Innholdsfortegnelse for December / January 2016 i Belle

ELLA McDOUGALL Ella coordinated the Gift Guide, p97, and Woman, p112, and wrote Bazaar, p88. Who/what have been some enduring creative influences? Experimental filmmaker Stan Brakhage is a huge creative influence. His silent films are so captivatingly beautiful. Also Japanese architect Tadao Ando for his use of light and the natural landscape to create structures that build up from the earth rather than sit on it. Where do you call home, and what do you love about it? I was born in a house built by my father and grandfather on the Central Coast – it is drenched in memories. What are some favourite local haunts? Bitter Phew is a favourite: a small bar in Darlinghurst specialising in unique beers. Your ultimate travel escape in 2017? I would love to…

ARCHITECTS DURBACH BLOCK JAGGERS have a section on their website called ‘lately’, which could also, less poetically, be titled ‘work in progress’. The line-up of projects underway, not to mention those recently completed, is remarkable in terms of the expressive opportunities they afford and speak clearly of the practice’s soaring creative confidence. One such commission is Phoenix, a performance space in Chippendale, which forms part of philanthropist and White Rabbit Gallery founder Judith Neilson’s growing presence in the inner-city suburb. “It is a tremendous project made even more so by the fact that the client is incredibly enlightened and incredibly trusting. The project is testament to transformative thinking,” says Camilla Block. Furniture designer Khai Liew has acted in a curatorial role bringing John Wardle Architects to design a gallery space,…

WASTE NOT Representing Australia in the inaugural London Design Biennale, Brodie Neill’s work, ‘Gyro’, addresses the issue of plastic pollution in the oceans. Working with scientists, he has developed a terrazzo-like surface with which to create a beautiful object from plastic detritus. plasticeffects.com; brodieneill.com TONAL TREATMENT Designed by Begüm Cana Özgür, for her brand Kirkit Istanbul, these ‘Shade’ rugs are the result of experimental weaving techniques that are then executed by traditional craftswomen in Anatolian villages. Soon to be distributed by Nanimarquina. kirkitistanbul.com MARK OF THE HAND There was a clear increase in showing of craft pieces where they intersect with art and design. The Cold Press is a small Norfolk gallery pioneering the advancement of select makers globally. Shown here are a number of ‘Spoons’ by Swedish craftswoman Marie…

PATTERN MAKER Inspired by the architectural forms on the Nizwa Fort, Bethan Gray’s ‘Shamsian Nizwa’ cabinet is intricately crafted in brass and maple veneer, which has been ‘stain shaded’ for an ombré effect. bethangray.com VISUAL PLAY Designer Mathieu Lehanneur’s ‘Liquid Marble’ material sits as a polished minimalist statement in the ornate surrounds of the Norfolk House Music Room in the V&A. “The reflection of light makes it feel like a sea surface,” says Lehanneur. mathieulehanneur.com CRYSTAL ART Designers Fredrikson Stallard, who have worked with Swarovski for more than 10 years, showcased a stunning chandelier alongside their Glaciarium Collection, which navigates the line between made and found. atelierswarovskihome.com; fredriksonstallard.com BELOW STAIRS Opened for the first time in 179 years, the kitchen of the Sir John Soane’s Museum hosted the ‘Below Stairs’…

SEOUL-BASED ARTIST OSANG GWON is a classical sculptor for the digital age, re-imagining the medium of still photography as raw material for his beguiling three-dimensional works. Capturing his subjects on camera from every angle before piecing their fragmented likeness onto a sculpted Styrofoam core, Gwon fashions pixelated worlds that speak to our image-saturated times while drawing motifs from art history. This unique creative practice evolved largely out of pragmatism, with the artist’s affinity for classical sculpture tempered by the difficulty of working with traditional materials. “My major at university was sculpture and in Korea they still teach you how to cut wood or marble,” says Gwon, who counts Rodin among his early influences. “I was thinking of a way to use a material that was easy and light, and I…

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THIS BUILDING. It was an army drill hall for the Richmond Mounted Regiment. The tiger on my wall upstairs was their mascot. A friend divided the hall into five spaces and I’ve been here since 1999. I kept it as open and raw as possible to maximise the utilitarian nature of the structure. IS YOUR HOME YOUR SANCTUARY OR DOES IT DOUBLE AS A WORKSPACE? Upstairs is my sanctuary and downstairs is my office and Nice Home showroom. It’s a bonus that I can be among the beautiful lighting and objects I import from Italy and France but they don’t strictly belong to me. It’s also nice that the stock constantly changes so I never get tired of it. WHAT HAS INFORMED AND INSPIRED YOUR…

GRAPHIC PRINTS AND SEARING SHADES SIZZLE IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS.…

When empty nesters move, renovate or build, it is often to downsize. Not so for this couple in their sixties, who engaged Tobias Partners to design their new home after 25 years of living in an old, rambling Neo-Georgian house in Sydney’s Bellevue Hill. The new home was on the perfect site (waterside), and in the perfect location (Bondi), but was not the downsize they were originally looking for. “It presented an opportunity for a bigger building,” says Nick Tobias. “On the basis that their life includes three children, a number of grandchildren, and frequent interstate and international guests, we decided to build a house that is expandable and contractable.” Spatially, this works in a number of ways. The house, called Deepwater, is arranged over five levels. A small floorplate…

It kind of goes back to that old craft of what an architect used to be – they designed everything,” says David Hicks of the first full-scale property he has built and decorated from the ground up. “We were detailing gutters and external gates but also selecting wallpaper. This is not the kind of place you move into and put all your old furniture in. It’s something you do as a whole package. It’s a complete product.” The interior designer is referring to a commission that began as four residences: one on the ground floor, two on the first floor and a penthouse with an infinity pool. All were bought off the plan with one client purchasing the entire first floor and converting it into one. David worked closely with…

My favourite ocean views are always framed by a Sydney red gum (Angophora costata),” says landscape designer Matt Cantwell of Secret Gardens. This garden in Mosman, Sydney, has been blessed with four of the iconic trees, grounding the large contemporary home, providing a sculptural base for a simple and elegant garden, and framing easterly views towards Chinamans Beach. Matt and the Secret Gardens team designed and built the garden around two years ago. A large part of the client’s brief was about creating a sense of privacy from the street. The house is on a corner block and sits quite high in the landscape – the design had to create a series of spaces addressing both the amenity of the street while providing lush green enclosed spaces for the clients.…

The wisdom tucked inside my golf-ball-sized fortune cookie is insightful: “Your ability to find the silly in the serious will take you far.” It’s a telling aphorism and one that has been a recipe for its maker’s success. Chinese restaurant Ricky & Pinky is the latest culinary venture from Melbourne chef Andrew McConnell, who contrasts the refined food offering with a lighthearted atmosphere. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously,” says Andrew who has named the eatery after the legendary tattoo parlour in his old stomping ground of Hong Kong where he first got inked. Ricky & Pinky takes the place of Moon Under Water, Andrew’s fine dining establishment at the rear of the heritage Builders Arms Hotel. “I considered new premises entirely, but I like the contrast of a Chinese…

Fabled for her faraway eye for the eclectic, globetrotting stylist SIBELLA COURT packs her suitcase and jets off to the Art Miami fair to explore the best of where to stay, what to see and places to eat in the Art Deco hot spot. Explore NADA ART FAIR A non-profit arts organisation aimed at accessible contemporary art, New Art Dealers Alliance is a must during the Art Miami fair. A more affordable entrance to the art market with an easy vibe, you can stroll around the exhibition viewing works and stopping to chat to the enthusiastic gallery owners and sometimes even the artists themselves. I souvenired a piece by Tabboo! (aka Stephen Tashjian) from my visit to NADA. newartdealers.org WYNWOOD WALLS Park and walk. Previously a warehouse wasteland but redeveloped…

SPACE FURNITURE CELEBRATED B&B ITALIA’ S 50th anniversary with an exclusive screening of B&B Italia: Poetry in the shape – when design meets industry. Creative duo Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy launched their vibrant and autobiographical tome, The Art of Dinosaur Designs. Fiat Australia hosted a drive day in Canberra with a distinctly Italian flavour taking in the Lavazza Italian Film Festival and visiting the fabulous Hotel Hotel. The 2016 Vin de Champagne Awards at Sydney’s Four Seasons Hotel was a suitably sparkling affair with sommelier Cameron O’Keefe taking out the coveted Professional gong and florist Nicky Goodyer winning the Amateur category. They will travel to France’s Champagne region for what is sure to be a wonderful two-week immersion in everything bubbly. Brisbane interior designer and expert colourist Anna Spiro…

WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME ENDURING CREATIVE INFLUENCES? My mother has a wild and free approach to gardening which inspires me. Nothing matches – a mix of brights and pastels in the same flower bed. Her philosophy has shaped the way I design. One of my favourite florists, Odorantes in Paris left a big impression on me. It has dark, moody walls with black urns spilling with bold coloured roses or muted lilac hydrangeas with brightly coloured taxidermy birds. Fashion magazines are also a great source of inspiration, the way the colours define the season’s trends. The hedonistic rich tones of Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci really speak to me. DESCRIBE YOUR STUDIO? An ‘urban hole in the wall’. It’s a big cement box with candystriped walls. WHAT INITIALLY APPEALED TO…

TIMELY TANGENT The Victoria & Albert Museum showcased The Green Room, a site-specific kinetic installation that drops a monumental six storeys through the building. It was designed by London studio Glithero in partnership with luxury watchmaker Panerai. glithero.com; panerai.com…

PLANT Subtitled Exploring the Botanical World, this volume’s glossy pages include more than 300 flower illustrations by artists, herbalists and botanists plucked from across the centuries by the Phaidon editors. The earliest work is taken from a medieval manuscript dated 512AD and one of the most recent shows the psychedelic look of a cannabis bract close-up. Notes on the illustrator appear under each image. Phaidon editors, Phaidon, $79.95 LIFE OF A PATTERN Internationally renowned textile designer Neisha Crosland lives pattern. She finds inspiration everywhere – in nature, art, architecture, and travel, concocting wonderfully graphic rug, tile, fabric, wallpaper and china designs in unexpected colour combinations. Her first book, this is stunningly shot in an amazingly surreal way, illustrating her extensive portfolio of work for restaurants, homes and hotels around the…

NEW YORK EYE IN THE SKY UK lighting and furniture designer Lee Broom has opened his first store outside of London. Floor-toceiling draped textiles accentuate his brass and crystal pendants, including the ‘Mini Crescent Chandelier’ (right). leebroom.com BRISBANE SHINING EXAMPLE Space enlisted award-winning interiors team DesignOffice to create its Fortitude Valley showroom (below), which plays off the building’s texture and light to illuminate its stylish pieces. spacefurniture.com.au MILAN OTHERWORLDLY Spanning three levels, Fornasetti’s new store (right) opens into colourful, intricate worlds full of its signature graphic designs. fornasetti.com PERTH LUXURY PRESENCE Updated with luxurious surfaces and vibrant greenery, the Artedomus showroom in Perth exhibits the latest in bathroom glamour, including Agape’s ‘Cuna’ bath (above). artedomus.com SYDNEY SOFTLY SPOKEN A landmark cast-iron building sheeted in glass is the new home for…

This family of five had lived on a generous block on a gently sloping site in Sydney’s eastern suburbs for some years before deciding to transform it. Originally engaging architect Bernard Teh Howell to design the home, a DA was secured before Bernard suddenly and sadly passed away. Having a fair idea of what they desired, the clients were introduced to designer Greg Natale through the builder, and invited him on board. With a teenage son and two younger daughters, the family was looking for a home that catered for the needs of children developing their own social lives, as well as the collective propensity to entertain with extended family and friends. “They were after something classic, with proportions and spaces that gave them room to grow as a family,”…

Predominantly empty was how Juliette Arent and Sarah-Jane Pyke along with senior designer Shannon Dogon of Arent & Pyke initially found this home. The interior design studio, established in 2007, has crafted a formidable residential resume over the past decade. And so when they received the call “to help select ‘a few’ furniture items”, they were not daunted, but excited at the prospect of filling the home with furniture that was to reflect the personality of the residents. The family of five, including parents, three teenage boys, plus Tilly, “the friendliest little schnauzer”, live on a fairly busy eastern suburbs street in Sydney, lined with leafy oak trees. “Standing at the front gate, there is no sense of what lies beyond,” says Juliette. “You assume there might be a little…

MELBOURNE ROYAL DINER WHILE A CAFE INSPIRED BY THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE MIGHT NOT BE TOP OF YOUR BUCKET LIST, MIDDLETOWN IS AN ELEGANT, REGAL BLUE AFFAIR WITH A BRUNCH OFFERING YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS. MIDDLETOWN.COM.AU TALKING POINTS DAILY GRIND Brew on the go with the Kalita ‘Wave’ pour-over set. coffeeparts.com.au AMUSE-BOUCHE Delicious and sustainable produce on Bridge St, Sydney. boucheonbridge.com FINISHING TOUCH The Balenciaga ‘Bow’ bracelet will tie any look together. parlourx.com THESSA LONIKI HELLENIC PROFUSION Waterside bistro Otto e Mezzo (left) is a clever mix of all things good in the port of Thessaloniki with bay views, flavourful menu and an industrial yet habitually Greek interior by Ark4LOA. facebook.com/Ark4labOfArchitecture SYDNEY PLAY DATE Perfectly timed for the beginning of longer days and warmer months, The Port (left) boasts…

MELBOURNE HOMECOMING SCENE New Zealand-born, Melbourne-based painter Travis MacDonald (right) is drawn to the objects and events with which we memorialise our histories – both private and universal – deriving his subjects from found photographs and incorporating allusions to conspiracy theories, music, folk law and trophy motifs in his work. Tinged with a delicate pastel haze, the artist’s highly nuanced and observational paintings (above) have a fragmented, dream-like quality, suggesting a space between reality and recollection. Following his recent outing at the ACCA group show, ‘Painting, more Painting’, the artist’s first solo exhibition at Niagara Galleries takes its title from the legend of the Gippsland pumas – wild cats apparently brought to the region in south-east Victoria as army mascots by American troops during WWII before being released into the…

DOSHI LEVIEN DESIGN STUDIO DOSHI LEVIEN is selective about collaborations and the line-up of works for Moroso, B&B Italia and Kvadrat shows the creative company they keep. “We have been working with Kvadrat fabric for years. For the ‘My Beautiful Backside’ sofa for Moroso, we printed on the fabric and hot-fixed crystals to it,” says co-founder Jonathan Levien. Two current collections, called Lake and Utopia, are developed from architectural materials alongside deep research into the paintings and tapestries of Le Corbusier. Co-founder Nipa Doshi is skilled at bringing colour combinations together, and aware of the need to love the final result, which is less about traditional curtains and more about a significant material surface within an architectural space. doshilevien.com; kvadratmaharam.com MARTYN THOMPSON STUDIO One of the calmest, and most beautiful…

BRILLIANT FUTURE By suspending 300 free-poured aluminium forms on a complex matrix of fine wires and adding lighting, Omer Arbel has designed ‘44’ for Bocci, the second site-specific installation for the lightwell in the foyer of the multi-arts venue, the Barbican centre. bocci.ca HANDMADE HOUSE ‘Bathing’ is one of four installations commissioned by The New Craftsmen at Decorex, which were among the best exhibits at the show. For this quiet, sculptural space, Jochen Holz and Malgorzata Bany worked in glass and Jesmonite. thenewcraftsmen.com MESMERIC MOMENT Layer Design’s Foil installation in the V&A Tapestry Gallery comprises 20 metres of undulating ribbon creating an immersive play of dappled light. layerdesign.com…

GUEST DESIGN EXPERT Scott Weston (pictured with Belle interior design editor Lucy McCabe) believes “a great bar stool invites people to come into the kitchen and be part of the heart of the home rather than isolating the cook in another room. The stool should be an extension of the kitchen and comfortably straddle the open-plan spaces. I encourage my clients to visit all the showrooms and road test every stool as they have to be ergonomic and everyone has a different body shape. After practicality I tend to look at the silhouette, proportions and whether they will effortlessly complement the space,” he says. m.a.d’s ‘Lolli’ upholstered sled stools, from $341, are sleek in design while maintaining comfort and functionality. obodo.com.au…

THE ARTIST WHO HAS BEEN AN ENDURING INFLUENCE? Oh, so many and in so many different ways. Growing up in South Africa I was so enthralled by Walter Battiss [6]. His work was just so unusual and exciting. On the classics front I really like Gustav Klimt [9]. I love the intricacy of the patterns, the colours, the romantic and the passionate all in one painting. CONTEMPORARY ART THAT YOU MOST ADMIRE? Cosmo Sarson is a street artist I think is amazingly talented. DO YOU COLLECT ANYTHING? Wine glasses, any type, really just depends on the shape. I buy in pairs and mix them all together at a dinner party. I try to match the glass to the person. I don’t really like things … but when I go out…

A CURVACEOUS CHAIR, A SLEEK TABLE, AN ENVELOPING LOUNGER-THE BEST INGREDIENTS FOR LONG HOT SUMMER DAYS. COASTING ALONG WITH OUTDOOR PIECES IN NATURAL MATERIALS AND SLIM LINES THAT INVITE RELAXATION.…

The first time interior designer Maria Villa-Muñiz and her husband, architect Eduardo Villa, turned into Woolwich Road they fell in love, again. The wide, tree-lined street – which draws a line along the middle of the narrow Hunters Hill-Woolwich peninsula in Sydney – reminded them of a Parisian boulevard, and the sandstone houses fronting it, with their slate roofs and stone front fences, transported them to the villages of France. They read up on the area’s history, which was settled by a group of Frenchmen in the mid 1800s, and made a vow that one day they would live there. So when they sold their beloved first house, they set their sights on finding something in Woolwich. And while the process took a little longer than expected, they eventually found…

Sovereign Islands is an affluent, gated community on Queensland’s Gold Coast with a population of around 20,000 and a young history. With no real architectural vernacular, it’s not easy to design a home to slot in to the mish-mash of styles. The original home on this block, approximately 20 years old, was one of those. Owned and occupied by a young family of four, they asked architect Bayden Goddard, a childhood friend, to redesign the waterfront property, with some clear improvements to be made as part of the brief. “It hadn’t dated well,” he says of the original home. “The planning was poor, finishes were tired and the kitchen was buried deep in the house.” Also, it didn’t seem to address the waterfront – “it almost had not been designed…

Regally positioned at the rear of a generous sweep of emerald lawns and manicured gardens to give a sense of arrival and grandeur, this classically styled Toorak mansion wouldn’t look out of place in French wine country. The seven-bedroom mansion comes with all the accoutrements you’d expect for a property of this scale: six ensuites, a magnificent marble staircase, generous kitchen with double of everything, expansive two-table dining room, a huge pergola, a 25-metre swimming pool and spa, as well as an underground parking garage, an internal lift and, for the children, a sunken trampoline. Completed in early 2012 following three years of planning and another three years of construction, this home is modelled on the finest examples of classical French architecture by its designer, architect Russell Casper of CAD…

It’s a fabulously French concern and something that was often on acclaimed chef Guillaume Brahimi’s mind when he was running Bennelong, his former flagship restaurant at the Sydney Opera House. Why weren’t there any convenient establishments where you could buy a special dessert or delicious bread for an impromptu dinner party on your way home from the CBD? “I used to think how great it would be if there was a place for people to stop and buy a beautiful tart to take home before they jumped on the ferry,” he says. Fast forward a couple of years and Guillaume has finally achieved his wish and much more. The doors to Bistro Guillaume in the lobby of the Suncorp building in Sydney’s George Street have just opened and the space…

CHICAGO SUAVE STYLE While the Kimpton Gray Hotel in Chicago’s Financial District is more suited to the business traveller, offering accessory options in each room in the form of a ‘Tie Bar’, the impeccable interiors by design firm Beleco, inspired by the fine tailoring of Savile Row, will not be wasted on those staying for pleasure. grayhotelchicago.com NEW DYNASTY Co-founded by the heads of Aman Resorts and the Beijing Tourism Group, Ahn Luh is a new group of modern, urban resorts incorporating Chinese tradition and style. Ahn Luh Zhujiajiao (below) is the first of many planned across China and is made up of 35 villas surrounding a 600-yearold Ming Dynasty mansion turned ‘lobby’. ahnluh.com/en TALKING POINTS TRIP TIP Plan a road trip along the US West Coast with this book…

Staff at the new QT hotel didn’t apply for their jobs, they ‘auditioned’. This no doubt explains the very animated young porters waiting to welcome guests. The hotel group’s first and only Melbourne property, it was built from the ground up by architect Angelo Candalepas on the site of the city’s former Greater Union cinema. In place of the iconic theatre, Melbourne’s QT debuted with a bold performance. Its brand-spanking new double-height concrete lobby is a mix ‘n’ match crackerjack of retro furniture and Chesterfield lounges, while the adjoining patisserie is perfect for the modern-day Marie Antoinette. Check in takes place at aged brass counters etched with iconic Melbourne scenes and the floor-to-ceiling bound book installation by Australian artists Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro has never seen a library so…

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