Belle

A HEAVENLY GIFT FOR BELLE READERS Greg Natale’s Solar collection conjures a sense of celestial mysticism with striking geometric patterns and glittering gold or silver details. Made with bone china and featuring elegant architectural lines, the Vide Poche comes in three stylish designs and colours – ‘Soleil’, ‘Lune’ or ‘Eclipse’ – each evoking a distinct mood and offering nods to the cosmos. The vessels are perfect for stowing jewellery, serving morsels or styling with books and other artistic curios to create expressive, eye-catching tableaux. SUBSCRIBE TO AN ANNUAL BELLE SUBSCRIPTION AND CHOOSE YOUR FAVOURITE DESIGN. HURRY! OFFER ENDS APRIL 16, 2023! SUBSCRIBE & RECEIVE » 8 ISSUES OF BELLE FOR $72.99 VIA AUTOMATIC RENEWAL » A BONUS VIDE POCHE VALUED AT $120 » SAVE 24% OFF THE NEWSSTAND PRICE » FREE DELIVERY OF THE MAGAZINE TO YOUR HOME…

I started 2023 with a flying trip to Paris for Maison&Objet – the fabulous interior design fair. I left Sydney on a 30ºC-plus day and was greeted by rain and freezing temperatures, but nothing can dampen the beauty of Paris and its many attractions. I ran around trying to fit in as much as I could, from Schiaparelli at Musée des Arts Décoratifs to Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris, to Monet and Joan Mitchell at Louis Vuitton Fondation, to a kimono installation at Musée du Quai Branly. And there were so many inspiring exhibits at the Maison&Objet fair. Emerging Spanish designers were having a moment, and the interior designer of the year, Israeli-born Raphael Navot, created a moody installation in collaboration with Roche Bobois. Burnt orange, berry and forest green…

MY FIRST DIRECT EXPERIENCE of the work of Eva-Marie Prineas, and her team at Studio Prineas, is at a celebratory drinks party to mark the completion of Fisherman’s House in Sydney’s Birchgrove. These are rare events, as even with the most collaborative of projects client and architect are often tired of one another due to the years of intense decision-making that take in not only aesthetics but financial, emotional and practical factors. It can be exhausting. This is not the case with Studio Prineas. The clients offered up their home for sunset drinks, inviting media, other clients – past present and future – and collaborators on the project itself. It felt like a party. “I loved bringing all these people together and watching them get along with one another independent…

SYDNEY GOODS DELIVERY The combined efforts of eight Australian studios, including Architectus, Durbach Block Jaggers and Tyrrellstudio, have won the architectural competition for remaking the Sydney Powerhouse Museum (above) as a global cultural destination. Defined by a glazed ground level with faceted columns and upper levels wrapped in brick with geometric window openings, the museum connects to The Goods Line, a park and walkway which will host outdoor programs. “The re-imagined building lives alongside the Powerhouse core, a powerful embodiment of geography and backdrop,” says design director Camilla Block. durbachblockjaggers.com PORTUGAL LIGHTNESS OF TOUCH This large-scale refurbishment of the Convento do Beato (left) in Lisbon for client Beato Lux – with its mismatch of building types and eras from the 16th century onwards – is in the process of a complete re-imagining. The first stage…

SYDNEY ISLAND LIFE In 2022, Yuki Kihara became the first Pasifika, Asian and Fa’afafine artist to represent Aotearoa New Zealand at the Venice Biennale, debuting her suite of 12 tableau photographs, Paradise Camp (left). Made with members of the Fa’afafine and Fa’afatama communities – Samoa’s ‘third gender’ – and shot in Upolu landscapes decimated by the 2009 tsunami, the vibrant images upcycle scenes from Paul Gauguin paintings in a witty reversal of the colonial gaze and a rebuke to its imposed gender notions. Now joined by new work responding to the Powerhouse’s Samoan collection, Yuki’s vision of paradise plays out with humour, humanity and a spirit of inclusivity. March 24-December. maas.museum SYDNEY A COUNTRY PRACTICE Surveying the here-and-now of Australian art, The National returns with projects from 50-plus contemporaries across four major institutions. Joining Campbelltown…

01_SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED With a product range featuring candle holders, glassware, teapots and cushions, Fendi Casa’s latest home décor collection is all embellished with the O’Lock logo, so you can have a touch of Milan at home. fendi.com 02_BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL The monochromatic ‘Billy’ bowl from Greg Natale fuses contemporary design with a touch of 1980s punk derived from its rockstar namesake, Billy Idol. gregnatale.com 03_DYNAMIC TONE Apple’s latest includes the HomePod – the powerhouse speaker delivering high-fidelity sound and adapting to whatever or wherever it’s playing, so you feel immersed at all times. apple.com/au 04_TRADITIONAL TWIST The ‘Cadiero’ chair by French brand Midi (cadiero means ‘chair’ in the Provençal language) is a unique take on French regional chairs due to its rye straw seat with matching backrest. studioalm.com 05_UNIQUE GLAMOUR I had the pleasure of viewing the latest…