With Studio CD's creative director Claire, having worked early on in her career at Elle Decoration UK, it was such a thrill to see our work on the cover of their August edition, along with a great article by Karine Monie on Alexander House. We were humbled by the opportunity to bring our styling skills and creative eye to this incredible project by architects Alexander & Co.
Architecture and interior design by Alexander & Co. Featured in Elle Decoration UK. Photography by Anson Smart. Styling by STUDIO CD. See more of this project HERE.
“ALEXANDER HOUSE IS OUR WORKING PROTOTYPE TO TEST IDEAS.
IT IS A BUILDING THAT CAN PERFORM AS AN OFFICE, A SPACE FOR REFLECTION TO NURTURE THE CREATIVE SPIRIT, AND A TESTING GROUND FOR SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES."
– Jeremy Bull, Principal at Alexander & Co.
Taking eight months to complete during last year’s various lockdowns, the 250-square-metre building in Sydney’s Bondi Junction includes a traditional studio space in the basement, with workstations and storage for material samples. Head up to the ground floor and it starts to feel more homely. Called ‘the café’, this area features a kitchen, dining and meeting spaces, as well as a relaxed lounge. On the mezzanine, there’s a library, while the top floor is dedicated to sleeping quarters and bathrooms for visiting team members.
The creation of the styling concept for Alexander House was lengthy, involving sourcing a huge collection of unique, designer pieces from our many partners. We opted for decor with personality, texture, scale and natural tones that complemented the incredible tactile interiors. The resulting rooms are beautifully resolved with a lovely balance between intimate and voluminous spaces, you just want to reach out and touch.
The breakfast area (pictured above) features a bespoke bench by CDF Studio, upholstered in ‘Tundra’ leather from Instyle, provides seating across two tables custom-designed by Alexander & Co. On the table, there is a vase from Spence & Lyda and water glasses from Cult Design. The chairs are the ‘Arkade’ by Nanna Ditzel for Brdr Krüger and Marcel Breuer’s ‘Cesca’ for Knoll. The wall light is a one-off piece by 27Hundred and the painting is V19 Reimagining by Greg Wood, bought from Otomys Contemporary.
In the living room (pictured below) is a sideboard crafted by Hugh McCarthy and adorned with bowls from Studio Cavit and Ondene, a vase from Palmer & Penn and a tall vase from Chalk Horse Gallery. The wall lights above are by 27Hundred. On the coffee table (a vintage Roche Bobois design from The Vault Sydney) sits a marble plate from Fred International and a vase from Palmer & Penn. Beside it sits a bespoke sofa by CDF Studio and a reconditioned armchair, designed by Jean Gillon in the 1960s for Italma Wood Art. The glass side tables are by Yiannis Chikas for Miniforms (featuring marble bowl from Greg Natale) and the rug is from Cadry's.
Leading out to the courtyard garden, the basement studio space (pictured above) is perfect for meetings. The American oak table is a bespoke piece by Alexander & Co and the chairs are the ‘Cesca’ by Marcel Breuer for Knoll. Pieces on the table include table linen from In Bed Store, vase and coupes from Manyara Home, green vase from Marimekko, green glasses and plates from Spence & Lyda, a large sculptural jug from Curatorial + Co and ‘Puck’ glasses from Tom Dixon. The outdoor table and stools are Alexander & Co’s ‘This Hima Series’, and were created by Re. Studio Collective using recycled building waste.
The library features ‘Platner’ chairs by Warren Platner for Knoll surrounding a beautiful walnut table that was conceived by Alexander & Co and crafted by Hugh McCarthy. On the table there's a carafe from Great Dane Furniture, glasses from Cult Design, bowl from Ondene and a ceramic sculpture by Tania Rollond. The rug is from Cadry's.
The ensuite bathroom is clad in ‘Rosso Crema’ marble tiles from Teranova and features a steam shower from Brodware. The ‘Yokato’ towel rails are also from Brodware, while the marble side table (inside the shower) is from Manyara Home. The bedroom has a ‘Distrikt’ bed by District Eight, with built-in bedside tables featuring vessels by Tania Rollond and bedding from Ondene. It sits on a rug from Armadillo & Co. The floor lamp is a vintage piece The Vault Sydney. On the shelf above the bed, there's a textured bowl from Paola Paronetto Creations and a sculpture from Curatorial & Co.
INGREDIENTS
Furniture, Art & Decor – Curatorial & Co, Studio Cavit, Tania Rollond, Ondene, Paola Paronetto Creations, Manyara Home, Armadillo & Co, The Vault Sydney, Great Dane Furniture, Cult Design, In Bed Store, Marimekko, Spence & Lyda, Palmer & Penn, Chalk Horse Gallery, Fred International, Greg Natale, Cadry's, Sarah Nedovic Gaunt, Studio Enti, DeDeCe, Space Furniture, Utopia Art Sydney, Coco Republic.