Who is Coco Republic
Coco Republic is nothing less than an institution within Australia’s interior design industry. Few retailers these days can claim they’ve been in business for more than a few years but Coco Republic has been going strong for 40! With showrooms all over Australia, New Zealand and now Los Angeles, Coco Republic offers not only breathtaking furniture and homewares but also interior design, property styling and design courses.
Seductive Showrooms
If I had to describe Coco Republic’s showroom’s in one word it would be “seductive”. You instantly feel like you’ve parachuted into a luxurious hotel, not something you feel in a Nick Scali or King Living store. The staff are distant but polite, we even got offered our choice of free Vittoria coffee, sparkling water or champagne! Never once did we feel like we weren’t welcome.
5 star food & coffee
Not all showrooms house the F&B offering but you can find L’Americano’s at Coco Republic’s Alexandria (Sydney), Fortitude Valley (Brisbane) and Auckland, New Zealand locations with more to come.
L’Americano Espresso Bar transports you to the Italian Riviera, offering artisanal coffee by Vittoria Coffee and an inspired Italian menu. Drawing inspiration from the 1999 film The Talented Mr Ripley and the character of Dickie Greenleaf (one of my all time favourite films!)
Guests can enjoy an assortment of sweet bites for morning or afternoon tea or graze on charcuterie and cheese boards with an extensive beverage menu. Our favourite was the organic prosciutto, avocado and egg with toast, matched with an Aperol spritz, no less.
Furniture & homewares for everyone
Walking into this high-end retailer one might immediately feel like the beautiful interiors are out of their budget.
Sure, they have $25k chandeliers and antique propellor coffee tables worth $15k. But refreshingly, not everything was at crazy unattainable prices. We found sofa’s for $1,595 and dinning tables for under $2,000. Also, they have a clearance centre located at Auburn in Sydney and online, we found some amazing bargains there! Also, watch out for their famous warehouse sales which happen periodically throughout the year.
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Emery 2 Seater Sofa was $3995, now $1600Supreme comfort and striking aesthetics define this transitional style tailored sofa offered in various upholstery options. 1600x990x940
- Lexington Dining Table was $2495, now $2120
Striking hand-forged metal frame dining table with powder coated finish and crystal clear toughened glass top.
- Farren Coffee Table was $1895, now $570
Live-edge coffee table crafted from reclaimed French Oak and hammered iron. 1500x800x370
- Baldwin Table Lamp was $625, now $440
A petite scaled ceramic lamp, accented in gold leaf. 350x350x610
- Soho Outdoor Chair $1295
A contemporary outdoor chair designed with Scandinavian vintage chairs in mind. 760x925x1100
Surprise! What we weren’t aware of is that Coco Republic has an award winning interior design and decoration service for residential, commercial and hospitality projects that span across Australia and New Zealand.
With over 50 professional interior designers in-house, they have designed some of Australia’s most prestigious developments. They not only work with home owners but also Australasia’s biggest property developers and architectural firms (think Lend Lease, Metricon, Stockland, Mirvac). Just check out some of their amazing projects here;
Coco Republic also teach the art of interior design. Professional courses taught by industry professionals. The Design School has over 10 courses available with flexible options for the full time worker, busy stay at home mum and those with a little more time on their hands.
Have very little time on your hands? Then try a one day Saturday masterclass. Want to take a week off work or have free time? Enrol in their 5.5 day accelerators in Interior Decoration Essentials 101 and Styling Essentials 101. Can’t commit to day study? They have evening courses for both decoration and styling. Not in Sydney or Melbourne for on campus learning? Book in for their online courses with three options to choose from. Check out their courses below;
You don’t have to be a brain surgeon to know that when it comes to selling your home, making it look great inside really impacts the sale price. Feeding into their eco-system of their lifestyle brand, Coco Republic style homes using their amazing furniture and homewares for the campaign period of your property. The change out everything, right down to the soap in the bathroom and the cutlery in your kitchen.
Their Property Styling division maximises the appeal of a property to a potential purchaser, and at the same time drive up the sale price. And it works! The price depends on what how much you rent and for how long. Check out some of their amazing work here;
Ok, so I’m addicted to their instagram feed! I found loads of interior design ideas which, for better or worse, has resulted in redecorating my living room. Whoops. Check it out here, 298k followers agree with me!
Highly rated on review forums
A quick search on productreview.com.au and we found that most customers were happy. Some complained about waiting a long time for delivery but it appears this was for bespoke pieces that were made to order. Over 80% liked Coco’s range, showrooms and amazing customer service. See some for the comments below;
Kaitlyn was fantastic, she followed me up a few days after being in the shop
Matched the dining chairs with a table that was in my price range .... great job
Received my new outdoor sofa! Love it so much. Customer was friendly, efficient and assuring the whole way. My sofa was carefully handled and delivered without damaging any of my floors or walls. Thank you!
This is for those who eschew department stores, IKEA, high street retailers and other epitomes of the mundane. Edgy and beautifully made items await, especially those from Timothy Oulten . Service great.
Financials
In FY19 the company reported increased total sales from FY18 of 17%. In FY19 the company achieved sales of $96,572,629, up from $82,559,248 in FY18 and a 69% improvement in operating income.
Why we will be going back to Coco Republic very soon...
Coco Republic don’t just sell, style and teach interior design, they go beyond that. They introduce you to a seductive new lifestyle. And, we can’t think of a cooler design store in Australia/New Zealand.
Why I’ll be going back? Well, its the feeling I get there. You immediately feel at home unlike King Living or Space Furniture where I feel like i’m in a modern art gallery.
Coco’s showrooms ooze sophistication and style yet i’m able to find things I like within my budget. I, for one, will definitely be going back, and I’ll also be making L’Americano my morning coffee joint as well!
Fernando Camacho
He is a crazy shopper, loves drinking in pubs and clubs, shopping trendy outlets online, grocery shopping to his door and catching Uber. Also dabbles in setting up online stores through eBay, Amazon marketplaces and has a marketing and commerce background.