Soft Focus House Founder, Sarah Godden’s Fitzroy Warehouse
Images by Sarah Forgie
A love of vintage is what led us to discover Sarah Godden’s online furniture store: Soft Focus House. With an astute eye for aesthetics (perhaps from a previous career as an Art Director) her sourced pieces offered an insight into her eclectic taste. Then, Sarah started sharing snippets of her home life: the ambitious renovation of a former Fitzroy garment factory - and in more recent years, an uninspiring office space. Like many, we felt part of the process as Sarah crowd-sourced her decision making and landed on a space that’s like nothing we’ve ever seen. Textures of stainless steel, recycled building materials and polycarbonate panels intersect to create an unconventional family home, with Sarah's husband Mike, her teenagers Summer & Reu, dog Chewie and cat Princess Leia sharing the same roof. Follow along as we tour this converted warehouse, and find out from Sarah about how it came to be.
In Sarah's unique bedroom, 'a cosy pod' as she describes it, is our standard textured cotton bed cover & bolster cushions in Lake & Off-White, combined with European linen bedding in Stone & Mist
On the history of Sarah’s home…
"We live in an 1882 former garment factory in Fitzroy, Melbourne. I have always wanted to convert a warehouse into a super open living/working space, and through the new business it finally became possible when we found this space for lease! It was previously used as an office, so was the blank canvas we were looking for, with lots of natural light, high ceilings and good access and storage! We basically got in there and pushed super hard to make it livable. Seven days after we got the keys we had pulled up the old flooring, dodgy office partitions, and were turning the two toilets into a bathroom. It was messy and a bit stressful but we had sooo much fun.
"My husband Mike and I have been in for about 6 months, and my two teenagers live with us. They have had to put up with having no bedroom walls for a few months. The thing we enjoy most about the space is the lofty ceilings, natural light, industrial feel and all the history in the building. The location is also amazing. It’s also the first time we’ve ever lived anywhere that feels exactly like us as we designed and built everything ourselves from scratch."
On how her community has supported her throughout the renovation…
"My instagram community is truly responsible for us even being able to do this in the first place - and I have absolutely loved everyone’s support and advice along the way. It can be a bit lonely working for yourself to begin with, and then there are so many decisions to make when renovating - having likeminded people who share the same passions and taste to go to when I need advice has been actually amazing! It can also be helpful to just confirm what I already feel in my gut, whether I agree with everyone... or not."
At the family's dining table, our soon to launch kitchen collection adds colour in the form of Lake & Lilac, while in the bathroom, our Oxblood & Peach towels play contrast to the vibrant blue tiling.
On Sarah’s interior style…
It changes to be honest! But I definitely enjoy the way an eclectic mix of styles work together in a space, I don’t like committing to one material, surface or era. At the moment I’m really enjoying more sculptural pieces, whether they be made of stone, timber or metal. Obsessed with steel, glass, chrome and at the moment really enjoying creating some furniture ourselves, with plywood inspired by Donald Judd and other minimalist japanese/scandinavian influences. Also how beautiful is a simple piece with modern lines paired back with a more classical shape? And, stripes!! Can’t get enough.
On the joys of going to bed…
"I LOVE our bedroom. I love the light that reflects and filters in through the polycarbonate panels, and I also love the choice we made to clad the rear and side wall in OSB which is a recycled building material that usually is covered up. It makes our little bedroom ‘pod’ feel like a cosy oasis within the large cavernous space! We also just recently realised our dream of having a king sized bed – and it’s literally like going to bed in a hotel. And with our new INBED bedding, it’s so special. We feel very lucky. There’s not a lot of room, no roof and the wardrobe has no doors currently, but it’s a really calm space!
"[On the bedside you’ll find] my water bottle, phone, some jewelry that I forgot to take off! I try to keep it uncluttered because I’m prone to messiness, which incidentally stresses me out, go figure.
"It’s very boring but going to bed is my favourite thing in the whole world, and so the moment that Mike and I give each other the nod -’ time for bed?’ is my favourite moment of the day. We both have ADHD, so we’re not so good at rituals, but getting into bed with a cup of tea, having a chat, watching a show together or just reading something is a joy. We also try to connect and chat about anything that needs to be discussed before we zone out and start to chill. Also, the puppy is a big time snuggler, we have cuddle time before he goes to bed in his crate. Also, the teens usually wander in and want to chat at this point after having their headphones on most of the day, why is that haha? It’s actually so lovely."
There’s not a lot of room, no roof and the wardrobe has no doors currently, but it’s a really calm space
Our new Mineral Stripe cotton adds another layer to Sarah & Mike's bedroom: a haven for pattern & texture.
On the evolution of Soft Focus House, Sarah’s vintage furniture store…
"I have had a varied creative career, and for the 10 years before I started Soft Focus I was working in fashion, homewares and e-commerce and then as an Art Director for Cotton On Group. I was feeling a bit burnt out after Covid, and my kids really needed me and I found I wasn’t able to enjoy my role as I once had. So I took a leap of faith and quit my job, knowing there was something exciting out there for me to do but not exactly sure what it would look like. I had one month of savings, and I’d always LOVED scrolling marketplace of an evening looking for amazing vintage finds. I found some incredible vintage shelving and sold it for a profit. Then a set of 1960s chairs. I was excited at this point! So I gave myself one month and a goal to make as much money as I had made in my previous job. I made that goal, and so set myself another month etc etc. Almost two years later and here I am!
"It’s a wonderful and serendipitous turn of events for me, and it feels so much more aligned to my values to be reselling and styling with second hand pieces as opposed to being a part of the life cycle of making even more new mass produced products. The dream really!"
It feels so much more aligned to my values to be reselling and styling with second hand pieces as opposed to being a part of the life cycle of making even more new mass produced products.
Details of our linen napkins in Lake (coming soon) and of Sarah's IN BED colour palette of choice; a soft combination of Mist & Stone European linen, and Lake textured cotton.
On the objects most cherished…
"It certainly is a revolving door [of objects] and my husband can’t believe I let go of things so easily! There are some small statues I bought early on for styling that I just can’t ever part with, and a set of 8 vintage IKEA spaghetti dining chairs that I will take with me wherever I go. Other than that, I don’t actually feel super attached to things - it must be the nature of the job! Or the knowledge that there is always something super interesting around the corner (on marketplace)."
I don’t actually feel super attached to things - it must be the nature of the job
Sarah’s recommendations for Melbourne’s inner North…
"I grew up in the 90s, and going to Brunswick Street was part of my religion once I turned 18 (I was a musician also). 30 years later and I find myself in the area, and my daughter is basically doing the same thing, going to all the same places I did! It feels full circle. I never thought I was cool enough to live Northside, even though it always felt like home to me. So I can't believe it really! The culture, the food, the proximity to the city, it’s unbelievable.
"We’re so close to the lovely Carlton Gardens and we love a stroll into the city. Local faves are Sunhands in Carlton, Captiano, The Standard Fitzroy, Marquis of Lorne, Mile End Bagels are just behind us, Cibi, Marion, Napier Quarter, Fluffy Torepdo, the list is long.
"We were living in the inner eastern suburbs prior to this, and it never really felt like us, politically, energetically etc. This feels right now. I’m also so surprised at how connected it’s made us feel to other creatives and likeminded people!"
The culture, the food, the proximity to the city, it’s unbelievable.
Finally, we asked Sarah what’s next…
"Well, we’ve almost finished fitting out the space, and are really excited to be hosting photoshoot and event bookings, including some collaborations and pop up events later this year. We have an idea to use it almost as a gallery space too! Plus more furniture and object drops, leaning into more custom upholstery and some of our own custom pieces. Plus a podcast is in the works! So much really."
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