Always anticipated, Australian House & Garden’s 2021 Top 50 Room Awards have just been unveiled revealing some of Australia’s best residential architecture and interiors of the year. An annual event, the award celebrates the breadth and creativity found in the Australian residential interiors scene today.
The prestigious ‘Room of the Year’ award went to Sydney architect Jeremy Bull of Alexander & Co. for his glorious kitchen design that features a monolithic cast-concrete island in pale pink which can double as a colossal dining table.
Jeremy Bull won ‘Room of the Year’ and ‘Best Kitchen’ for this gorgeous, multi-purpose space
The room features compartmentalised work areas that could be mistaken for shelving units in a living room, but form functional cooking zones. The kitchen features a Calacatta Viola splashback as well as American Oak joinery that conceals an integrated fridge and pantry. Unsurprisingly, the project won the ‘Best Kitchen’ award too.
“I am deeply grateful to be able to receive this award on behalf of our team and of course I am also so proud of the work we have done. We intended for this house and all its spaces to inspire both our team and clientele to think beyond the traditional. More so, after another year of lockdowns perhaps even to challenge the conceptions we may have about how our homes can be used at large,” says Jeremy.
The ‘Best Bedroom’ award went to Greg Natale for this stunner
This year saw more than 200 rooms submitted across eight categories and Interiors Addict favourite Greg Natale took out the ‘Best Bedroom’ award for his beautiful project that features the stunning Gucci Heron print wallpaper in green.
Other celebrated beauties including a clifftop bathroom, a cohesive indoor/outdoor living space, contemporary living room, luxurious outdoor retreat, lovely yet functional laundry and a glowing living room with surprising use of colour.
Australian House & Garden’s Top 50 Rooms Awards winners include:
Room of the Year: Jeremy Bull, Alexander & Co
Best Kitchen: Jeremy Bull, Alexander & Co
Best Bathroom: Rob Mills, Rob Mills Architecture & Interiors
The ‘Best Bathroom’ award went to Rob Mills for this project
‘Best Laundry’ by Lauren Mahoney of Studio Trio
Best Laundry: Lauren Mahoney, Studio Trio
Best Indoor-Outdoor Connection: Petra Pantano, Studio Petra & Ben Robertson, Tecture
This project won the ‘Best Indoor Outdoor Connection’ award
Best Bedroom: Greg Natale, Greg Natale Design
Best Outdoor Room: Darin Bradbury, Mint Pool and Landscape Design & Mike Cannington, MIL construction.
It’s no surprise that this space won the ‘Best Outdoor Room’ award
Best use of soft furnishings: Kate McCluskey, McCluskey Studio & Matt Hainsworth, Cera Stribley
‘Best use of soft furnishings’ award went to Kate McCluskey of McCluskey Studio
Best use of colour: Brooke Aitken, Brooke Aitken Design
The ‘Best use of colour’ award went to this beautiful space by Brook Aitken
You can check out all the rooms and the full list of winners in the January issue of Australian House & Garden, on sale today (Monday 20 December).
Australia’s most beautiful restaurants and bars: Eat Drink Design Awards
A celebration of Australia’s most exceptionally designed hospitality venues, the winners of the 2021 Eat Drink Design Awards have been announced with plenty of fabulous design to be found within…
Now celebrating its 11th year, the BelleFanuli Interior Design Awards is one of the most prestigious events on Australia’s annual design calendar, garnering hundreds of submissions and culminating in a glittering reception attended by the design world’s leading lights. The program is committed to supporting the creativity and innovation of the Australian interior design industry, rewarding excellence by individuals, partnerships and design practices across residential, hospitality and commercial levels.
Greg Natale Designs’ Brisbane House, a finalist in best residential interior
Finalists in all 10 categories have been revealed (listed below in detail) in the August/September issue of Belle – on sale now – having been selected from a pool of almost 300 submissions by expert judges.
Joining Tanya Buchanan, editor-in-chief of Belle and House & Garden magazines, this year’s judging panel included Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy of Dinosaur Designs; Saskia Havekes of Grandiflora; and Belle contributing editors Karen McCartney, Steve Cordony, Jean Wright and Lucy Montgomery.
Rocks Revival by Thomas Hamel & Associates, a finalist in best residential interior
Tanya said: “We are really excited by the quantity and quality of entries for this year’s Belle Fanuli Interior Design Awards making this year’s judging particularly challenging. The outstanding entries were submitted from a mix of established, mid-career and emerging interior design and architecture practices. It is so inspiring to see the strength and originality of the Australian design aesthetic and at Belle we feel privileged to be an integral part of the landscape of Australian interior design.
“We welcome Fanuli as our headline sponsor and are delighted to be working with Fabio, Sandro and Marco and the rest of the Fanuli team in making the awards an annual event to remember.”
Queens Park by Arent & Pyke, a finalist in best residential kitchen
Categories and awards span across residential interiors, covering kitchen and bathroom design to hospitality, commercial, best work with colour including the category for Best Residential Design (Reader’s Choice).
Voting for the Readers’ Choice competition is open now. You’re invited to select your favourite interior from the 10 projects shortlisted for Best Residential Interior to go in the running to win a Flexform ‘Joyce’ armchair from Fanuli, worth more than $4,000.
Lena by Smart Design Studio, a finalist in best residential bathroom
In addition, there will be awards for Emerging Design Star, Hall of Fame and the creme de la creme Interior Designer of the Year award, which will this year be presented by Fanuli.
Winning designers and their work will be published in Belle Magazine later in the year following the prestigious, invite-only awards evening, to be held at the Fanuli showroom in Cremorne, Sydney.
This winners and commended projects in the The Design Files + Laminex Design Awards 2020 were recently announced in a live-streamed, online ceremony. The results showcase the incredible and diverse Australian talent that currently exists within the architecture and design industries.
Bismarck House by Andrew Burgess Architects (Residential Architecture award winner), Image: Caitlin Mills
10 winners and 19 commendations were awarded to a wide range of creatives from 119 finalists across the 10 awards categories: Residential Architecture, Interior Design, Collaboration, Emerging Designer, Furniture Design, Handcrafted, Landscape Design, Lighting Design, Sustainable Design or Initiative, and Textile Design.
Budge Over Dover by YSG Studio (Interior Design award winner), Image: Prue Ruscoe
The awards are an extension of Lucy Feagins’ The Design Files (TDF) blog.
Andrew Burgess Architects took out first place in the Residential Architecture category, for their work on Bismarck House. This urban oasis in the heart of Sydney’s Bondi emanates a soft industrial style, and utilises raw materials and sculpted spaces to integrate the house and garden.
Bismarck House, Image: Caitlin Mills
The winner of the Interior Design category was YSG studio, with their creation Budge Over Dover. As an ode to both whimsy and functionality, this coastal home was transformed into a gorgeously nuanced piece of art, combining and contrasting shape, texture, and colour. It was praised by the judges for the effective fusion of the renovation with the original structure of the house, which felt seamless and organic.
Budge Over Dover, Image: Prue Ruscoe
Jessie Fowler and Tara Ward, who formed the Fowler and Ward architecture practice in 2018, won the first prize in the Emerging Designer category. This company is focused on redesigning residential spaces in Melbourne, especially smaller homes, or developments where the population density is increasing while the character of the neighbourhood is preserved.
Image: Tom Blachford
There was also a significant increase in the number of First Nations designers and collaborative projects entered in 2020, which is reflected in winners and commended projects.
Pitjantjatjara woman Tjunkaya Tapaya, a senior artist with the Tjanpi Desert Weavers, took out the Handcrafted Design category for her Tjanpi Teapot woven from native grass, which represents a playful take on the important cultural practice of tea-making on the NPY (Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara) lands.
Image: Isobel Egan
Acclaimed Kudjla/Gangalu artist Daniel Boyd collaborated with architects Edition Office on For Our Country, the inaugural National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Memorial located on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country.
Image: Ben Hosking
The Textile Design award went to North – a not-for-profit lifestyle brand facilitating the economic agency of remote Aboriginal artists and art centres – for their Tiwi Strong Women’s Collection created in partnership with female artists from Jilamara, Munupi, and Ngaruwanajirri Art Centres.
Image:Hilary Faye
The major sponsors of the awards included Laminex, Brickworks, De’Longhi, Jardan, Country Road, and Phoenix Tapware.
“Celebrating a diverse cross section of designers and creatives from across Australia, The Design Files + Laminex Design Awards in 2020 has united us as a creative community, highlighting the remarkable strength and resilience of Australia’s creative industries,” said Lucy Feagins, founder of The Design Files.
2020 Australian Interior Design Awards announced, via livestream!
This stunning home by YSG took out the top honour for both residential decoration and residential design in the 2020 Australian Interior Design Awards, announced via Facebook Live on Friday…
Is this the best house in Australia? Houses Awards 2020 announced!
A humble beachside restoration in the Gold Coast suburbs has been awarded the 2020 Australian House of the Year. Chosen by a panel of industry experts, Cantala Avenue House by…
Be inspired by the 2020 Houses Awards shortlist
For 10 years, the Houses Awards have shone a spotlight on Australia’s most outstanding homes, celebrating ambitious design and the very best in residential architecture. Today, we’re sharing just a…
This stunning home by YSG took out the top honour for both residential decoration and residential design in the 2020 Australian Interior Design Awards, announced via Facebook Live on Friday for the first time in their 17-year history.
Image: Prue Ruscoe
Formed this year, YSG is the brainchild of Yasmine Ghoniem, formerly of Amber Road. Judges said the project, called Budge Over Dover, was remarkable for the consistency in its design and styling, with a clear relationship between the interior architecture and decoration.
Image: Prue Ruscoe
The jury commended Yasmine for showing great expertise in working with the existing composition of the building, remarking that the “radical transformation never battles against the original structure, but instead feels completely natural and effortless.”
Image: Prue Ruscoe
Entries to the 2020 Awards set a new standard of best practice in design, showcasing innovative projects that pushed boundaries and did away with the conventional.
In response to restrictions on public gatherings, organisers were tasked with finding another way to present this year’s awards. For the first time, the announcement was held online and live-streamed via Facebook, with design professionals engaging from the comfort of their own homes.
Best of state (residential) South Australia: Sans-Arc Studio for Plaster Fun House. Image by Thomas McCammon
Delivered through a partnership between the Design Institute of Australia and Architecture Media’s Artichoke magazine, the Australian Interior Design Awards is Australia’s most distinguished awards program for the sector.
Best of state (residential) for QLD:Alicia Holgar for Avian Apartment, Qld. Image: Shannon McGrath.
The jury also named Victorian-based practice Fowler and Ward as the ones to watch, presenting it with the 2020 Award for Emerging Interior Design Practice. Established in 2018 by co-directors Jessie Fowler and Tara Ward, the practice has produced several commercial, retail and residential projects, with an emphasis on the engagement between people and design.
Best of state (residential) for Western Australia – Decus Interiors for Coastal Home. Image: Anson Smart.
Praising the exciting new voice the practice brings to the industry, the jury commented on the clarity of Fowler and Ward’s mission and the energetic approach with which it operates. Applauding the experimentation in their process and the fearlessness of their approach, the jury noted that “everything they do is perfectly articulated and successful in increasing engagement between people and design.”
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
Premier Award for Australian Interior Design: Hassell for Di Stasio Citta, Vic
Interior Design Impact Award: PTID for StudioFive, Vic
Sustainability Advancement Award: Jackson Clements Burrows Architects for Gillies Hall, Vic
Emerging Interior Design Practice Award: Fowler and Ward
Residential Design Award: YSG [Formerly Amber Road] for Budge Over Dover, NSW
Commendation: studiofour for Ruxton Rise Residence, Vic, Eastop Architects for Elm Tree Place, Vic, Madeleine Blanchfield Architects for Tree House, NSW, Killing Matt Woods for Perfect Storm, NSW
Residential Decoration Award: YSG [Formerly Amber Road] for Budge Over Dover, NSW
Commendation: Alicia Holgar for Avian Apartment, Qld, Chelsea Hing for Orchard House, Vic
Hospitality Design Award: Hassell for Di Stasio Citta, Vic and Richards Stanisich for Hotel Rose Bay, NSW (Joint Winners)
Commendation: studio-gram for Leigh Street Wine Room, SA, Carr for Eazy Peazy Richmond, Vic
Retail Design Award: Hecker Guthrie for Script Skincare, Vic
Commendation: The Stella Collective & Thomas Coward Studio for Il Bosco Artedomus, Qld, Hogg&Lamb for Salon X Papas, Qld, Studio Goss for Armadillo & Co Sydney Showroom, NSW
Public Design Award: Cox Architecture for Sydney Coliseum Theatre, West HQ, NSW
Commendation: Six Degrees Architects for RMIT Capitol Theatre, Vic, Hassell for Angel Place Lobby, NSW, Bates Smart for Gandel Wing, Cabrini Malvern, Vic
Commendation: Mim Design for Cobild HQ, Vic, Carr for Norton Rose Fulbright Sydney, NSW, Hassell for Transurban Melbourne, Vic
Installation Design Award: Liminal Objects with Van Tuil for The Magic Box, Tas and Studio Goss for Articolo Lighting – Milan, Italy (Joint Winners)
Best of State Awards for Residential Design New South Wales – YSG [Formerly Amber Road] for Budge Over Dover Queensland – Alicia Holgar for Avian Apartment South Australia – Sans-Arc Studio for Plaster Fun House Victoria – studiofour for Ruxton Rise Residence Western Australia – Decus Interiors for Coastal Home
Best of State Awards for Commercial Design Australian Capital Territory – BVN for Marie Reay Teaching Centre, ANU New South Wales – Richards Stanisich for Hotel Rose Bay Queensland – The Stella Collective & Thomas Coward Studio for Il Bosco Artedomus South Australia – studio-gram for Leigh Street Wine Room Tasmania – Liminal Objects with Van Tuil for The Magic Box Victoria – Hassell for Di Stasio Citta Western Australia – Ohlo Studio for Willing Coffee
Best International Design Award: Studio Goss for Articolo Lighting – Milan, Milano
The latest architecture and interior design awards to be handed down, the 2019 Houses Awards feature an array of phenomenal Australian talent across a variety of projects including a Daylesford farm, a converted inner-Sydney power station and a super compact Hobart apartment. With many categories, we’ve selected a few of our favourite projects for you today.
Australian House of the year Designed by Partners Hill, ‘Daylesford Longhouse’ combines a farm building, greenhouse and new business setup all within a 100 metre long shed — a unique project indeed! The large industrial building belies the gorgeous detail within that includes a lush internal garden.
Daylesford Longhouse. Photo by Rory Gardiner
The shed’s internal garden features a roof that can be opened according to the weather and the home’s intimate bedrooms feature beautiful landscape views. The home also took out the ‘New house over 200 square metres’ award.
Daylesford Longhouse houses a lush internal garden. Photo by Rory Gardiner
Views from the bathroom inside Daylesford Longhouse. Photo by Rory Gardiner
New house under 200 square metres Designed by Peter Stutchbury Architecture, Bay Guarella House is located within a eucalyptus forest with views to Guerrilla Bay on the New South Wales south coast. It’s also a shared holiday home between friends and the judges loved the way in which it allows its inhabitants to truly immerse themselves in the surrounding landscape.
Guerrilla Bay House. Photo by Michael Nicholson
House alteration and addition over 200 square metres (joint winner) This category is unique in that it was awarded to two projects — Teneriffe House by Vokes and Peters and Brisbane Riverbank House by Owen Architecture.
Teneriffe House is not your typical Queenslander. Photo by Christopher Frederick Jones
A renovation and extension to a 1909 Brisbane Queenslander, Teneriffe House shows just how creative you can be with white and the end result is “delightfully sculptural and elegantly crafted” according to the jury. A triumph of indoor/outdoor living, the home features several lawn platforms and concrete arches that echo the home’s original internal timber ones. “It’s easy to imagine garden parties here” said the jurors. Yes, indeed.
Teneriffe House. Photo by Christopher Frederick Jones
Teneriffe House. Photo by Christopher Frederick Jones
The joint winner, Owen Architecture’s Brisbane Riverbank House is an addition to an existing 1930’s home for a car collector who wanted a home for family and friends to enjoy. The house features large courtyards that overlook the river and take in the surrounding bush – the use of brick and terracotta references the adjacent landscape.
Brisbane Riverbank House. Photo by Simon Devitt
Brisbane Riverbank House. Photo by Simon Devitt
House alteration and addition under 200 square metres Designed by Sydney’s Tribe Studio, ‘House in Darlinghurst’ saw the site of a former electrical substation (built in the 1930’s) transformed into a new three bedroom home with leafy rooftop views.
‘House in Darlinghurst’ is a repurposed electrical substation. Photo by Katherine Lu
‘House in Darlinghurst’ interior. Photo by Katherine Lu
Originally built in the 1930’s, the compact 50 square metre site is located in what was once a slum and red light district. It now boasts a spacious rooftop pool terrace surrounded by Venetian glass bricks described by the architect as a “wild extravagance.”
The rooftop pool is surrounded by Venetian glass bricks. Photo by Katherine Lu
Apartment or unit Hobart based architects Liz and Alex were honoured for their work in using plywood to transform a tiny 1970’s bedsit (it’s just 26 square metres!) into something that looks and feels spacious. The home features a fold-away kitchen, bathroom and bed that conceals domesticity and allows for flexibility within the tiny footprint. The space can be reconfigured to suit a couple or a party of 10!
Photo by Sean Fennessy
The renovation includes a place for everything and the jury said that the most powerful aspect of the design is the way the space feels almost gallery-like when packed away which is impressive given the project’s size constraints.
One of the most anticipated interior design competitions in Australia, the Belle Coco Republic Interior Design Awards were staged recently with the winners including a beautiful waterfront holiday villa in Sydney’s Palm Beach and a highly original pink onyx and rose gold bathroom. Hosted by Belle magazine and Coco Republic, the competition, in its eight year, spans residential, commercial and hospitality sectors.
Alexander & Co.’s winning work at Palm Beach
“Congratulations to all of our 2018 winners. We are incredibly proud to drive these awards each year and are delighted that the awards are in their eighth year. The entries in 2018 were of the highest calibre and it was an honour to see firsthand the expertise and imagination behind Australia’s most outstanding interiors,” said Belle magazine editor, Tanya Buchanan.
Award winners Arent & Pyke’s ‘Treetop House.’ The pale pink sheer curtains were an inspired choice.
Taking out three awards including the highest accolade of the evening (‘Interior Designer of the Year’) was the founder of Alexander & Co., Jeremy Bull whose work on a commercial space in Dubai and the aforementioned Palm Beach house was recognised.
Alexander & Co.’s winning Palm Beach project
The ‘Best Bathroom Design’ award went to Decus Interiors for its stunning bathroom project in Woollahra. Combining pink onyx with a dusty rose concrete floor, statement lighting and a custom-designed mirror it’s one of the most original bathrooms I’ve seen.
The ‘Best Bathroom Design’ award went to this Decus Interiors project
The ‘Emerging Design Star’ award was given to Felicity Slattery and Sarah Cosentino of Studio Esteta while Juliet Arent and Sarah-Jane Pyke of Arent & Pyke were awarded the ‘Best Work with Colour’ title for their gorgeous use of colour in residential spaces.
Arent & Pyke’s ‘Treetop House’ project illustrates how the duo won the ‘Best Work with Colour’ award.
Arent & Pyke’s ‘Curatorial House’ project is another example of beautiful colour use.
The ‘Best Residential Kitchen Design’ award went to Amber Road for its ‘1906’ project.
Amber Road’s award-winning kitchen
The full list of winners:
Belle Coco Republic Interior Designer of the Year Jeremy Bull of Alexander & Co.
Best Residential Interior Palm Beach House by Alexander & Co.
Best Commercial Interior Hordern House by Studio Kate (Busatti)
Best Hospitality Interior Sean Connolly at Dubai Opera by Alexander & Co.
Best Residential Kitchen Design 1906 by Amber Road
Best Bathroom Design Woollahra House Bathroom Two by Decus Interiors
Emerging Design Star Felicity Slattery and Sarah Cosentino of Studio Esteta
Best Work with Colour Juliette Arent and Sarah-Jane Pyke of Arent & Pyke
Best Residential Interior – Readers’ Choice
Hamilton Island House by Greg Natale Design
Taking out top honours in the ‘Best Residential Interior,’ ‘Best Residential Design’ and ‘Best Residential Bathroom Design’ (joint winner) categories, Smart Design Studio’s ‘Indigo Slam’ made quite the splash at the recent 2017 Belle Coco Republic Interior Design Awards night.
Smart Design Studio’s ‘Indigo Slam’ project
The Sydney home, created as a gallery space for one of Australia’s foremost art collectors is, rather fittingly, equal parts sculpture and private residence.
Smart Design Studio’s ‘Indigo Slam’ project
Currently in its seventh year, the awards are hosted by Belle magazine and the premium furniture and homewares purveyor Coco Republic. This year saw 270 submissions battle it out across nine categories including residential, commercial and hospitality divisions.
The Rado Emerging Design Star award recipient Yasmine Ghoniem’s (Amber Road) ‘Deco House’ project
“Congratulations to all our winners and entrants. Year on year, the awards showcase the innovative thinking that shapes the Australian interior design industry and this year was just exceptional. It is always a privilege to see the outstanding work of the brightest talents in our field,” said Tanya Buchanan, the editor of Belle magazine.
‘Interior Designer of the Year’ SJB’s ‘Redfern Terrace’ project
The ‘Interior Designer of the Year’ award was taken out by the interior design directors of SJB, Jonathan Richards and Kirsten Stanisich.
B.E. Architecture’s ‘Hamden Road Residence’ won the ‘Best Residential Bathroom Design’ category together with Smart Design Studio for their ‘Indigo Slam’ project
This year’s Belle Coco Republic Interior Design Awards were dominated by the outstanding projects of designer Fiona Lynch, who topped off the night by being the first woman to win the top prize of Designer of the Year. She also took out the top award for Best Residential Interior for the Balwyn Residence (pictured) and Best Bathroom Design for the Hargreaves Residence.
At last night’s 2016 Awards, Australia’s interior design community came together to celebrate and identify the very best in Australian design talent. One of Australia’s most prestigious design accolades, the Awards acknowledge excellence in Australian interior design and decoration and set the benchmark for expertise, creativity and vision in what is a highly competitive and progressive industry.
This year, Belle’s style-director-at-large Steve Cordony, transformed Coco Republic’s Alexandria showroom, evoking a modern geometric theme with hits of ultramarine blue to the delight over 250 industry and media guests. This year’s judging panel included publisher and design expert, Karen McCartney, Coco Republic executive directors, Anthony Spon Smith and Jeremy Byrne, Dinosaur Designs creative director, Louise Olsen, Timothy Oulton, founder and director of Timothy Oulton, Belle editor Tanya Buchanan and Steve Cordony.
Tanya said: “Congratulations to all of the designers and firms who entered this year’s awards, which had the most entries ever with more than 300 projects submitted for judging. The calibre of entries was incredible and the judges really noticed a dynamic aesthetic and sense of innovation running through the body of work. It was great to see some of Australia’s best design talent Fiona Lynch, Whiting Architects, Arent & Pyke and Woods Bagot, recognised for their outstanding work. So many design schemes take years to plan and execute so I know how they must feel to win an award for one of these projects which are always challenging but ultimately rewarding.”
Fiona receives return flights for two to Paris to visit Maison & Objet in September courtesy of Cathay Pacific, a $5,000 Parisi voucher, a $1,000 Coco Republic voucher and of course a one-year subscription to Belle. All the award winners are profiled in Belle’s June/July 2016 issue, on sale on Monday 16 May.
The full list of winners
Best Residential Interior Fiona Lynch, Balwyn Residence
Best Commercial Interior Woods Bagot, Paramount by The Office Space (see it here)
Best Hospitality Interior Arent & Pyke, Alex Hotel
Best Residential Kitchen Design Whiting Architects, O’Grady Kitchen
Best Residential Bathroom Design Fiona Lynch, Hargreaves Residence
Belle Coco Republic Interior Designer of the Year Fiona Lynch
Best Residential Interior – Readers’ Choice Arent & Pyke, Double Bay House
(Inside) magazine has announced the winners of its 2014 Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA). The 12th annual awards were celebrated in style at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Friday.
The winners are as follows:
Overall Winner: Kennedy Nolan – St Kilda West House
The judges called this a superb design incorporating Asian architectural themes within a contemporary vernacular. Taking inspiration from the client’s desire for a home that would be expressive, without being formulaic or symbolic, Kennedy Nolan’s design responds with a sensibility that is never literal. The project was also recognised as the winner of the Residential Single category.
Photo by Derek Swalwell
Derek Swalwell
Designer of the Year: Woods Bagot
The judges said Woods Bagot’s contribution of exemplar projects over the past year saw them take home the Designer of the Year title. Presenting work across hospitality, commercial and public space, their exceptional calibre of work is celebrated for its unique and elegant response.
Royal Randwick. Photo by Shannon McGrath
Gold Medal: Chris Connell
The judges said Chris Connell, one of the country’s most highly regarded design figures, took home this year’s most prestigious award, the IDEA Gold Medal, presented to practitioners who have made an enduring contribution to Australian design over the course of their career.
Editors’ Medal: Greg Natale
Greg Natale was named the inaugural winner of the Editors’ Medal. The judges said a designer of extraordinary talent, Natale is both an exemplar and prolific contributor to the Australian interior design milieu. Compounding his work as an interior designer and architect with his firm Greg Natale Design, Natale has also designed a range of rugs, carpets, wallpapers, and furniture this year, while launching his first book, The Tailored Interior, earlier this month.
East Brisbane House. Photo by Anson Smart
Emerging Designer: C+M Studio
The highly regarded Emerging Designer award was this year awarded to C + M Studio, for their inaugural project Manly Penthouse. Their design saw a curved interior room inserted within a modernist shell with the skill and resolution of a mature practice.
Sustainability: Breathe Architects – The Commons
Emerging practice Breathe Architecture received IDEA’s Sustainability award for The Commons, a triple bottom line development that is, uniquely, replicable. Comprising a series of small, but delightful architectural moments, the whole is so much more than the sum of its parts. The project and Breathe Architecture were also recognised as winner of the Residential Multi category.
Event
Winner: NGV + Mathery – Pastello – Draw Act
Highly Commended: Fold Theory – City of Trees
Highly Commended: Justin Architecture – Fallow: Between Abandonment and Rebirth
Hospitality
Winner: DesignOffice – A. Baker
Highly Commended: Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects – Norton Street Cinema
Highly Commended: Elenberg Fraser – Adrian Zumbo Patisserie
Highly Commended: Studio Equator – Whites Dispensary
Workplace Over 1000sqm
Winner: Architectus and Ingenhoven Architects – Sydney Commonwealth Parliament Offices
Highly Commended: CO-AP – Camperdown Childcare
Highly Commended: Intermain – WWF Australia
Workplace Under 1000sqm
Winner: Melbourne Design Studios – Birkenstock Australia HQ
Highly Commended: Alexander &Co. – Calida HQ
Now in their 12th year, (Inside) magazine’s annual Interior Design Excellence Awards IDEA are nationally recognised as the country’s premier independent design awards program. Close to 500 entries were received this year. The 2014 judges were Miriam Fanning from Mim Design; Fiona Dunin from FMD Architects; Trent Jansen; Grant Amon, from Grant Amon Architects; Jon Goulder; Mark Simpson from DesignOffice and the Jury chairs, Inside Magazine’s editors Jan Henderson and Gillian Serisier
Hot off the press, friend of Interiors Addict, the supremely talented Greg Natale, has just taken out the top prize at tonight’s Belle Coco Republic Interior Design Awards 2014 in Sydney. We are so happy for and proud of you, Greg!
Here’s a reminder of why his work is award-winning!
Entries for Australia’s largest independent design awards program, The Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), opened this week.
Launched by Inside magazine in 2003, the program celebrates the best of Australian interior and product design across 11 categories and five special awards.
Open to both emerging local designers as well as the country’s leading architecture and design firms, the entries are judged by a panel of design industry professionals, including Paul Chung, associate director at DesignInc and Clare Cousins, founder of Clare Cousins Architecture.
Projects completed in the last 12 months are eligible to enter. Early bird entries are open until the end of March, with all entries closing on 25 May.
The industry’s finest got dressed up for the Belle Coco Republic Interior Design Awards 2013 last night and I was lucky enough to join them! The event styling, by Belle’s own Steve Cordony, at Coco’s Alexandria showroom, was impeccable as ever.
Clockwise from left: Greg Natale, Neale Whitaker and Jamie Durie, Darren Palmer and Megan Morton
Congratulations to Paul Hecker and Hamish Guthrie of Hecker Guthrie, who jointly picked up the top award, interior designer of the year, beating fellow finalists Iain Halliday and Greg Natale (who won in 2012 and 2011 respectively). Belle editor-in-chief Neale Whitaker said they had taken Australian interior design and decoration in an intriguing new direction. “It is as refined as it is industrial and as glamorous as it is raw. Their body of work is consistently fresh and directional.”
I love this colourful, feminine home by Greg Natale Design, a finalist in the residential category.
Greg Natale, Iain Halliday and Paul Hecker and Hamish Guthrie (jointly) are in the running for the top prize of designer of the year in the 2013 Belle Coco Republic Interior Design Awards. What a fantastic line-up of talent! It’s particularly exciting for Greg and Iain, who took the crowns in 2011 and 2012 respectively.
I love this colourful, feminine home by Greg Natale Design, a finalist in the residential category.
The prestigious awards, a collaboration between the magazine and the furniture brand, are now in their third year and this year received the largest number of entrants to date. The official announcement of the finalists, accompanied by a profile of their work, is revealed in Belle’s June/July issue, on sale today. This year, flamboyant American interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard was the international judge.
Another finalist in the residential category, by Justine Hughes-Jones Design
Belle Editor-in-chief Neale Whitaker described Australia’s interior design signature as world-class. ‘The exciting thing is that every year the confidence of Australian interior design grows. It has developed a profile that is truly international, directional and dynamic.”
Hecker Guthrie's Park Street residence, winner of the residential decoration category
Hecker Guthrie and the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne picked up the big prizes at the Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) in Sydney last night. The Seymour Centre was packed with the best names in the industry, sharing in each other’s success at the event, hosted by Inside magazine.
Hecker Guthrie’s Park Street residence, winner of the residential decoration category
In picking up the Gold Medal, Paul Hecker and Hamish Guthrie of Hecker Guthrie (who also picked up the residential decoration category) gave heartfelt speeches about their passion for the job, the fun they have at work, their respect for each other and how people shouldn’t think of “decoration” as a dirty word.
Facet Studio picked up both the emerging designer and international project categories and clearly weren’t expecting either, struggling to find the words as they took to the stage, overwhelmed and flattered at the recognition from their peers.
Brisbane’s Stokehouse restaurant by Arkhefield, joint winner of the hospitality category
The judges had a difficult job, with a highly commended award also given in several categories, sometimes even two!
Entries are coming in for the inaugural Green Interior Awards brought to you by Your Future Home with Interiors Addict as the major sponsor.
It’s open to both professional and amateur interior designers and stylists who have completed a residential or commercial project with a ‘green’ theme. The judges are looking for interiors that have used green products, rather than structure or architecture. There are plenty of prizes from Koskela, the Real Store, Hemp Gallery and more.
You have until 16 November to submit entries and the process is very straightforward. You can read about what you have to do here. I’ll be judging alongside sustainable interiors consultant at Australian Living Daphna Tal and Eminè Mehmet, sustainability thought leader and interior designer.
Here are some things I’m LOVING in interiors right now: grey, marble, gold accessories, leather and custom joinery that lets you hide everything away. Now check out this recent Greg Natale project. Isn’t it divine? I’m not the only one to think so. It’s one of two of his jobs to be shortlisted in the residential decoration category of the IDEA Awards.
Based around its impressive harbour view, this Elizabeth Bay apartment has enough natural light to be able to indulge in a dark and moody palette. Black oak joinery, charcoal stucco walls, grey Basaltina stone floors and black leather are punctuated with crisp white elements. The joinery is both functional for storage and helps define the different living spaces, as do the unusual ceilings.
The Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) is Australia’s largest and most successful independent design awards program. Launched by (Inside) magazine in 2003, the program celebrates the best of Australian interior and product design across 11 categories and five special awards. Greg’s Astor Apartment is also shortlisted in the residential decoration category. Winners are announced in November.
What do you think of this Toorak residence by David Hicks, a finalist in the Best Residential Interior Category of the Belle | Coco Republic Interior Design Awards, being announced this week?Click on the image for a larger version.
