Fremantle musician St South shares the creative corners of her home

There is a saying that outer order contributes to inner calm.

And in Perth musician St South’s case, it also fuels creativity.

The singer-songwriter’s Fremantle home is reflective of the very music she produces from the ground up within its walls — lush, dreamy, clean and eclectic.

Concrete floors, white walls and sheer curtains are a blank canvas for a very carefully curated collection of items that help Olivia Gavranich — her real name — feel centred.

She moved just before the coronavirus restrictions came in, which coincided with the lead up to the release of her debut album, Get Well Soon, last week.

“I tried to get rid of as much as I could, and just have the things I need. I don’t like having to worry about all my stuff,” Gavranich says.

“Because I live alone with my dog, I love a really clean, quiet space. If things are messy I can’t relax enough to write.”

It makes sense that Gavranich’s instruments take pride of place in her living space.

In the most light-filled corner of the open-plan area, an upright piano sits on a Persian carpet beside a rack of guitars.

Her digital equipment is set up on a wooden table with a warm patina, and retro-look speakers and amplifiers act as decor.

The minimalist aesthetic is juxtaposed against Gavranich’s vintage finds, and every piece has its own story.

“One of my first jobs out of school was working at Retro Vinnies in Fremantle,” she says.

“That really got me hooked on vintage and antique stuff. Whenever I am down south visiting my family I always go to the Albany antiques store. It’s where I got my record table and my desk chair. I just love sourcing things. I try not to care about brands or cost. If I like something and it suits my space, I will invest in it.”

Another thing that reminds Gavranich of her childhood in Denmark is the myriad plants that sit on every available surface.

“I know they say having plants helps you to breathe, but it helps me to breathe metaphorically, too,” she says.

“Having greenery inside, it feels more like home — I think because I grew up in the country. It makes me feel more down to earth.

“I get most of my plants from Stackwood. During COVID they were doing home delivery, so they dropped off potting mix and pots, too. I just had to set them up.”

To help her feel inspired as she writes music from her base, Gavranich takes care to only display things with a personal connection.

The books on a small shelf are dear favourites, and her surf and skateboards are stacked by the door, ready to be taken out at a moment’s notice.

St South’s first EP, Nervous Energy, is propped proudly atop a record player.

“I started collecting records more recently, but it is something that reminds me of my childhood and my dad,” Gavranich says.

“I really like laying on the floor and listening to albums.

“Then all my art is pretty much from friends. I just like having things up that remind me of my friends — I like to have them all around me.”

Scent and light also play a major role in how Gavranich primes her environment.

“I have heaps of incense, heaps of candles,” she says.

“Lighting is a huge thing for me — I never have the main lights on, it is always lamps or fairy lights. That just makes me feel more calm.”

But Gavranich is about to gear up for a partial sea change.

Now her album is out, she plans to hit the road with her fawn kelpie and spend half her time based down south.

“It will be kind of cool just living a bit more minimal, just having Tora and my music stuff,” Gavranich says.

“Writing somewhere else will be a different vibe.”

Local finds

St South’s favourite places for homewares are all local to Fremantle.

“Before I started doing music fulltime I was a barista in Freo for five years,” Gavranich says.

“All the people who own the little stores would come in so I feel like I know them. I always try to shop local, where that is clothes, furniture or food.”

New Edition Bookshop

41 High St, Fremantle

Kakulas Sister

29/31 Market St, Fremantle

Compendium Design Store

49a High St, Fremantle

Kartique

61/63 High St, Fremantle

Mills Records

22 Adelaide St, Fremantle

B.Real Vintage

28 Cantonment St, Fremantle

Peaches

195 Hampton Rd, South Fremantle

Stackwood

10 Stack St, Fremantle