Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2022 - January 2023 i Belle

MELBOURNE + PERTH ALL THAT GLITTERS After a yearlong London residency, Nathan Beard’s reflections on Thai identity are now on view at Futures gallery, until December 10, and PICA’s ‘A Puzzlement’, until January 8. Fusing images from his family archive with artefacts and kitschy detritus, his pieces (above) veer from high to low culture with playful panache, unpacking ideas of authenticity and the influence of colonial archives, collective memory and popular media on conceptions of ‘Thainess’. futuresgallery.com.au; pica.org.au MELBOURNE INTERIOR LIFE Melding personal history with universal themes such as motherhood, memory and the art-making process, Moya McKenna’s paintings evoke the spaces we inhabit at our most raw, delving into psychological terrain and drawing out idiosyncratic motifs whose meaning slowly crystallises through repetition. Throat (left) forms part of her new series,…

WHAT WERE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUR SPACE, AND WHAT INITIALLY APPEALED ABOUT THE SITE? We love the community spirit of The Intersection in Sydney’s Paddington and the new concept store, which opened in August, is a way for us to bring the Oroton collections to life here. Use of colour was important, the mix of found objects and art and the way vintage pieces work alongside modern. We wanted it to feel personal, like a home. WHAT DID THE ALTERATIONS ENTAIL? The existing space talked to the idea of rooms, which we liked. We added glass screening doors to create a styling suite with heavy linen curtains that can be configured to create smaller intimate spaces or pulled back for events. We also included a kitchen, which doubles as a…

THE VERY THING that elevated Kennedy Nolan’s Always House to the Belle Residential Interior of the Year is, paradoxically, its exterior, its spectacular coastal context, the sense of arrival and ultimately the sense of refuge the house provides. Philosophically Kennedy Nolan have no time for the barrier between architecture and interiors and, in the tradition of 20th Century Modernism, have taken a singular, integrated approach to the design. Blackbutt is used both inside and out, weathering a soft silver outside but darkening to a honeyed tone inside. Ditto, an earth-toned exterior render is patinated by salt and tannins, but the interior remains velvety and soft. Hence, signs of age are embedded in the aesthetic of the house and with minimal maintenance it is inherently sustainable. A conscious avoidance of black…

LAST YEAR’S WINNER of Best Hospitality Interior and Best Commercial Interior, and a former Interior Designer of the Year, Alexander & Co principal Jeremy Bull demonstrates the firm’s versatility in this project with his associate Shelby Griffiths. Picking up the Best Residential Kitchen Interior, Pacific House (see page 58) is an alteration of an existing 1990s concrete-framed cliffside residence that required considerable replanning to establish a home with two personalities: the oceanfront for adults to enjoy water views and the rear for children to safely play and swim. The interior has been opened up with low ceilings reworked to enhance dimension. “The home speaks of its residents’ Italian heritage through materials of stone, terrazzo and timber and a contemporary colour palette of greys, white, beige and honey accented with black…

WHAT WERE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUR HOME, AND WHAT INITIALLY APPEALED ABOUT THE SITE? The requirements were high ceilings and lots of stone. Through my business, Surface Gallery, I had already acquired and was storing a bundle of light and dark Zafiro Blue marble; for over a year before even purchasing the property. I had never before seen this stone utilised in a project in Australia so my new home had to be the first place for it. However, for me the initial drawcard for this property was the high-vaulted ceiling in the living room which provided maximum impact and delivers New York loft-style living, but with an Australian twist. Steel doors were always a huge part of the brief and an easy way to ensure there would be abundant…

If I could live in a gallery I would,” says John Manos, who lives with his partner, interior designer Simon Kais of SKM Design Studio, in this third-floor apartment in Melbourne’s Toorak. Indeed, there are echoes of this desire in their home, with sculptures perched on plinths, oversize artworks spanning swathes of wall and paintings reaching nearly to the top of three-metre-high ceilings. While John, founder and managing director of creative agency MDM Design Associates, and Simon bought the boutique apartment, designed by Rob Mills of Rob Mills Architecture & Interiors, off the plan, they made extensive alterations so it is now unique to the block. Working with Rob, they redesigned the floor plan and changed fixtures and finishes to suit their way of life and with opportunities to display…

Brought on by David Neil of Melbourne practice Neil Architecture with a brief to work with their creatively adventurous clients, interior designer Simone Haag found an instant meeting of minds. She describes her role as sourcing the things that would fall out of a house if you turned it upside down and shook it. So while Neil Architecture took care of all the spatial decisions and built form in re-imagining this original 1907 Queen Anne house, by celebrated Federation-era architect Christopher Cowper, Simone became the curator of all things furniture, lighting, art and objects. “We love Simone’s enthusiasm and her ability to source the unconventional and those pieces that are hard to come by and give the house its offbeat personality,” says director David Neil. “As a practice we embrace…

Moving swiftly and sensitively, the design team at Tom Mark Henry completed the renovation of this now unrecognisable Bronte home in just nine months – a conservative amount of time given a property of this size. As they had only viewed the house twice before their clients settled, their proposed scheme was approved on the basis of hand-drawn sketch boards only. “Normally we would do more drawings, but they said yes straight away,” says Tom Mark Henry design manager Carla Matias, who worked on the project alongside interior designer Jed Murphy and director Cushla McFadden. “It really set the tone for a relationship built on trust which meant that we could commence work soon after handover.” The only downside? “It was a painful goodbye. We loved working on this house…

01_PERFECTLY POISED Between a Rock and a Hard Place by artist Amanda Shadforth is a suite of four paintings that plays with visual and physical balance using everyday objects such as wineglasses, books and rocks. amandashadforth.com 02_WILD THINGS Combining pearls with feathers, leaves and seeds, the Wild collection embodies the freedom, escapism and adventure of Australia’s natural wilderness wonders. paspaley.com 03_NEW WAVE The perfect gift for the surfer in your life, the Hypto Krypto ‘Future Flex’ surfboard is the ultimate all-rounder that also looks stylish when left by the front door! haydenshapes.com 04_FRAGRANT THRILLS Celine’s haute parfumerie collection provides non-gendered scents which can double as an ultra-chic accessory for a bedside table or bathroom vanity. celine.com 05_ACTION PACKED With the holiday season around the corner, Rimowa has launched a limited-edition,…

WHEN AUSTRALIAN FASHION RETAILER Henne was transitioning from an online boutique, they invited designer Brahman Perera to distil the brand’s DNA into a bricks and mortar store. Brahman, who scooped the award for Best Commercial Interior for his translation of the label’s values into a destination that expresses quality, craftsmanship, youthfulness and longevity, layered the interior with texture and detail, creating a multi-sensory experience for customers. An important element is the timber panelling throughout, invoking warmth, along with a statement stairwell in periwinkle blue and stunning rugs both on the floor and as upholstery. “A bespoke approach to wardrobe-style displays, plinths and rails lends intimacy to the presentation of the garments and accessories,” says the designer. “In the dressing rooms, rich caramel tones are offset by billowing white drapery and delicate,…

MAKE NO MISTAKE, winner of Best Work with Colour Arent & Pyke plays a trick on us all. The interiors emit joy, comfort and whimsy and we believe it to be easily won. In fact, on close inspection, said interiors are carefully orchestrated as colours weave across a room, proportions are exacting and pattern meets texture in ways that soothe rather than jar. We are all seduced. The Legato House (see page 58) is a prime example of this melding with cross cultural references, from mid-century Scandinavian to Japanese minimalism and classic Mediterranean all represented to create something quintessentially Australian in this NSW Central Coast home. The emphasis on quality materials and craft often allows the natural tones of the selections to speak for themselves as peachy terrazzo and rich…

“The bag’s architectural form is a timeless emblem of the maison … its elegance and modernity.” The worlds of art and fashion have always aligned in Christian Dior’s creative universe. Before launching his legendary house with the New Look of 1947, Monsieur Dior spent his early career among the glittering artistic milieu of interwar Paris, exhibiting work by Picasso, Dalí and other avant-garde luminaries at the gallery he co-directed in the city’s 8th arrondissement. Throughout his life the couturier remained a dedicated patron, collaborator and close friend of many artists. And by channelling the painterly principles of colour and line with his voluptuously sculpted silhouettes, he forged a legacy that brought fashion firmly into the realm of artistic flourish and fantasy. This affinity for art has given creative licence to…

The generous proportions and lavish original detailing in this 1840s house in Sydney’s eastern suburbs is a reminder of times past when living was more genteel and romantic. In need of revitalising when the current owners bought it in 2018, four years later it is nothing short of a masterpiece, restored to its former grandeur while showcasing a new contemporary character. With its enviable north-east harbourside location and 820sqm block the home has had a wealth of notable owners since its foundations were laid by convicts. From furniture retailing family the Waltons to Rupert Murdoch, the house has changed hands many times, with the previous owners in residence for 55 years. For interior designer Kate Nixon of Studio Kate who was brought on board by architects Gina Geritis and Mariana…

When the opportunity presents to have some fun with interior design, Justine Hugh-Jones and Katrina Mackintosh, principals of boutique studio Hugh-Jones Mackintosh (HJM), eagerly take up the challenge. The duo are known for their whimsical and unconventional approach, layering vintage and bespoke pieces and injecting shots of colour into their schemes. This Palm Beach house is the holiday home of repeat clients, a couple with two daughters, who knew to trust HJM with the brief of a youthful approach to the design. On an enviable site across from the beach, the property is blessed with mesmerising ocean views, plenty of light and sun and abundant space for entertaining. “It’s a very peaceful and relaxed location,” says the owner, “where you feel even more removed from the city than you actually…

APPROACHING MARCH.STUDIO’S North Melbourne office building sets up a quandary. Is the boxy off-form concrete structure with Prouvé-style portholes puncturing the facade a new building or not? One of their specialities as a practice is experimentation with materials – diving deep into their properties and performance – and I wonder whether this is it in action? But it turns out, inspired by Japanese brutalism, the co-founder of March.Studio – Rodney Eggleston’s great-grandfather Alec – designed and built it as an office and warehouse for Wes Lofts and Ron Barassi in 1972. Only the portholes are a recent addition. Rodney launched March.Studio in the 2008 GFC with partner Anne-Laure Cavigneaux. They met in Rotterdam as housemates when Rodney was working for Rem Koolhaas’s OMA architecture firm and Anne-Laure, originally from Paris,…

“MIKE AND I LOVE WEARING OUR RM BOOTS AND NOW WE CAN INCORPORATE THE LIFESTYLE PIECES INTO OUR OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING ON THE FARM. THE ACCESSORIES TAKE THEIR CUES FROM THE BEAUTY OF THE AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPE, SO WORK PERFECTLY HERE.”…

MELBOURNE PRACTICE Flack Studio, with David Flack at its helm (pictured) alongside partner in life and work Mark Robinson, has had a stellar year delivering one great residential project after the next. But it was the launch of Sydney’s Ace Hotel, in a former brick factory in Surry Hills, that enabled a more broad-reaching expression of its ethos and enthusiasms while setting a new benchmark for a global brand and putting Sydney on the map in terms of a hotel that truly embraces an Australian sensibility. The ochre-red marble staircase stretching from the lobby echoes the desert palette; the burnt orange and tan sunken lounge on the ground floor recalls the Australian suburbs in the 1970s, while the abundant greenery speaks to the natural beauty of the vast country. The hotel…

A MASTERLY RESTORATION of the original charm and spirit of a bathroom in a villa in Sydney’s Vaucluse, designed in 1934 by Leslie Wilkinson, saw Tania Handelsmann and Gillian Khaw of Handelsmann + Khaw take out the award for Best Residential Bathroom Interior (see page 59). Glossy Aït Manos zellige tiles were selected to line the walls, recalling the vibrant Andalusian culture that Wilkinson was referencing in this example of Mediterranean revival architecture. Creating a room that feels warm, layered and welcoming, “the palette of white and terracotta references the Tuscan-inspired building facade and invigorates the senses, providing an inviting space to recharge”, say the designers. “These visually rich elements are thoughtfully balanced with classic touches to create a sense of calm, romance and escapism. A polished Victoria & Albert…

WHAT APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT YOUR HOME? We actually bought the house sight unseen, and it all happened very quickly; we had a newborn who was just a few weeks old when the house came on the market, and the agent did a virtual walk-through with us. We were immediately drawn to the treetop vantage, the generous lot size (I’m a keen gardener), and the fact that the home is set back on a thick nature strip, off the road. The home itself was full of lovely original Edwardian/Federation details such as leadlight windows and doors, which we have been fortunate enough to preserve through the renovation. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE INTERIOR? Curvilinear, a mashup of eras – a bit of turn-of-the-last-century Italy, colliding with Edwardian London – all…

Bold and surprising, yet calm and serene” is a wonderfully evocative description for this house set on a generous parcel of land in regional NSW. It belies its new-build status with its traditional appearance of homestead-style lines and wide verandahs gently resting on a slight rise overlooking a lake. Inside, the generous proportions and considered interior design ensure a comfortable and sophisticated experience for the owners and their frequent guests. For their weekender and holiday home for extended family, the owners were keen to create a different mood from their contemporary Sydney residence. Juliette Arent and Sarah-Jane Pyke, principals of interior design studio Arent&Pyke, along with landscaper Paul Bangay, were engaged early in the building process, ensuring a synchronicity between the interior and exterior. “It is a very different sensibility…

It was an interesting exercise when architect Daniel Boddam was called on to redesign a house purchased by a young family on Sydney’s Lower North Shore, as the property had originally been his family home. “Having lived there I was well versed as to the ins and outs of the building and its surrounds,” he says. Working closely with the owners who were keen on a Mediterranean-inspired home, Daniel settled on a modern interpretation, with a combination of brutalist and classical influences. Natural light floods the dwelling thanks to a series of solids, voids and cantilevers that lend a dynamic feel. “Architecturally it features strong, white cubist forms with accents of cast in-situ concrete,” says Daniel. Smooth, white rendered planes are contrasted with roughly textured concrete walls, and that juxtaposition…

While all home renovations require a pertinent response, some demand more sensitivity than others and this house in Sydney’s inner west was just such a project. Dating from around the 1860s and of sandstone construction with a distinctive ‘twin peaks’ roofline, it was a home of significance and inherent beauty, and architect Nadine Alwill, engaged for the refurbishment, paid it due respect. The owners had been renting the house while searching for a place to buy and had been captivated by a property nearby that Nadine had worked on. However they didn’t buy that house and instead bought the one they had been renting. They knew just who to approach to make the house suitable for themselves and their family of three children. “We got along really well from the…

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORKSPACE? A neutral canvas that allows us to get as messy and creative as needed for each project. With a stunning garden view and music playing, the atmosphere fosters creativity. WHAT INITIALLY APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT THE SPACE? Location. Most of our projects are based in Sydney’s eastern suburbs so it’s easy for us to get to a site when the builder or clients have a query. We visit each site often during the construction stage to ensure what we have designed is what is being built and to be on hand to workshop any changes that may be needed (you never really know what’s inside a wall until you open it up!) HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE COMPLETED SPACE AND WHAT ARE SOME OF…