Tantri Mustika – Garnitures

Inspired by opulent 17th Century ceramics, this series of handcrafted vessels sees an antiquated concept modernised through Tantri Mustika’s signature colourful Terrazzo detailing and gold lustre.

Asobimasu Clay – Kaiketsu Vase

A wheel-thrown vase created by Melbourne ceramicist Kate Brouwer aka Asobimasu Clay, designed to interact with the flowers displayed within, with its organic form and curves encouraging a disordered organic arrangement.

Nicolette Johnson – Dark Tower

A large coiled stoneware vessel by Nicolette Johnson, encrusted with more than 1,000 hand-sculpted spherical protrusions. An hourglass and ovoid shape combine into a singular totem, appearing at once ancient, mystic, surreal and futuristic.

Tammy Kanat – Serenity

Created to client brief, this elliptical wall hanging by Tammy Kanat incorporates ‘sunny Brisbane’ hues and charcoal merino warping to compliment a contemporary residential living space. Woven in two parts, it utilises wool offcuts.

ACV Studio – Fold Vases

Designed to stand alone without a separate plate or base and display foliage at different heights, this elegant design by ACV Studio is created by hand from a single piece of brass.

Kenny Yong-Soo Son – The Teapot Project

A collaboration with a master silversmith, this brass piece by Kenny Yong-Soo Son (aka Studio Kyss) evidences the importance of balancing handcrafted detail with the precision, and functionality afforded by machining. It was perfected from 30 prototypes, and is food-safe.

Alicia Van Rhijn – ‘Small Spaces’ architectural landscapes


Architectural objects that explore the notion of sacred space, ritual and contemplation, this orderly arrangement of small sculptures (in clay, metal and timber) by Alicia Van Rhijn encourages a playful reimagining of neighbourhoods, cities and streets.

Natalie Rosin – Kirribilli Ceramic Tapestry

This epic, site-specific installation by ceramicist Natalie Rosin casts dynamic shadows and reflections in its waterside setting, throughout the seasons. Combining 2,580 individual ceramic pieces, its adjustable form mirrors an adjacent cantilevered staircase.

Interia – Texture

A handcrafted range of wooden door hardware by Tasmania-based Interia, inspired by traditional Japanese surface texturing. These pieces are visually complex, textural to the touch, yet functional and foster an everyday connection with considered craftsmanship.

Lynette Sumner – Subterrane Pods

Featuring hand-knitted wire and clay elements in natural shades, these seed, pod and bulb-inspired forms by Sydney-based wire and ceramic artist Lynette Sumner explore the curiosity of nature’s reproduction – unearthing that which is typically subterraneous.

Jansz Tasmania understands the dedication and passion that goes into the creation of every handcrafted work of art. That’s why they’re proud sponsors of this year’s TDF Design Awards Handcrafted Award. For more information on their collection of handcrafted sparkling wines, visit jansz.com.au. https://www.jansz.com.au/

The 36th NATSIAA awards represent a ‘snapshot of the last 12 months of contemporary Aboriginal art’ explained MAGNA Curator of Aboriginal Art, Luke Scholes. In the middle of finalising the install of the exhibition, Luke took time to chat with us about the diverse entries that were submitted by First Nations artists from both regional and urban areas across Australia.

From the 68 finalists, seven award winners were announced on Friday night at the opening ceremony. The prestigious Telstra Art Award was won by Yolŋu artist Djambawa Marawili AM for his work Journey to America. The work of natural pigments on stringybark, depicts the artists recent travels to the USA to share Yolŋu philosophy. Five different states of water in Blue Mud Bay flow towards America, and the Statue of Liberty.

The artist’s combination of the Australia coat of arms and the iconic female ‘ancestral being’ of the Statue of Liberty is described by Luke as ‘emblematic of the global reach of Indigenous arts practice.’ Djambawa Marawili captures new connections and the international resonance of First Nations culture across the world.

Luke explains that the entries across all categories displayed a ‘real show of cultural identity.’ Read on below to view the stunning painting, works on paper, bark painting, 3D, multimedia and emerging artist awards.

Telstra Art Award: Djambawa Marawili AM, Journey to America 

This winning work was selected by a judging panel comprising: Art Gallery of South Australia Director Rhana Devenport; established Tiwi artist and cultural leader Pedro Wonaeamirri (Gurrumaiyuwa); and Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery Senior Curator of Indigenous Cultures, Zoe Rimmer.

The judges celebrated this masterful and powerful work, explaining ‘The scale is remarkable, and Djambawa Marawili’s virtuosic use of natural materials and intricate and complex brushwork, honed over decades of dedicated practice, creates dynamic flows and movement across this immense bark. The personal narrative within the work articulates his leading role in sharing Yolŋu philosophy with the world.’

Telstra General Painting Award: Kaylene Whiskey, Seven Sistas

‘The Kungkarangkalpa (Seven Sisters) Tjukurpa is about sisters looking out for each other. I’ve painted seven strong women: Wonder Woman, Cher, Whoopi Goldberg, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, Catwoman, Dolly Parton and Tina Turner. They’re hanging out on the Iwantja Arts sign, hiding from the cheeky wati (man),’ The artist, Kaylene Whiskey explains!

Telstra Bark Painting Award:  Noŋgirrŋa Marawili, Yirrkala NT Lightning strikes 

At the Madarrpa clan estate of Baratjula, a large rock set in deep water was struck by ancestral lightning. This electric ‘curse’ had been cast by Mundukul, the Lightning snake. This depiction has been rendered in natural pigments and discarded magenta print toner (!) by the artist.

Luke Scholes adds that the use of the magenta printer toner highlights the artist’s adaptive practice of creating work with the material at hand, and using any objects that have been left on country.

Telstra Multimedia Award: Gutiŋarra Yunupiŋu, Gurrutu’mi Mala – My connections

“I was born hearing-impaired so my family and friends communicated with me using Yolŋu Sign Language (YSL). Where I live Yolŋu teach all children YSL from a young age, so it means I can communicate with all Yolŋu from my community easily. YSL is important for hearing Yolŋu also, when we go hunting we use it to communicate from a distance. When I went to school I was taught Auslan (ASL), so now I use YSL and ASL to communicate. Without Yolŋu sign language I would have found it hard to communicate with my community.” Yunupiŋu said.

Telstra Emerging Artist Award:  Titus Nganjmirra, Queen Elizabeth

The background of this work depicts the first flag to be planted on Australian country near Sydney. On top of this, Titus painted both male and female Nayuhyungki, the first people, as well as the plants and animals who have lived in the stone country of Arnhem Land for thousands of years. Queen Elizabeth’s face is also found on Australian money. In Kunwinjku, the word kunwardde translates to both ‘money’ and ‘stone’ from English. In this work, Titus plays with meanings of words and origins of culture. Money is symbolic of exchanges between people. The stone country beings demonstrate culture, resources and traditional ways in which bininj people live. Through painting the Queen in West Arnhem Land style, Titus assimilates balanda (white) culture into Kunwinkju culture.

Telstra General Works on Paper Award:  Nyaparu (William) Gardiner,  Our Old People

‘Doing these paintings is how I remember our old people. These pictures I’m showing you are from my memories. We can’t forget our old people, the law and culture they put us through, my paintings are about remembering them now they passed away,’ artist Nyaparu (William) Gardiner (deceased) said.

Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award (Sponsored by Telstra): Malaluba Gumana, Rainbows in the Lilies 

“This is the oldest story. Rainbow Serpent at Garrimala, a snake in motion disturbing the water, causing ripples and rainbows. Shimmering stagnant water in dry season. Lightning hiding in rainbows. The arc of the iridescent scales. The swathe of the cyclone,” explains artist Malaluba Gumana.

Stylist Megan Morton purchased this home directly from a friend who is a ‘respected interiors specialist with fantastic taste’ – so there was a strong base upon which to add Megan’s own flair! She describes her house a ‘flawed, charming, slightly dark and broody, ever-moving place’ that has provided a home, hospital, holiday and retreat for the Morton family for the past five years.

As the heart of the home, Megan designed the kitchen to reflect the atmosphere of a bistro, with the comfort and ease of a family home. What is most notable about this space is the absence of clutter, and concealed services. Megan explains that when developing the concept for the kitchen, she wanted to style a space that would ‘pretty much always present tidy. Not “neat” or “clean” but tidy!’

This was achieved through hiding away the traditional elements of a kitchen space, including the Fisher & Paykel oven and stovetop, ‘so it didn’t feel appliance heavy.’ The surfaces balance hard, smooth, light and heavy textures to create intrigue, and a layered feel.  An olive leather banquette from InStyle sits against Simple Studios linen curtains ‘that puddle deliberately on the floor.’ Elba marble from Artedomus, and a biscuit coloured sink provide a base for the custom hot water Vola tap.

Soft grey cupboard doors seamlessly conceal the Fisher & Paykel fridge, playing perfectly off the old French doors that hideaway a breakfast cupboard. Megan explains ‘the toasts, hot water, porridge and coffee making and all associated accouterments are kept there so the kitchen never gets totally trashed!.’

The space is one of elegance but also liveability and function. She describes ‘I’ve treated the space like a lounge room, adding softness where possible, trying to put things together intuitively.’ The kitchen balances easy access to everything, with hidden appliances to create a family-friendly, yet refined and classically ‘Megan Morton’ aesthetic.

Fisher & Paykel, New Zealand’s award-winning appliance brand, has become a global force not just in product design, but also in kitchen design. The company is committed to research, development and collaboration and works closely with architects and designers to seamlessly integrate their appliances into kitchens in innovative ways. Visit, www.fisherpaykel.com to find out more.

Five years ago, Edwina Edwards was living in Melbourne and working as a dental assistant. While she had been painting her entire life, it was only after making a tree change back to her hometown of Albury, NSW, that she began pursuing her art practice professionally. 

‘[We] decided that the perks of city life no longer held their appeal,’ says Edwina. ‘The pressures of city living became something to escape back to my hometown of Albury. I took this opportunity to change my career path and go back to my first passion [and] enrolled in the Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts at TAFE.’

When returning Albury with her family, Edwina began appreciating the area’s natural beauty that she had taken for granted as a child. It was this very realisation that inspired her latest works included the exhibition, 9 Kilometres, opening at Brunswick Street Gallery this week!

9 Kilometres is Edwina’s first-ever solo exhibition. The title refers to the length the artist drives every day between her home and children’s school where she also works as an art technician. The scenes reflected in the exhibition’s 15 works showcase the landscapes and seasonal changes Edwina mentally absorbs along the way.

‘My style was more abstract a few years ago, but organically it has changed over time as I have immersed myself in my rural surroundings, refining my technique to represent the landscape in more detail and depth,’ Edwina says. ‘It is these everyday moments of awe of the ‘natural’ world and the wonder found in ordinary tasks that provide the inspiration for 9Kilometres.’

Edwina now works from a dedicated home studio/bungalow in her backyard. After years of only occasionally painting, she appreciates having a calm sanctuary to retreat to and focus on creating art.

‘I paint first and foremost for me. I love how a painting can change. I can start a painting with an idea of where I’m going to take it, and then end up on a completely different tangent. Sometimes the painting leads me, like life, which reminds me that I can’t always control everything and at times I need to let go.’

9 Kilometres by Edwina Edwards
Wednesday August 14 – Tuesday August 27
Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm
Brunswick Street Gallery
Level 1 and 2, 322 Brunswick Street
Fitzroy, Victoria

Jade Roberts of PR-led digital agency raraPR and her family moved into their home in Dandenong in 2013, but it wasn’t until 2017 that the team began their renovations. Jade explains that the 1960s home had undergone some previous upgrades, and had touches of the ‘60s, 70s, 80s and 90s throughout!’ Keen to avoid this pick-your-own-decade-adventure-aesthetic, the family updated the home to ‘harmonise everything aesthetically, while creating an open plan living area where we could all be together’.

Aesthetic changes included repainting the interiors from their original green and yellow (!) to a fresh Dulux Natural White, and swapping blue carpet to a neutral tone. Structural renovations involved relocating the kitchen to create an extra bedroom, and an open plan living space. Jade explains ‘the kitchen moved to an outdated dining area at the back of the house. We were able to open up that dining area, remove some nibs and connect it to a rumpus/bar, which is now our living and dining.’ Sadly, the aging 70s bar had to go, but the family kept much of the original joinery to create a new dining area and nook.

Jade explains that her background in fashion and retail PR has provided her with a ‘life-long passion for thoughtfully designed and made things.’ She highlights how this interest has matured into a love of interior design, art and architecture – which has been shaped by her friendship with Rhiannon Orr from Design Orr Build who ‘unofficially guided me from the sidelines.’ Incredibly helpful, as Jade reveals that the renovations were completed while parenting a one year old, pregnant with their second child and running a business with a team from home. Phew!

When we asked Jade for her favourite pieces in the home… we received quite a long list! Highlights include the Anchor Ceramics pots, Kara Rosenlund Landscape Mountain print (a daily reminder of making time for outdoors goodness) and the retro radio wireless. Jade highlights ‘with a restricted furniture budget over the years, we’ve had stages of too much retro furniture all at once…. at the risk of ‘grandma kitsch’ we’ve kept this piece.’

Jade describes her much loved home as ‘mid-century… with a curation of handcrafted objects.’ Imbued with warmth, and decorated with an elegant collection of favourite collected objects, this family home perfectly balances a sense of nostalgia with contemporary design and sleek minimalism.

The owners of this Manly apartment approached McNally Architects and I+D Studio with a brief to update the space. Interior designer Caroline McNally explains how she looked at the surrounding environment and the family’s shared love of surfing to inform the renovation. 

Caroline explains ‘we took our inspiration from the local area, the warm neutral soft tones of the beach and the deep green/blue from the ocean.’ The out-the-window influences bring the feel of a fresh ocean breeze into the home, and create connections with the local environment. 

In addition to aesthetic updates, the architecture and interior design firm cleverly worked within the limited footprint and low ceilings of the apartment to create a new floor plan. Caroline highlights that by ‘removing some internal walls, we were able to achieve a flow through connection to the beach outside.’ This redesign allowed for a new kitchen, study, bedroom joinery, two bathrooms, lounge area and lighting plan. 

Reconfiguring the apartment did present a few challenges though. Caroline highlights ‘often a problem can lead to a design solution that you might not have thought about’ – which was the outcome for a structural column in the kitchen. What could have been an imposing annoyance in the space was instead treated as a design element, through reshaping and tiling. Caroline describes how this gentle approach helped create ‘softer visual lines that carried through to the shape of the bench and desk’, and a sense of visual continuity in repeating the curve. 

Whilst this apartment primarily employs a bright and breezy colour and materials palette, inspired by the view from the apartment, there is one space here with a distinctly moodier vibe. The dark bathroom is designed as a wet room, perfect for a post-surf rinse off, and a place to hang up wetsuits. The best of both worlds!

Loyal TDF readers will be familiar with Bonnie and Neil, the Melbourne soft furnishings brand whose locally made textiles and homewares have taken the world by storm! Since launching in 2010, the label has become renowned for its vibrant screen-printed designs, incorporating botanical motifs and bright patterns influenced by nature, and a love of colour.

Dropping today is Bonnie and Neil’s latest collection, Coast. While you can still expect to see the studio’s signature styles, this collection features a stronger focus on hand-painted designs and repeat patterns, including for the first time, wallpaper! 

‘We’ve also had a change in colour palette, which embraces 70s colourways and patterns. As a textile designer, I’m excited to be returning to making repeat patterns in wallpaper and yardage designs,’ says co-founder Bonnie Ashley.

Inspired by coastal areas both locally and abroad, products in Coast depict beachside textures and seagrass tone, across detailed graphics. 

‘Australia remains one of our sources of influence, with Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland’s coastlines all reflected in this collection,’ Bonnie says. ‘That said, the collection is really influenced by the feelings that coastal living and holidays evoke. There is a noticeable difference in how the seasons impact coastal areas… what textures you experience and how all of this impacts one’s senses.’

The Coast collection includes tableware, cushions, wallpaper, ceramic vases, cards, tea towels, linen throws and artwork and is available now!

Judith Nungarrayi Martin

Cooee Art is Australia’s oldest exhibiting Aboriginal fine art gallery, and among its artists participating in the Affordable Art Fair is Judith Nungarrayi Martin, a painter who comes from a family of well-known artists.

Featured in Judith’s paintings are her father’s Jukurrpa (Dreaming). These Dreamings have been passed down over thousands of years, and directly relate to the land including the animals and plants that inhabit it.

Originally from Yuendumu, a remote Aboriginal community 290 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs, Judith now lives in Nyrripi with her husband and three children.

Laura White

Oil painter Laura White’s work features quintessentially Australian motifs, but this Melbourne-based artist is originally from Argentina!

After almost 25 years spent working in a government organisation and briefly in interior design, Laura began experimenting with paint for the first time. She is now an artist specialising in still-life and nature-inspired oil paintings that are breathtakingly lifelike. Her work captures the subtle beauty in colour, light and texture found in the everyday.

Laura is represented by Art to Art Gallery alongside more than 50 other Australian artists and an extensive Indigenous collection.

Eleanor Millard

Eleanor Millard is inspired by the natural world, specifically, the ethereal landscapes and scenes that make up Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. Her creation of texture using crushed blacks and blue/green washes produces the subtle contrasts and tones her haunting works are renowned for.

Eleanor is also represented by Salt Contemporary Art.

Gus Leunig

We’ve been fans of Gus Leunig’s work for some time, featuring him in 2012 as well as way back in 2010! His nature-inspired works display seemingly simplistic, whimsical figures in complex worlds on canvas. These carefully detailed works create colourful journeys that intrigue the viewer.

Gus Leunig is represented by Salt Contemporary Art in Queenscliff, Victoria.

Geoffrey Carran

Victorian Surf Coast-based artist Geoffrey Carran is recognised for his distinctly vibrant and energetic paintings of Australian birds and plant life.

Many of Geoffrey and his wife Rowena Martinich’s works are created in their Victorian coastal home that was featured by us last year! The couple’s work as individual artists in the separate fields of abstract expressionism (Rowena) and representational painting (Geoffrey) informs the combined art and homewares projects they also produce.

Natalie Anderson

Self-taught Australian landscape painter Natalie Anderson is another Van Rensburg Galleries represented artist who is heavily influenced by the sea, particularly the landscape and ocean around Geelong. Her work endeavors to capture elements that are both ancient and timeless in our ever-changing world.

Johnny DeFeo

US painter Johnny DeFeo is a relative newcomer to the professional art world. His work is informed by interior design, luxury goods, and traditional forms of craft over fine arts practices, and attempts to capture the experiences he has in the natural world.

Johnny is represented by Hong Kong gallery Van Rensburg Galleries (VRG) – another international name joining Melbourne’s Affordable Art Fair.

Katie Wyatt

Adelaide artist Katie Wyatt is known for her heavily-textured paintings depicting landscapes, seascapes and plantlife, most of which are painted from memory. She works with thick swathes of paint, using brushes and palette knives to lend an almost sculptural quality to her work.

Katie has been painting professionally since 2007, and is represented by Australia’s largest original art marketplace, Bluethumb.

Ayame Kikuchi

Japanese paper artist Ayame Kikuchi was a graphic designer before eventually launching her own art practice in 2008. Since then, her work has been commissioned by Vogue Japan and Harper’s Bazaar, among other major clients.

Ayame works in the realms of sculpture and painting to form three-dimensional works that comment on the human experience and evolution of nature.

She is represented by Taiko & Associates in Tokyo.

Alice Oehr

TDF friend Alice Oehr is one of five artists who has been selected for the Affordable Art Fair’s Young Talent exhibition, showcasing diverse and immense talent from the state.

Alice works on both personal and commercial projects, from textiles to six-foot-tall Egyptian inspired statues made for the Spring Racing Carnival! Her work never fails to make us smile with its punchy colours and integration of pattern, collage and drawing.

Melbourne Affordable Art Fair
Thursday, September 5th, 4-9pm (Opening night)
Friday, September 6th 12pm-9pm
Saturday, September 7th 10am-6pm
Sunday, September 8th 10am-6pm

 Tickets available at www.affordableartfair.com/fairs/melbourne

Keenly aware of the wastage often created by shop fit-outs, Country Road’s Store Design Team leader Alicia Buffinton explains her team’s vision to ‘be a leader in our industry’.  They found the perfect opportunity to demonstrate this leadership, by approaching the Chadstone store fit-out with a focus on sustainable design.

The new flagship store demonstrates that luxury and sustainability are not incompatible ideas. ‘We were amazed once we started investigating how many beautiful sustainable and recycled products were available’, tells Alicia. The new outpost features innovative fixtures made from recycled yoghurt containers (a composite which looks a little like stone or terrazzo), carpet fashioned from fishing nets, and wall cladding made from recycled paper with incredible texture. Even the parquetry floors tell a sustainable story – ‘it’s actually pulled from the flooring of old buildings and school halls, and it has then been re-laid in our store.’ While you are in the fitting room, hang your items on a clothing hook made from ocean plastic collected from Australian beaches, or rest your bag on a recycled plastic table.

These initiatives are also reflected in recent campaigns from Country Road, who have featured Traceable Merino Wool, Post Consumer Waste Denim Good Jeans and Recycled Nylon Swimwear in their latest collections.

The exemplary design of this new store, particularly from such a high profile brand, highlights that environmentally friendly shop fit-outs can be achieved without any compromise on style! Country Road Managing Director Elle Roseby explains ‘our Chadstone flagship revolutionises the retail experience, maintaining our commitment to quality, while demonstrating our connection to the environment.’

To learn more about Country Road’s sustainability initiatives visit  www.countryroad.com.au/our-world

The Fitzroy Terrace by Taylor Knights Architecture and Interior Design transforms a ‘dark, damp and poorly ventilated’ home into a naturally lit and expansive feeling home. The brief from the clients was to create a series of flexible connected spaces ‘that would host not only their private lives but also their love for entertaining.’ They also specified that while they wanted a refined and resolved new design, the architecture should still retain the ‘grittiness and honesty of its past.’ 

The architects have created a flexible space to reflect the owner’s lifestyle, with two bedrooms, two living areas, a study, one bathroom, a kitchen for entertaining and abundant outdoor spaces. The initial focus was to welcome light into the narrow site ‘through a series of light-catching volumes and openings.’ This was achieved through the sunken living room, sweeping ceiling and high windows, and the addition of more outdoor living space to ‘diffuse lightness and distill darkness.’ 

Taylor Knights describe the material palette as one of ‘delicate opposition’, where finishes either absorb or reflect the newly introduced light in the home. The robust materials of concrete and brick also extend the longevity of the home, which has already stood the test of time. The wave form of the concrete ceiling introduces a contemporary form to the historic home, and the long-lasting materials helps tie together the old and new. 

It doesn’t matter whether a plant is from the tropics or the desert – if it has an interesting form, shape or story, Lyle Filippe of Roraima Nursery has to have it. This can mean sweet-talking an 80-year-old collector in the hope of an offer of a cutting or a handful of seeds, stalking succulents on eBay, or swerving off the road and knocking on front doors, business card in hand, at the sight of a curious cactus in a front garden. Lyle is obsessed.

In 2001 Lyle and Cheryl bought this 6.5-acre property at Lara and began plotting to create the nursery. The land had previously been used as a plant nursery but ‘it was a mess,’ Lyle says. ‘We shut it down for six months, bulldozed it, and I’ve been building it up ever since.’ This is no understatement. Lyle is a man with a vision (actually, visions), and over the last 18 years, he’s developed not only an extensive retail nursery selling many of the plants from his collection, but also a garden showcasing them. It is, of course, wild and wonderful and slightly mad. The gardens opened a couple of years ago, and their creation was ‘a means of making the nursery more interesting, so it’s not just like a supermarket. There are things to wonder about, to look at. Things you don’t see anymore.’ Lyle is right. A visit to Roraima Nursery and garden is not like a visit to any other. It’s a world of its own. A world conceived in the mind of Lyle, the collector, the gardener.

He was bitten by the bug early. As a 15-year-old he was growing plants on his bedroom windowsill. ‘They were always very unusual things. Not your traditional plants.’ After school he studied resource management, wanting to work in National Parks management, but plants stole his heart. He began working at a nursery, then started propagating his own plants and selling them at markets.

‘I’ve been collecting plants forever – initially it was from other collectors. Wherever I go, if I see something different, I knock on the door, get a cutting, get a piece. Whenever something has been come available in the nursery trade I’ve always bought a couple and stuck them in the ground. There are not many things I don’t know, or haven’t seen before, but I’m always finding new plants.’

I ask him what draws him to certain plants, not others. ‘I’m very interested in shape and texture. With specimen plants, it’s not just about flowers. It’s their form, and how they sit in the landscape. The more unusual a plant is, the more I like it.’ It’s not just about the thrill of the chase for Lyle, it’s also about the way the desired plant might then sit within his larger vision that seems important to him. It’s about gardening. ‘I just like dealing with plants. All of it. Whether it’s propagating, digging holes, planning, ordering plants online, growing. I suppose it’s about the creativity. A garden is essentially an artwork, and it’s always evolving. That’s the beauty of gardens. There’s always something to surprise you.’

Unlike other collectors, Lyle never lets go of a collection. He may stop collecting ‘mainly because there’s nothing else out there – I’ve collected it to death. And then I’ll move on to something else. I collect but keep. I’m a hoarder. I like to think I’m hoarding good stuff though, as any hoarder thinks.’ Lyle is hoarding good stuff. I’ve visited his nursery a few times over the years, and each time I’ve been blindsided by the botanical curiosities he’s gathered together. Things I’ve never seen before or since. I just wish I lived a little closer.

The current nursery and gardens are just the beginning of Lyle’s big green vision. ‘There are some grand ideas I still want to create’, he tells me. ‘I want to build some plant display houses, a small restaurant, more retail expansion and more gardens. There’s a lot of things that have always been in my mind to achieve and I slowly work towards them. It’ll probably be a life-long project, I don’t think it’ll ever be finished.’ A garden never is. Lyle knows this. I have a sense that Lyle has the patience, commitment and vision to keep on growing Roraima into a world that only he can create. ‘If I do the things I have in my mind it’ll double the wow factor of the nursery. I want to make something iconic’.

I have no doubt Lyle Filippe, the gardener, the collector, will get there.

Jefa Greenaway is more than aware of the weight of responsibility that comes with being one of a minority of Indigenous architects working in Australia today, and he’s become a brilliant advocate for indigenous voices within the built environment.

Interviewing Jefa very quickly throws into focus the glaring lack of diversity with the Australian design community.  For example, right now, Jefa estimates that there are probably between 6 and 8 registered indigenous architects in private practice nationally, and at most, he estimates that around 20 indigenous people have graduated from schools of architecture nationally, ever.

Despite these discouraging numbers, Jefa is optimistic, and the good news is, things are improving. Somewhere between 50-70 students of an indigenous background are in schools of architecture nationally right now – and the IADV, a not-for-profit organisation which Jefa co-founded, provides services to support those students and ensure they flourish.

What Jefa is seeking to do, is to move beyond what he calls the ‘deficit discourse’ of how we engage with indigenous culture. Instead, he is focussed on celebrating our shared humanity and shared connections. Because as he says, ‘we are all connected to the oldest continuing living culture in the world – so why wouldn’t we seek to look at the strength and the opportunity that that can bring?’

I found this conversation so enlightening, and I’m so grateful to be able to share just a little of Jefa’s wisdom with you via this podcast.

Notes and Links

Jefa’s architectural practice is Greenaway Architects.

One of Jefa’s most notable recent projects was the refurbishment of the Koorie Heritage Trust at Federation Square.

Jefa co-founded not-for-profit organisation Indigenous Architecture and Design Victoria (IADV) a decade ago.

Last year, Jefa curated Blak Design Matters, the first the first national survey of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island design – we wrote a little story about it here.

One of Jefa’s most valuable projects over the past decade has been the creation of the International Indigenous Design Charter (IIDC), which is a framework that design practitioners can follow in order to engage in responsible design practice, as it relates to first nations people.

Jefa’s upcoming speaking events include :

Participation in a panel on Decolonising the Public Realm, at Monash University Museum of Art (MUMA) 30st – 31st.

‘Delight’ – the AIA 2019 QLD Regional Conference, Cairns, Queensland 24th – 26th October.

‘Object Subject’: the 2019 National Design Writing Conference, ANU Canberra, 7th – 10th November.

SDNow 4 Conference at RMIT University, on the 14th – 16th November.

This is the 33rd episode of our TDF Podcast – thanks so much for listening! You can browse all or revisit any episode here.

Nestled within the Walter Burley Griffin devised ‘Glenard Estate’ and just down the road from this Charles Duncan beauty we listed last year sits a similarly eye-popping residence.

Though this one, a 1970s creation by architect Nicholas Griffin, is in such remarkable condition with the non-apologetic splendor of its era on full show (check that kitchen and bathroom and you too will drop to your knees and believe) that it commands attention like no other.

Such wonderful conceptional fusion of thoughtful design with the organic crunch of Australian indigenous Modernism familiar also to our legendary Sydney Schoolers, and revered local architects like Graeme Gun, etc is veritable catnip to those of us seeking a physical touchstone of intelligence, nature, and warmth in this, our ever-accelerating, mixed-up world.

View the property listing on Nelson Alexander, and original MA article here.

Run by Patricia Callan and Pete Bakacs, Modernist Australia is the passion-project/website dedicated to raising the profile of mid-century design and modernist principles in Australia. For more swell eye-candy, visit modernistaustralia.com.

Tyrone Wright & Carly Spooner, RONE Empire

An installation project occupying multiple rooms of a historic 1920s Art Deco property, RONE Empire aimed to transport audiences back to the building’s glamorous heyday, juxtaposing beauty and decay. Combining art, installation, light, music and scent, as well as virtual and augmented reality, this immersive art installation and styling project was open to the public and took place over a 7-week period, and saw over 26,000 visitors.

Stephanie Stamatis, Real Living

A visual story using classical motifs through a contemporary lens, this editorial shoot conceived by Stephanie Stamatis is based on the concept of styling a table with fruit, and was realised on a tight budget. Inspired by summer in Italy, this series for Real Living magazine created in collaboration with photographer Lauren Bamford feels lush, hot and textural.

Jack Milenkovic, Mistr Organics

Rugged yet refined, this campaign story by Jack Milenkovic for a male personal care brand embraces a sense of nostalgia, and aims to feel both timeless and modern, and distinctly Australian.

Natalie Turnbull, Milou Milou

Inspired by the classic Australian clothesline, a place where unexpected combinations are found, Nat Turnbull’s vision for Milou Milou was to style the bed linen collection in ways the customer might not traditionally think of it in their home. This creative, colourful showcase of bed linen illustrates the multiple different options for duvets and pillowcases, without using any beds!

Fiona Lynch, Workshop

Driven by creative director Fiona Lynch’s early career in fine art, Workshop is created as a showcase for the ever-evolving aesthetic interests of the design studio, as well as a place to highlight the work of collaborators and up-and-coming makers. Workshop is a stylised, richly textured, yet restrained concept space for exploration and exhibition.

Lucille Ruehland, Bailey Nelson Titanium

A multi-layered campaign by Lucille Ruehland for Bailey Nelson, the aim was produce a series that felt both timeless and nostalgic, like a memory.

Poliform Australia, Art, Design, Artex

An integrated marketing campaign for Arflex, an Italian furniture brand, that pairs an avant-garde spirit with a rich heritage, in a distinctly Australian context.

Bridget Wald, Alice Hutchison & Ilona Savchenko, Italian Tabletop

A glam series of food-based images that feel both familiar and nostalgic, inspired by old cookbooks, party photos, and a vintage colour palette. Inspired by memories, photographs, and objects belonging to the collaborators’ parents, the objective was to create images that encapsulated a place in time in Australia’s immigration and culinary history, with elements of camp and glamour.

Kelly Larkin, Pepite

Created for local ceramics store Pepite, stylist and art director Kelly Larkin and Lillie Thompson were given an open brief to produce marketing and mood material. Highlighting the shape, form, and texture of each ceramic piece, this playful series of simple yet aspirational still life vignettes showcase a collection of local artisans stocked at Pepite and illustrates the store’s eclectic style.

Simone Haag, Art Of Dining

A decadent dinner party table setting designed for a gala event at the NGV that takes inspiration from the artwork, ‘The Banquet of Cleopatra’ by Giambattista Tiepolo. Simone Haag and her team took subtle cues that spoke to the famous artwork: the ribbed glassware and centrepiece mimicked the columns and the colours of the textiles drew inspiration from the people in the painting, while the geometric nature of the flooring was re-interpreted with geometric fabrics. An embrace of the sense of occasion at Cleopatra’s table.

The Art Direction/Styling category is sponsored by Cult Design. Established in 1997 by Richard Munao, Cult Design has one of the most comprehensive collections of brand partners across Australia and New Zealand, providing exceptional authentic designer furniture, lighting and objects from iconic international brands.

Visit The Bottle Shop at Chippendale’s favourite boutique hotel, The Old Clare in Sydney, and it’s not longnecks or natural wine you’ll be taking home with you. It’s work from some of Sydney’s best emerging ceramic artists.

Until this Sunday August 25th, the pub-tiled, bar-next-door Bottle Shop – now a combined retail and gallery space – is hosting the Makerspace & Company Makers Market. The exhibition and pop-shop showcases the work of seven emerging ceramicists, who have all gotten their hands dirty at the MakerSpace workshop in Sydney’s inner west. Whatever your creative background or abilities might be, Makerspace & Company encourage people to reconnect with making through accessible workshops, classes and open studio programs.

‘The Bottle Shop is definitely not your conventional white cube gallery,’ says Kimberley Peel, creative project manager of The Old Clare hotel. And to that end, the works on show have plenty of personality, too: from Stephanie Phillips’ sculptural, earthenware animal series, with striking glazes and patterns, to EJ Son’s sunny vessels embellished with ceramic fried eggs. ‘It’s the kind of thing I’d love to see if I were travelling to another place,’ adds Kimberley. ‘The work in this exhibition is by locals, and feels really connected to Sydney and what’s happening here every day.’

Others artists presenting work at The Bottle Shop include Remy Pajaczkowski-Russell, Murray Topham, Rachael Paul and Natalie Levy.

‘I really believe that people are what makes a place interesting,’ says Kim. ‘There’s a great buzz and energy on Broadway, and this show really demonstrates the artists’ various perspectives on the world.’

Makerspace & Company Makers Market

The Old Clare Hotel
1 Kensington Street
Chippendale, Sydney

Open 12pm – 7pm until Saturday August 24th
And 10am – 4pm on Sunday August 25th

Bendigo Art Gallery is no stranger to international fashion and design exhibitions. After hosting the incredible Marimekko exhibition last year, the gallery has now partnered with the Victoria and Albert Museum in London to bring the work of revolutionary Spanish fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga exclusively to Australia, for the exhibition Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion.

Director Jessica Bridgfoot explains that the conversation with the V&A started two years ago, with the London and Bendigo galleries working together closely to build a successful collaborative relationship. The resulting exhibition brings Balenciaga to Bendigo in spectacular glory, showing the Spanish designer’s ‘incredible innovation, his colossal influence and the enduring legacy on fashion as we know it today’ Jessica explains.

Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion presents the best of Balenciaga, with a particular focus on iconic garments from the 50s and 60s. In addition to highlighting his revolutionary designs of the sack dress (who knew!), and baby doll, the exhibition features sketches, patterns, photographs, fabric samples and catwalks designs. See fabric bloom in the Tulip Dress, and a dramatic statement in the opulent Opera Coat.

Jessica highlights that the robust exhibition is ‘almost two exhibitions in one.’ The show traces the ongoing legacy of Cristóbal Balenciaga, whose work influenced both minimalist and wildly experimental designers including Issey Miyake, Iris van Herpen, Emanuel Ungaro, and Demna Gvsalia (current designer House of Balenciaga). The immersive exhibition captures the surreal and eccentric elements of Balenciaga’s designs, and reveals a little of his famously elusive personality.

Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion also demonstrates the designer’s challenge to fashion conventions, and positive ideas about the many ways female beauty should be expressed and felt. Jessica explains ‘whilst Balenciaga created magnificent ball gowns and tailored suits, he also revolutionised the female silhouette through an abandonment of the waistline.’ For anyone who enjoys a loose shift dress, or swishing tunic silhouette – you’ve got Cristóbal to thank!

Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion
Exhibition organised by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Exclusive to Bendigo Art Gallery in Australia
August 17th – November 10th
Bendigo Art Gallery
42 View Street
Bendigo, Melbourne

Winter, and especially August, is prime citrus season – blood oranges, mandarins, lemons, tangelos, grapefruits are abundant, and can be seen hanging heavily on trees around the neighbourhood. My neighbour has a burgeoning lemon tree in their yard, I can see it from the street and sometimes they put out a basket filled with motley lemons for passers-by to take. It’s a common sight along footpaths in neighbourhoods where people have too much fruit they can’t use, from a tree probably planted long before they lived there.

In the depths of winter, when the fruit bowl is lacking, beautiful citrus (even better if they’ve been picked with some leaves left on), can bring sunshine to even the greyest day. The heady aroma of homegrown lemons and the contrast of the bright fruit and dark green leaves bring warmth, light and endless possibilities into my kitchen.

As we edge a little closer to spring, I want to make the most of the citrus which will soon come second-best to the emerging peas, broad beans and the first berries of the season. This is a recipe for a simple weeknight salad that is wintry at heart, but also very light and refreshing. Roasted cauliflower has become a staple in many households, ours too – here roasted with a very simple scattering of freshly ground spices, olive oil and salt. Slices of lemon and orange and plenty of herbs join in for the perfect antidote to the cold weather!

This salad keeps well too, so is great as lunch the next day. I like to use a variety of citrus here, a mixture of bitter, sour and sweet fruits are the perfect balance, but just use what you have on hand. Be generous with the herbs – think of them more as part of the salad rather than simply a garnish. If you want to make this salad a little more substantial, some cooked chickpeas, lentils or beans would be a lovely addition.

Roasted Cauliflower and Citrus Salad

Ingredients

80g natural almonds
500g cauliflower (around 1/2 a head), trimmed into large floret
1tsp cumin seeds, coarsely ground
1 tsp coriander, coarsely ground
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
1 small bulb fennel, fronds reserved
3 citrus of your choice, a mixture of orange, grapefruit and lemon is nice
Large handful each of parsley, mint and coriander leaves

Harissa dressing

1tsp harissa paste
Small clove garlic, finely chopped
3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1tbsp red wine vinegar
Zest of half a lemon

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a tray with baking paper.

Arrange the almonds on the tray and roast for 8-10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from the tray and allow to cool then roughly chop and set aside.

Meanwhile place the cauliflower into a bowl and sprinkle in the ground cumin and coriander seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with sea salt. Use your hands to ensure the cauliflower is well coated in the spices and oil. Spread onto the prepared tray that the almonds were on and roast for 30-35 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender and lightly golden, turning occasionally if needed. Set aside to cool.

 Thinly slice the fennel, either with a sharp knife or a mandolin, and place in a bowl of cold water while you prepare the other ingredients (I do this with the herbs also). If I have a lemon lying around, I squeeze some juice into the water and drop the lemon itself in too. The acid will help keep the fennel crisp and bright. Drain and dry just before you are ready to assemble the salad.

Prepare the citrus by removing the ends of the fruit with a sharp knife so they can sit flat on the board, and then cut away the peel and any white pith. Slice the fruit into 5mm rounds and set aside.

For the dressing, simply place all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Season with sea salt and check for a balance of flavour. If it needs more acid, add some more vinegar or more harissa to add some extra spice if desired.

Now simply assemble all of the salad ingredients together onto a large serving platter and drizzle over the dressing. 

What else I’m cooking with…

Bitter leaves like radicchio and witlof, pears, new season rhubarb and brussels sprouts pan-fried with a little pancetta.

What I’m eating…

The most incredible banoffee pie from Beatrix with a not-too-sweet salted caramel custard, passionfruit layered amongst the banana and pillowy mounds of crème fraîche. This pie (and everything they make) stand out from the crowd!

The Apple Crate Shack in Flowerpot (yes, it’s a real place) in Tasmania was designed by architect Andrew Kerr to a strict budget. The director of AKA Architects was creating his own home, and his primary design motivation was to ‘build a home I could afford.’ He charted his developments on his blog, 60K house, where he explore the idea of ‘adequacy – the design is guided by needs, not wants’, without compromising on comfort. 

While the final budget exceeded the 60k ambition, Andrew explains ‘this is a comfortable and stylish home that performs thermally very well, and uses very little power, built for only $103 000. There aren’t too many homes of this quality being produced around the country for that price.’

The home takes inspiration from the local Huon Valley fruit growing history, as the form of the building references ‘a series of stacked apple crates.’ The timber cladding was milled on site from felled trees, making the whole enterprise incredibly site specific. Andrew explains ‘short lengths of useful timber were the result’ which enables the ‘apple’ crate aesthetics. ‘The building is literally “of” the place.’ 

The tight budget necessitated resourcefulness and adaptive re-use of materials, including four large windows that were given to Andrew, second hand fixtures, and recycled bricks for the internal wall. The architect highlights ‘this experiment saved some money while providing the necessities and a chance to experiment.’ 

As both architect and client, Andrew was constantly challenged to consider what was a necessity and what was a luxury. Working closely with the builder also allowed for moments of creativity and inventiveness. As the owner, the joys of living in this dreamy bush block are the rewards of a considered approach to the design, where ‘it is immensely satisfying to return home during the colder months to a warm and welcoming solar-powered house, and to walk barefoot across the warm insulated polished concrete slab.’ 

Andrew reflects, ‘no building is perfect, but the Apple Crate Shack is nearly perfect for my needs.’ The hot indoor/outdoor shower under the stars sounds pretty perfect. 

Tigger Hall moved into this 1880s Prahran East property in 2012, and spend the following six months renovating the home. Tigger explains that she took her time sourcing salvaged materials for the building, including old pub doors, an altar rail from the church, and tram light fittings. It seems appropriate that the celebrated interior designer and founder of Nine Muses Textiles, who has spent a lifetime traveling the world to source materials and inspiration, should also renovate her house with the same passion and energy. She highlights ‘I love the hunt, and pulling the pieces together, I feel it creates a relaxed and eclectic mix.’ 

These lovingly sourced objects sit alongside a large collection of old family paintings and furniture that Tigger inherited. Her great grandfather was the esteemed painter Lindsay Bernard Hall, the longest serving director of the National Gallery. The family legacy is evident throughout the house, as sketches cover the walls, and Tigger enjoys sitting at his studio table and chair. She explains ‘everything has a comfortable patina, like diving back into an old book, with so many chapters to this room.’ 

Tigger describes her home as providing a cocooning sense of being wrapped up in both of her great-grandfather’s work (her other great grandfather was also an artist of note, Jeremy Commons. What a family!). The property mixes classic, playful and artistic aesthetics, with travelling flair thrown in for good measure. Tigger highlights ‘most visitors are so surprised when they first step into the space, often claiming it is a Paris Atelier.’

The interiors are directly influenced by Tigger’s travels to artist homes around the globe, including William Morris’ Kelmscott, the Bloomsbury group’s Charlston, and Monet’s home at Giverny. Tigger describes ‘they all have a sense of freedom in their interiors, a place of one’s own, where authenticity it key. I do feel I have achieved the same in the most natural sense, it is not contrived.’ 

Tigger’s love of tapestries and textiles is evident, as varied textures and colours bring richness to the home. Tigger eloquently sums up her style, ‘to live with treasures and memories is so important, it traces our life in a tapestry, threading family history, treasures and modern day living.’