Provider Store’s Tara Bennett walks us through her studio + store in Surry Hills. Her love of Japanese design and artisan craftsmanship are the foundations on which she has built her brand. From the thoughtful curation of elegant homewares to hand made candles that are reusable and refillable. Provider Store shares beautiful things that are made to last and celebrate the simple joys of daily life.

Tell us about your journey as a designer /brand, where did you begin and how did you come to shape your unique aesthetic?

I actually came from a fashion ecommerce background, but growing up I was always a creative child. I used to sew my own clothes, draw, paint etc so when I landed a job that had me sitting in front of computer 5 days a week, I struggled. In 2014 I had started a little side project (Provider) making cushions and homewares, but it wasn’t until I went to Japan not long after that I was so inspired not only their culture, but the way they designed and made things. Everything was very well thought out and made to last. I felt like in Australia we love a trend and are happy to dispose of something and buy the next piece. I wanted to bring those values and the craftsmanship home, so I quit my job as soon as I returned. I had no savings or financial backing so I worked bloody hard for Provider to become my full time job. Over the last 5 years my aesthetic has changed and grown slightly, but I think every win, fail, travel and personal experience has changed my design aesthetic for the better.

What are your core values?

I am all about creating and sourcing a product that’s well designed, reusable, practical and made to last. Also affordable! All my candles are made in ceramic cups so once they burn out you’re left with a Japanese tea cup, or you can bring them back to the store for a refill.

At the end of the day I am still a brand making something, but I am super conscious of my environmental impact. I never buy things like bubble wrap etc. I reuse everything that gets sent to me right down to re-wrapping my orders in the Japanese newspaper from my international shipments.

What is important to you as a designer?

Making something timeless that tells a nice story. I want people to love what they buy from Provider and want to retell the story of where it came from and how it was created.

Who/what has brought you inspiration recently?

Travel. Always travel. Recently I was in Lisbon and my entire camera roll filled up with pictures of tiled houses. The colours and patterns were incredible. When I am in Japan I get inspiration from so many things, especially cafes - I loved a quirky/minimally designed menu, wooden shelving and ceramic cups. When I am not travelling and I need an inspiration hit I go into Kinokuniya and flick through books (I am right into cookbooks at the moment, I feel like they’re really well designed and capture a country through cuisine). I also often wander the back streets in Sydney – you find the coolest houses (old, new and industrial) down little alleyways.

What drives you? Or what do you strive for as a designer?

Being able to do what I love and make a living from it makes me strive to keep growing and building on Provider. Setting yourself little, realistic goals is a great way of getting yourself to where you want to be.

What do you find beautiful?

A city with a good recycling system. Open-minded people. A well designed book.

What do you celebrate? Or what is your proudest moment / greatest achievement to date?

My partner always says “you should celebrate your successes both big and small before you move onto the next thing”. He is right and I think this is important otherwise we move onto the next thing too quickly. I think opening the shop was my proudest moment as it’s been my dream to have a little space that I can create from but also have it open to the public. Doing a collab with Goodhood Store in London was a great achievement as it’s one of my favourite stores. Being featured in Monocle and also being able to travel for my job is a huge achievement.

What can we expect to see next at the Provider Store? What was the source of inspiration and how did it evolve?

I will have lots of new products from new and old makers, as well as some one-off unique pieces from Japanese vintage markets. Im so excited!