Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2025 - January 2026 i Belle

OUR COVER Photography Anson Smart EDITORIAL Editor-in-chief Tanya Buchanan Creative director Lauren Camilleri Art director Shayne Burton Deputy editor Hannah James Senior copy editor Deborah Grant Stylist, Homes Sophie Wilson Contributing editors Steve Cordony (Style director-at-large), Karen McCartney (Architecture), Kirstie Clements (Luxe Files), Judy Pascoe (Library), Carli Philips (Melbourne), Harry Roberts (Art), Jean Wright (Design) EDITORIAL OFFICE GPO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 1028 Tel (02) 9282 8000, email: belle@aremedia.com.au CONTRIBUTORS Mike Baker, Bea & Co, Sam Bisso, Stephen Crafti, Lucinda Davies, Claire Delmar, Greg Delves, Tom Ferguson, Josh Fisher, Felix Forest, Joseph Gardner, Alexandra Gordon, Stephanie Hope, Kerrie-Ann Jones, Timothy Kaye, Alana Landsberry, Ella McCabe Barton, Jack Milenkovic, Megan Morton, Eliza O’Hare, Lucasz Palka, Maria Papantoniou, Chris Pearson, Anson Smart, Fiona Susanto, Alicia Taylor, Lillie Thompson, Dave Wheeler, Nigel Young…

Artist Annabelle Gfeller lives in Sydney’s east with her partner David, daughter Gaia, son Raphael, dog Rocco and cat Cino. She works from her studio at the back of the property, where she can freely express her love of nature, travel, spirituality and jewel-like colours. WHAT APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT YOUR HOME WHEN YOU FIRST SAW IT? The house has an old-world charm reminiscent of an Italian villa, which I guess isn’t to everyone’s taste, but for me it was like I had manifested my dream home! The garden has been designed to wrap around it and this creates a multitude of intimate spaces. Rough rendered walls, limestone flooring and French-style casement windows give the place a real depth and warmth that is hard to explain until you live in…

IT WAS THE KIND OF INVITATION that makes you reorganise your calendar and start packing immediately – a design tour of Japan with Lexus and multi-award winner Brahman Perera. As well as being an ambassador for Lexus and the man behind the superb LANDMARK by Lexus pavilion for the Melbourne Cup Carnival, Brahman has won a number of Belle/Fanuli Interior Design Awards and is in demand for his original and bold work. Unbelievably, this was my first trip to Japan, and what an introduction! I arrived expecting elegance and precision – all grace and poise. What I didn’t expect was how wondrous and moving the experience would be. On tour in Japan with Lexus, Brahman and a group of like-minded design lovers, we were lucky to be totally immersed in,…

With its arched doorways, chevron timber floors, glass wall lights and carefully curated character, this Sydney apartment would feel right at home overlooking the tree-lined streets of Paris. Which is exactly what the owner, Shona McElroy, principal at Smac Studio, had in mind. “One of my early design inspirations was Parisian interior architect Joseph Dirand – namely his Avenue Montaigne project,” says Shona, who lives here with her partner, Hamish Cooke. “Each project we do at Smac is tailored to the client and the architectural style of the home we happen to be working with, so for this one, my inner client knew exactly what she wanted.” The home’s high ceilings and views across the rooftops of buildings in Sydney’s east certainly supported her Haussmannian vision, but there was a…

Measuring just 2.7 metres from wall to wall, Madeleine Wood’s Paddington terrace is as compact as they come, yet it feels anything but cramped. Clever furniture selections and the artful layering of old and new ensures the space feels light, homely and authentic. “Rather than working to a strict palette, it was an intuitive process of choosing pieces we loved and balancing colour, textures and form,” says the interior designer of her styling process. “Colour was key – the mixed warm tones add visual interest and create a sense of joy.” For the living zone, where she gathers with her husband and two young children, Madeleine selected a slimline ‘Zaza’ sofa from King Living in soft burgundy leather and an indoor/outdoor bouclé, its slender proportions ideal for the narrow area.…

“THINK ABOUT THE BEST DESIGNE RS in Australia – they’re our best customers,” says Peter Fitzgibbon, who’s the owner of Sydney-based The Textile Company. He’s talking about big names such as David Hicks, Greg Natale, Thomas Hamel, Alexandra Kidd, Kate Nixon, Adelaide Bragg and more, who visit his showroom to mine its depth of fabric and textiles. With walls occupied by an irresistibly tactile catalogue of printed fabrics, meticulously filed according to their colour base, and a library of delicate grasscloth, wall coverings and wall murals, it’s clear this studio was built with serious product expertise. Yet four decades ago, when Peter Fitzgibbon’s mum dropped the 19-year-old to his first job interview at an Auckland fabric warehouse, there was no inkling of his passion for textiles. He just needed a…

WALKING INTO ANY ONE of the five Living Edge showrooms is a sensory experience, their signature soaring ceilings, wide windows and calm, moody palettes all combining to create an abstract mid-century-modern sensibility. They’re ground zero for Australian interior style, divided into vignettes featuring well-known pieces from respected old friends like Eames and Herman Miller, new icons like BassamFellows and e15, and edgy, crazy cats like Gufram and BD Barcelona, who bring the fun. Each showroom’s floor edit adheres to the same kind of rules that apply to making a great party – curating an eclectic guest list that allows classic, pared-back mid-century design to get on the dance floor with pop pieces in punchy colours and textures. It’s a considered approach, a tight collection of really good stuff, and it…

Over the years, interior designer Jason Bonham has developed close relationships with a slew of international artists, makers and creators, prompting him to build a space just for them in Sydney’s Rushcutters Bay. “It’s a natural evolution from project-based work into something more meaningful and expansive,” he points out. “Bonham Gallery speaks to what we stand for as a studio.” WHAT WAS THE CONCEPT FOR THE SPACE? Despite the calibre of collectors, designers and architects here, there wasn’t a space truly dedicated to functional and collectible art on a curated, international scale. The gallery is a refined space where these objects can be experienced in person, understood in context, and appreciated for their craftsmanship and narrative. WHAT WERE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SPACE? It needed to be expansive enough to…

THE EXTRAORDINARY prescience of Mecca founder and co-CEO Jo Horgan regarding the potential of the beauty and wellness space has been cemented by the opening of a landmark store in Bourke Street, Melbourne – almost 60 times bigger than the first Toorak Road store, which opened in 1997, and a shining beacon of joy and discovery for beauty fanatics, that is, all of us. “The store is the most ambitious love letter we have ever written – to beauty, to design, to our customers and to Melbourne,” says Jo, who employed Studio McQualter for the project. Apart from retail, it houses a perfumeria, skin clinic, beauty atelier for hair, makeup, nails and piercings, and an apothecary, auditorium and cafe. “We’ve worked with Studio McQualter for 20 years. They understand Mecca,…

Every now and then, a dream job comes along. For designer Iain Halliday, this project was it. After nearly four decades at the helm of renowned architecture and interior design practice Burley Katon Halliday, he has worked on some spectacular homes, restaurants and hotels both locally and internationally. What set this one apart was just the right ingredients. “It was sort of charmed in a way,” says Iain of what has resulted from the five-year partnership between visionary clients, his studio and collaborators. The property itself had a lot going for it. Built in the 1850s, the historically significant Victorian Gothic house is set on an expansive north-facing site with city views and a 16-metre pool. Located in Sydney’s Darling Point, this sense of spaciousness close to the city was…

This Renaissance-Revival-style home in Melbourne was originally known as Carolina Terrace, after the first ‘owner’, Carolina Fonseca, who was responsible for building it and all five neighbouring terraces in the 1860s. “It was unheard of at that time that a woman would be both an investor and a builder,” says the latest owner, interior designer Kate Challis. “There must also have been whispers about her relationship [not married] with François-Louis Nompar de Caumont Laporte, Count of Castelnau, who was then the French Consul-General and lived nearby.” Designed by an Italian architect (shown as Alessandro Martelli on the titles), the property’s initial attraction for Kate, her partner Andrew and their 16-year-old son Jasper was its location in a heritage-lined street within walking distance of the city. However, the two-storey structure itself…

After an inspired makeover by commended architect and designer Ben Robertson of Tecture, this Victorian grande dame in Melbourne’s east presents a slimmed-down and infinitely more stylish version of her former self. Ben’s respectful remodelling has created a minimalist mansion that is wonderfully svelte and elegant with a pervading sense of calm. Buying the property in 2020 fulfilled a long-held dream for the couple who bought it. “It was a childhood aspiration of mine to own such a beautiful house,” she says. “Double-storey, double-fronted and Victorian, this was what I had imagined. I fell in love with the facade and high ceilings, arched hallways and beautiful cornices. I knew it would be a special home for our two girls [now 11 and nine] to grow up in.” As Ben crossed…

OCTOBE R 2025 encapsulated the span of Norman Foster’s creative reach. Architects for the Birds – his charity raising funds through a Christie’s auction for brain cancer care in support of the Tessa Jowell Foundation – was launched. Alongside his own design For the Birds (“an assembly of components that are sculptural but also functional”), he invited peers including Jacques Herzog, Renzo Piano and Grafton Architects to contribute designs. Eleven days later came the opening of JPMorgan Chase’s global HQ on New York’s Park Avenue – a 423-metre, 60-storey all-electric tower that boasts net-zero operating emissions and enhanced public space. For the USA’s largest bank, luxury and power are conveyed through deep setbacks tapering to a pinnacle, a muscular bronze facade, acres of book-matched travertine and two vast Gerhard Richter…

A MIXED-MEDIA REIMAGINING of a classic Dutch vanitas. An ancestral story retold across three bark panels. A black-and-white beach scene recalling the great modernist photographers who lensed Australia at leisure and defined the nation’s sunny self-image. There were echoes of the past at this year’s National Emerging Art Prize (NEAP), where three rising talents – Alexander Bebbington, Datjuluma Guyula and Penelope Green – were named recipients of the program’s major accolades. But each artist’s work presents its own boldly original vision, true to NEAP’s forward-looking ambition to spotlight and support the country’s next wave of creative talent while giving collectors entrée to an exciting new guard. NEAP’s fifth edition was celebrated in November with a buzzy prize-giving party at The Garden Gallery in Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden, where paintings and…

Locating her business inside her Sydney home was the natural choice for Nicola Lucas, founder of Atelier 024. After a lengthy renovation, she’s achieved a consistent aesthetic across both spaces: a serene but considered edit of beautifully crafted, timeless pieces. “It was a challenging journey, as all great renovations are, but absolutely worth it,” says Nicola. WHAT APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT YOUR HOUSE WHEN YOU BOUGHT IT? It was a sleeping beauty. We weren’t seriously looking at the time, but the moment we stepped through the entrance there was a sense of calm. The home’s simple lines evoked a quiet, almost European elegance, an invitation to slow down and reflect. We’ve always believed a home with strong architectural foundations profoundly shapes the way life unfolds within it. It wasn’t perfect,…

LAUNCHED IN SUITABLY ELEGANT style by Belle editor-in-chief Tanya Buchanan at a Sydney soirée, GlobeWest’s ground-breaking new Limited Edition Collection is making quite a splash. Comprising just 12 pieces, each crafted with meticulous skill from carefully selected materials, the collection is truly limited edition – once sold out, it won’t be restocked. The pieces were introduced in conjunction with a spectacular art exhibition at GlobeWest’s Sydney showroom, a fitting nod to the artistry involved in its creation. The ‘Ezra’ buffet, for example, made from solid oak, is fronted by doors that swirl with intricate, sculptural patterning inspired by timber’s natural graining. The ‘Legacy’ dining table and coffee table, crafted from smoked ash veneer, have curving parquet tops seamed with inlaid brass that sit on top of broad pedestals. It’s an…

“THE RE ARE TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE – those who bathe, and those who do not,” explains David Hicks on the eve of a trip to Dubai Design Week, where he is slated to be a key speaker alongside Tom Dixon and Lee Broom. “Those who do not can still appreciate the bathtub as an integral, sculptural element of the bathroom, signifying sanctuary and luxury.” It’s an exciting time for David; in Dubai, he’ll also launch his first bath and basin collection with Australian stone bathware brand Apaiser. For the past 25 years, David has been designing calm, elegant interiors for beautiful homes and even more beautiful hotels. In his role as maker of magnificent spaces for Aman Nai Lert Bangkok and One&Only Moonlight Basin in Montana, the bathroom was…

When the owners first entered this three-bedroom home in Sydney’s inner west in 2019, it was a revelatory and perhaps even spiritual moment. “A huge north-facing rear window in the upstairs open plan offered a church-like view of a jacaranda tree, which filled the living room with light and colour,” says the owner. “The house and tree had peacefully co-existed for more than a century, creating so much charm and character.” Yet the 1970s addition to the Victorian cottage, which produced the cathedral-like glazing that framed such a spectacle, was also its downfall. The kitchen was a ‘nook’ accommodating just one person and divorced from the open plan, and both were robbed of valuable space by a large balcony. Meanwhile, downstairs, a second living area and bedroom were dark and…

Small changes can have significant impact, as interior designer Thomas Hamel reveals in this harbourside hideaway. He originally designed the three-level penthouse with prime Sydney Harbour vistas 15 years ago, but in 2024 it needed a tweak and a twist to bring the smart interiors up to date; no structural alterations, just furnishings, finishes and fittings that needed a rethink. “The owners are passionate about design and like to keep updating,” says Thomas. “This is like fashion – you can add new garments and accessories to a wardrobe and create a fresh look.” For the owners, who have lived in and loved the interiors for more than a decade, any such sartorial changes might entail a leap of faith. “Having worked with Thomas for about 30 years, we had complete…

ELLISON STUDIOS is a contemporary furniture and accessories brand that tasked architect William McRoberts with transforming its new office. We asked CEO Leigh McKeown how he likes it. DESCRIBE THE NEW SPACE We wanted it to feel design-led but playful and inspirational. I hate using the word ‘effortless’ because in business, everything takes an enormous amount of effort, but we wanted a space that people could just hang out in. We worked within the material palette evidenced in our collections – lots of oak, glass, metal and gloss finishes. WHAT APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT THE LOCATION? The location, volume and light were what we loved about the place. It was a pretty nondescript industrial space in a great part of Sydney, so we knew we needed to add layers of…