by Andrea Tomaz

Seeking more Space and an arty location, The Country Trader has jumped from Paddington to Waterloo.

Known for its antique French furniture, gilded mirrors and chandeliers, The Country Trader pays homage to the past but still is not afraid to move with the times.The centre has just moved from its heritage building in Paddington and relocated to Young Street, Waterloo.

The shift marks an era of expansion fot the interior specialist, which celebrated last Wednesday night with an opening party attended by interior buffs, architecture experts and long-time clientele.

"The move from Paddington to Waterloo was a huge excercise," Principal of The Country Trader, Geoff Clark said. "We had more than 1000 pieces to transport. This new place in Waterloo has more space and it's closer to the design hubs around Alexandria and Surry Hills, which are central to the city's home improvement and creative design showrooms."

First launched in 1982 from a small shop in Surry Hills, The Country Trader has now grown into a comprehensive resource centre for interiors magazines and those with passion for home design.Browsers can lose themselves amongst 17th Century tables, elaborate lanterns and even old-fashioned driveway gates.

Leading the centre, Mr Clark spends a great slice of his year travelling around the world, sourcing out antiques and attending trade exhibitions. "I travel for four months of the year, to places like France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, South America and Asia," he said."I find the pieces abroad while Christopher Davies is the face of the centre here."We only take on exceptional pieces with strong design work. "I want each object to be able to stand alone and say something."Besides French anitques, The Country Trader also stocks Art Deco, oriental and contemporary pieces. Back