Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2021 i Belle

» In association with FANULI, Australia’s leading furniture and design brand, Belle is delighted to announce that entries are open for the 2021 INTERIOR DESIGN AWARDS » Now in its eleventh year, this prestigious awards program is committed to supporting the creativity and innovation of the local industry by celebrating and rewarding excellence in Australian interior design and decoration by individuals, partnerships and design practices at residential, hospitality and commercial levels. 2021 AWARDS CATEGORIES » BEST RESIDENTIAL INTERIOR » BEST RESIDENTIAL INTERIOR – READERS’ CHOICE » BEST RESIDENTIAL KITCHEN DESIGN » BEST RESIDENTIAL BATHROOM DESIGN » BEST HOSPITALITY INTERIOR » BEST COMMERCIAL INTERIOR » BEST WORK WITH COLOUR » EMERGING DESIGN STAR » HALL OF FAME » BELLE/FANULI INTERIOR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY SUPPORTING SPONSORS ENTRIES CLOSE FRIDAY,…

[ Arent&Pyke ] INTERIOR DESIGNERS We love the leather detailing and overall comfort of the Flexform ‘Asolo’ sofa and the earthiness of the ‘Tessa’ armchairs, also by Flexform. For the space that we curated, it was our intention to bring these beautiful pieces to life in a joyful setting of colour, art, books and objects that evoke a sense of spirit and adventure. [ Steve Cordony ] BELLE STYLE DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE Is there anything more alluring than a beautiful-quality timber? Materials this magnificent deserve to be transformed into timeless pieces of furniture that evoke a European still-life scene. [ Kate Nixon ] INTERIOR DESIGNER & STYLIST The concept for this beautiful bedroom is relaxed and inviting, polished and practical – equally at ease with nights in and the joyful chaos of…

THE GENESIS OF PRACTICE CHROFI (pronounced Crow-fi) is the stuff of architectural folklore. Young architects John Choi and Tai Ropiha were working together at Hassell when they entered an international competition to redesign a ticket booth for TKTS in New York’s Times Square, which attracted 683 entrants from 31 countries. Not only did they win, ahead of the likes of Lissoni Associates, but international acclaim and awards followed, culminating in it being cited in 2009 as New York’s Building of the Decade. “At once humble and flashy, it distils the theatrical urge that electrified architecture in the last decade,” wrote Justin Davidson, architecture critic of New York magazine. “We reacted to the visual buzz and tried to create a strong singular image in contrast,” says Ropiha of the stepped platform…

INTERIOR DESIGNER Mirvac Design BUILDING ARCHITECT BVN [ Sydney Olympic Park] AN ABUNDANCE of green space is not an amenity one typically associates with apartment living, but when it came to the Pavilions Residences at Sydney Olympic Park, Mirvac went to heroic lengths to make the natural environment a starring feature. The build involved a bold rescue mission for a pair of enormous fig trees that had graced the site for eons – one of which was painstakingly transplanted over more than six months by a team of expert arborists, inching its immense roots to loosen their grip until the tree could be moved to its prime position at the entry. “The overriding principle was to create homes within the landscape, and this has driven the architecture and interiors,” says…

ARTISTS WHO HAVE BEEN AN ENDURING INFLUENCE? I’ve been involved in the art world for more than 25 years. So many artists are friends as well as colleagues. Artists such as Tracey Emin [11] or Isaac Julien [12] have become enduring influences. When one looks at a work of great art, the privilege is being able to eavesdrop on a conversation that the artist is having with themselves, saying things about the world or themselves that I, for instance, would not be strong enough to say to myself. Knowing such artists as people, alongside their practice, is a gift that keeps on giving. CONTEMPORARY ART YOU ADMIRE? One admires different things in different artists. Works in my collection are pieces that cater to my personal taste; that my husband Andrew…

LUXE LEATHER AND EUROPEAN FABRICS PROVIDE CONTRAST TO SOLID WOOD AND METAL FINISHES. VINTAGE, MODERN, QUIRKY OR CLASSIC … THERE’S A STOOL WITH YOUR NAME ON IT!…

The owners of this Paris apartment, Mathieu and Claire, never imagined living in such a dramatic space. Their four-bedroom, 225-square-metre unit is located close to Parc Monceau in the 8th arrondissement, and is at the heart of a property development that consists of three newly renovated, adjacent 19th-century buildings. Mathieu and Claire discovered their interior designers, Thomas Vevaud and Raphaël Le Berre, through the show apartment the duo had decorated for the project. That was certainly not bland – it incorporated both a Lindsey Adelman chandelier and a sculptural stainless-steel Ron Arad chair – but it nevertheless remained more low-key with a neutral colour palette. “In a show apartment, you have to have a taste that is accessible for everyone,” says Raphaël. When they hired the pair, Mathieu and Claire…

It is quite surprising to learn that this imposing, traditional-style home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs is a brand-new build, completed in 2020. With its time-honoured proportions and elegant appearance, its architect Carla Middleton says it possesses a richness more consistent with age. “It was all about reimagining the classics,” she says of the project, which was her second collaboration with the clients. “It’s a house that provides privacy and an abundance of natural light, with spaces that are used at all hours of the day.” The owners were seasoned in the art of building and renovating, having previously undertaken several ventures, but this house was for the long term so it had to be just right. “They are very experienced and know that a strong brief is vital to a…

Perfectly perched in the inner-city Melbourne suburb of Armadale near a set of quaint, village-like shops, the facade of this 1880s house is, like its neighbours, fairly traditional. However, its period paving, return verandah and iron filigree masks a sophisticated home outfitted with cool yet classic modernist pieces, beautifully crafted cabinetry and an art collection sensitively curated over close to three decades. The owners, a couple with teenage children, had happily lived in the house for four years before embarking on a renovation in 2018. For the year-long redesign, they engaged the ultra-creative eye of Kerry Phelan from K.P.D.O., with whom they had previously worked on a commercial project. People often queried as to why they were making any changes to an already charming, charismatic home. “It’s a great house…

Work from home, live from work’ is what our deputy editor Harry Roberts calls the new blurring of demarcation between career and leisure. Alarming? Yikes – yes, but in the case of two standout spaces in this issue, I feel more calm than alarm! Award-winning design team Alexander & Co has created an incredible sustainable headquarters for their dynamic operation that welcomes collaborators and clients – see p55. Not just a showcase of their work it is, I think, the kind of elevated benchmark we need to aspire to when designing spaces from which to work. Let’s face it, we spend a lot of time around the water cooler; we all crave inspiration to produce our best ideas – and I know I would be reaching greater heights of creativity…

01 INSPIRING SPACES TEXTURED STONE REVIVAL Move over garage floors and swimming pools. Quartz Carpet is now being used for myriad applications, including for the Aesop store in Paddington, Sydney. Aesop prides itself on hiring designers to create unique retail spaces, and this store certainly lives up to its reputation. The walls, shelves, ceiling and feature bench seat are all seamlessly lined with this textured, earthy looking, quartz-based aggregate. Available in a range of colours, avoid the obvious applications and think laundries, bathrooms, bar units and outdoor entertaining areas. aesop.com; alternativesurfaces.com; clarecousins.com.au CAFE ZUCCA IN MILAN was the birthplace of the digestive Rabarbaro (right), which Ettore Zucca created in 1845 using an infusion of rhubarb and medicinal herbs. It became popular with Milan’s sophisticates for its rich, smoky flavour. Enjoy a shot…

CANADA NATURE’S RHYTHM The Fold House in south-western Ontario by architecture practice Partisans (left) is an undulating structure defined by compression-bent timbers that reflect the contours of its hillside position. A 27-metre-long steel beam is disguised by these timbers to create a cantilevered canopy which appears to float, say the architects. partisans.com VICTORIA MEANINGFUL MONOGRAPH In a new series from publisher Thames & Hudson entitled EDITIONS: Australian Architecture Monographs’, ‘Kerstin Thompson Architects: Encompassing people & place by Professor Leon van Schaik (right) is the first cab off the rank. Central to Thompson’s philosophy combines a response to local conditions with the positive impact of architecture on people’s lives – while never neglecting the potential for beauty and delight. kerstinthompson.com SYDNEY A LIFE AQUATIC As Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore notes of…

THERE ARE FEW FINER WAYS to sleep well than resting on a quality Australian-made and designed mattress. Inspired by nature, each Nature’s Rest mattress is made using a combination of Talalay latex with natural wool fibre to create a premium, pressure-relieving sleeping surface. Nature’s Rest mattresses are designed to help improve sleep quality by minimising partner disturbance through movement. EARTH PERFECT Latex is a natural material made from the sap of rubber trees. It’s renowned for its use in modern mattresses because of its durability, superior cooling and excellent pressure relief. ‘Talalay’ refers to the way the sap is whipped into a beautiful foam and then moulded into a solid material, prized for its comfort, durability and temperature control. LATEX SAP IS EXTRACTED FROM BENEATH THE BARK OF THE RUBBER…

THE PANDEMIC has changed much about the way we entertain and tie the knot. It used to be that second weddings were for royalty but this is an increasingly popular trend after the rise of smaller-scale nuptials last year. Many couples will continue to opt for secret, intimate ceremonies with bigger, blow-out parties at a later date. Some couples have opted for double weddings often with a different aesthetic on each day (one relaxed, one formal) to include as many family and friends as possible by hosting events in two locations. Here’s the etiquette for 2021, which looks like one of the biggest years of weddings in history. REWORKNG WEDDINGS Streamlining your big day has many benefits. Planning a traditional wedding takes time and energy. Decision fatigue is real but…

WHO HAVE BEEN SOME OF YOUR ENDURING CREATIVE INFLUENCES? William Smart: The architecture of [Portuguese architect] Álvaro Siza: it’s so original and confident (without shouting). I also love abstract sculpture, from the 20th century to now. IS THERE A COMMON ELEMENT, AESTHETIC OR APPROACH THAT RUNS THROUGH ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR WORK? I believe in functional modernism and rigour. However, I know that emotive connection to architecture is real, so our work considers light, volume, harmony and delight. In our priorities, we put this above, say, structural expression. WHAT WERE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUR NEW HEADQUARTERS, AND WHAT INITIALLY APPEALED ABOUT THE SITE IN SYDNEY’S ALEXANDRIA? We loved our last studio but, having been there 15 years, we had outgrown it. It was important to us that we find a…

Having viewed in excess of 100 properties while searching for the right one, it was pure serendipity that the owner was driving down the street when this 1890s terrace in Sydney’s eastern suburbs was open for inspection. “I wasn’t really sure what I was looking for, but I loved the exterior of this house. As I walked through I got more and more excited as I knew it was just what I wanted,” she says. “It was a lovely home but it had the potential to put my own personal taste into it eventually.” Originally a Sydneysider, the owner had lived in Melbourne for several years but decided to move back to be closer to family. Once purchased, she lived in the property for three years before starting the makeover.…

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORKSPACE? Serene and quiet. It’s my sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. I adore vintage 1960s Italian design and the space feels very true to that. It may be on the smaller side, but somehow I always manage to find room for a new piece. My big rattan and glass desk really anchors the space. WHAT INITIALLY APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT THE SPACE? DID IT REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT ALTERATIONS? It’s a private suite in a gorgeous, single-level art deco building in Windsor that also hosts other small businesses from architects to wellness coaches. It gives me privacy but I also don’t feel entirely alone. I wanted a blank canvas so I could re-design the interiors to reflect my aesthetic. It’s the perfect…

1 ABSTRACT THINKING Sebastian Wrong, founder and director of Established & Sons, has drawn on his fine-art background to launch The Wrong Shop, a curated and affordable collection of experimental and eclectic art including digital prints from acclaimed designers Ronan Bouroullec and Nathalie Du Pasquier (below). livingedge.com.au 2 GRAND DAMES Two incredibly driven and creative women are behind the vibrant and optimistic collaboration that heralds the limited-edition release of La Grand Dame 2012. The house of Clicquot is a champion of dynamic and inspiring women, and artist Yayoi Kusama creates an artistic ode to this sublime drop with an accompanying poem, My Heart That Blooms in The Darkness of The Night. veuveclicquot.com/en-au/la-grande-dame-2012-yayoi-kusama 3 EXPRESS YOURSELF A colour compromise is definitely not on the menu when you buy a new Ilve cooker.…

MELBOURNE TIME TRAVELLING A descendant of the Bidjara, Ghungalu and Garingbal people from central Queensland, Dale Harding is interested in cultural inheritances – expressing hidden histories of brutality against Aboriginal communities, documenting the oral traditions of his elders and, in more recent work, finding new forms for sharing cultural knowledge and practices alive in his ancestral home. The artist’s first in-depth survey, ‘Through a Lens of Visitation’ explores his matrilineal ties to Carnarvon Gorge and includes new commissions such as Tribute to Women – Past, Present and Future (left) co-created with his mother, textile artist Kate Harding. April 28-June 26. monash.edu/muma SYDNEY SPEAK, MEMORY Indigenous artist Hayley Millar Baker’s surrealistic assemblages (above) splice together black and white photographs, including archival pictures taken by her grandfather, to construct dioramas of the past…

WHO OR WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF YOUR architectural modernists and classicism. But ENDURING CREATIVE INFLUENCES? Jeremy Bull, principal: I have always been inspired by I am a lover of history in all its fullness, from the pop of the cultural ‘now’ to the patina of the age-old structures. IS THERE A COMMON ELEMENT, AESTHETIC OR APPROACH THAT RUNS THROUGH YOUR WORK? The “mistakes” that result from handmade and natural things are gorgeous. We combine my contemporary and modernist architectural training with an interest in the makers and their materials and technologies. HOW DID ALEXANDER HOUSE COME ABOUT? I saw a need to develop away from our old commercial, open-plan office. I thought a flexible, purpose-built co-working space could better showcase our design work “in the flesh”, and our ecological…

Glamorous interior design star Blainey North is a true luxurian. After years working at the upper echelon of interior design with an exclusive black book of clients, including the Packer family, her expertise delivers sophisticated and indulgent spaces. Sydney’s brand new Crown Towers boasts one of these fabulous creations, Crown Spa Sydney, which offers a level of pampering and luxe the city has been craving. And the jewel in this Crown is the spa’s association with luxe skincare house La Prairie. Belle visited Crown Spa Sydney to talk to Blainey and Rosi Fernandez and Ai San Beaumont of La Prairie. WHAT WAS THE BRIEF AND INSPIRATION FOR THE SPACE? Blainey: The brief was to create the best spa ever. That is Crown’s usual brief, which is nice and easy (laughs)!…

DAVID’S STYLE is a curious oxymoron – luxurious minimalism. This blend of sumptuous yet streamlined design also applies to Porsche’s first all-electric car, the Taycan. It’s finessed, futuristic and fast. The mid-spec Turbo model rockets from 0–100km in just 3.2 seconds. This car matches the exhilarating pace set by a day spent with the designer. He embodies the Taycan’s motto: Soul, Electrified! It must be noted that David lost his beloved 14-year-old pooch the day before our shoot. Ever the professional, he powered through the day with heart and good humour. CHAPEL STREET BAZAAR What a delightful detour. The Chapel Street Bazaar in Prahran has been an institution for more than 25 years, and David has spent hours foraging through this Aladdin’s Cave of treasures and sourcing unique pieces. “This ensures…