St Kilda Loft - An Ode to Slow Living.

Set within a heritage-listed 1927 apartment building in St Kilda, this loft presented a rare opportunity to honour one of Melbourne's most storied residential addresses while creating a home that feels entirely contemporary and deeply personal. The client brief centred on a considered, lasting approach to interior-making, one that would stand apart from trend-driven design and instead invest in pieces, materials, and craftsmanship built to endure.

The entry sitting room serves as the project's stylistic anchor. The starting point was the client's original 1970s Featherston Numero IV sofa, a piece of Australian design history that dictated a bold, sculptural direction. By positioning this low-slung icon centrally, we established a tone for casual entertaining that playfully juxtaposes the apartment's tall, arched windows.

Grounding the entire composition is the Just Chill Rug from Studio BASE in Moss, a 100% New Zealand wool piece whose soft, earthy tone and subtle organic patterning set the canvas for the curation, working in quiet harmony with the Featherston and everything that surrounds it.

The entry sitting curation celebrates a "Melbourne Soul," featuring a Lune Cabinet in Walnut by Sabu Studio, whose concave and convex curves provide a rhythmic counterpoint to the architecture. Lighting was treated as functional art: the Coco Flip Dancer Table Lamp (a ceramic collaboration with Belinda Wiltshire) and the Linear Floor Lamp, which pays homage to Melbourne's century-old Specialty Pleaters, introduce a softness through pleated linen and reclaimed timber. The nested Artisan Bloop Coffee Tables via Ducksnest complete the vignette with understated craft. At the heart of the space sit a pair of Ming Armchairs, custom-developed in collaboration with Studio BASE, the frame, cushion inserts, and upholstery refined specifically around the client's comfort brief. Designed intentionally to encourage face-to-face conversation over drinks, the proportions and softness of these chairs are as considered as any element in the room; a detail that is felt before it is noticed.

In the primary living area, the curation shifts toward an expansive, tonal luxury that centres on a dialogue between contemporary form and figurative art. The Za:Za Max sofa by Zanotta in Taiga fabric serves as a textural centerpiece, grounded by the Yield Dot Rug by Kvadrat. This space is watched over by ‘Woman Smoking At The Window’ by Diana Sosnowska, an artwork that mirrors the project's themes of quiet introspection. A sophisticated interplay of walnut continues here through the Pia Low Sideboard, balanced by the slender, glowing silhouette of the Foscarini Chiaroscura Floor Lamp.

The narrative of "investing for longevity" extends into the Master Bedroom, where we designed around the client's existing Arthur G Owen Chair in Merida fabric. Positioned by the window and paired with the Meguro Stool, designed by John Bastiras and crafted from sustainably sourced solid American Oak via In Good Company, together they establish a soulful, high-relief vignette that speaks directly to the project's ethos of championing local makers and enduring craft. The Willow bedhead by Zenn Design provides a soft focal point, while the Pia Bedside Tables from Jardan flank the bed with quiet, refined utility. Both are Melbourne-born designer brands whose commitment to considered making aligns seamlessly with the spirit of the project.

Complementing this, Nick Osmond's 'I Never Lost My Crown' hangs above, adding a final layer of personal meaning to the master bedroom. The Poliform Abbinabili chest of drawers was chosen for its minimalist rigour, seamlessly complementing the clean lines of the existing wall-to-wall wardrobe.

The transformation of the guest bedroom into a dedicated home office demonstrates how custom joinery can solve modern technical needs without sacrificing the loft’s aesthetic integrity. The bespoke walnut desk features an integrated finger-pull design and a discreet recessed compartment to manage the "visual noise" of cables and hardware. To ensure the room felt like a continuation of the home’s living zones, we incorporated a dedicated reading nook featuring a Jardan Ridley Armchair upholstered in textural Ithaque fabric. The space is finished with the artwork ‘Phoebe’ by Olivia Valentine, whose presence adds a final layer of personality to this circular sage-toned sanctuary.

In the second guest bedroom, the focus is on a warm, cocooning materiality. We specified the Artisan Blend Side Table for its artfully sculpted curves and unparalleled craftsmanship, serving as a tectonic anchor for the room. Above it hangs ‘Lady Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland’ by Samuel Condon, which pairs perfectly with the brutalist-adjacent form of the Post Table Lamp by Living Edge. Set against the Lichen rug from Baya, the room achieves a rich, tonal warmth that feels both historic and entirely fresh.