Obsessed with Athena Calderone’s Brooklyn townhouse

7 September 2020

A glimpse into Athena Calderone's Brooklyn townhouse where the multi-hyphenate has been cooking up a storm with her new book Live Beautiful.

I’m currently obsessing about Athena Calderone’s Brooklyn townhouse which I’m sure you’ve caught glimpses of everywhere if you’ve been anywhere near the internet.

But let me introduce the wonderful Athena before I move on to her immaculate home. On her podcast ‘more than one thing’ she describes herself a multi-hyphenate and laughs at her long list of talents and accomplishments. She’s an author, interior designer, cook, recipe developer, entertaining expert, creative director, stylist and storyteller. And from where I’m sitting she’s highly accomplished at all of the above.

However, what makes her so likeable are her open and honest admissions that she too has many insecurities and doubts and suffers from imposter syndrome like the rest of us. In her mid twenties when all her friends were forging a career for themselves in the city she had a baby and found herself quite isolated from city life in the then unfashionable Dumbo district in Brooklyn.

Her husband – a successful producer and DJ – travelled a lot during those days so Athena decided to follow one of her passions and learn about cooking. This neatly combined her passion for entertaining and on to throwing the most amazing dinner parties. Trying out her new skills on friends who still remember dreamy table settings, lighting, music and of course Athena’s outfits which would always be stunning! By her own admission she worked hard at making everything look effortless, saying she loves beauty and how transformative design can be.

This totally resonates with me as the pleasure I get out of creating beauty around me through design, be it in interiors, gardening, on screen or in print far outweighs the often hard work and months of research that went into it. I also completely agree with the premise of her podcast which reveals how each of her hand selected (admired!) guests got to where they are by following a non-linear path, allowing themselves to pivot and explore, question and scrutinise. All her guests are creative minds who share advice on ‘how to design your dream life’.

Now, the cynical Northern European in me thinks this sounds like a tall order (to be polite) but Athena conducts her interviews with so much charm and humility, always willing to share her own struggles and failings and I can’t help but find her simply wonderful.

So, on to her Brooklyn townhouse which has made waves throughout the world not least because rather fortuitously the stars aligned when she launched the podcast just before her design book ‘Live Beautiful’ came out, coinciding with the majority of the Western world going into COVID-19 lockdown. Willingly or not we all became homebodies overnight and the DIY and makeover projects started. Interest in our homes and immediate surroundings has spiked and even the biggest workaholic has realised that our home environment has a profound impact on our mental wellbeing.

Though only a tiny percentage of us can truly relate to marble worktops or vintage designer sofas with a price tag of a small car, Athena’s home has given many of us much needed inspiration and aspiration during this scary pandemic. Imagine, if I were to display a huge branch in a vintage terracotta vessel I can be a teeny tiny bit like her – and that makes me feel good.

Her passion, eye for detail and creative flair comes through in every eclectic object she has carefully curated and put on display in her Brooklyn townhouse. I love her vintage finds from antique shops, 1stdibs and etsy. The fact that repurposing and recycling are part of her style also means she values sustainability. Athena assures her audience that the picture perfect living room on the ‘parlour floor’ is actually super cosy and is where she and her family sit every morning. She does not comment on how she stops Tuco the gorgeous dog from crashing into her numerous vintage ceramic vessels, often placed on beautiful pedestals. However, she does comment on no caring too much about staining her stunning Calacatta Paonazzo work surfaces during her cooking demonstrations – instead embracing the imperfections and letting the materials develop a rustic patina.

Athena, if you’re reading this (or your intern whose been asked to search for hashtags on you) please don’t stop exploring, pivoting and surprising us with new ideas. You are a breath of fresh air and even though you’ve been dubbed ‘the modern girl’s Martha Stewart’ by T Magazine you’ll always be my beauty guru.

Now, scroll down and delve into these stunning photos of Athena’s home and if you’d like a ‘private’ tour by her head over here to Architectural Digest.

THE KITCHEN

THE ENTRANCE

THE LIVING ROOM

THE FIRST FLOOR LANDING

THE MASTER BEDROOM

THE MASTER BATHROOM

THE STUDIO

THE FAMILY ROOM

THE TEENAGER’S BEDROOM

You can see another stunning Brooklyn townhouse reno over here or head into the City and see a beautiful loft conversion here. _______________________________________________________________________________________

PHOTOGRAPHY | by Nicole Franzen (1st shot) all others by Sarah Elliott (with thanks)

PODCAST | more than one thing by Athena Calderone

BLOG | Eyeswoon

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Converted Water factory by Architects Andrew Simpson

31 August 2020

I love this converted water factory in Melbourne which house seperate living quarters for an extended family within it's beautiful heritage envelope.

I love this converted water factory in Melbourne into residential quarters – in fact I love ~~most~~ all converted industrial buildings. The immediate sense of heritage sets my imagination off and in my head I scroll back through the years, envisaging people from different backgrounds coming and going, most of them probably working incredibly hard to make a living and simply survive.

Architects Andrew Simpson have deliberately juxtaposed the rougher original parts like the brick-, wood- and steelwork with sleek, clean, modern lines and materials. In fact they’ve given this old workhorse a 21st century makeover so it’ll last at least another 150 years.

The client asked for the space to be divided due to the changing needs of their extended family. It therefore features separate entrances and flexible room layouts with sliding doors. The main staircase and entrance hall on the ground floor connects all the spaces and leads to the upper floor where a generous open-plan kitchen and dining area can accommodate most large parties.

Due to the deep footprint of the building the architects inserted some skylights to draw in more light but carefully counter-balancing the associated heat with a sophisticated ventilation system, all neatly clad in timber, insulating the roof further and giving it a futuristic look.

Living with your extended family might not be everyone’s cup of tea but I reckon a hip space like this former water factory might just make it bearable.

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There are some more conversions of industrial spaces on the blog; check out this gorgeous yoga studio in Sydney and one of my favourite coffee shops in Melbourne, bathed in brick colour.

PHOTOGRAPHY | Shannon McGrath (with thanks)

ARCHITECTS | Andrew Simpson

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Contemporary residential extension by Cera Stribley

24 August 2020

This residential extension by Cera Stribley in Melbourne is a stunning example of many of my favourite materials and principles coming together.

This contemporary residential extension by Cera Stribley in Melbourne is a stunning example of many of my own favourite materials and principles coming together. Firstly, I just love the black and white contrast throughout especially in combination with the exposed brickwork, tactile wooden dining table and Crittall style doors and windows. It effortlessly combines old and new and connects the house in with its’ Art Deco history.

The residential extension is a combination of stacked boxes with sleek, clean lines clad in charred timber and floor to ceiling windows overlooking the back garden and pool. The architects cleverly added angled window frames which allows for less intrusion by the sun but without loosing the light. It’s as if the house has got blinkers on, giving you some privacy.

As I said in the beginning there are lots of favourite elements here which might even show up in our renovation plans which I’ll reveal early next week.

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In the meantime have a look at these beauties, all featuring exposed brickwork. A Melbourne cafe, a converted warehouse and super slick renovated and extended cottage.

ARCHITECTS & PHOTOGRAPHY | Cera Stribley (with thanks)

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HOLIDAY RETREAT IN PALM BEACH BY CM STUDIO

17 August 2020

This cool and breezy holiday retreat in Palm Beach was designed by CM Studio as a series of private and public pavilions connected by open courtyards.

With the current heatwave in full swing I was drawn to this cool and breezy holiday retreat in Palm Beach, on one of Sydney’s finest sandy beaches. The architects CM Studio designed the residence as a series of pavilions with bedrooms as separate private quarters and living, dining and kitchen as a public entity connected by open courtyards.

The high ceilings with their exposed structure plus numerous sliding glass doors and folding windows are ideal to keep the heat at bay and make the most of the views on this small plot. I love that they’ve kept the material palette to a minimum which makes the lush green of the surrounding palm trees stand out even more. It feels incredibly tranquil and calm – just what you need for a break from hectic city life in Sydney.

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If you can’t get enough of holiday retreat head over to Silicon Valley for a beautiful remodel of a 1950ies modernist house or hang out virtually at the über cool Casa Cook here.

PHOTOGRAPHY | Prue Ruscoe (with thanks)

ARCHITECTS | CM Studio

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Architect Madeleine Blanchfield’s stunning home

10 August 2020

This is Madeleine Blanchfield's stunning home which includes a sexy spiral staircase, beautifully crafted wooden panelling and gorgeous framed views.

Today I want to show you Australian architect Madeleine Blanchfield’s stunning home. Designing your own home must be the pinnacle for any architect. The culmination of all your knowledge poured into one space has to be in equal parts exhilarating and terrifying. They say creatives make their own worst clients but when it all comes together you usually get results that are pushing the boundaries and create defining showcases.

I have no idea how Madeleine felt when she started designing her own home but I can tell you that I’ve rarely seen an interior that delivers so much interest and wow factor in such a modest space. As the house sits on a slope in Eastern Sydney the living arrangements have been turned upside down and an unexpected dramatic spiral staircase leads you upwards to the communal areas. I love the addition of the circular skylight above the staircase which funnels light downwards and creates an ever changing shadow play.

I’m equally obsessed by the combination of very few but defined textures throughout: from finely crafted wooden panelling, to the textured boarded concrete kitchen island and the sleek metal curves of the spiral staircase. It all feels immaculately planned and executed resulting in a beautiful family home where each window placement is considered, giving stunning views of the surrounding treetops. The muted colour palette emphasises the textures and lets the lush foliage outside sing. I simply can’t get enough of this place so I’ve included a multitude of photos for you to drool over.

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Madeleine Blanchfield’s home is a tough one to follow but for more jaw dropping architecture head over to Graanmarkt 13 designed by famous Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen or check out this spectacular holiday home in Formentera.