Karen McCartney pays a visit to Small Spaces in Sydney's Redfern and chats to owner Sarah O'Neill.

Run by Sarah O'Neill and embracing the Japanese philosophy of wabi sabi, Small Spaces is a tiny, carefully curated shop in  Sydney's Redfern. It is a beautiful, but not precious space, with an air of calm and order mixed with irregular natural beauty through flowers, art and organic-shaped ceramics. It is the sort of place where, even though you know you have quite enough stuff, you cannot resist just one more perfectly imperfect thing.


The vintage Ercol table displays ceramics by Keiko Matsui, a lotus platter by Slab and Slub and leather tableware by Saint Crispin. The landscape at left is by Matt Palmer, abstract at right by Ariella Friend.

There is a lovely quiet aesthetic in the shop. Is that something you seek in the way you merchandise the space?
Merchandising is my creative outlet and as such is something I do completely intuitively. I just keep moving things until I feel a sense of harmony (or even joy) when I look at them. Nothing is too small to be unimportant and I think space allows objects to be seen and 'heard'.


Porcelain bowls by Keiko Matsui sit on a vintage marble & timber table. Slip cast specimen vases are from Kyoto Markets.

The handmade and crafted elements are very important in the mix. What do you look for in the objects you sell?
The maker's hand, authenticity, longevity, quality, a lack of artifice and an element of the unexpected.


A selection of art - landscapes by Matt Palmer, abstracts by Monique Lovering.

The artists you choose – whether figurative or abstract – seem to have a strong connection to nature. Is this a conscious choice?
No. The only conscious choice I've made is to listen to my intuition. That said, I value and am inspired by nature more than anything else, so my intuition draws me to artists and work that reflect this value.

The furniture pieces are neat and considered in how they work together. Is scale a key element in your choices?
Yes, scale is critical. No matter the size of the room the proportional relationship between the elements dictates the relative sense of space.


Sofa and light by Henry Wilson, walnut dining table by Chris Colwell.

The Japanese philosophy of wabi sabi and a joy of the imperfect comes through in the shop's aesthetic. Tell us about the influence of Japanese culture.
I became interested in Japanese culture while reading Wabi Sabi: for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers by Leonard Koren. The concept just completely made sense as a solution to the challenges we face today.

For centuries the practice of this type of Japanese philosophy has driven, recycling, utilitarianism, appreciation of the seasons, respect for the laws of nature and applied this thoughtfulness to everyday life. Wabi Sabi has been described as 'the aesthetic expression of Zen Buddhism'. It teaches us to find value and beauty in even the mundane details of everyday life.


A Cosy Light by Muuto and Ikebana Ceramic Stone by Keiko Matsui sits atop an oak side table by Chris Colwell.

Quick fire questions

Everyday I am inspired by: Nature
My favourite colour combination is: White + any colour
My design hero is: Jack Lenor Larsen, Oji Masanori, Axel Vervoordt
I would be happy if I never saw another: Fake/replica anything
If I could take one item home from the shop today it would be the: Calligraphy painting by Naoki Sakamoto

Small Spaces is at 674 Bourke St Redfern; visit the Small Spaces website for more.