Tabla de contenidos para August - September 2023 en Belle

TREND ALERT TREND MONASTIC MINIMALISM DESTINATION DESACRALIZED A deconsecrated church never before used as a gallery space was the ethereal backdrop for a collection of lighting curated by Galerie Philia from 20 international designers including Australian Henry Wilson. TREND ALERT DESTINATION CLAY COURT CLUB The elegant makeover of The Tennis Club Milano Alberto Bonacossa was a smash hit. With stellar designer Cristina Celestino behind the chic look of the established Milan tennis institution collaborating with Dedar and Billiani it’s no surprise that this dashing clubhouse and We Are Ona pop-up restaurant was on the receiving line of a volley of design praise. TREND PREPPY CHIC PEOPLE CRISTINA CELESTINO DESTINATION CARAVAN X CABANA An exclusive invitation into the world’s most fabulous private homes and villas started here in Milan with a…

WITH LIVING AREAS and the main bedroom drinking in the harbour view, which is the unifying star of this sub-penthouse apartment in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, a celebration of life is further conveyed through colour, comfort, furnishings and art, artfully assembled by the Levine Vokaberg team of Jessica Heneka, Ruth Levine, Debbie Freedberg and Lisa Falvo. How did you become involved with this project? LV: The clients knew of our work and had kept us in mind for their future project. As they were reaching the lock-up stage of their new build sub-penthouse, they reached out to see if we would work with them to finalise the interiors. What were the challenges of the space and how did you resolve them? The clients and the design were a real pleasure. The…

Designer Dylan Farrell has performed a smart conjuring trick with this glamorous four-bedroom home in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. In a magical transformation, he has deftly upped its formal, classical credentials, while, paradoxically perhaps, also making it fun and functional for family living. The owners found plenty to love in this classically styled 1990s home, with its proverbial good bones, its large sloping block and huge fig tree in the front garden that dusted the interiors with dappled light. But it was also stiff and starchy, needing to let its hair down if it was to become an inviting family home. And it was also bland, with bare white walls, relieved by token cornicing and other scant architectural details, with the finishes and fittings poorly executed. Perhaps most jarringly, however, the…

For a family of enthusiastic tennis players this home is just ideal. Located in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on an expansive block with impressive harbour views, the tennis court is one of the focal points of the property that is akin to a luxurious family compound with its synergistic flow between fitness, wellness, relaxation and entertaining facilities. Before settling on the purchase in early 2022 the owners consulted interior designer Kate Nixon who had worked on the family’s two previous homes. Designed by architect Michael Suttor more than 20 years ago, the three-level house is classically proportioned with an elegant facade and portico entrance. With six bedrooms, five bathrooms, three powder rooms, an office, study, multiple living and dining areas, a gym, cinema, billiards room, playroom, bar and cellar, sauna, steam…

I still get excited about working in the design industry and getting a firsthand look at what our incredible Australian architects, artists, and interior and industrial designers are doing here every day. Seeing them on the global stage taking their amazing work to the world is even more thrilling. Salone del Mobile was back for its second outing post-pandemic, and in addition to the incredible buzz of the world descending on the lively Italian metropolis and the mix of edgy and glamorous precincts, people and products, Australian design was making an impact. Henry Wilson was one of 20 internationally acclaimed artists to exhibit at Galerie Philia’s beautifully curated ‘Desacrilized’ exhibition in a deconsecrated church showing his ethereal ‘Pagoda’ lamp. Tom Fereday collaborated with London-based studio Agglomerati to create ‘Cor’, illuminated…

A LUMINOUS COLOUR PALETTE, high-gloss finishes and beautiful detailing devised in a creative collaboration between architect and designer infuse this apartment, a “jewellery box in the sky”, with subtle sparkle and light. How did the owners come to choose this site? Lucy Bowen: They purchased the apartment in 2019 in Melbourne’s famous Shipley Building which has the most spectacular, uninterrupted views of the CBD, MCG and beyond. How did you become involved with this project? Lucy: The clients, Nat and Steve, were seeking a unique haven to escape their busy jobs and lives. We were all excited for the apartment’s potential and the dream was to create a ‘jewellery box in the sky’. Lisa Buxton: I came in halfway to assist with lighting, soft furnishings, and furniture. The job was…

As longtime friends of the owners, architects Rachel Nolan and Patrick Kennedy of Kennedy Nolan Architects know this place intimately. So, when it came to designing a new beach house for a couple with adult children, they could appreciate both the history of this site and what could be realised on the impressive plot at Somers, overlooking Port Phillip Bay. While Rachel and Patrick enjoy spending time with their friends at Somers, they along with their clients could see the shortcomings of the two-storey 1980s home that was partially buried in the hilly site. Having the view of the water to the south of the beachside property also limited the amount of light it received and meant it suffered poor cross ventilation. “There was almost a tension between the aspect…

Wrapped in floor-to-ceiling glass and backdropped against lush, emerald-green plantings, this home in Melbourne’s Caulfield is bathed in a natural light that bounces over its polished concrete flooring and across the tawny colour palette of mustard and subdued marigold. For designer Nickolas Gurtler of Nickolas Gurtler Office, its extensive glazing, immense volumes and sky-high ceilings proved to be an atypical hurdle associated with having too much space. “It’s a rare problem to have,” says Nickolas, who introduced new furnishings, decor and some finishes and light fixtures to the existing house. Owners Sherrie and Simon had concerns about the home’s expanse and the potential for it to look empty. Their brief to Nickolas was to create an environment that was contemporary yet warm with the flexibility to host extended family and…

A CE RTAIN ALCHEMY takes place when Sophie Sachs sees the light. The Brisbane artist has an eye for its subtle shifts and refractions, and by capturing these elusive, evanescent qualities her intimate still-life paintings recast ordinary objects as radiant vessels crystallising a moment. “There’s an element of chance,” says Sophie, who received the top painting award at the 2022 National Emerging Art Prize (NEAP). “Once you’ve got that composition and see magic in it, you know that’s what to pursue.” Sophie studied architecture before working in public art and more recently pursuing painting full-time, and her work retains an architect’s sense of order that sits in counterpoise with natural light’s fluid, serendipitous effects. “That’s why still life is good for me,” she says. “There is a formality to my work,…

HARNESSING GOLDEN and earthern tones to enrich and ground the light-filled space of this penthouse, designer Brahman Perera worked alongside developer Fortis, Bruce Henderson Architects and interior architect Ewert Leaf to conjure an exemplary apartment which revels in a 180-degree panorama of the South Yarra skyline. How did you come to choose this site? Avalon Nethery, associate director of developer Fortis: We immediately loved this address. It’s a little enclave of peace and intrigue. The corner site has a beautiful multifaceted outlook, and we knew we could create something special here. We love that you can come off the busy main streets, through a gorgeous little residential laneway and end up in this penthouse where it feels you’re floating in the centre of it all but also privately tucked away.…

Interior designer Ali Ross will go to extreme lengths to procure a design piece that she has fallen in love with. To wit, two timber stools she bought in Amsterdam and carried as hand luggage in two separate trips back to London where she was living at the time. They now sit proudly in the c1889 home she shares with her husband Ben and sons Jasper and Felix. It is typical of Ali’s uncompromising approach to interior design and architecture that have been her passion since she was young. A year spent in Denmark and later Japan, as well as study at RMIT, cemented her interest and convinced her that this was her calling. With an aesthetic guided by the objective of delivering calm, light, comfortable and timeless spaces she…

When architect Scott Weston met with a client in July 2016 he was tasked with the challenge of rescuing a modest two-storey terrace in Sydney’s Paddington. The place had suffered years of neglect as a rental property and multiple ad-hoc additions of kitchens, bathrooms and a glass roof only amplified the disconnect between the house and rear courtyard. Added to those was a neck-breaking staircase that traversed the living and dining room, leading up to a pair of bland bedrooms. There were other pressing problems, too, such as the neighbour’s stormwater discharging onto the roof and the delicate issue of how to reclaim land lost due to an inaccurate boundary, while managing to keep everyone happy. Having long worked within tight inner city and heritage conservation neighbourhoods, Scott was up…

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORKSPACE? Imagine two souls that are intertwined, united not only in form but poetically as straight lines embracing the natural light. Bold yet minimalistic, clean lines and austere white. The vision is that of a unique and pure balance, which is created inherently and from the moment of its conception. WHAT INITIALLY APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT THE SPACE? Here, at its core, is the bustling and always luxurious vibe of the heart centre of Milan. Parallel to this is the striking elegance and old-world feel of a historical building wherein every corner gives scope to the ability to present or showcase a sense of perfection, while combining original and raw with modern, futuristic elements. WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR SPACE? HOW DOES IT REFLECT THE…