Well, I pondered on Julia and her rise to the top job. Then I wondered about where she lives and the sort of home Australia's first female PM would own. It must be really lovely, stylish...
Prime Minister Julia Gillard's Altona home.
image from here
That's not what I was expecting. She must live in the most nondescript house (with bullet-proof glass) in all of Australia.
And her kitchen...
This image is from 2005 and is from here
Oh Julia. I know you're busy but you need to stop running the country for a moment or two and follow a few house and garden blogs.
The blogging community will help transform your place into something extremely stylish.
If you read blogs you would know you were ahead of your time with the turquoise cabinets. It is very fashionable. Turquoise is the colour of 2010 or was that 2009?
From the image above, I believe you are a French Provencal enthusiast with a love of colour. Anna Spiro could be the designer to tweak this for you.
I can pop around when parliament is not sitting and help you pull up the vinyl from the floor. There's sure to be pristine timber waiting to be polished. Jason could chip in with painting your walls too.
Jane from My Pear Tree House and Amanda from Small Acorns can take you decor shopping since they both have impeccable taste and Sarah B from Molly's Maison will help plant beautiful iceberg roses and give you some bulbs to spruce up your front yard.
Let's see....I'll get Sandy from Paint Me White to fly down with her compressor to spray paint your Provencal style kitchen table. Perhaps French Grey?
And I know Katherine from the old boathouse will have some great vintage items to adorn your turquoise cabinets.
Mise from Pretty Far West can give you lifestyle advice from an Irish perspective and advise you on the many ways to display Bonne Maman jars.
You'll be amazed what a difference this will make to your life. Transforming your country will be a cinch after transforming your home.
Go on. It's good publicity. Vogue Australia will want an exclusive of your before and afters.
And if you become a follower of my blog, not only will I vote for you, I'll make sure you get an extra entry in my next giveaway.
xx
What a great post! I was so chuffed to read my name as Garden Consultant!
ReplyDeleteI just can't believe my house looks fancier (if you squint a bit and don't see the falling off bits) that our new PM!!!!!
I personally am pretty excited -a female GG swearing in a female PM I never thought I would live to see the day.
ReplyDeleteRegardless of what you think of her political leanings and her Coon and Cabana accent.
The house is very Australian isn't it. But much more worrying are her ill fitting suits. We need someone to fix that. Desperately.
But that hair. How I love that deep auburn colour.
Great post. xoxo
Thanks for the great laugh!! I couldn't resist calling my husband over for a read .... we were both shocked and in 'stitches' at the same time!! Poor Julia .... she won't know what to do, or how to live, if she gets to The Lodge. Michelle
ReplyDeleteI love this post, you are too funny!! But what if she takes your advice and she will not have time for your country's affairs because she will be busy decorating her home?
ReplyDeleteWhat a scream! Loved this post Anita, very funny. I too was watching for much of the day but would never have thought to put together such a funny and interesting post. You are very clever!
ReplyDeleteSooo funny..I can't believe she lives in such an ordinary home...how can she concentrate on running the country...that would do my head in...I'm sure that the bloggy ladies would love to help Julia.....Hilarious
ReplyDeleteWhat a thrill and an honour it is to take on this international diplomatic mission as part of such an inspiring and able team of lifestyle enhancers. I'm glad Australia is taking the lead in highlighting the importance of vinyl replacement in times of national crisis.
ReplyDeleteBest coverage so far by a long shot, Anita.
I think your should email her this. She apparently has a great sense of humour but I am sure running a country will soon kill that.....especially picking up all the pieces. Still she will be a busy woman and will need all the reno help she can get. Lets face it, we now she is good for the $$$. Ask if she does cash jobs. Here is her email for you. Julia.Gillard.MP@aph.gov.au
ReplyDeletegreat post! is that seriously her house?!
ReplyDeletejxx
Yes Jules, that really is her home!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone - a historical day for Australia needed to be marked with a home decor twist.
My goodness, she does need help on the home decor front. She should check out Tamarah's blog www.shabbyvintagejunk.blogspot.com and see what she can pull from the hard rubbish when she gets time.
ReplyDeleteToo funny Anita!
ReplyDeleteIf we could see a shot of her living room I'm sure there's a sofa/chair there that could use some upholstering. I wouldn't want to miss this opportunity,lol.
Angex
HA!
ReplyDeleteThis is refreshing - I agree she needs Anna Spiro, but I appreciate her lack of pretension (from here in the Land of McMansion, USA). And I'm chuffed to see such a female government team!
So funny!! You should be appointed her Home (& Garden) Secretary!
ReplyDeleteLove it!!! I guess the lesson from Julia is that if we ignored renovating, house magazines, interiors, fashion then we'd have more time to round up votes from our party colleagues, curry favour with the unions, sort out the mining companies, battle for a deal on ETS... ah sod it, back to the chairs... now what colour should they be???????!
ReplyDeleteActually in my other life I'm a journo with a very keen interest in politics -yesterday was my favourite sort of news day, gripping. I watched Sky News for hours...!
Ha ha, love it! Lots of great advice..Rachaelxx
ReplyDeleteGreat post, and great advice! I wonder if she'll take you up on it??? :)
ReplyDeleteMy biggest fear is that if that's her taste what is she going to do to The Lodge....if she gets there. Good read with lots of great advice.
ReplyDeleteYou are too funny! I think you have to print it out and send it to Altona. You know, she can never sell that house now or the whole country will think she is up herself! Great post.
ReplyDeletei do really like the cupboards tho...
ReplyDelete~laura
That is one great blog! So funny and while her kitchen looks okay - the exterior really needs a makeover. But I guess now she'll be running the country, she'll have little time for that. In fact, I'd probably prefer she doesn't get distracted by paint colours and cushion choices best she stay focused on the job at hand!
ReplyDeleteVery funny! I do so love your take on this and enjoyed all your references to bloggers who can step in to help add a little style. I agree we wouldn't want her distracted with home/garden matters. On the other hand, she'd be more relaxed and happy if she had a comfortably stylish home.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Paper Tree Design. If Julia gets the lodge - I shudder to think... Then again the task would go to her boyfriend (?????) hairdresser. Thank you for the great laugh.
ReplyDeleteLove this post! Poor Julia, no style - from home, garden, chucking out mates. What a boring home - those kitchen cupboards, the heater on the wall.
ReplyDeleteYes, great that we have a female PM - though it's not just female I want, it's someone who'll do the job properly. With female Premiers not doing any better or worse than their male counterparts did, here's hoping we get some good leadership, not just another person toadying to the unions.
V.
heehee too funny :) le
ReplyDeleteObviously very focussed on the job at hand. It's a good thing... we don't need her distracted with a reno, she's got a lot of work to do... fixing up a mammoth political mess! A-M xx PS I love her hair too Jane, especially in the current bob style.
ReplyDeleteFinally, some coverage of the new PM that is cuts to the chase. You crack me up. From the looks of those images, it will indeed take the combined magical summoning up of the design dark arts to perform the transformation required. Hopefully, someone in her office will read this post and do the smart thing. Meredy xo.
ReplyDeleteYour post made me smile, Anita. I didn't know that she lived in such a ho-hum house but somehow, unlike you, I wasn't surprised. She doesn't strike me as being that stylish. It's funny how we always want to make over our leaders though, isn't it? Remember how we forced poor Teresa Rudd to get to the gym?
ReplyDeletePS, the orange ceramics are on my mid-century sideboard x
Sorry I haven't popped in for a while, but so glad I caught this post via ye old google reader...brilliant!
ReplyDeleteI also thought the post was very funny even though I'm not familiar with the lady.
ReplyDeleteI do want to add however, that we remember to celebrate a woman's accomplishments and not insist that that she perfect every aspect of her life.
We never do that to men, no matter how fat/bald/unstylish they may be.
haha great post! Altona is just down the road from me and even though Julia could do with some help I think its really refresthing to see that she is normal just like the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteThe thing I can't believe is I went into hospital on the 23rd of June to have Aston and by the time I came out KRudd was gone and Julia was in..lots happens in 24hours when it comes to Canberra.
Fab round up of some great sites. I remember being ABSOLUTELY APPALLED by Julia's home. I still can't get over it. What is she, rocking the poverty line? Making do? What? x
ReplyDeleteI kind of like that our PM has a nondescript three bedder in the 'burbs. Agree that something could be done about that vinyl floor though...
ReplyDeleteI ADORE Julia's kitchen just the way it is. Love it. But awesome round-up of some great blogs.
ReplyDeleteHahaha my Mum and Dad both living in Aussie are horrified that Julia has the top job. I'm still reeling over the colour choice of those cabinets!
ReplyDeleteI saw the same pictures and thought nothing about her house. Isn't it funny how we all see the world around us differently! Thanks for the blog links, and good luck with your project! I love a Queenslander! Visiting from the Fibro!
ReplyDeleteLoved reading this again (from the Fibro) - was a great laugh to read the first time! And having the PM live in a house as awful as my own makes me feel better ;)
ReplyDelete