, owners Rowan and Debbie Kent secured a unique heritage building (the old G.S Colin's Woolstore) for the first gallery concept store. Once a designated port for the wool industry, the Newtown district is home of industrial style character buildings therefore the heritage attributes provided an apt setting for Vast's edgy collection of new age industrial style ranges..

"Much respect has been given to the beautiful heritage nature of the building with careful selection and display of each furniture collection to ensure an historical element and feel remains." says Rowan.

With 600 square metres of floor space the new store will also feature additional unique designs from new international suppliers. Rowan and Debbie say the Vast Gallery Store will provide customers the opportunity to discover the artistic home decor pieces within a retail yet homely environment.

With a product gallery featuring Vast's newest core range items and individually sourced accents, the room set ups have been designed to highlight and demonstrate the exceptional variety on offer at Vast.

"Unlike our first Vast store at Grovedale, where we created a sense of discovery with a bustling collection of interesting pieces our new gallery layout in Newtown features specific rooms and styles including a formal dining room, sitting room, a retro inspired quirky 2 level loft wing and a designated area to browse Chinese Antiques" Rowan says.

Just a few months ago Rowan and Debbie were in India watching their latest handpicked items being packed and prepared for shipment into the new store.

"The store will be brimming with new stock, from industrial stools, art and artefacts to new our new contemporary swivel chairs.We wanted to create an engaging experience for passionate home design trend setters, families, shoppers and those looking for a touch of global or personal style in home fashion." Rowan says.

Local Artist Hilda Russell will be featured exclusively in store and further local artists works will be commissioned to maintain the local creative vibe the precinct is renowned for. Customers will also have the opportunity to select and coordinate product selections in the designated areas with the vision to further develop a design consultation and décor arm of the business in 2013.

The Newtown Geelong Gallery Store is open 7 days.

Address: 510 Latrobe Blvd. Newtown Geelong, Vic.

Phone: 03 5244 2244

Avoiding the Floods

Vast Interior — 2013-04-11T13:13:00

On a lighter note given that the Aust. Eastern seaboard have been experiencing some wicked weather, our stores have been innovative with their efforts to combat potential storm damage and flooding!

Countering predictions of the Brisbane catchment overflowing, our West End store took all precautions to safeguard their stock. With flood maps indicating at least 12 inches of water (reminiscent of the 2011 floods), staff, family and friends pitched in to get EVERY piece of furniture at least 12 inches off the floor.. all within 8 hours - a true Aussie (Day) effort!

So in a crisis situation there is always room to create high-impact innovative displays that are well balanced and making great use of colour, that is the essence of true professionals!

Good news is, the floods were not as devastating in the area as predicted and the store itself was water free and is now back in working order.

Thanks to all involved and stay safe to all our customers who have been directly affected by this recent flooding.