Tag: alex zabotto-bentley

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Design Designers Interviews Styling

Is Shutters the most beautiful restaurant in Sydney?

Dining room
Dining room

Drawing inspiration from its fabulous seaside locale, Shutters bar and restaurant overlooks Sydney’s iconic Coogee beach from inside the strip’s Crowne Plaza hotel. Named after the series of large shutters that take centre stage, the luxe interior pays homage to the ocean with its natural materials palette and sea foam green, turquoise and coral colour pops.

Dining room
Dining room

“The desaturated hues of the vast interior are evocative of ocean surf and they look almost botanical. The palette appears faded in time with its blush hues, marble, soft celadon green textured fabrics, custom terrazzo in putty tones and stucco rendered walls in cream on white,” says interior designer Alex Zabotto-Bentley who sourced many different stones and marbles to support the aquatic colour palette.

Designing a space that worked during the day and night was no mean feat – nor was creating something luxurious, comfortable and respectful of the glorious view. “The functional needs of the space, and the way it evolves from day to night, created some interesting design challenges. We also needed to be mindful of designing an interior that worked within the existing hotel space and melded with the foyer,” says Alex of AZB Creative.

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The lobby bar features beautiful organic inspired curves

With multiple entry points, the designer created three different spaces that function separately and as a whole. The lobby bar is annexed to the foyer and this space features a hand-crafted concrete rendered bar that looks as if it’s constructed from timber. “On top of this, we laid incredible honed terrazzo. This space also includes an area behind glass that we deemed the charcuterie room, where visible chefs can prepare sumptuous feasts for guests,” says Alex.

Lobby bar

The main dining room and large open kitchen were designed to house guests in one space and its features include a detailed central dining banquette, with lush greenery in the centre. Custom rattan dining chairs, buffed leather and celadon green marble tables round out the high-end look. 

Banquette seating
We love this custom semi-circular table and banquette. What a hue!

The third space is the shuttered patio that opens up to the Coogee Beach foreshore – a six-metre-high glassed atrium is wrapped in a floating Moorish-inspired star cut screen in the dining area. “I wanted to create a dappling effect on the patrons as I thought it would be completely fabulous to have dappled stars in their eyes as they dine. I love this detail as it’s really special.”

The Terrace
The terrace

When it comes to the final flourishes, handmade pottery, barnacle-inspired ceramics and ethically sourced coral dot the room alongside pastel artworks by Australian artist Daimon Downey. “We always collaborate with artists, makers, and small run artisanal factories to create an interior narrative that has soul,” says Alex.

Shutters

Shutters has won and been shortlisted for a slew of awards in the past year. It won Gold at the Sydney Design Awards 2020 as well as Gold for Best Upscale hotel in Australia at the HM2020 awards. It received an honourable mention in the 2020 International Design Awards and was shortlisted at the 2020 International Restaurant and Bar Awards in London. It’s also a shortlisted finalist for Best Hotel & Best Restaurant at the Eat Drink Design Awards 2020 and was shortlisted for the Best Hospitality Interior at the IDEA Awards.

Well deserved, we say!

 Photography: Chris Court

For more

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Art Designers House Tours Interviews Styling

Hunter collector: Inside the home of Alex Zabotto-Bentley

An avid collector, the Sydney home of interior designer Alex Zabotto-Bentley is as much a gallery space as it is private residence. Taking up the entire floor of a converted Victorian stately home in the inner-city Sydney suburb of Darling Point, like any fabulous interior, the home gives a fabulous insight into its owner, his life, travels and passions.

“A home’s interior has to feel real and it has to speak of the person who lives there, like a book slowly exposing characters and stories. A successful space is an unfolding narrative with layers of meaning – motifs, art, collectables and furniture are all important. This space reflects my travels, my love of 1940s neutral palettes, my art collections, my obsession with amazing books, the pleasure of cooking and entertaining, and at the end of the day, my love of comfort,” says Alex, design director of AZBcreative. He has just launched a residential arm to his business, adding to his impressive commercial portfolio, together with offices in New York and Bali.

Interesting vignettes feature throughout the home

Filled with a vast collection of art and books, the home references classic French apartments, old Hollywood set design and there’s not a trend in sight. “There’s nothing worse than an interior that’s trendy. I wanted to retain a sense of the building’s history, without creating a museum piece. I love old French apartments that were re-decorated before WWII, mixed with the set-design colour palette of classic Hollywood city spaces – think Cary Grant’s luxe, gentleman’s apartments and spaces from Rome to Monaco,” says Alex who used soft white and grey paint to capitalise on the apartment’s natural light and highlight the collections within.

“I love masculine furniture, robust and beautifully crafted but then offset with other pieces that are light and frivolous. Combined, they create the perfect balance of light and shade, masculine and feminine, yin and yang. Everything in balance. I am a collector and it is an art to present those collections so they are as exciting to your guests as to you,” says Alex who hangs his art in Paris salon style. “It allows you to group pieces that work together and hang them above each other. It also allows you to hang more art but also give the room a grander feel,” says Alex.

Alex’s colour-coded library

And with so many pieces, gathered over a lifetime of travel, the space could so easily look cluttered. “You can imagine what it was like trying to perfectly place these elements. You need a PhD in elegant clustering to keep a sense of balance and space and not turn it into an episode of Hoarders!” says Alex who started collecting art at the age of 17.

“Every piece tells a story and recalls a memory of a great trip or a weekend combing through flea markets and auctions all over the world. I love the thrill of discovering a new artist or a new piece to add to this ever-growing collection. You have to be very disciplined but it also pays to have a massive AZB warehouse for storing my ever-evolving collections!”

Alex in his home

One of the apartment’s standout pieces is a painting of an owl by Joshua Yeldham. “It’s one of the most prominent recent pieces I’ve bought. It is quite delicate, yet it commands your attention – I love that tension between intricate and bold. I’ve tried to maintain a balance of masculine and feminine energy in the space. It’s definitely a masculine retreat, but not too much,” says Alex.

“As for furniture, I love my two modernist Italian timber and brass armchairs, crafted in the 1970s, the massive 1840s French credenza and the new Volta Paris cantilevered coloured sculpture on my mantel piece, reminiscent of Calder and Mondrian, is the bomb!” says Alex whose passion for collecting and curating has become part of his creative offering too.

‘The Owl’ by Joshua Yeldham sits above Alex’s favourite modernist Italian armchairs

“We have just created the AZB art procurement service, as I have several international clients now. I love having them on the same trajectory as me. Sourcing and finding art for clients is a wild trip, as their budgets are infinitely more than mine! For a moment, I get to feel as if these acquisitions are part of my own collection. It’s a fantastic feeling, just for a moment!” says Alex.

Bedroom

Photography: Jacqui Turk

For more on AZBcreative | Follow Alex on Insta

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Designers Interviews

Gorgeous new wellness venue designed by Alex Zabotto-Bentley

It’s not only your insides that will be cleansed after a visit to the chic new Melbourne health and wellness venue Greenfields, but your eyeballs too. Designed by Alex Zabotto-Bentley, of AZB Creative, the tranquil, textured aesthetic is primarily about bringing the outside in but it takes inspiration from chic spaces in Byron Bay, Miami, Barcelona and Buenos Aires too.

“The wonderful owner Simon Digby wanted to create a space that was part Byron Bay and part Miami but incorporated the signature AZB creative. The brief was to translate the very outdated existing venue into an urban resort and this was a mighty challenge, but we are so thrilled with the result,” says Alex of the venue that sits in the gorgeous Albert Park parklands and has lake views too. “It’s your dream vacation house, but it’s big enough for all of your friends too,” says Alex.

A central city oasis

And with relaxation at the forefront, Alex was careful to work with soothing, tranquil hues. “It’s a lifestyle space that can encompass yoga and meditation sessions, music, inspirational talks and long, lazy lunches. 
I felt that it was paramount to use a palette of soft colours. The slubby greys, pumice and mint shades are relaxing and partner perfectly with the verdant, lush plants. The whole effect is warm, human and relaxing – the space has a soul and a sense of history,” says Alex. It’s an effect that is complemented by industrial windows that are framed in a powder coated soft pumice colour. “The powder coater had never done anything of the sort to industrial windows so that was a definite curve ball but the result is amazing! The view of the lake, the rolling terrain of the golf course and the landscape of trees is softened by this putty coloured clean framing of the windows. It’s almost like there are picture frames of every scene,” says Alex.

I’m loving those gorgeous encaustic floor tiles!

The project also provided the perfect opportunity for Alex to showcase his custom encaustic tiles, complete with worn, old world patinas. “I was inspired by recent travels to old-world cities like Barcelona and Buenos Aires, where lifestyle is at the centre of design. I fell in love with the idea of a lofty warehouse combined with large terraced spaces in those cities. I was excited to channel those large old Spanish warehouses and hand design a collection of tiles for Greenfields,” says Alex. The venue’s rustic pots, hand-knotted reed ceilings, rattan pendant shades and recycled timber only adds to the textured, lived-in effect.

“The abundance of greenery was another key element. We planted lush greens in antique ceramic water vessels from Turkey, antique gesso conch shells from Italy and giant terracotta pots by local ceramicists. A mix of small trees and tropical greens help to bring the outside in too,” says Alex.

Texture abounds

The wellness venue offers a pet-friendly holistic eatery (complete with a special ‘clean’ doggy menu!), function venue, yoga and meditation. “I just love the energy we have created in this beautiful space. It’s a space to breathe. I think we get so caught up in the daily grind, that this place, so close to the city centre, is a real retreat. The details were layered to build a warm, tactile environment, which helps people to relax and connect with each other,” says Alex.

Some of the venue’s holistic fare

For more on Greenfields | For more on AZB Creative

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Designers Styling

Fabulous retro boat interior designed by Alex Zabotto-Bentley

While we come across many fabulous interiors of all shapes and sizes it’s not often that a head-turning boat crosses our desk. Having dropped anchor in Sydney recently, Seadeck is a magnificent homage to the grand age of luxury cruising – the 1920’s and 1940’s – and boasts an interior designed by Australian design and events maestro Alex Zabotto-Bentley.

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“I am so excited to be the design director of Seadeck. With my love of the European summer, classic Mediterranean beach clubs and Italian coastal palazzos, this is a dream project. This floating venue is inspired by an entire world of luxe cruising and dream resorts and we wanted to create an environment as beautiful as Sydney Harbour – a blend of nostalgia and modernity,” says Alex.

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Inspired chiefly by Hollywood’s Golden Age, the vessel’s interior is gorgeous – luxurious lounge seating, bespoke furniture and quality finishes round out the look that brings to mind vintage Monaco and St Tropez. Navy, charcoal and white custom lounges, exotic plants and oversized palm trees enhance the minimalist space too and we love the bamboo bar stools and the white balustrading in particular – stunning!

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Alex, alongside his team at his award-winning design and events company, AZBcreative, created custom pieces for the project. “My team at AZBcreative created all aspects of the design from furniture, daybeds, custom bars, décor and a veritable green house of plants including incredible four metre palms,” says Alex.

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Available to hire for private functions, the custom designed 42 metre vessel was handcrafted in Europe and has three vast decks from which to take in 360 degree views of Sydney’s stunning harbour. Chef Drew Bolton, who has honed his skills at Aria Restaurant and a number of other Michelin starred restaurants across the globe, is overseeing the menu. We can’t wait to step aboard!

See here for more.

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Designers

The pop-up Masterchef Dining & Bar by AZBcreative takes out international award

Restaurant interiors have to be my guilty pleasure and the pop-up Masterchef Dining & Bar didn’t disappoint!

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While it was only in Sydney and Melbourne for eight weeks last year, the restaurant designed by AZBcreative has been catapulted back into the spotlight after taking out the prestigious Gold Prize for Conceptual Design at the annual International Design Awards in Los Angeles.

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With a mission to create a venue for premium dining with a sense of permanence and luxury, AZBcreative designed and constructed this two-level, multiple-room, semi-permanent dining space and bar entirely out of scaffolding. Inspired by Victorian Pavilions, a 20 metre by 30 metre marquee shell was transformed into a classical, European restaurant. The scaffolding skeleton was perfectly clad in wall panels and custom-made pavilion columns, with beautiful detailing including: 33 vintage, milk-glass pendant lights floating over the dining space and multi-filament globe ‘cubedeliers’ above the kitchen. The interior was further illuminated through the clear roof panels that allowed the external environment, buildings, views and the starry night sky into the restaurant.

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The central kitchen witnessed the creation of over 600 dishes per evening, with 16 metres of Carrara marble and raw Oregon timber forming the dramatic counter, topped with custom designed powder-coated steel shelves to display fresh produce, decor elements and hand written blackboards.

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The upstairs public bar and private high-tea rooms with their classic mix of Bentwood chairs, antique baker lights, leather Chesterfields and Victorian pressed tin, provided a space to unwind in after work and observe the culinary action below.

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The project, which was designed for both foodies and consumers and lovers of the popular international TV show MasterChef was a huge success in 2013, so fingers crossed it will be returning this year.

Check out our Covet my Coffee Table feature with the mastermind behind AZBcreative, Alex Zabotto-Bentley, here.

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Covet my coffee table House Tours Styling

Covet my Coffee Table: with Alex Zabotto-Bentley

It’s hard to sum up Alex’s talents, but stylist, designer and events genius will just have to do (read more about AZB Creative’s work here).

alex zabotto bentley

“I love my coffee table clusters! I always mix metals, natural coral, old ceramics and tumbled silver balls and sculptures, kind of like curated clutter but with a gentleman’s retreat aesthetic,” he says. “I travel a lot for work and pleasure, so every surface in my apartment becomes the home to some form of collection of treasures.”

AZB coffee table

The table itself is 1970s, made from Italian brass, glass and lucite and was bought from Ken Neale 20th Century Modern in Sydney.

“The large white elephant ceramic was a gift from a dear friend, lovingly held all the way from Hong Kong in my arms. The bowl and plate were an antique market find from a recent trip to Tokyo and the silver objects are a collective from friends and finds from around the world.”

The coffee table sits on a hand loomed Moroccan Beni Ouarain rug from Becker Minty (I’m noticing a serious trend for people we feature in Covet My Coffee Table shopping there! Jen).

If you like what you see, follow Alex on Tumblr and Instagram.

See all our other coffee tables.

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Interiors Addict

AZBcreative raise the bar with this year’s MasterChef popup restaurants

Last year's popup restaurant by AZBcreative

Event masterminds AZB Creative have been hard at work creating the interior of this year’s MasterChef Dining & Bar Pop Up Restaurant, opening its doors in Sydney tomorrow.

Alex Zabotto-Bentley and his team have already started on the massive task of setting up this year's MasterChef popup restaurant in Sydney
Alex Zabotto-Bentley and his team have already started on the massive task of setting up this year’s MasterChef popup restaurant in Sydney

Following the great success of the first MasterChef Dining & Bar, Alex Zabotto-Bentley and his team of designers and stylists have been working hard to make this year’s execution even bigger and better and they’ve shared a glimpse behind the scenes with us today. It’s a mammoth task, with two iconic locations (in Sydney at Circular Quay, and Melbourne, for the first time, on the rooftop of the Crown).

Continue reading “AZBcreative raise the bar with this year’s MasterChef popup restaurants”