Est Magazine #12

ISSUE #12 2014

Texture

YOUR WORLD

INSPIRATION

FOR THE COLOUR CHALLENGED

Sustainability driven innovation

valCuCiNe.CoM

Now oN display

MelbourNe 173-177 Barkly Avenue Burnley VIC 3121 P 03 9429 8888 F 03 9429 6966 CoMiNg sooN

sydNey PYD Building 197 Young Street Waterloo NSW 2017 P 02 8396 8700 F 02 9690 2804

Valcucine are true artisans of kitchen living. Their mission is to achieve a perfect combination of sustainability, ergonomics and design. Rogerseller will translate your vision utilising the mix of Valcucine’s passion to provide an exclusive kitchen solution.

Contents | Regulars

07 Editor’s Letter

12 TREND REPORT

20 SHOP

Issue #12 2014

Stories of Style

Style Staples

22 REAL OR REPLICA

28 SHOP

46 ATELIER

The Wood Lamp

New Proportions

Heather Chontos

78 TRAVEL

30 Food

98 BLOG LOVE

Beautiful Barcelona

Bite Size

Distractions

est ISSUE #12 2014

Contents | Features 30 Artistic License AUSTRALIA When Jane and Simon Hayman decided to transform an old Edwardian home tucked away in a small cul-de-sac just a stone’s throw away from their favourite art galleries in Melbourne’s South Yarra, they envisaged a home that was very much a blend of their family’s lifestyle and their passion for contemporary art.

56 The Creative Thread AUSTRALIA Surrounded by warehouses and industrial progress, Tom Adair’s home that he shares with fiancé Nikki Williams and Rhodesian Ridgeback cross Sookie, stands defiantly like a rose amongst thorns in Melbourne’s Richmond. Built in the 1800’s, this compact weatherboard worker’s cottage feels a little like Dr Who’s tardis once you step inside.

66 Creative living, eating, doing space SOUTH AFRICA Thanks to the extraordinary creative talents of Helen Gibbs, this unusually adaptive space in an historic Cape Town building has found its calling. The dynamo behind internationally-recognised design brand Helon Melon has turned the space into a sublime events venue that complements her design studio and foodproduct development hub. It’s also every inch a gracious, warm and inspiring home and everyone’s invited.

est ISSUE #12 2014

Editor’s Letter It seems the new year is well and truly shaping up to be a speedy one. Blink and you’ll miss 2014 is my prediction. What I am definitely hearing though from everyone I speak to is that it feels like 2014 brings with it positivity and an air of change for the better.

PHOTOGRAPH Robyn Lea | PRODUCTION Marina Cukeric

In Chinese astrology it’s the Year of the Horse, so a strong, energetic start to the year is what is needed to cultivate change for the better.

And change is what we’re planning here in the Est office. Our little team of two that Lynda and I began with back in 2011 has grown and so has the workload we all carry. We have some exciting new ventures to announce in the months ahead and we look forward to sharing them with you; although we feel we may need a few more months in the year to get it all done.

As our tireless Creative Director Lynda Evans begins the process over the next few weeks of packing up her life in the hinterland of

Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and saying goodbye to her story-book, white washed cottage, she knows all too well the feeling of excitement and trepidation of impeding change.

A sense of change is also imminent for Tom Adair who has almost outgrown his much loved inner city workman’s cottage featured on page 56 while the Hayman family who, with their passion for collecting art and unearthing new treasures, see their home in as being in a constant state of change.

We hope you face an inspiring year ahead too, while always remembering that change is good.

Enjoy!

Sian MacPherson Editor in Chief

est GLOBAL LIVING WITH AN AUSTRALIAN TWIST

Editor in Chief Sian MacPherson sian@estmagazine.com.au

Creative Director Lynda Evans lynda@estmagazine.com.au

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITORIAL TRAVEL Sophie Carr. FASHION Khaseem Warren.

PHOTOGRAPHY Greg Cox, Marjon Hoogervorst, Brooke Holm, Robyn Lea, Toby Scott. PRODUCTION Sven Alberding, Marina Cukeric. FOOD Marnie Engelander STYLING Anouk Brands, Marsha Golemac, Stephanie Stamatis. SUB EDITOR Yvette Caprioglio. WORDS Laura Twiggs.

PHOTOGRAPH Greg Cox | PRODUCTION Sven Alberding

ON THE COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Brooke Holm | STYLING Marsha Golemac LOCATION the Edwardian home of Jane and Simon Hayman in Melbourne’s South Yarra. Page 30.

ENQUIRIES

Editorial editorial@estmagazine.com.au Production production@estmagazine.com.au Advertising advertising@estmagazine.com.au

CONNECT

est REGULAR TREND REPORT

STORIES STYLE

OF

PHOTOGRAPHY Marjon Hoogervorst STYLING Anouk Brands

As you stroll through the boutiques dotted along the High Street, you may have noticed that retail stores are looking more like our homes.

Styling and visual merchandising have become more of a personal reflection of the designer behind the brand, evocative of charm and character. Artfully arranged racks display a solitary sample of a design - with the remaining sizes hidden out of view for the assistant to collect upon request.

Fashion collections tell the designer’s personal story, with the garments becoming the words and their display setting the scene.

individual story For the designer behind Anecdote, Jet van Beuningen, the brand reflects the stories she holds dear to her heart. Whether it be the memory of her great grandmother, or an old family home that looks out over the lake where she spent her childhood summers swimming. In the new digital age we find ourselves seeking deeper connection - with the brands that we buy and the designers that create them.

collective memories

experiential

evolution of style

LIGNE ROSET Sous mon Abre light by Florian Brillet - an outdoor light that can be hooked on a tree branch or on the wall.

Byredo Parfums Blanche - fresh, clean pure and light.

style staples

To see in the new year I am drawn to simplicity and functionality. A fuelband to keep fit, a watch that means business, a relaxed sling chair to support me, and fun summer espadrilles to appeal to a mostly monochromatic wardrobe. For inner health, sipping the worlds purest from of mineral water and a spritz of perfume has me feeling calmer inside and out.

BY Sian MacPherson

PRISM Leopard print Espadrilles

Nike Fuelband - I will be wearing this to wear off the sins of summer and lunchtime cocktails.

est REGULAR SHOP

Objekto

HAT MAKER

Paulistano Chair in Black Leather - a promise to myself to sit and smell the roses.

Leni fine weave Panama hat - a classic summer staple from visionary Sydney milliner Jonathan Howard

SWATCH The Efficiency black watch - for simple yet great with a tan

Jac+ Jack Antipodes Sparkling - the only sparkling to be drinking this February.

Lameroo Beach Towel - Light, fast drying and non sand collecting.

REAL OR REPLICA

DESIGNERS Gabriella Gustafson & Mattias St책hlbom | BRAND Muuto | WORDS Lynda Evans

est REGULAR REAL OR REPLICA

THE WOOD LAMP “Make ordinary life less ordinary through subtle but effective changes.” TAF Architects

From their Stockholm design and architecture studio TAF, Gabriella and Mattias designed the Wood Lamp to illustrate the vast difference between low tech wooden furniture and the sophisticated and ergonomic chairs produced

by Scandinavian business seating firm RH Chairs.

The Wood Lamp first appeared on the design scene in 2009 at a conceptual showroom, fair and exhibition installation for RH. Danish brand Muuto, who are renowned for handpicking and supporting the brightest design talent in Scandinavia, spotted the design and set about investing in its production.

The Wood Lamp was clearly a simple, affordable take on the classic and often technical desk lamp and it fit seamlessly with the Muuto style philosophy; ‘Welcoming and democratic, with a focus on aesthetic and functional objects, with a new Nordic perspective, available to everyone’.

In a very short time, Muuto have propelled the Wood Lamp into a global hit - particularly amongst design aficionados. The humble little lamp has also become part of the Danish Design Museum collection.

Being beautiful, desirable, low tech in its functionality and affordable to produce, the Wood Lamp is a prime target for replica merchants.

Muuto has worked to fight copies on the replica market through litigation and will keep doing so.

“In the end we hope that the design shops around the world only want to sell the authentic Wood Lamp and that the consumers wish to only have the original Wood Lamp in their homes,” says Muuto.

IMAGES © MUUTO

The Wood Lamp was designed in 2009 by Gabriella Gustafson and Mattias Ståhlbom. It was produced as a limited edition.

How things have changed.

IMAGES © MUUTO

How to spot the difference between a real and replica Wood Lamp.

BRAND Muuto is the only firm licensed to produce the original Wood Lamp designed by Gabriella Gustafson and Mattias Ståhlbom of TAF Architects. Anything else is an imitation.

TIMBER An authentic Muuto Wood Lamp is made of first class pine. Only the best pieces of timber are selected, free of flaws or any wood tassels.

FINISH The timber is treated with white oil giving it a light and protected surface, yet retaining a soft finish - as if it was completely untreated.

JOINERY All bolts, screws and joints on the Wood Lamp are emphasized to complement the solid pieces of pine that are glued and assembled by hand. The large wing nuts, used to adjust the angle of the Wood Lamp, are often substituted on replicas with smaller nuts that either require an allen key or spanner for adjusting.

CORD The Wood Lamp has a rubber cord currently available in white or green. Some replicas have been spotted with fabric chords.

BASE An authentic Wood Lamp has squared corners on the timber base, not rounded.

SPECIFICAITONS Height 50cm, width 50cm, base 16cm x 16cm, max wattage 40W. PRICE The Wood Lamp retails for around AUD$298 so it’s no surprise that replicas retail for around the same price. The old adage that designer furniture is too expensive simply doesn’t apply here. There is absolutely no excuse not to buy an authentic Muuto Wood Lamp over a fake.

new proportions We show you how to navigate the midi. This hemline is fashion. Why? Because it takes a dedicated follower to master its proportions.

Falling below the knee, but finishing well above the ankle, the midi can be tricky to get right.

Luckily we’re here to help!

Seed Heritage Oatmeal Marle Printed Bead Tee

BY Khaseem Warren

JETS Vision Maxi Dress

Helmut Lang Scoop Neck Tank Top

Proenza Schouler Color-block pleated cloquĂŠ midi skirt Seed Heritage Shoulder Insert Sweater

Giuseppe Zanotti Cutout Booties

Isabel Marant Black Holden Sliders

est REGULAR SHOP

BLK DNM Black Leather Cropped Motorcycle Jacket

PETER PILOTTO Geometric Print Fitted Skirt

CHAN LUU Five Wrap Crystal and Cultured Freshwater Pearl Bracelet Burberry Prorsum Pre Fall 2014

STYLISTS TIP trick is to balance * Tthehe look and keep your top half small with a tucked in tee or a cropped jacket. Go on give it a go.

BRUNO PARISE “Alida’ tote

The dining room features the large artwork ‘King No Beard’ by Daniel Boyd as well as the three arm standing floor lamp by Serge Mouille, a wing back armchair from The Country Trader, a side table from Guy Matthews Vintage and a Missy Baillieu Burchell Zebra Hide.

est FEATURE AUSTRALIA

Artistic

LICENSE

PHOTOGRAPHY Brooke Holm | STYLING Marsha Golemac WORDS Sian MacPherson

When Jane and Simon Hayman decided to transform an old Edwardian home tucked away in a small cul-de-sac just a stone’s throw away from their favourite art galleries in Melbourne’s South Yarra, they envisaged a home that was very much a blend of their family’s lifestyle and their passion for contemporary art.

Having spent two years on the design and a further 18 months on the build, this is exactly what they’ve achieved; a family home that houses both their extensive art collection and their four young children, Henry, Claudia, Matilda and Audrey. We hear it’s the best location for the annual street Christmas party too.

Enlisting the help of architects George Fortey and Emma Tulloch of Nixon Tulloch Fortey, the couple’s brief held just a few non-negotiable prerequisites. Aside from the consideration of their art collection, the couple wanted their home to be comfortable, age gracefully and retain the spirit and character inherent in the original building.

In order to connect the old Edwardian style at the front with the distinct black mortar finish to the brickwork used in the modern renovation and extension at the back, external materials that would age and weather well were a major consideration. In the end, both bluestone and

THIS PAGE The sunken living room, deemed ‘the ultimate conversation pit’, complete with shag rug, and Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair, Reindeer Hide and table from Guy Matthews Vintage.

OPPOSITE TOP Garden Chairs by Tio, Massproductions from Luke Furniture.

THIS PAGE The modern artwork on the kitchen dining area wall by Simon Denny is titled Empty Vessel 2010. The 1950s French Coat rack is from Guy Matthews Vintage, the round table is from The Country Trader and the yellow bentwood chairs are from Thonet.

timber were chosen for their aesthetics and their connection to the front of the house, as much as for their longevity.

The architectural masterminds behind this successful amalgamation of period details with contemporary design have produced a home that is both breathtaking and welcoming; two concepts that are quite often mutually exclusive in modern day architecture.

As a designer and director at Hayman, a founding partner of art and culture magazine VAULT and a director of Melbourne art gallery Kalimanrawlins (soon to be relaunched as STATION), it goes without saying that Simon Hayman has a discerning eye for design. With wife Jane working alongside him, the Hayman’s have built a well-deserved reputation for leading the new guard in unearthing the best in contemporary art. A self-confessed treasure hunter, Simon’s love for a good story can be seen in the mix of pieces he has collected over the years and the

THIS PAGE The David Noonan,Untitled 2009 artwork and a sculpture titled Head 1998 by Mike Parr sit by the Mex Cube Sofa. OPPOSITE The painting to left of the dining room door is IHI 2005

by Ildiko Kovacs and through to the hall hangsLandscape 1992 - 1994 by Tony Clark and a pink bathtub chair sculpture by Stuart Ringholt.

enthusiasm with which he shares these stories with all those who enter their home.

“The nature of our shared passion for collecting, whether it be art, furniture, books, or bits and pieces, means that our home is in a constant state of change. It will never be pulled together as a finished home,” says Jane.

Interior designer Allison Pye advised on fabrics, curtains and sofas, while the rest of the décor is made up of the family’s remnants of past holidays, gifts, school artworks and sculptures that inject true individuality and character to the home.

Having once served time as part of a school boarding house during the 1930s, the house still bears the hallmarks of its Victorian heritage with a grand vaulted ceiling in the dining room.

Taking inspiration for the sunken lounge area at the back of the house from David McGlashan’s Modernist Heide II house and gallery in

THIS PAGE Treasures in the library include an antique Library ladder form Miles Bovill Antiques and the Acquatinta light by Produzione Privata from Format.

The childrens living room includes a vivid cushion from Fine Little Day.

OPPOSITE In the Master Bedroom hangs Untitled 2005

by Peter Boothand Matilda’s bedroom features a work by Judy Singleton.

Melbourne, Jane and Simon asked Fortey and Tulloch to physically go and sit in the Heide lounge in order to work out a way to replicate the feeling in the Hayman home.

Deemed ‘the ultimate conversation pit’, the couple love nothing more than to sit by the open fire, with shag pile carpet underfoot and a bottle of red open while friends and family come and go.

When pressed to name their favourite artwork from their collection at home, Simon points to the David Noonan keeping watch over the sunken living room, while Jane cites the Tony Clark piece in the hallway, deferring to the colour palette that sways her heart.

With children playing in a cul-de-sac, a rare sight in today’s urban landscape, it seems the Hayman’s have realised an inner city dream.

Contemporary art, traditional design and modern architecture make a perfect design trifecta for this creative family.

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Artist in her studio

PHOTOGRAPHY & WORDS Robyn Lea | PRODUCTION Marina Cukeric

When Heather Chontos suddenly became blind as a fourteen year-old she faced a year of excruciating greyness. There was no other color, no light, no form, just an inert, lifeless grey. Doctors tested and treated her, and eventually after months of visual nothingness, her sight was slowly restored.

During her recovery colour took on new meaning, and in many ways she has been celebrating its magic ever since. Painting soon became her raison d’être and her instincts for creation an essential part of living. ‘I usually get fixated on a colour and then I’ll go with that until I’ve beaten it to death!’, she laughs.

Now in her mid-thirties, Heather’s career took off at a young age. ‘I started working professionally as a stylist in the furniture design world when I was seventeen, but no one knew that because I was tall and looked older!’ By twenty four she had a major commission from Harper’s Bazaar, then worked as a set designer on shoots for magazines such as British and Italian Vogue.

After living in Spain and the U.K., Heather’s current base is Portland, Maine and her studio is found in the city’s west end. Traditionally a watch-your-back sort of neigbourhood, it has recently morphed into the place for great coffee and some of the best meals in town.

The studio ‘Milk Farm Road’ is awash with natural light and covered in her paintings.

Small, intimate works are positioned beside fearless, oversized canvases on walls washed in fresh whites or deep-sea tertiary hues. Pinboards remind her of important things: a huge red heart painted in a single stroke, a typed heading ‘this is art (if you want it to be)’, a smiling dog drawn by one of Heather’s two daughters and Polaroids recording works-inprogress. The precious little time she spends there is sacred. ‘When I get here, I’m in my zone. I just want to make. I’m only here for a certain number of hours before returning to my other world of parenting and emails.’

Heather’s work cannot be contained to a canvas or a page. Brush in hand, any surface is fair game. An Eames white chair painted in zebralike stripes; ceramics dipped with élan in primary colours; vintage fabrics transformed into handpainted bed-linen and napkins. Whether in her

kitchen preparing lunch for ten, or her studio painting for an exhibition, she has the focus and infectious impatience of an artist at the height of her powers. In her most recent show, Heather joined forces with ceramicist Michele Michael.

The exhibition title ‘Lost at Sea’ provided both artists with the platform to explore and interpret the mesmerizing beauty and power of the ocean.

From Barcelona to Sydney’s Bondi Beach, clients, curators and collectors around the world have commissioned Heather to create bespoke works for their stores, homes, magazines, books and galleries. And thanks to the digital age, many of her most ardent fans are in Australia.

With her main editorial and advertising clients in New York, it seems natural to wonder why she settled in Maine. Her answer is both charming and disarming: ‘I came to visit my friend here one weekend and she took me to the ‘Holy Donut’ - which is so amazing. Chocolate sea salt donuts. Enough said!’

est FEATURE AUSTRALIA

The Creative Thread PHOTOGRAPHY Toby Scott | STYLING Stephanie Stamatis WORDS Sian MacPherson

Surrounded by warehouses and industrial progress, Tom Adair’s home that he shares with fiancé Nikki Williams and Rhodesian Ridgeback cross Sookie, stands defiantly like a rose amongst thorns in Melbourne’s Richmond.

Built in the 1800’s, this compact weatherboard worker’s cottage feels a little like Dr Who’s tardis once you step inside.

The creative couple have called the cottage home for three years, after an exhaustive hunt for a home at the peak of the real estate boom. In the four weeks prior to moving in, they managed to strip back and lime the Baltic pine floors, paint out the pink, blue and yellow walls, remove a bedroom to open up the living space and rebuild a bathroom from scratch. All with their own hands.

The newly remodelled kitchen came after they moved in, with Tom teaching himself the fine art of building concrete moulds as well as pouring one and a half cubic metres of cement in his back yard in order to build the kitchen benchtops.

Left to dry over four weeks, the 300kg benches were then carried inside and put into place by five very fit friends. Nikki took charge of the tiling, while Tom built the drawers and Oregon facings

in the rest of the kitchen, along with large double glass doors leading out to the courtyard. The finishing touch is added with Tom’s ‘Cheap Eat’ neon light design.

As the Creative Director and part owner of Abode Living, a Melbourne-based family run luxury bed linen business, Tom is adept at turning his hand to most creative pursuits. As a self-proclaimed ‘part time’ artist, painting under the name of Juan Mcarb, Tom indulges his wild ideas and creative impulses outside the realm of bed linen. Nikki also has a creative bent, working in the fashion industry as a global women’s wear buyer for Cotton On. Once the interior living areas were finished, the couple turned their hands to the front façade of the house, undaunted by the laborious job of replacing weatherboards ahead of them.

Removing aluminium windows and installing double hung timber framed windows in their place along with a new timber awning, the

hard working couple took advantage of an Easter long weekend to complete the job. A glossy black door adds an air of pride to the unassuming cottage while the picket fence and Tom’s ‘painted cigarette’ pole that stands as a marker in the driveway adds both wit and charm, much like the owners.

The pair see their home as a continuous project, trading older pieces for new pieces that they’ve had their eye on for some time. “It takes time and we’re cool with that because it stops impulse buying and lets us slowly discover our style,” says Tom. When asked to name his style inspirations for the house, Tom cites the furniture designer, Mark Tuckey as his main design influence. “We love his store and the merchandising they do. The kitchen cupboards were inspired by his Oregon furniture range,” says Tom. The number one priority in the home’s reconfiguration was maximising the kitchen

and living space where the couple spend most of their time; the rest of the house has been designed to fit around it.

With a few smaller tasks left on the agenda for the home, Tom feels he is finally in a place now where he can enjoy the house without feeling pressure for it all to be ‘done’.

But for these two creatives, there will always be the lure of a much bigger palette to play with as Tom confesses during the photo shoot that they are ready to sink their teeth into a bigger house.

We can’t wait to see what they do.

PIN IT! Tom Adair’s Pinterest loves Amanda Rodriguez - Stylist, Sewden Michelle Halford - The Design Chaser Lauren Smith - Archi Inspiration Stephanie Mancini - Black & white beauty

The second level is perfect for hosting events and can accommodate up to 50 people “comfortably”, yet Helen’s bedroom space on the floor above remains totally private. Despite the very distinct purposes of each level, nothing jars the expansive sense of generous space.

est FEATURE SOUTH AFRICA

CREATIVE living, eating, doing space PHOTOGRAPHY Greg Cox | PRODUCTION Sven Alberding | WORDS Laura Twiggs

Thanks to the extraordinary creative talents of Helen Gibbs, this unusually adaptive space in an historic Cape Town building has found its calling.

The dynamo behind internationally-recognised design brand Helon Melon has turned the space into a sublime events venue that complements her design studio and food-product development hub. It’s also every inch a gracious, warm and inspiring home and everyone’s invited.

It’s difficult to think of a more welcoming, enticing invitation than that offered by Helen Gibbs on her Helon Melon Facebook page: “Eat, Meet, Shop, Delight, Treat, Smile........”

It’s even more challenging to imagine a space more conducive to all of the above than Helen’s new home, workplace and catering and events venue on the top floor of the historic Old Castle Brewery in Woodstock, Cape Town.

This expansive, three-tiered triple-volume loft perfectly balances modern, industrial and classical styles. Face-brick, steel and glass structural elements are softened by Helen’s neutral interiors palette and the abundance of natural multi-textured textiles. French antiques co-exist easily alongside functional stainless

A relaxed, comfortable sitting area complements the conference and party table seating on the middle tier. Dappled light is magnificent, but pales alongside the splendid harbour views beyond the blinds. It was here that Helen conceptualised Helon Melon’s new incarnation as catering company, events venue and food development business.

The first-tier reception and kitchen tier enjoys expansive three-storey volume, linking to the conference and event venue via a floating wood and steel staircase. Helen has collected fine white linen table-cloths and throws for decades, and along with carefully-curated hand-woven basketware, they bring a sense of timelessness and patina to the otherwise clinical space.

Slick steel and wood shop-fittings from Helon Melon boutique find new life in Helen’s kitchen. Industrial fixtures and a screed concrete floor ensure that standard of hygiene are easily maintained, while the facebrick structural element link this work-hub to historic soul. The mugs are Helon melon offerings, while the copper colander was a gift Helen received on her 21st birthday.

steel work surfaces while clearly distinct areas each fulfil a specific purpose without interrupting the seamless sense of overall flow.

It would be hard to match Helen’s commitment to authenticity and especially, her extraordinarily eclectic creativity and her chameleonic ability to reinvent herself while remaining true to her passions, talents and values.

And reinvent herself she certainly has. After obtaining her degree in architecture she switched her focus to commercial art and spent several years designing retail spaces for a large international petroleum company. She’s also spent many years creating artworks and props for a household name fashion retailer. Yet it was her company Helon Melon, that she started after being retrenched, that truly put her on the revolutionary-design-talent watch-list with its signature high-quality, natural-fibre textiles.

“I knew nothing about fabrics, I just knew what I liked. I loved the Habitat catalogues my mum brought back from London and saw a gap in the market here. I spent 24 solid hours making my first duvet cover and thought I’d never make a viable business!” says Helen.

Before long, Helon Melon’s scatter cushions, bed linen and other soft furnishings were winning awards, being featured in high-end decor magazines and selling like hot-cakes in South Africa as well as in the United Kingdom, America and Europe. But even such astonishing success was no defence against the collapse of the South African textile industry and the global recession hit hard.

“I remember standing outside my Sea Point shop and seeing seven ‘To Let’ signs without turning my head,” says Helen. “By the middle of last year I couldn’t stay in denial any longer; I realised I’d have to find a new path and strangely, food became the more and more obvious choice. I say strangely because I’d never been interested in food and despite coming from a very foodie family, I’d never cooked much. I guess I’d been absorbing a lot from my upbringing without being aware of it.”

At the same time, Helen was looking for a new home that could double as a work space. “I spoke to The Castle Brewery’s landlord and asked for a space of around 55m squared,” she remembers with a laugh. “Because I was starting afresh, I asked for a space in the new side of the development; I had decided I needed a clean slate and wanted everything in my life to be brand new.”

The cavernous 300m square space was the only one available. “Because I never say an outright ‘no’ to anything, I came to see it on a rainy winter’s day. I was sitting on the second level knitting area when it came to me; I was going to cook, supply and create a food-oriented events venue,” explains Helen.

She didn’t look back. With the fee from her next interior decorating job she bought a professional baking oven and hosted her first event; a 40th birthday party. “It grew from there, mainly via word-of-mouth,” she explains. ‘Make it happen’ is my mantra.”

There is a seamless interface between the Old Castle Brewery building and Helen’s home, work space and events venue. The industrial feeling continues beyond the thresh-hold, to which more intimate and tactile layers are added.

The antique French bed and wellworn silk hereke rug introduce a note of romantic classicism that is more strikingly intimate for being offset by industrial architectural features like raw concrete ceilings, steel beams and raw brickwork.

Now, in addition to events that include corporate conferences, magazine fashion shoots and gatherings of up to 50 people, Helen is developing foodie products like mixes for bread, risotto, cous-cous and stuffing. She also provides the food for Helon Melon events of up to 20 people as well as supplying a by-collection catering service and her birthday cakes are in high demand. “My favourite is a vanilla cake with salted caramel icing,” she says.

In her sewing room, she continues to produce the top-end natural textile products that first solidified her brand and when the fancy takes her, she gives her creative bent free reign and handcrafts unusual beautiful objects. Her current obsession is paper-pulp papier mache bowls which she sprays with copper coating and these along with a bigger range are available to visitors. “These days, I just want to enjoy everything I am doing. It’s a lifestyle choice, it makes me happy. And I want everyone to be able to join in and enjoy the experience.”

Beautiful

Barcelona Barcelona is at the forefront of interior design. There is something about the Spanish aesthetic that draws you in. It has the same liveable aesthetic that us as Australians aspire to. Every corner you turn you find detailing beyond belief. It is no wonder Barcelona is now the seventh most popular European travel destination.

EDITED BY Sophie Carr

est REGULAR TRAVEL

Products from Spanish label Auka

SHOP 1. Auka A fun Spanish clothing label that will excite when you see the pops of colour and pattern through their clothing line.

2. Cornelia & Co Total love for this store and restaurant the branding is also ridiculously good!!

Pick up supplies and go for a picnic in Barcelona - their website has some great suggestions.

3. Azul-Tierra Filled to the brim with exquisite table settings, furniture and objects. Founded by designer and decorator Toni Espuch whose vision is ‘to create a perfect combination between the new and the ancient’. His store does just that.

Tiles Floor at Hotel Praktik Rambla

PHOTO © Ana Madrid

Australian interior designer and regular Est Magazine contributor Sophie Carr relocated to Narbonne in the south of France over a year ago and lives a two hour drive away from one of her favourite cities, Barcelona. She finds the city an endless source of inspiration for her work and is constantly in awe of her surroundings. We asked her to gives us her own personal guide on where stay, eat and drink when you’re next in Barcelona.

PHOTO Š Ana Madrid

Interior at Spanish clothing label Auka

Entry foyer at Chez Coco

EAT

Dining room at Chez Coco

1. ToTo A fabulous, glossy new wine bar and restaurant. Fill your belly with the largest G&T’s you have ever seen or drool over amazing food from their wood fired oven.

2. Chez CoCo The most decadent chicken shop I have ever laid eyes on! This place gives the old BBQ chicken a whole new meaning. Sink into the blue velvet booth seating and enjoy the surroundings.

3. Mont Bar A great little restaurant open all week, from early morning until late at night.

The intimate interior is inspired by Scandinavian influences, with beautifully planned details including a marble bar that is laden with cheeses and fresh seafood of the day. Fabulous and affordable.

DRINK 1. Gallito A brand spanking new Mexican-inspired restaurant and bar, that is so close to the beach you can taste the salt. Sit on the terrace and enjoy the view or sit inside amongst the mountains of vibrantly coloured cushions.

Mont Bar

2. Bar Lobo The chameleon of Barcelona. Morning coffee, lunch in the sun, afternoon tea, or cocktails in the evening - two stories of Barcelona brilliance.

3. Boca Grande The cocktail room is chic and decadent and you’ll be served only the best of the best - their Hendrick’s gin and tonic with a cucumber slice is a must.

Wodfired oven at Toto

Mont Bar

Suite at Hotel Praktik Rambla

Hotel Praktik Rambla

Facade at Hotel Omm

STAY

Suite Paseo de Gracia at Hotel Omm

1. Hotel Praktik Rambla My pick of the lot. An exceptional, budget friendly design hotel. Sleep beneath Serge Mouille’s famous arms and be in one of the best positions in Barcelona.

2. Hotel Omm Not for the budget conscious traveler.

Impeccably stylish, the facade says it all.

Private Terrace at Hotel 1898

PHOTO © Rafael Vargas

3. Hotel 1898 If you choose to visit Barcelona in summer, this is the place for you. The rooftop pool and terrace has panoramic views of the city - Sit back and relax.

Hotel Praktik Rambla

Detail at Park Guell

Mexican inspired bar and restaurant Gallito

SEE 1. La Boqueria Market The largest and most famous open air food market. The array of fresh fruit on display is not to be missed. 2. Park Guell One word - Gaudi. Teaming with tourists (which I normally try and avoid) it’s a place full of history with an amazing view.

Try and get there early.

Bar Lobo

3. Palo Alto One of the most lush places to visit, this old industrial estate is now home to 20 different creative entities. Accommodating creatives, events and film sets - stroll trough the garden or eat at the Cantina.

Park Guell

Palo Alto

Bit e size Fresh and light and full of zing these dishes have got it all; sweet, sour, salty and spicy.

PHOTOGRAPHY Brooke Holm FOOD & STYLING Marnie Engelander LOCATION Rogerseller Kitchen Showroom

est REGULAR FOOD

OYSTERS & TANGY LIME CHILLI DRESSING 24 oysters Crisp fried eschalots, optional Fresh Coriander leaves 3 large red chillies – seeded 1-2 small red chillies 2 cloves garlic – peeled 3 coriander roots, scraped and cleaned 1 level tsp salt 60g palm sugar ¼ cup (60mls) fish sauce 200ml fresh lime juice To make the dressing, pound the chillies, garlic, coriander roots and salt to a paste with a mortar and pestle or blitz it in a processor. Then pound in the palm sugar before mixing in the fish sauce and lime juice. Taste to check for a balance of sweet, salty and sour.

Arrange the oysters on a large share plate and spoon small amount of dressing over each one.

Top with a few coriander leaves and a scatter of crunchy eschalots.

THAI CHICKEN BALLS

SWEET CAPSICUM AND CHILLI JAM (OPTIONAL)

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 1 small chunk ginger, roughly chopped 3 coriander roots, scraped, cleaned & chopped ¼ bunch coriander, leaves and stalks chopped 1 red chilli (optional), seeded and roughly chopped 2 tsp fish sauce juice of ½ a lime 1kg chicken, minced 1 cup fresh bread crumbs 4 spring onions, finely chopped 1 egg, lightly beaten 3-4 tbsp sweet chili sauce 2 tsp salt flakes Peanut or vegetable oil to line trays 50g shelled peanuts, chopped

2 red capsicums, seeded and cut into thin slices about 5cm long ¼ tsp grated ginger 1 small clove garlic, grated 2 long red chillies, finely chopped ½ cup white vinegar 200g brown sugar 150ml water 1 tsp salt flakes Freshly ground black pepper

Makes 40.

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to the boil, reduce heat and gently simmer until capsicum is soft and sticky, about 15 minutes.

Add more water if required.

Stir several times whilst cooking. Be careful not to burn the jam as it can go from ready to burnt very quickly so keep your eye on it.

Prep time 20 minutes. Cook time 10 minutes.

Preheat oven 180C. Add the garlic, ginger, coriander roots, stalks and leaves, chili, fish sauce and lime juice to a blender and blitz to chop all ingredients finely. (This can be done by hand or with a mortar and pestle.) Tip into a large mixing bowl and add the chicken, breadcrumbs, spring onions, egg, sweet chili sauce, salt and combine well using your hands or a wooden spoon.

Line a couple of low-sided baking trays with foil or baking paper and lightly oil the surface with peanut or vegetable oil or use an oil spray.

Lightly oil your hands so the mix won’t stick to them. Take a tablespoon of chicken and roll into bite sized balls, a little larger than a walnut.

Place the balls on the trays taking care not to overcrowd.

Bake in the oven until golden, about 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve on a large share plate. Spoon a little capsicum jam on top of each one and scatter over some peanuts.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS The chicken mix is best made a couple of hours in advance or even overnight. This allows the flavours to infuse into the chicken.

Freeze the raw chicken mixture to have on hand when you need it.

For a gluten free option use gluten free bread crumbs or substitute bread for a peeled, cooked and roughly mashed sweet potato.

These are great cold or hot.

Stuff a baguette with chicken balls, capsicum jam, and fresh herbs or salad greens.

If you don’t get time to make the capsicum jam, use a store-bought version but make sure it’s thick so it sits on top.

You could use sweet chilli sauce, but best to use it as a dipping sauce rather than spoon it on top of the balls.

IMAGES VIA ITALIAN BARK

IMAGES VIA BUSINESS OF FASHION

IMAGES VIA BILL CUNNINGHAM VIDEO CHANNEL

est REGULAR LOVE

Blog Love This issue’s guest editor is writer and regular contributor Yvette Caprioglio, who shares three of her favourite blogs that are on her ever-growing inspiration and distraction list.

ITALIAN BARK There are so many beautiful design blogs out there; but Italian heritage and Madonna’s famous t-shirt from the 80s aside, I kind of agree that Italians do it better.

I’m partial to Italian Bark at the moment, an interior design blog.

THE BUSINESS OF FASHION I’m a fashion lover and while I love to look at street snaps and clothes on and off the catwalk on so many different blogs, I am fanatical about The Business of Fashion as it gives an intelligent, factual insight into fashion. It’s great reading; it’s the business.

BILL CUNNINGHAM A man who needs no introduction. He’s a cultural icon. I’ve seen the documentary ‘Bill Cunningham New York’ four times now and look at his video updates in the New York Times Style pages every week. Bill shoots and speaks from the heart and he makes mine sing.