An Art-Inspired Interior

FOUNDED IN…

2016, Studio Distil is a forward-looking design firm turning out interior environments from Australia to Asia. With one foot in Sydney and the other in Hong Kong, The studio’s approach is rooted in a passion for approachable luxury and a focus on creating comfort and meaning for their well-heeled clientele. Upon spotting snippets of their work online, D had to know more and Distil’s founder was kind enough to oblige with a sneak peak at their plans for an East Sydney apartment. The client’s brief centered around the desire for a calming urban retreat that is at once minimal and luxurious.

In keeping with the interests of the home’s art-collecting owner, Studio Distil found inspiration in the medium of monochromatic art. “Our concept for the overall project was inspired by the relief artworks of John Pittman… What really resonated with us was his study of light and shadow. Although each variation in depth was subtle, together they formed a distinct architectural language and a notion of a living artwork depending on how light hit it – we wanted to capture this within the interiors.”

In translating muse to interior space, the team opted for a monochrome palette similar to Pittman’s art. This exercise in muted tonality allows subtle reveals and shifts in planes to take center stage, while simultaneously providing a museum like backdrop for the client’s collection. A sense of warmth was achieved via textural touches while a nod to masters past and present imbue the space with a design gravitas as Pierre Jeanneret chairs (1950s), Cini Boeri seats (1970s) and a Paul Frankl Table (1950s) play off Apparatus studio’s Cylinder fixtures (2017) and a Billy Cotton’s Pick Up Stick Chandelier (2010). To bring the design full circle – connecting space to place – the team emphasized the connection between indoors and out via a series of large paned glass doors. As the sun flows in each day, running its course across the considered interior planes, a new work of art is born.