LUXE FILES
Tastemaker, TV host and Luxaflex ambassador Neale Whitaker loves taking time out on the home front.
Home is where the heart is for Luxaflex ambassador Neale Whitaker.
IS THERE AN ARTIST WHO HAS BEEN AN ENDURING INFLUENCE? I have always loved Dufy’s colour, Modigliani’s portraiture, Bran2usi’s sculpture and Cartier-Bresson’s photography.
CONTEMPORARY ART YOU ADMIRE? In Australia, Dale Frank [8] is a master of his genre. I’m a fan of Robert Doble and Lucy Vader [11], and of emerging artists Nunzio Miano [2] and Sarah Nedovic [1].
DO YOU COLLECT ANYTHING? I don’t think of myself as a collector, but my partner David and I have amassed quite a collection of art. FASHION MUST-HAVES? RM Williams boots [13], Common Projects sneakers, Nudie jeans, Boss jackets [10] and Matsuda Eyewear. FAVOURITE WATCH? My Baume & Mercier ‘Clifton Baumatic’ [7]. FRAGRANCE OF CHOICE? Currently ‘Santal 33’ from Le Labo [12]. BOOKS – WHAT ARE YOU READING NOW – FICTION AND ART/DESIGN? Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo and One Hundred Years of Dirt by Rick Morton. Bill Cunningham’s Fashion Climbing [15]. MUSIC – WHAT’S ON ROTATION IN THE OFFICE AND AT HOME? My taste is eclectic and can run through Karen Carpenter [4] and rare groove to Tones And I [5] and Arcangelo Corelli on any given day. FAVOURITE FLOWERS? Blue and white hydrangeas [14].
BEST DOWNTIME (IF YOU EVER HAVE ANY) PURSUIT? Just enjoying the south coast lifestyle with David and our dogs.
DO YOU ENTERTAIN AT HOME AND/OR WHAT IS YOUR RESTAURANT OF CHOICE? We love to entertain from time to time but we’re blessed with some great local restaurants in Berry such as South on Albany, Far Meadow Table and Bussola.
PREFERRED TIPPLE? Oaky chardonnay [3], ripe rosé or smooth merlot. FILMS THAT HAVE INSPIRED YOU? Cabaret, Paper Moon [6], The Sheltering Sky, A Single Man, Manhattan, Out of Africa.
SHOPS AND ONLINE STORES YOU FREQUENT? These days, op shops and garage sales. My shopping habit has diminished over the years but I still love a browse at Mecca and online at Mr Porter or Matches. MAGAZINES YOU READ REGULARLY? Belle, both Australian and UK House & Garden. UK Vogue when Alexandra Shulman was the editor. DOES YOUR LOVE OF DESIGN EXTEND TO CARS? Kinda sorta. I love my Mini. I’ve recently upgraded from a Cooper to a Countryman [9]. TRAVEL – FAVOURITE REGULAR HAUNT AND WHERE IS ON YOUR MUST-SEE LIST? Favourite destinations include Italy, Greece, Sweden, Japan and Morocco. I’d love to visit Iceland. But, in the short-term, we plan to enjoy magnificent NSW, right on our doorstep.
AN OBJECT OF DESIRE YOU WOULD BUY NOW? I want to buy a mature Canary Island date palm for our south coast property.
PROJECTS YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO? The new season of The Block on Nine and the fourth of Love It Or List It Australia on Foxtel. I’ve just completed a major prize home project for RSL Art Union. TELL US ABOUT YOUR WORK WITH LUXAFLEX? I am currently working with Luxaflex Window Fashions as national brand ambassador and it’s an association I’m very proud of. In my own home I have Luxaflex ‘PolySatin’ shutters and ‘Pirouette’ shadings. I love the distinctive, ‘soft shutter’ look of the ‘Pirouette’, which diffuses light while offering the functionality of a blind. It works beautifully with the aesthetic of our home. With all our window furnishings I opted for Luxaflex ‘PowerView’ motorisation, an innovative wireless system that provides smart, convenient, one-touch operation. luxaflex.com.au