The Repair Shop Australia
On Tuesday May 3rd at 8.30PM the Australian version of The Repair Shop premiered on Foxtel LifeStyle. Led by host Dean Ipaviz, a team of professional craftspeople team up to restore beloved family heirlooms. Each episode unveils the stories behind the items that are being repaired and highlights why restoration is not only caring about sustainability, but an investment in connecting with family and history.
Our lives are filled with objects that have value to us beyond the practical and the financial. These objects become precious keepers of memories and personal histories.
A major goal for The Repair Shop is to highlight the uniqueness and history behind our personal possessions and the significance in restoring them, both for sentimental value and in the name of sustainability.
Image courtesy of Foxtel
The furniture restorer on the show is Britta de Laat of dumped & ditched. Britta’s motto “everyone deserves a second chance” fits perfectly in with the ethos of The Repair Shop. With years of experience in furniture restoration, Britta renovates heirloom pieces that speak to the heart and communicate through time. With an extensive background in creative arts and set design from London and Berlin, traces and memories of the past have been quintessential throughout Britta’s career. After retraining as an upholsterer, Britta has turned to furniture restoration as her creative outlet, as a way to combine her passion for design, craftsmanship and sustainability.
The other artisans on the show are:
Aaron Douglas Wales- Leather craftsman. Working in leather for over 10 years, Aaron has always enjoyed all things ‘old world’, from blacksmithing and saddle making and runs his own workshop, repairs leather items, and sells his handmade leather goods.
Andrew Markerink- Horologist. Clockmaking has been in the family since the 18th Century and Andrew’s business has primarily been focused on conservation of high quality and antique clocks and watches dating as far back as the late 1600s.
Erin Keys- Jeweller. A passionate jewellery tutor, designer, and educator with 20 years’ experience with a diverse range of achievements in various facets of craft and design, Erin she runs her own jewellery school and workshops.
Majella Beck- Metal worker. A metalworker, qualified jeweller and boilermaker by trade, Majella has been teaching for the past 20 years, with her students describing her as a "metal nerd".
Paul Lowe- Electrical all-rounder. An electrician and teacher for the last 30 years, Paul has an undying passion for repairs, and although partially retired, runs a repair shop from his back shed.
New episodes on Tuesday’s at 8.30PM on FOXTEL LifeStyle or catch it On Demand.