Winners and photos from last night’s Belle Coco Republic Interior Design Awards 2013

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.

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.”

The Melbourne duo receive return flights to Maison et Objet, Paris, plus a package of prizes including Parisi bathroom products, a Smeg fridge and generous vouchers from both Cadrys and Coco Republic.

The category winners were as follows:

• Residential – Greg Natale Design, for Brighton house (Melbourne) and Perikic house (Sydney)
• Hospitality – Pascale Gomes- McNabb, for Monopole (Sydney)
• Commercial – George Livissianis, for Jac + Jack (Sydney)
• Corporate – Foolscap Studio, for Clemenger (Melbourne.

Each category winner receives a prize package comprising $1,000 Coco Republic and Cadrys rug vouchers.

I had a fantastic night catching up with some of my favourite designers and stylists and meeting new ones. Meeting such fantastic people reminded me why I love reporting on this industry.

Now in its third year, the presitigious awards receieved the largest number of entrants to date this year. Look out for Belle’s August/September 2013 issue featuring a complete overview of the awards, the winners and their respective projects.