Table of contents for Febuary - March 2025 in Belle

EDITORIAL Editor-in-chief Tanya Buchanan Creative director Lauren Camilleri Art director Shayne Burton Deputy editor Peter Griffiths Senior copy editor Deborah Grant Stylist, Homes Sophie Wilson 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 Anton Assaad, Atelier Lab, Marcel Aucar, Mike Baker, Angelita Bonetti, Kirsten Bookallil, Stefano Colagrande, Mindi Cooke, Tamara Dean, Claire Delmar, Tom Ferguson, Joseph Gardener, Shai Gill, Michelle Holden, Samantha Honiss, Stephanie Hope, Hayley Jenkins, Kerrie-Ann Jones, Tarak Kazal, Esteban La Tessa, Ryan Linnegar, Megan Marshall, Shannon McGrath, Chris Pearson, Anson Smart, Alicia Taylor, Tess Thyregod, Claus Troelsgaard, Pablo Veiga, Dave Wheeler ADVERTISING Commercial manager,…

ARCHITECT CARL PICKE RING is sipping his morning tea at his studio in Via delle Mantellate, in the famous Trastevere district of Rome, as we connect through the miracle of Zoom. He’s one half of Italian/Australian practice Lazzarini Pickering Architetti (LPA) and I have known of his work with business and life partner Claudio Lazzarini since I was editor of marie claire lifestyle in the late 1990s. I have taken note of their trajectory with brands such as Fendi, Valentino, Montblanc, Wally and Ferrero; I visited their fascinating project, Casa Museo in Milan, and checked out Maurice Terzini’s iconic Sydney restaurant, Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, which they revamped 20 years after their original design. Carl is clear that his early interest in architecture was fostered by his…

1_MOOR PLEASE Emilia Wickstead’s wonderful Resort 2025 collection has a classically British old-school charm with a chic, modern practicality. emiliawickstead.com 2_SOFT POWER Ever-beautiful leather goods brand Mulberry launched in 1971 – named after the trees that founder Roger Saul would pass each day on his way to school in Somerset, England. ‘Meadow’ shoulder bag in Black Cherry bridge leather. $2995. mulberry.com 3_FINE AND DANDY Established in 1870, London brand Penhaligon’s continues its olfactory journey with The Dandy, a ‘cocktail of mischief’ with notes of whisky, smoke, cedarwood and raspberry. $375 at Penhaligon’s QVB in Sydney, David Jones or Myer. 4_RUGGED UP Morris & Co rugs explore heritage and timelessness, inspired by the iconic designs and colour palettes of William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement. The ‘Trent Madder Red/Webb’s…

EVEN WITH 23 YEARS OF DESIGN CURATION under her belt, Terri Winter still does a little happy dance every time a new shipment of products arrives at her company’s warehouse in Sydney. The design-loving entrepreneur and founder of Top3 by Design has built a reputation for sourcing quality gifts, accessories, objects and furniture – many of them from Europe – to enhance everyday life. In particular, Scandinavian brands Audo Copenhagen, Muuto and Normann Copenhagen have become firm customer favourites, thanks to their timeless design and functionality. So, imagine Terri’s excitement recently when a new shipment arrived from Germany. Comprising high-end furniture pieces from some of Europe’s most lauded design houses, it marked the beginning of a new German Masters range that will sit alongside Top3 by Design’s existing collection and…

WHETHE R YOU’RE AFTER a veiny slab of Calacatta marble for a kitchen benchtop or a petite portion of translucent Pink Onyx for the handles of a wardrobe, there’s a fairly good chance the perfect piece of stone will be found at the Signorino Stone Gallery in Melbourne’s Altona North. The vast 12,000-square-metre warehouse is home to more than 12,500 pieces of hand-selected stone, displayed in raw, large-slab formats and arranged in aisles for easy viewing. Purpose-built cranes hover overhead, ready to swoop down and hold up different slabs from the same block for inspection, to help customers find their favourite. “With natural stone, no two slabs will ever be the same,” says the gallery’s manager, Louie Kyriakouleas. “The beauty comes in selecting something for your home that no…

INTERIOR DESIGNER Greg Natale REIMAGINED RELIC [ Barwon, Victoria ] Photography ANSON SMART Styling GREG NATALE THE OWNERS OF A PROPERTY in regional Victoria approached Greg Natale to transform a 19th-century relic into a cosy guest cottage for their friends and family. What made the project attractive to you? The cottage hadn’t been touched since it was built and was completely uninhabitable. When I say ‘relic’, I mean it. We were tasked with a full restoration, which included rebuilding the facade and adding charming features like a tiled porch and welcoming front garden. It’s not every day you get to renovate a structure over a century old. To give it new life while creating an immersive experience for the owners’ guests to enjoy was definitely special. How did…

Sitting in an idyllic position bordering Strickland State Forest on the NSW Central Coast, Winden Estate is a sprawling country home belonging to a neurosurgeon and his family. A quick 90-minute drive from Sydney, the 10-hectare property encompasses established orchards, rolling paddocks and leafy bushland, its elevated position giving access to scenic vistas at every turn. And central to it all, a striking farmhouse accommodates the family of six. Pre-renovation, the house felt a little lacklustre. The interiors were drab and dated, with stained timber floors, random colour selections and a timber-laminate kitchen right out of the 1980s. Megan Brown of Penman Brown Interior Design was tasked with its transformation, which spanned two years and involved gutting and reimagining the building inside and out. The wish was for multiple living…

1 PRIME EDITION An exclusive collection of meticulously designed residences and handcrafted penthouses by renowned architect Jolson, immersed in textural landscaping and gardens by Paul Bangay. primeedition.com.au 2 DESIGNER RUGS Experience the allure of La Nuit. A collaboration with Steven Khalil, this dramatic rug is perfect for adding a touch of evening elegance. RRP $6,490. designerrugs.com.au 3 SISSONNE Each piece in Sissonne’s range is produced from sustainably-sourced materials that must be as durable as they are beautiful. Their European-designed Cottesloe collection exudes modern elegance while being built to withstand the harsh Australian climate. RRP from $2550. sissonne.au 4 CLASSIC WITH A TWIST The 1800 Sunlounger by Tectona represents the pinnacle of relaxation and comfort. Constructed from powder-coated aluminium in matte black or blue grey, it features…

Welcome to 2025 – that sounds like a crazy number to me, but here we are, and we hope the world will be a little more even and a touch more calm this year. Perhaps the global mood will match our gloriously serene cover house designed by Phoebe Nicol. I love the nuance in the textures and finishes of the neutral palette – it’s certainly not staid and beige! When I am writing, there are some words I form in my brain in an unmistakable yet sophisticated Australian accent, and they have most certainly been shaped by growing up here in the 1970s and ’80s, when powerhouse women of publishing regularly jumped off pages, popped up on television or sang out from the radio. One of those was the glamorous,…

01_WORDS OF WISDOM Celebrating his love of nature and design, Richard Christiansen has released The Guide to Becoming Alive, heroing his Insta-worthy Flamingo Estate in California along with sharing recipes and tips for honest living. @flamingo_estate 02_METALLIC MOMENTS Silverware is having a major moment, and no one creates or restores more stunning pieces than WJ Sanders, silversmiths and goldsmiths since 1911 who are based in Sydney and once restored pieces for the Queen. wjsanders.com 03_CREAM OF THE CROP Taking his design eye to a second rug collection for Unitex, Darren Palmer has designed a range of floorcoverings to enhance any room in the house, including the garden, where the ‘Sandridge’ outdoor rug in Cream can lay down a little coastal magic. unitexint.com 04_LIQUID LUXE The time has come! Trudon…

WHAT APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT YOUR HOME WHEN YOU BOUGHT IT? The Woolstores form an iconic landmark in Brisbane, and we had always wanted to live in one. When the opportunity arose to purchase an unrenovated apartment in the ‘Saratoga’ building, we jumped! It was a really unique and functional layout and we knew it would be a great place to call home. Walking in for the first time, the sense of scale with the 3.3-metre ceilings and mammoth beams really wowed us. HOW HAVE YOU UPDATED IT? The apartment hadn’t been updated since the building was converted into apartments. It was a mixture of navy blue and cream walls, with 1990s light fixtures and a very dated kitchen. One of the first things we did was have it painted.…

THE YOUNG MAN AND THE TREE With a definite predilection for tropical gardens, Miami-based landscape designer Fernando Wong has created a veritable cornucopia of desirable outdoor spaces expertly captured in this book. Fernando’s focus isn’t just on plants but, as well, fountains, follies, pools, sculptures and outdoor kitchens all benefit from his magical touch. Tim Johnson, Vendome Press, $130 ITALIAN INTERIORS: ROOMS WITH A VIEW The universal love affair with all things Italian is enhanced with this book’s gentle rendering of the country’s distinctive design aesthetic, exploring a range of styles from historic Venetian palaces and sun-splashed villas in Sicily to contemporary apartments in Milan. Many never-before-photographed residences from stellar design names illustrate Italy’s design brilliance. Laura May Todd, Phaidon, $100 CLASSIC BY DESIGN For his first book in 10…

1 Giorgio Armani Men’s Collection Spring/Summer 2025. 2 Byredo ‘Vanille Antique’ extrait de parfum, $539, Mecca. 3 Christofle old-fashioned glasses in Iriana Crystal, $590 for two, Palmer & Penn. 4 Antique terracotta water/wine jug, $490, The Vault Sydney. 5 Alessi ‘Edges’ cake stand, $294, Farfetch. 6 ‘Ballon Bleu De Cartier’ watch, $28,600, Cartier. 7 Loro Piana pleated wool-twill suit trousers in Beige, $2193, Mr Porter. 8 Loro Piana double-breasted suit jacket in Beige, $7587, Mr Porter. 9 Ralph Lauren ‘Dalfern’ desk lamp, POA, Palmer & Penn. 10 Berluti ‘2 Jour Neo Scritto’ briefcase, $7843, Mr Porter. 11 Paper High leather journal, $70, HardtoFind. 12 Still Life with Watermelon painting by Jean-Jacques Deleval, $2850, The Vault Sydney. 13 Mid-century…

With Parisian flair flowing through this elegant home, it could be beside the Seine in Paris, with the Eiffel Tower framed by its generous glazing. Crafted curves, wainscoting, herringbone floors and a general je ne sais quoi make its French-born owner feel totally at home. Yet instead, it’s poised above a bay in Sydney’s south with its own alluring beauty. When designers Holly Andrianakos and Madi McTigue of Studio Albus first eyed the property, with its rather severe 1990s build, in 2022, such heady glamour remained a world away. “The interior was stark monochrome, with black and white shiny surfaces, gold trims, crystals and mosaics,” says Holly. “While opulent, it felt dated and disconnected from the water.” More mansion than maison, the generous home extends over three levels, with the…

GARDEN BATH TAMARA DEAN’S MAGNIFICENT ENTANGLEMENTS OF HUMAN AND NATURAL WORLDS REACH A WILD CRESCENDO WITH HER OPERATIC NEW SERIES OF HYPER-FLORAL PHOTOGRAPHS, ‘THE FLOWER DUET’. WHILE THEY MIGHT INITIALLY APPEAR LIKE DIGITALLY CONJURED DREAMSCAPES, THE ARTIST’S FECUND FANTASIAS — INCLUDING ROSE BATHING (DETAIL, PICTURED) — ARE, IN FACT, A FEAT OF PRACTICAL EFFECTS AS SHE IMMERSES HER SUBJECTS IN ACTUAL LANDSCAPES AND ELABORATELY CONSTRUCTED UNDERWATER SETS. FEBRUARY 7—MARCH 8. MICHAELREID.COM.AU…

SYDNEY SOFTLY POINTED With personal memory and cultural inheritance as her guide, Simone Griffin (left) takes an introspective approach to mapping the landscape, using airbrush techniques to build mesmerising works of fizzing, floating and efflorescent abstraction that sit between the traditions of Western pointillism and First Nations dot painting. The handmade and machine-aided repetitions inherent to her meditative process invite a visual dance between pulsing automation and poetic transcendence. Until January 28. nasha.com.au MELBOURNE ANOTHER WORLD Izabela Pluta’s photo-based installations plunge the viewer into an ecosystem of fragmented undersea visions to evoke the disorientation of being beneath the ocean’s surface. ‘Variable Depth, Shallow Water’ (still, below) joins recent and commissioned works in ‘The Charge That Binds’, a group show whose forays into sublime non-human worlds remind us what is at…

Charlotte Coote is the perfect host. The internationally renowned designer who’s furnished a hotel or two knows how to make people feel welcome and comfortable, which she did with aplomb at The Art of Living 2024, an annual event that’s taken place at her home in Victoria’s Mount Macedon for several years. Following a glass of Pommery on arrival, a series of Range Rovers ferried guests up to the residence, where Charlotte led an exclusive tour of the home and shared valuable insights on some of the beautiful designs. These included The Blue Room living space and the top-to-toe pink room where formal meals are served. World-famous landscape designer Paul Bangay was next on the program, with a walk through parts of the six-hectare gardens at Marnanie, which Charlotte and…

Following the excitement of Copenhagen’s highly regarded 3daysofdesign festival in mid-2024, Great Dane collaborated with its exclusive suppliers and makers to style an entire apartment for a shoot featuring new and classic Great Dane products. The apartment had high ceilings, large casement windows and beautifully crafted details, which perfectly embodies the company’s holistic vision and commitment to bespoke design. WERE THERE ANY CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOCATION? The apartment is in an historic district, Hammerhoj, so the crew had to navigate the cobblestones and many staircases of downtown Copenhagen to bring the vision to life. Central to the operation’s success was a fearless team of logistics partners and delivery crew. WHAT IS THE BACKGROUND TO THE SHOOT? For almost 25 years, we’ve been pushing the boundaries of what it means…

1 Burgon & Ball watering can by Sophie Conran, $49, Backyard Botanist. 2 Composite stone urn, $1850, The Vault Sydney. 3 ‘Gentle Fluidity’ eau de parfum in Gold, $207, Mecca. 4 ‘Tank Louis Cartier’ watch, $19,000, Cartier. 5 Linen trousers, $500, Scanlan Theodore. 6 Linen jacket, $850, Scanlan Theodore. 7 ‘Intarsia Rays’ sunglasses, $1237, Brunello Cucinelli. 8 Bitossi champagne glasses, $250 for six, Emporean. 9 Barebones work gloves, $38, Backyard Botanist. 10 Max Mara Spring Summer 2025. 11 Signature pearl earrings, from $840, Tiffany & Co. 12 Trudon ‘Tuileries’ candle, $159, Libertine Parfumerie. 13 ‘Eleanor’ dinner plate and bowl, $495 for six bowls, Emporean. 14 Laguiole ‘Silhouette’ salad servers, $55, Myer. 15 Rattan bowl, $54.95, Alfresco…

From the street, this home in Melbourne’s Essendon emanates a soft glow. Thanks to a spectrum of large custom chandeliers, it radiates with light. “The illumination comes from optical-grade glass prisms that create a distinctive sparkle,” explains Rohan Smith, senior interior designer at Coco Republic. Working with British-based design firm Timothy Oulton, he says that each of the bespoke fixtures were crafted to cast mesmerising refractions. “When the downlights are off, the house has an entirely different ambience. It just dazzles.” The home’s expansiveness and high ceilings meant it could cope with oversized lighting and, when it came to the voluminous rooms, broad furniture was necessary in order to anchor each space. “The house is very big, which was magnified even further when we did our first walkthrough and it…

Beyond the oversized, heavyset timber door of this house on Sydney’s Northern Beaches is a tranquil compound that could be mistaken for a resort but is, in fact, a serene family home. “In the very first meeting, we pitched a resort-style concept to our clients, who said, ‘Done – that’s exactly what we were thinking,’” recalls Megan Burns, the creative director of CM Studio. “Early on in the process, they asked, ‘Why can’t our house feel like being on a permanent holiday?’ And we said, ‘Well, we don’t see why not!’” Surrounded by lush tropical landscaping and close to the beach, the natural environment provided the perfect foundation for the new build. The facade, a combination of sandstone, battened screens, rumbled brass and copper downpipes, has a protective shell that…

WHO WAS YOUR CLIENT FOR THIS DESIGN PROJECT? Kennedy, a luxury watch and jewellery business founded in 1976. Today, they have boutiques in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, and are official retailers for prestigious luxury labels, including, but not limited to, Rolex, Patek Philippe, Graff and Mikimoto. James Kennedy, CEO of Kennedy, and his wife Jaimee, the creative director for the brand, invited us to design the interiors for their head office in Melbourne. WHAT DID THE SPACE OFFER YOU AND HOW DID YOU APPROACH IT? The office occupies the entire fifth level of a prestigious new building in Melbourne’s exclusive suburb of Toorak, chosen for its prime location and alignment with Kennedy’s commitment to catering for a high-end lifestyle. The alterations involved a comprehensive fit-out of the entire floor to…