Innehållsförteckning för April 2024 från Belle

AN ARCHITECT’S CAREER ARC at a certain stage becomes the sum of a number of accrued life decisions: a fortuitous mentor, a first job, the capacity for taking up opportunities, risks and relationships – each experience layering in to shape their philosophy and hence how their buildings look and perform. Take Lucy Clemenger. Between the first and second parts of her architecture degree at University of Melbourne she moved to London, working at Trevor Lahiff Architects for Carolyn Trevor. “She did very beautiful houses. I worked on display shelving for the Duke of Westminster son’s helmet collection. She was a wonderful mentor.” Back in Australia, an early opportunity to work on Melbourne’s Federation Square brought her in contact with Dutch practice Karres en Brands who designed the landscape for the…

SYDNEY SOLAR POWER The Biennale of Sydney is toasting its golden jubilee with ‘Ten Thousand Suns’, a galaxy of projects that orbit a glittering celebration. The 24th Biennale spotlights global expressions of Carnivale, forms of collective resistance and resurgent First Nations technologies, featuring work by 80 local and global artists, including the totemic fantasias (above) of Malaysia’s Anne Samat. March 9-June 10. biennaleofsydney.art MILDURA UNDER THE PUMP Forceful bursts of radiant colour shoot across Ash Keating’s canvas, bottling the sense of action and improvisational energy that drives his studio practice. Titled ‘Pressure’, the artist’s new series of ambitiously scaled, high- octane paintings (above) is the culmination of a recent residency at Switzerland’s Museum Langmatt. Until March 22. napcontemporary.com.au SYDNEY + MELBOURNE MONSTER MASH-UP The looming fear and threat of the…

Feel like a break and a complete health reset? The world’s most innovative and luxurious health retreats are now incorporating integrative wellness practices, ancient therapies and modern-day medical diagnostics, ensuring guests return home truly rejuvenated and restored. SACRED SPACE A nanda in the Himalayas is a spectacular luxury wellness retreat in the lush Himalayan foothills, overlooking the spiritual town of Rishikesh and the Ganges river valley. The A nanda journey begins at home, with private wellness consultations via Zoom with an Ayurvedic doctor who will design a personalised program for your arrival, incorporating traditional Indian wellness practices, yoga, breathing, meditation and beauty therapies, as well as organic diet designed to suit your individual dosha (body type). Ananda’s signature wellness programs such as Ayurvedic Rejuvenation, Yogic Detox, Dhyana Meditation, Weight Management,…

WHAT WERE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SPACE? This is the first US store for Dion Lee and is located in the Miami Design District, explains William Smart of Smart Design Studio. The Sydney-based architecture and designers were asked to create interiors for the two-storey space which fronts onto a beautiful tree-lined street filled with luxury boutiques. With direct access to the street and natural light flooding inside, we wanted to create a bright high-impact space where you physically sensed the DNA of this extraordinary label, says William. WHAT WAS THE DESIGN CONCEPT FOR THE STORE’S INTERIORS? Designed in the Covid lockdowns, we recognised that a physical store was a wonderf ul opportunit y to engage all the senses to create a social space that underscores the brand’s values. More a…

FILM STILL ALAMY…

It is an indication of the playfulness of interior designer David Flack that in this home in Sydney’s Tamarama he has added a thin red line that weaves its way through the house – travelling up the stair into the library and across the ceiling – for a client who is colour blind. “I love red but he can’t see it,” says the designer. “It’s a quirky tong ue-incheek detail.” Fortunately the client also thinks it’s ver y funny. There are many more such moments in this richly layered, finely detailed home that sits high on the block and enjoys fantastic ocean views. The client, a busy entrepreneur with a partner and three children, had lived around the corner for several years but had always wanted this house. Finally he…

Wishing for a propert y where her family could indulge their love of horses led interior designer Samantha Eisen of SE Interiors to this t wo-storey villa in Tuerong, a unique pocket that is a mix of vineyards and farmland in the hinterland of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. With five bedrooms, mult iple living spaces, a theatre room, office, separate guest house, sheds, an arena and horse stables, the propert y offered plent y of potential not just for the family’s lifest yle but also for Samantha to really flex her design muscles. Built around 2000 the house had great features and charm. “It immediately captured my imagination,” says Samantha. “I wanted to infuse a sense of histor y into the home that appeared to have been there for longer than…

This glamorous home in Newcastle, NSW, evokes the heady elegance of Hollywood’s heyday, but with a fresh twist. From its golden balustrades to its pastel palette, its ashlar cladding to its sumptuous curves – not to forget its ballroom and bar – it was designed to dazzle from day one in 1962, when it featured in the Australian Women’s Weekly. That story described the ballroom, cinema and bedrooms complete with walk-ins and ensuites, deemed rather outré at the time. The magazine gushed that the “luxury” home regularly hosted charity events “including mannequin parties and card parties that could accommodate as many as 200 guests”. Having been entranced by this era since she was young girl, the owner was rapt with the five-bedroom time capsule she and her husband discovered in…

1 ARCHITECT/INTERIOR DESIGNER Alexander &CO. NEW LIGHT [ Surry Hills ] STILLNESS IS THE UNDERCURRENT that runs throughout this A lexander&CO project. Once industrial storage then used as an office, this space has been softened by architect Jeremy Bull and transformed into an exquisite, inner-cit y apartment with galler y-like proportions. “The bathroom is characterised by its openness and calm,” says Jeremy. “We wished for it to imbue a sense of stillness so we removed whatever excess we could and brought a sense of the sculptural to the few items necessary for it to function well.” Which luxury items did you choose for this project regardless of budget? “The floor, sink and wall finishes sit adjacent to the building’s industrial envelope with its contrasting black steel-framed windows. While not highly…

EDITORIAL Editor-in-chief Tanya Buchanan Creative director Shayne Burton Managing editor Matilda Ringrose Senior copy editor Janice Hogg Chief copy editor, Homes Peter Griffiths Art production Matus Kundrat Stylist, Homes Sophie Wilson Editorial coordinator, Homes Anna Campbell 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 8456, email: belle@aremedia.com.au CONTRIBUTORS Justin Alexander, Paul Barbera, Tom Blachford, Lisa Cohen, Rory Gardiner, Joseph Gardner, Martina Gemmola, Anita Jokovich, Alana Landsberry, Rhiannon Lidbury, Shannon McGrath, Jack Milenkovic, Tim O’Connor, Chris Pearson, Jérôme/Atelier Photography, Cricket Saleh, Anson Smart, Kristina Soljo, Kris Tamburello, Pablo Veiga, Dave Wheeler, Simon Whitbread. ADVERTISING Commercial manager, Homes Rhyl Heavener Brand executive Claire Ellis,…

Studio RAP designed a series of 3-D printed ceramic tiles for the facade of this high-end boutique in Amsterdam, aptly called Ceramic House (above). The tiles themselves are inspired by layers of textiles with the intricacies of stitches, looping yarns and fabric creases placed in an ‘algorithmic design’. In keeping with the surrounding buildings the heritage character of the facade is maintained while closer inspection reveals the highly innovative treatment. studiorap.nl…

WHAT APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT YOUR HOME? Jenny Topfer lives and works as a fulltime artist at her home and studio in Tasmania. JT: I fell in love with the immensely high ceilings in the house, creating a cathedral-like feel to the upstairs gallery in particular. The volumes in each room are generous and uplifting. And it’s a painter’s house – there are plenty of walls to hang work on and the shifting light moves around the rooms in beautiful ways as the seasons change. I’m lucky to have a huge studio close to the house, purpose built in the 1970s by the original owner, Anton Holzner, also a painter. There’s a separate gallery downstairs that allows me to hang new work to see how it sits together and imagine…

FILM STILL ALAMY…

Refined, poetic and imbued with an atmosphere of romance, this family home in Mosman, on Sydney’s lower north shore, is dripping with historic accents and natural charm that cannot be choreographed or contrived. Through a considered and restrained application of finishes, textiles and colour, interior designer Alexandra Ponting of AP Design House has revealed the beauty of an already elegant home, while bringing it into the present. When Alexandra was approached to renovate the original structure, a grand arts and crafts Federation home built in 1906, the brief was relatively simple, “polished and traditional, with interest”, she explains, “relocating the primary living space to the lower-ground floor while prioritising the connection between the alfresco and the interior and making the most of the natural light and garden views.” The home…

DO YOU WORK FROM HOME? No, I work at my Chatswood studio (on Sydney’s north shore) for both my bonsai and design work. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORKSPACE? It’s an exceptionally creative and pet-friendly workspace, characterised by openness and innovation. Internally, we boast cutting-edge design workstations, print-ready devices, 3D printers, CNC machines, and a wide-format printer. Beyond our doors, you’ll find an array of captivating bonsai projects, complemented by a dedicated photo studio for capturing the essence of our creations through high-quality photos and videos. WHAT INITIALLY APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT THE SPACE [AND WHAT DID THE ALTER ATIONS ENTAIL]? The original space had an industrial warehouse aesthetic and we opted to retain the concrete and brick walls, enhancing the environment to foster a more conducive setting for creative…

IN A SPORTY AND SPECTACULAR FUSION of style, cuisine and creativity, Belle magazine teamed up with Ralph Lauren at the Australian Open, presenting a glamorous event that was as much a feast for the senses as it was a showcase of unparalleled design and culinary excellence. The Australian Open with its international following was a perfect and casually chic arena for Ralph Lauren to showcase its quintessential American luxury lifestyle alongside the stylish and relaxed aesthetic that Australian creatives are known for. At the heart of this collaboration was the culinary mastery of Scott Pickett, a celebrated chef known for his innovative approach to food and his ability to create dishes that are both visually stunning and delicious. Pickett’s menu for the event was a testament to his skill and…

FIT, HEALTHY BODIES, TONED TO PERFECTION, reclining on daybeds beside a 25-metre magnesium pool, in a rooftop cafe flanked by gleaming residential towers, dipping in and out of hot and cold plunge pools, enjoying farm-to-table snacks made with fresh produce from the urban farm above, while diligently working on their laptops. The day may yet be punctuated with sessions of Pilates reformer, a stint in the hyperbaric oxygen chamber, a relax in the salt cave, the snow cave, or Normatec compression boots wrapped around the legs for circulatory benefits while they conduct a Zoom meeting. Any pesky children are snug and safe in the state-of-the-art creche downstairs, being rocked to sleep with Snoo bassinets on an electric timer. The afternoon could later include a session in the Healing Lounge for…

CITY OF DREAMS: LOS ANGELES INTERIORS Respected writer Annie Kelly and photographer Tim Street-Porter have called LA home for many years and have an insiders’ view of the city’s best architecture and interior design. Here they turn their nuanced lens on treasures such as Jean-Louis Deniot’s home with its curated curios including an extraordinary abalone shell chandelier and Joel Chen’s fabulous mash-up of period pieces and Chinoiserie as well as a slew of reinvented modernist homes redolent with their owners’ personalities. Annie Kelly, Tim Street-Porter, Rizzoli, $150 THE PRIVATE HOUSE Updated and re-issued with new images and an afterword more than 20 years after its original publication this book is a classic, offering a compelling insight into the design process of highly sought-after US decorator Rose Tarlow. Whether dissertating on…

Tackling period buildings such as these can be a tightrope between celebrating the past and ending up with a pastiche,” says interior designer Hamish Guthrie of Hecker Guthrie, referring to this heritage home in inner Melbourne. And, with their judicious mix of classic arches and slick contemporary metal, he and partner Paul Hecker have smartly sidestepped the latter, never putting a foot wrong in a project that honours its history while boldly embracing its future. Part of a grand 1860s Victorian residence, sporting in-vogue polychrome brickwork and once home to a Melbourne Lord Mayor, the two-storey townhouse was one of four created when subdivided in the 80s. It had the proverbial good bones that were also grand but, says Hamish, that renovation had led to a jarring juxtaposition of the…

This is penthouse living on a grand and dramatic scale. Port Phillip Bay sweeps before the curved, double-height facade like a VistaVision movie, while the apartment, designed by David Hicks, provides a sumptuous, dresscircle seat of the unscripted spectacle beyond. He has deftly ensured that neither the interiors nor the view upstage each other – the head-turning penthouse and its epic panorama share star billing. But, paradoxically perhaps, despite its imposing scale, this is also a cosy and comfortable family home. In 2018, David was asked to design the interiors in the St Kilda waterfront development, created by architects Fender Katsalidis in the style of a plush resort. From lobby to library, private dining rooms to spa, even a cinema with gold-class seating, the spaces exude his signature classic luxe,…

Styling JAMEE DEAVES Every Saturday for two years the owners of this home dedicatedly went “house shopping”. Despite its lacklustre real-estate images, they knew this Mosman property was ‘the one’ instantly. “The listing wasn’t great and the outside wasn’t particularly charming but we were instantly captivated by the high ceilings. We knew we could do something really special with it,” they say. Owned by one family for five decades, the home had been divided into three separate apartments, each with its own kitchen and lived in by different members of the family. “We met the vendors at the auction and they shared their memories of the house over a bottle of celebratory champagne. They gave us a box documenting all the additions and changes made over time and even if…

1 ARCHITECT/INTERIOR DESIGNER Madeleine Blanchfield Architects COOL COAST [ Bondi Beach ] Produced by MATILDA RINGROSE Styling JACK MILENKOVIC/ ATELIER LAB “IT’S AS IF THE SEA has been hardened into stone, cut out and landed here,” says architect Madeleine Blanchfield describing the honed Spectra marble island bench that anchors this kitchen in Sydney’s east. “The client’s brief for a ‘beach house that isn’t a beach house’ informed the choice to have v-groove panelling sitting alongside more avant-garde choices such as the island that reads like a piece of furniture or sculpture.” The space captures the vibrant energy of its beachside locale, particularly in the art selection, from the unconventional use of a bespoke Ben Mazey ceramic installation as a splashback, to its playful neighbour, a painting by Brendan Huntley. The…