About Hawthornmarket

My wife Della and I moved to Orange in 2019 after fifteen years of living in different directions. She'd been running the interiors department at a fit-out firm in Canberra. I'd spent twelve years doing commercial carpet installations across regional NSW, mostly for the hospitality sector, mostly out of a ute. We bought a weatherboard place on Byng Street, started unpacking boxes, and realised we'd both spent careers making other people's spaces look good without ever properly thinking about our own. That felt like something worth fixing. Orange suited us. The town has a certain seriousness about it, good food, proper winters, people who actually stay.

Before Hawthornmarket, I was running CRESWELL CARPET LAYERS PTY LIMITED, which I'd registered back in 2011. It was steady work. I knew flooring suppliers from Dubbo to Wagga, I knew how to read a room, and I knew how long things took to actually arrive when you ordered them from somewhere two states away. Della's background was different. She had an eye for objects and an understanding of how rooms felt when they were finished. She'd sourced pieces from small makers in the Hunter Valley and the Southern Highlands for client projects. We had complementary skills and, for the first time, the same address. The obvious question was what to do with that.

— Made it work with two careers and one shed. — Francis, Francis Creswell

Our team

• Della Creswell — Buying and Product: Della spent twelve years in commercial interiors in Canberra before co-founding Hawthornmarket with Francis in 2022. She sources directly from makers across the Hunter Valley, Southern Highlands, and Central West, and makes two buying trips a year, one in March and one in September. Every product on the site has gone through her hands before it goes on the shelf.
• Reuben Alcantara — Dispatch and Warehouse: Reuben joined in mid-2023 after four years working in logistics for a Bathurst-based freight company. He runs the dispatch shed Tuesday through Friday, packs all outgoing orders, and manages the relationship with our Sendle account. He introduced a batch-packing system in October 2023 that cut our average dispatch time from two days to about fourteen hours.
• Tenzin Murdoch — Customer Service and Socials: Tenzin came to us through a friend in Mudgee in early 2024 and works remotely three days a week from her place in Lithgow. She handles all customer emails through help@hawthornmarket.com, manages returns, and posts to our Instagram. She has a background in small business administration and previously worked for a ceramics studio in the Blue Mountains for three years.

Frequently asked questions

How long will my order take to arrive?

Standard delivery takes 3–7 business days for most metro areas and up to 10 business days for regional and remote locations. Express orders placed before 2pm AEST Monday–Friday are dispatched the same day and typically arrive within 1–3 business days.

Do you offer free shipping?

Yes. Orders over $120 AUD qualify for free standard shipping Australia-wide. Orders under that threshold are charged a flat rate at checkout based on your location and chosen delivery speed.

Can I return something if I change my mind?

Yes, we accept change-of-mind returns within 30 days of delivery, provided the item is unused, in its original packaging, and in the same condition it arrived. Return shipping costs are the buyer's responsibility for change-of-mind returns.

How do I care for the Merino Wool Throw?

Hand wash in cold water with a gentle wool detergent, or use a wool cycle on your machine at 30°C or below. Lay flat to dry away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Do not tumble dry or wring.

What materials are used in the ceramic dinner sets?

The Suburban Kitchen Ceramic Dinner Sets are made from stoneware clay and finished with a food-safe glaze. They are dishwasher safe on the top rack and microwave safe, though we recommend hand washing to preserve the glaze finish over time.

Do you offer custom or personalised orders?

We don't currently offer personalisation on individual retail orders. If you're interested in a larger custom run for corporate gifting or events, reach out to us at hello@hawthornmarket.com and Francis can discuss what's possible.

Do you sell wholesale?

Yes, we work with select independent retailers across Australia. Send your business details and a brief note about your store to wholesale@hawthornmarket.com and we'll get back to you within 3 business days.

Can I add gift wrapping to my order?

Gift wrapping is available at checkout for $6.50 per item. We use recycled kraft paper and include a handwritten card with your message. Just add your note in the gift message field before placing the order.

Customer reviews

• 5/5 “Throw arrived in great condition” Ordered the Melburnian Merino Wool Throw in Oatmeal on a Tuesday and it was on my doorstep by Thursday, which I wasn't expecting. The weight is just right — not too heavy, not flimsy. It's been on the couch every night since and washes well too.
• 4/5 “Solid dinner set, minor packaging gripe” The Suburban Kitchen Ceramic Dinner Set arrived well packed overall, but one bowl had a small chip on the rim — not on the eating surface, but still noticeable. Hawthornmarket sent a replacement piece within a few days without any fuss, so fair play to them. The sage colour looks exactly like the photos.
• 5/5 “Desk organiser actually fits my stuff” I'd bought two other desk organisers before this one and both were too shallow for full-size pens. The Workspace Oak Desk Organiser fits everything I need including some chunkier markers. It sits flat on the desk without any wobble and the wood finish is consistent. Happy with this one.
• 4/5 “Good board, longer delivery to WA” The Parkside Acacia Charcuterie Board is a solid piece — good size, nice grain, and it's held up well after a few uses and wipes. Delivery to Perth took nine business days on standard, which is expected but worth knowing if you need it by a specific date. Would order from Hawthornmarket again.
• 5/5 “Candle throw is better than expected” Bought the Homestead Soy Candle in Lavender & Cedar as a gift but ended up keeping it for myself. It fills a medium-sized room without being overpowering, which is exactly what I wanted. Burn time has been consistent and it doesn't tunnel. The packaging was also simple and clean — easy to rewrap as a gift.
• 5/5 “Wool throw is a keeper” This is the third winter item I've ordered from Hawthornmarket and the Merino throw is the best yet. It arrived in five days to Hobart, which I thought was quick. Feels genuinely warm without being itchy and the oatmeal colour goes with everything in our living room.

From the journal

• Two careers, one shed, and a slow start — I spent fifteen years in logistics and Claire spent twelve in industrial design, and somehow we ended up selling wool throws from Orange.
• Where the oatmeal merino throw actually comes from — The Melburnian Merino Wool Throw took four months to source properly, and most of that time was spent on the phone to the Central Tablelands.
• How we actually use the sage dinner set at home — The Suburban Kitchen Ceramic Dinner Set has been on our table since October, and here is what daily use in a real household looks like.
• What packing orders looks like from a cold shed in July — July in Orange means minus two degrees by six in the morning, and we pack most orders before breakfast in a shed with one bar heater.
• What we've learned putting the acacia board to work — The Parkside Acacia Charcuterie Board is 58 centimetres long, which sounds specific until you try to fit a proper spread on anything smaller.
• One full year in, what we got wrong and right — We crossed twelve months of trading in August last year, and I've been meaning to write this post ever since without quite knowing where to start.