An Innate Sense of Style
Designed by Decus Interiors, this Sydney home is an ode to how to live like a fashionista.
For someone who is passionate about fashion, living in style comes naturally. Both at work and at home, Carmen Hamilton — the invisible force behind Chronicles of Her — pays special attention to every detail in order to achieve the perfect look. When it came to her home, the young blogger tasked Alexandra Donohoe Church, Kate Springer and Christine Rose of Decus Interiors with imbuing the interiors with a style that reflected her own individual taste, personality and lifestyle. 'The brief from our client was to open up this 1940's coastal apartment with its original layout, in order to capture and take full advantage of its natural light,' recalls Donohoe Church.
"A significant element of our design approach is layered texturing, seen in the living room, for example, where we replaced the original and dated cornicing with a new timber ceiling structure," explains Donohoe Church. The existing floor was sanded and restained to create a natural underfoot to a leather P444 chair by Pierre Paulin and black Ixo coffee table by Christophe Delcourt, just two of the sophisticated pieces that populate the living room. Above the nearby sofa, an artwork by Dina Broadhurts adds a touch of colour.
Elsewhere, certain elements were integrated to serve a double function, such as the large full-height, pivot-mirror-clad door — an essential for any fashionista — which also conceals the pantry. It joins brushed brass Tango pendant lights by Paul Matter and a large marble island with Osso stools in natural oak in the kitchen, just off the main living area.
"A mix of elegance and fun is particularly evident in the combination of the finishes and the addition of a folly," says Donohoe Church, referring to the feminine gloss pink archway. 'Our work seeks to constantly balance the exquisite and provocative, whimsical and classic, austere and colourful."
In the corridor, black wall sconces by Charlotte Perriand lead to the bedroom, where a Robyn Cosgrove rug is matched with a concrete Kreten side table, soft lighting and artwork by Caroline Walls to shape the perfect refuge.
For the team at Decus Interiors, art, fashion, graphics and architecture are an integral part of each project, as they look to "design homes that inspire, nurture and challenge the status quo".
Interior Design: Decus Interiors
Photographer: Felix Forest
(Published on Design Anthology's website)