EDITOR’S LETTER
“To me, true luxury is HAVING the means and the KNOW-HOW to get the bones of the LAYOUT just right.”
Of course, it’s no secret that the team at House & Garden loves decorating and styling. A deft touch makes it possible to transform a lacklustre or tricky space. But sometimes artfully placed paintings, custom-made cushions and carefully curated objets are simply not enough to resolve a room so that the anxious eye of the beholder (or constant renovator) can rest! To me, true luxury is having the means and know-how to get the bones of the layout – the essential backbone of your home design – just right. Whether you’re building from scratch or adapting an existing dwelling, it pays to engage an expert design team from the outset. Get the flow wrong initially and it will be a constant niggle – plus a big and potentially expensive challenge to fix later.
I love that every house in this issue is truly bespoke. There was synchronicity between the owners and architect/designers in every case, which is evident in the incredible outcomes. I am inspired and very envious of the fantastic homes these partnerships have wrought. Regular House&Garden contributor Stephen Crafti worked with architect Richard Simeoni on his Milano-meets-Melbourne masterpiece, page 88, and Elspeth and Brian Noxon engaged architect son Justin to design a luminous, airy extension to their Mornington Peninsula home, page 22. Justin says, “It fills me with joy to see my parents so happy living here”. And when homeowners volunteer comments like “The home Adam helped us create here has given us our dream lifestyle,” (Brewer Architects, page 96); “There was always the right balance between inspiration and practicality” (Studio Prineas, page 108); “We built this as our long-term house, and we are certainly in no hurry to move” (Corben Architects, page 128); and “It feels like being wrapped in a favourite blanket. When I’m here any stress I have just melts away,” ( Your Beautiful Home, page 118)... you know the lifeenhancing results were worth the hours spent in tedious planning and building.
The kitchen is king in terms of the hierarchy of the house, and we have a stunning selection of inspiring spaces that will have you drawing or pinning that moodboard in no time! I like designer Kate Walker’s approach. She has created zones in the kitchen, grouped into the three ‘c’s: cooking (and preparation); consumables; and cleaning. That simple definition is the best kitchen-planning starting point I have heard in a long time. And Kate’s designs always exude both style and substance – see our cover and page 160 for more.
We hope you enjoy the accomplished work of the talented troupe of shapeshifters in this issue.