Rather than eradicate the mood of this seventies penthouse apartment perched on Queensland’s Gold Coast in Australia, Cassie James-Herrick and her team at CJH Studio found the aspects they admired and ran with them. The three-bedroom apartment had been untouched since it’s construction by the original developers, complete with eye-catching brass bathroom fittings and extravagant golden details, but the Melbourne-based interior design practice decided to pick and choose their changes, to create a more sophisticated, light-filled space that spoke to the needs of today.
Naturally, the brass fittings are gone, along with all extraneous colours that would jar the creamy, textural palette which accentuates the structure’s original curves. Surfing the curves throughout the space, James-Herrick created an impressive arch in the double-height wall of the living space in the two storey-apartment. The circular table in the kitchen mirrors the curve’s softening effect which extends to the staircase, corridors and as far as the the walk-in shower, where the glass brick wall that originally dominated the foyer has been cannily and carefully repurposed.
The lovingly-restored travertine floor is another example of paying tribute to the echoes of the past while finding a new voice. With custom joinery throughout and a crisp palette that envelope the space like a Roman toga, imbuing the minimalist approach with maximum visual interest, with no hint of brass and the only gold remaining on the apartment’s address.
With her luxe e-boutique for beauty Inès, Zoë Philpott sources intense treatments and pharmacy favourites from around the world. Alongside co-founder Sarah Jackson Natan she has managed to stock beauty editor favourites Nuxe, Leonor Greyl and iS Clinical. We get under her skin to discover her love for masks, music and her top three beauty picks.
My personal style can be defined by: A uniform. I try and stick to good quality pieces that stand the test of time.
An unforgettable place I visited was: India and Istanbul.
Next place I’d like to go to: Hopefully Wanaka to ski.
Ear Cuffs by Charlotte Chesnais and the Equus Lamp by Kassandra Thatcher
The last thing I bought and loved was: An antique handmade silk kimono.
In my fridge you’ll always find: Preserved lemons, leafy greens, The Beauty Chef products and few bottles of cream.
My favourite room in my house is: Our lounge room for cosiness and dining table for memories
I recently discovered: Palestinian cooking, inspired by a cookbook called Zaitoun [by Yasmin Khan] which has a special narrative on both the people and food of Palestine.
The people I rely on for my wellbeing are: My family (Mum, Daniel, Rufus), Sarah and my yoga teachers at East West. I also love Daphne Javich and her Instagram Doing Well.
The best gift I ever received was: A set of four tribal etchings from my dear friend Sophie. We spotted them together in an antique store in Primrose Hill and she surprised me a few months later with them for my thirtieth. They are so special to me.
Land surveyor turned fashion designer Wynn Crawshaw has built his brand Wynn Hamlyn around thoughtful and nuanced womenswear collections through the filter of empowerment. Past collections have been inspired by hotel carpet and LSD. We asked the designer from Te Puke to unravel his influences and reveal his style icon.
My personal style can be defined by: White T shirt, black pants or jeans and sneakers. From time to time I will try and mix it up but ultimately i’m a uniform guy.
The last thing I bought and loved was: A repurposed shirt from Lucky Dip.
An unforgettable place I visited was: Romania, Bucharest. It’s unlike any other country or place I have seen.
Next place I’d like to go to: Russia – I am very curious about cultures I know less about. Or Lake Como.
An object I would never part with is: My box of treasures and momentoes I have saved, like wedding invitations, polaroids, and postcards.
On my wish list is: Dinner out with friends – or socialising in general.
The last thing I added to my wardrobe was: Old Asics sneakers from Trademe.
The item that inspires me is: Any old craft books, about skills or special things that are getting forgotten about now.
My favourite app is: Netflix.
An indulgence I would never forgo is: Sleeping in on the weekends.
If I had to limit my shopping to one neighbourhood in one city it would be: Ponsonby, Auckland
My style icon is: Steve Lacey.
The best book I’ve read in the last year is:Shoe Dog by Phil Night.
In my fridge you’ll always find: Vogels and marmite.
The people I rely on for my wellbeing are: My wife and my family.
The best gift I ever received was: A holiday to 90 Mile beach for my 30th birthday – I haven’t used it yet but I think it’s going to be the best thing.
The one artist whose work I would collect is (if price is not an issue): David Hockney
The grooming product I can’t live without is: Electric shaver.
Located on Sydney’s North Shore, the Balancing Home by Luigi Rosselli Architects and interior design firm Decus Interiors is an example of contemporary and classic design existing in perfect harmony. High ceilings with wooden trusses make the indoors feel light and airy, while steel and glass framed doors separate spaces and adds an ultra-modern accent. The dark oak floors contrast the stark white walls while the furniture plays an important part in injecting a pop of colour. The upper exterior of the home is clad in laser cut white plywood that’s reminiscent of shutters and is contrasted by the terracotta painted lower level. European in flavour, the sophisticated result resists the beach house approach of neighbouring properties to achieve something more permanent.
Classicon Bell table from Matisse, Arflex Botolo chair from Studio Italia and the B&B Italia Camaleonda sofa from Matisse.
Usually during challenging times the economy plummets but lipstick sales soar, however, isolation in the Covid-19 pandemic has produced a different result. Former Estée Lauder chairman Leonard Lauder invented the term the “lipstick index” following the economic crash of the early 2000s, when consumer confidence in small luxury items took off, but in this time of social-isolation lipstick sales have failed to rise.
Rather than reaching for the lipstick while indoors, sales of sheet masks have gone through the roof, but as restrictions ease that might change as Estée Lauder prepares to corner the market again by launching an online store for New Zealand customers.
While there are plenty of sheet masks (try the foil-backed Advanced Night Repair masks for deep hydration) it’s the personalised lipsticks that could bring the index back to life. Custom engraving is available across the Pure Color Envy lipstick collection, so you can add your name, monogram or a short message to heighten the feeling of indulgence as you click on the checkout.
It’s just another reason to perfect your pucker and face 2020 with pluck. “There are an enormous number of reasons for trends in lip colour and sales, but in this case, a need for hope would have to be the biggest one,” lipstick entrepreneur Poppy King said recently, and we agree.
Fashion designers’ eighties fixation had the briefest of moments and their fickle flirtation with the nineties is waning but their relationship with the seventies is best described as an enduring love affair. The decade that gave us Twiggy, Veruschka, Bianca Jagger and Jackie O is a bottomless goldmine of extravagant detailing, exaggerated silhouettes and bold colours for today’s leading luxury labels.
Twiggy and Veruschka
Bianca Jagger and Jackie O
Victoria Beckham’s latest collections tap into the diverse decade’s celebration of the career superwoman, while other labels such as Balmain and Yves Saint Laurent, move to the disco beat that pounded through Studio 54.
Whether you’re inspired by Jane Fonda in Klute, Diana Ross in Mahogany or Catherine Deneuve in everything, here is how to embrace the decade that fashion refuses to forget.
The Manning Cartell day dress from Superette, The Victoria Beckham sunglasses from Parker & Co., The Ganni T-Shirt from Workshop, The sneakers from Prada and the Yves Saint Laurent cocktail dress from Net-a-porter
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