Innholdsfortegnelse for June - July 2020 i Belle

Landscape designer William Dangar of Dangar Barin Smith was a judge of this year’s Belle Coco Republic Interior Design Awards. “As always, the entries were really strong. Over the past 30 years, I have had the luxury of working with many established practices and it’s refreshing to see these continually raising the bar. There are also many lesser-known firms with innovative and fresh work.” Favourite career experiences? Gaining an understanding of how important work ethic is in the early days of my working life on several cattle stations in the NT. Your enduring influences? Luigi Rosselli and the late Roberto Burle Marx, a true genius who had incredible skill in mass planting to create spaces of beauty. Where is home for you? I have lived in Bondi for 30 years.…

COAST TO COAST Inspired by an imagined romance between 17th-century French courtier Madame de Blois and the Sultan of Morocco, ‘A voyage to Meknes’ is the first chapter in a series from new homewares brand Trame that will explore Mediterranean journeys via the work of the region’s finest artisans. Celebrating cross-cultural exchange, Trame’s debut collection coincided with Maison&Objet and comprises Moroccan ceramics, textiles and floor coverings such as the ‘Into Each Other’ rug (pictured) by Maddalena Casadei. See Design News, p36.…

IN THESE DAYS of sheltering-in-place, architect Adam Haddow has it pretty good. During our phone interview he is in the bath on his rooftop garden (it is a Saturday) in Sydney’s inner-city suburb of Redfern. His Cleveland Street rooftop apartment is something of a built manifesto, proving that an urban living space can be set in a lush garden and he is making the most of it. Growing up in rural Victoria, his plumber father built their family house. “I don’t think it is still quite finished,” says Adam, principal director of architects SJB. An early influence was atypical. The American architect responsible for the original master planning of Canberra, Walter Burley Griffin, also designed Newman College at the University of Melbourne where Adam studied architecture. “Jeffrey Turnbull, a world-renowned…

WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF YOUR ENDURING CREATIVE INFLUENCES? Stephen Jolson: I have always been inspired by the work of Italian architect Carlo Scarpa, with projects that celebrate form, materiality and texture, and that engage with context, landscape and a sense of place. DESCRIBE YOUR APPROACH TO ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN? SJ: Our projects are considered and strive to establish a sense of place that embodies our client’s brief. Sculptural and refined, our designs are enduring. Mat Wright: Our architecture and interiors are place markers and story tellers. Our interiors speak to our client’s history and forge new ambitions. We look to engage with nature’s elements, the landscape, views, light and air to create spaces that inspire users and enhance wellbeing. IS THERE A COMMON ELEMENT THAT RUNS THROUGH ALL…

HARE + KLEIN: INTERIOR The epitome of elegance and impeccable taste, whether in an industrial warehouse, a chic inner-city pied-à-terre or a sprawling harbourside home, is detailed in this book. The esteemed design studio’s second volume, due to be launched in August, argues the case for texture, scale, colour and placement to be the essential elements in creating a refined home. Each project is shown along with swatches and a mood board. Meryl Hare, Thames & Hudson, $65 BEAUTIFUL BEACH HOUSES The perfect antidote to midwinter blues, these stunning coastal abodes will inspire delightful daydreams. As the foreword states, “The positive impact of the ocean on the human psyche is profound” – no surprise then that a home on the coast is so keenly sought. Styles are diverse: the angled…

FLIPPING THE HOUSE on its head was this architect’s bright solution to achieve an uplifting, light-filled renovation of her own home. How did you become involved with this project and what was the brief? When we bought this old, dark bungalow it was virtually unliveable. For six years, we occupied the top floor that had at least some light. We wanted to create a place that embodied our values and the way we aspired to live as a family: a light-filled, uplifting, open and calm environment where nothing was superfluous, in which the various moments, moods and interplays that are ‘life’ were given space to thrive. What were the challenges and how did you resolve them? The site faces south and is buried in a hillside. Our work is driven…

A SUNKEN LOUNGE is one of the inspired features devised by architect Jeremy Bull for the redesign of his own home, which he shares with partner Tess Glasson, Alexander & Co marketing director, and their four sons aged five to 10. What motivated this project? We purchased it as a semi-original Victorian terrace, highly dilapidated and poorly planned, but its frontage promised an internal width that could belie its terrace architecture. A defining force of the design was maximising space and exploiting the site footprint. Also, a gentle site cross-fall offered a chance to experiment with internal level and volume changes. What were the challenges and how did you resolve them? The site is spatially constrained with a due-west orientation – particularly brutal in the southern hemisphere! Shaped by the…

A GRAND FEDERATION home was beautifully adapted by Tania Handelsmann (above left) and Gillian Khaw to embrace 21st-century family life. What was the brief? To create an open-plan space at the rear of our client’s grand Federation home, including a new kitchen with a social bistro feel for her family of five to congregate in. She also wanted to renovate the surrounding areas, including six bathrooms, in a casual yet elegant Mediterranean style that reflected their youthful energy. What were the challenges and how did you resolve them? The existing home had many rooms but they felt disjointed, dark and dated. A spacious new open-plan area was created with a bay window protruding into the garden, looking onto a ‘living’ sandstone wall covered in lush, cascading greenery. The client is…

Favourite hotel? Magical La Sultana in Marrakech. It has the luxury of a five-star hotel within a historic building and the best service. You could spend days wandering around the property. Favourite design piece collected abroad? Vintage bellows from my first trip to Morocco 10 years ago. Most memorable trip? My first visit at seven to my parents’ birthplace in Macedonia. I fell in love with the large, loud family gatherings, abundance of food, music and dancing, and the connection to the land. That trip set my wanderlust and my annual trips to Macedonia. Favourite destination? Puglia has held onto its purity in a country that’s been welcoming travellers forever. The food, wine, beaches, olive groves, whitewashed masserias, and the burrata! What do you take on every trip? Too many…

Most memorable food experience? The simplest things can resonate the most such as an adventurous family holiday where we ate with our hands on a traditional dhow off Madagascar. We hand-grated coconut and cooked it with locally grown rice and fish we’d caught off the boat. Fondest culinary memory? My mother’s Slovenian cooking, especially her pastries; sublime fresh cherry and ricotta cheese strudel; delicate noodles in chicken broth; traditional walnut potica rolls; and shortbread crescent moons. Favourite restaurant? The Test Kitchen in Cape Town for its innovative and inspirational food and original use of local seasonal produce. It reflects the creative downtown hub with great design and handcrafted interiors. It was food for thought for my Melbourne venue, Juliet. Favourite dish to cook at home? Nothing is more relaxing and…

[Totally tubular] PICK UP STICKS Illuminating the Brokis stand, the hand-blown glass tubes of Lucie Koldova’s ‘Puro’ pendant light (right) can be arranged into interconnecting compositions. spenceandlyda.com.au [Soft touch] CLOUDBUSTING For their ‘Odyssey’ wall lights (above) Rudi Nijssen and Dominique Sente considered interior spaces as sensory ecosystems, melding the warmth of solid brass with the diffuse glow made possible by clouded glass. schwunghome.com [Get into shapes] GLOWED UP Clad in milky glass, the ‘Imperial’ table lamp (above left) updates a classic silhouette to allow its muted glow to radiate from the base up. It was joined by the equally striking ‘Tinto’ pendant light (above right) at CTO Lighting. spenceandlyda.com.au…

AS THE DAYS stretch on at home, it’s time to think about creating a warm and cosy sanctuary. Our interiors impact on our mental health in ways we don’t fully understand so the right mix of candles, mirrors, blankets and books can feel downright blissful. Let’s explore the elements of finding comfort in design. TAKE ON TEXTURE Mixing materials, weaves, softness and adding something such as leather can make a space interesting but not visually overwhelming. Do you dread getting out of bed in the morning? Stepping onto a luxuriously soft wool or silk rug might be the answer. PRIORITISE COMFORT Different people prefer varying levels of sofa cushioning. For instance, I like to have cushions that are soft rather than ones that bounce back. However, some folks may desire…

» In partnership with COCO REPUBLIC, Australia’s leading furniture and design brand, Belle is thrilled to announce the 10 finalists in the Best Residential Interior category of the 2020 INTERIOR DESIGN AWARDS, supported by Sub-Zero & Wolf, and launch the Readers’ Choice competition, supported by Liebherr. Congratulations to all the designers, and join us next issue for the reveal of all finalists in this prestigious awards program. THE 2020 JUDGES…

FROM PLAYFUL STRIPES in the living room to moody saturated colour in the wine room, David Flack’s deft handling adds up to striking interiors with a lightness of being in this polished Sydney residence. How did you become involved with this project and what was the brief? A close friend of ours recommended us to the owners who took a punt on a Melbourne design firm to take on this Sydney project. All our projects are by referral; with this comes the knowledge and trust to overcome the big undertaking of a project. We were thrilled to tackle our first residential project in Sydney. What were the challenges and how did you resolve them? Distance would be the only challenge. However, having an amazing builder and trades who worked on…

THIS IMPOSING HERITAGE home was lavished with all the warmth and functionality desired for the owners’ growing family along with a liberal serving of contemporary sophistication. What was the brief? Project architect Russell Casper introduced us to the owners, who desired to establish a contemporary interior narrative sympathetic to the historic original rooms of the house. What were the challenges and how did you resolve them? The main challenge was the grand scale of the rooms, in particular the formal sitting room that once functioned as a ballroom. Part of our brief was to create dual, or possibly triple, function rooms so designing multiple seating zones to serve the family for cocktail parties, lunch parties, games nights and quiet moments together was essential. Another challenge was to create a large,…

AUSTRALIAN ART, heritage details and a family’s relaxed lifestyle informed the design of this coastal home by Alexandra Donohoe Church of Decus Interiors. What was the brief? We were introduced to the clients, a family with five children, by the architect Tim Wright. Our brief was to deliver an atypical beachside home in which they could live comfortably and entertain. The clients were incredibly trusting and gave us something close to carte blanche! What were the challenges and how did you resolve them? The heritage part of the house required a traditional approach while the new extension necessitated a contemporary feel. Another challenge was that the location was a considerable distance from Sydney. Travelling with presentation materials combined with importing and installing furniture from across the world were challenges we…

One designer is based on the east coast, in New York City, while the other two designers are on the west coast, in Los Angeles. All three are at the top of their field, and tastemakers with A-list clientele. Their names: Kelly Wearstler, Jonathan Adler and Martyn Lawrence Bullard. Known for her talent for combining opposites, such as contemporary and classic, masculine and feminine, or raw and refined, Kelly Wearstler knows how to give life to dream interiors that tell unexpected visual stories as exemplified by the Austin Proper Hotel. At the helm of his eponymous brand, Jonathan Adler has followed a philosophy of “luxe and liveable interiors that are seriously designed, but don’t take themselves too seriously” at the Parker Palm Springs. Constantly combing the world to discover new…

1 SHOWING FACE Designed by Dainellistudio, Faces is a collection of decorative sculptures tailor-made for Artemest, an Italian design site offering handcrafted luxury. artemest.com 2 ART ARCHIVE Brett Whiteley: Catalogue Raisonné: 1955–1992, compiled by Kathie Sutherland, traverses the artist’s lifetime of work in exhaustive detail over seven clothbound volumes. schwartzcitybooks.com 3 BAY WATCH The new Ocean Grove SLSC by Wood Marsh takes inspiration from the corrosive nature of Victoria’s sandstone coastline to guide its form and materiality. woodmarsh.com.au 4 FINE STEMS Crafted from luxurious crystal, the ‘Riesling’ glasses from Riedel offer a choice of red, black, gold or clear stems that are destined to elevate at-home dining. riedel.com 5 HELLO HONEY Dutch design brand Revised has arrived with its debut collection, designed by Sjoerd Vroonland, which includes the ‘Ovington’ pendant…

WHAT INITIALLY APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT THE SPACE? I am a big Harry Seidler fan and I have admired the Horizon building since I was an architecture student in the early 90s while it was being built. This is my second apartment in this building – not too long ago my partner and I moved into this one. It has the north-west aspect, which is what we were looking for. WHAT WAS THE STARTING POINT FOR THE ALTERATIONS? We were travelling abroad and while at Hôtel Costes in Paris we fell in love with this maroon colour. Ever since I was a teen I have been infatuated by the maroon YSL ‘Opium’ bottle. In perfecting the wall finish I collaborated with the amazing John Volante of Volantes Decorating Service who…

IS THERE AN ARTIST WHO HAS BEEN AN ENDURING INFLUENCE? Henri Matisse [1], Pablo Picasso, Alberto Giacometti. CONTEMPORARY ART THAT YOU MOST ADMIRE? Kate Tucker sculptures [3]; paintings by James Drinkwater [17] and Clara Adolphs. DO YOU COLLECT ANYTHING? Fabric offcuts, material samples, and colour swatches for client mood boards and inspiration for my collections. Stacks of design books for reference and for styling spaces. WHAT ARE YOUR FASHION MUST-HAVES? A classic white shirt, high-waisted denim jeans, Chanel slingbacks [15] and a tailored blazer. I would love to invest in a suit from Patrick Johnson Femme [10]. FAVOURITE WATCH? Cartier tank [13]. FRAGRANCE OF CHOICE? Editions de Parfums by Frédéric Malle ‘Portrait of a Lady’ [11]. BOOKS – WHAT ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW? Inside Tangier [8], Pierre Yovanovitch Interior…

GIVEN AN ULTRA-TIGHT deadline, Dylan Farrell Design pulled off a stunning interior renovation and decoration of a four-bedroom Sydney home. What was the brief? To create a modern home for a young family – before the owners’ wedding day in three months! All the interior surfaces were to be reinvented, including gutting and renovating the kitchen, wardrobe, study, and the master and two guest ensuites. We decided that the decor would be bold yet overall possess minimalist hallmarks, most notably embodied in the subdued palette of finishes that are accentuated with a special stone or surprise applied texture. What were the challenges and how did you resolve them? The existing architecture had clean surfaces, reasonable proportions and a generous floor plan. But the finishes, fit-out and interior structure were degrading…

A REQUEST FOR contemporary art throughout led the way for the creation of a gallery-like interior for this theatrical family home, says designer Claire Driscoll Delmar (above). What was the brief? We had styled the owners’ holiday home on Sydney’s Palm Beach. They came to us wanting their city home to be an extension of the holiday house; somewhat of a big sister. Capturing the features of the heritage architecture while merging these details with the clients’ personality, contemporary art collection and love of fashion made up part of the brief. What were the challenges and how did you resolve them? Architecturally, the building is masculine in structure and detail. We wanted to layer femininity and playfulness shown through bold and pastel tones, soft curves and geometric shapes, and contemporary…

ARTISANS AND SPECIALIST trades were called on by the design team to realise an ambitious vision for a magnificent residence. What was the brief? To create a contemporary interpretation of a grand mansion with a classically ordered facade and reverential interiors, celebrating the luxury of living. What were the challenges and how did you resolve them? With an affinity for the romance of the past, the clients desired a stately, neoclassical home to support their provenance, personalities and lifestyle. Their eye for quality and detail called for luxury finishes, furniture, lighting and decor. What were some of the influences that shaped your design concept? The design team developed a narrative around the rituals of living, seizing each interior touchpoint and spatial volume as a moment to heighten experience and pursue…

PURSUING A MINIMALIST aesthetic, Studiofour created a sense of “simplicity, openness and honesty” in this home with quality materials all selected to age beautifully. What was the brief? Sarah Henry (right): When it came time to build a house for my family, as a director of Studiofour it was an opportunity to realise many of the concepts, materials and details Annabelle (co-director) and I have been developing as a design studio. We were able to use a raw and honest palette, and test different materials such as the tadelakt to the wet areas. Essentially, we wanted to create a little bit of something precious rather than a lot of something mediocre. What were the challenges and how did you resolve them? Annabelle Berryman: On this relatively small site, our challenge…

AJACCIO SANDY HEWN CORSICAN ARCHITECT AMELIA TAVELLA HAS DESIGNED A DREAMY OCEAN VILLA (LEFT) FOR RENT IN AJACCIO. IT’S MEDITERRANEAN IN SPIRIT AND STYLE WITH WICKER, TERRACOTTA AND ROPE. CASASANTATERESA.FR FRANKFURT NORTHERN COMFORT Morgen Interiors has paired exposed walls with lavish furniture at Gekko House in Frankfurt’s emerging Gallus neighbourhood. Guests wanting to unwind and let loose will love it. gekko-house.com PARIS THE PERFECT PLACE Stylish hoteliers J.K. Place have opened their latest property at the former European Consulate in Paris. Michele Bonan has spearheaded the opulent design, mixing bespoke furniture, objets d’art and flea market antiques. jkplaces.com PRETTY FACE Rado’s new timepiece sports rose-gold indexes and a bold lacquered dial. rado.com MEXICO OFF THE CHARTS Unspoiled nature meets Mexican heritage at One&Only Mandarina where secluded clifftop villas and chic treehouses…

TELL US ABOUT THIS SPACE? Our studio sits on a historic bluestone cobbled laneway at 7 Glasshouse Road in Collingwood. It’s an old factory-turned-design studio and is bathed in beautiful soft light from its old sawtooth roof. The studio’s north-facing facade has steel windows that flood our client meeting spaces and our Work Shop gallery next door. Work Shop was originally a storeroom before we made it an evolving space where we could test ideas and create exhibitions. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR OFFICE? People say it feels very calm. A large olive tree welcomes you into the studio and the palette is all soft whites and greens punctuated with collected objects, artworks, furniture, lighting, too many material palettes and a library of inspiring books. DID IT REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT ALTERATIONS?…