My Account
Anita Haultain
A decade of importing French antiques, linen and collectables hasn’t dampened Anita Haultain’s love for all things French.
In fact, it has almost had the opposite effect.
Anita opened The French Cupboard in Riverside Arcade, Warkworth, this month. It is her third shop specialising in European, mainly French, furniture and homeware.
“My hubby Ian and I owned Coeur de la France in Browns Bay for 10 years,” she says. “That has now closed, but more recently, we opened a shop in Silverdale. A lot of our clients were from the north so when the opportunity came up to expand, we thought Warkworth was the perfect location.”
Ian and Anita have a house in the Limousin region, in south-central France, which they visit once a year.
“On each trip we probably drive around 6000kms to personally select stock for our shops. It doesn’t feel like work at all – it’s an opportunity to indulge in the culture, the food, the wine and the people. We just love France.”
The shop is packed with an eclectic range of homeware and giftware. Some of the furniture pieces – such as the French Comtoise clock – are more than 150 years old.
“In the Warkworth shop, I’ve expanded our range a little wider. There’s Danish clothing, and giftware from Denmark, Mexico and NZ. We’re also the exclusive outlet for the Annie Sloan range of chalk paints, which come from England.”
Anita says her knowledge of the French language has improved over time, but weekly French lessons with a tutor on the North Shore keep her on track.
She says there is no shortage of beautiful items that reflect the popular French country style – from oak, cherry and chestnut wood tables, chairs and cabinets to kitchenware, candlesticks, a wide range of giftware and colourful Provencal fabric which can be made up into tablecloths or cushions.
