Shop Profile: Tara Dennis Store

With Tara Dennis

Working in television for over twenty years as a presenter of design, craft and decorating, Tara and her family opened their first retail store in Sydney’s leafy northern suburb of Wahroonga in 2016. Originally intended as a showroom for her own range of homewares designed in collaboration with wholesale giant Albi, Tara’s store quickly gained a loyal following and a second, larger store opened in Balmain in June 2019.

“You need to have a seriously good business head about you as well as be creative and extremely flexible.”

Still filming for Better Homes & Gardens, Tara divides her time between this and the two stores each week, working on anything from product research, styling for clients, in store displays, teaching workshops and furniture installations. “The variety is huge and my role there is incredibly hands on and creative,” says Tara. “My work life balance is terrible! I’m an absolute workaholic and struggle daily to keep all balls in the air! I try to be as organised as I can and luckily my husband is organised too - he takes the lion’s share of worrying about our son’s school and sport routines. We’re a strong team and that’s what makes things work.”

Tara’s advice to those thinking of opening a shop? “In the current climate, I would say ‘retail is only for the brave or silly’. Luckily I am both. I absolutely love it but can honestly say it’s the hardest thing I have ever done.”

After her family and a good cup of tea, designing is Tara’s first love and she’s always excited to see homewares trends evolve. “Right now, I’m seeing a real movement toward the ‘blended home’ to create new and unique looks,” she says. “We yearn for individuality, not cookie cutter looks, so new pieces are being blended with vintage - rugs, furniture and art. There’s a real confidence and vigor to do this and it’s exciting to see a fresh warmth and richness shining through modern homes.”

“Not surprisingly, I’m seeing natural materials, shapes and textures with a real push for Australian made and ethically sourced. People are becoming mindful of resonance and waste and as such are making responsible purchasing decisions,” Tara says.

Both of Tara’s stores serve as a stage for her much-loved window displays, which she plans months in advance, including going all out at Christmas. “The whole idea of an in store display or window is to entertain and inspire. It’s like theatre which is why I love it so much,” she says. “It doesn’t matter the theme, so long as it’s relevant and communicates an idea or emotion well. It needs to be clean, well stocked and possibly a little quirky. “I always try and incorporate something vintage and something organic - plants, flowers, shells, coral.”

Tara’s inimitable style carries the essence of her own river house, yet makes the look accessible to lovers of a contemporary home that’s light, bright and timeless. Her love of vintage markets yields unique artworks and furnishings from frequent overseas buying trips and brings an authenticity to the interiors she inspires.

This aligns with the Tara Dennis Store manifesto of “buy once, buy well” and is reflected in the stock across both stores, which includes carefully chosen artisan and Australian handmade homewares and furniture. Loving a new season to impart in shop displays, this year Tara has succumbed to a soft, cosy Alpaca blanket for her own bed. “Last winter I missed out on the one I wanted so this year I made it a priority to get in early. The colour and texture is divine and the extra layer of warmth it will bring will be heavenly. Amazingly I don’t bring much home from the stores, our house is small so I have to be super disciplined!”