ELEGANCE REIMAGINED
An artful blending of classic furnishings and modern inspiration has produced these refreshing pieces that seamlessly suit period spaces
These inspiring spaces, products of a partnership between Australian interior designer Greg Natale and furniture retailer DOMO, show a smart solution to a common problem for Australian designers. Often in our inner cities, the front part of a renovated period house preserves the home’s high ceilings and wonderful original detailing, while on the back sits a crisp, contemporary glass extension. Each approach is as valid as the other, but how to interweave the two styles to create cohesive interiors? Some designers choose the default option and decorate with modern furniture throughout, which can create a disconnect with the home’s traditional features. But Frank Novembre, director of DOMO, the Australian supplier of Grange since 1984, came up with a better idea — make classic furnishings more versatile. In 2015, Novembre asked Natale to don a creative director hat and reinterpret select Grange pieces to furnish four rooms: a living room, a dining room, a study and a bedroom. “Over its 112 years, Grange has always maintained a traditional look, predominantly in neutral colours and finishes, but I wanted Greg to refresh the range and make it more relevant to Australia,” says Novembre. “He steps outside the boundaries and the results are absolutely stunning.” For Natale, the opportunity to contemporise pieces from a stalwart in luxury furniture retailing was appealing. “I have always loved the brand, its classic shapes and beautiful quality,” says Natale. “It’s known for its painted finishes, but it needed an update to modernise it and make it younger.” Given carte blanche to cherry-pick across the ranges, he singled out some favourite shapes for his makeovers, such as the angular architectural sofa, Louis bergère chairs and humpback dining chairs. “I took out the brown and replaced it with black to make the furniture sexier, sleeker and more contemporary, so the results are aligned with my DNA and my overall look,” says Natale. Furniture in solid, traditional profiles fronts up to 21st-century living in clean, crisp finishes such as black lacquer and fabrics in vibrant colours and patterns — rich blues and geometrics are Natale trademarks. In this renovated Victorian home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, Natale’s revisit reveals its full potential, especially the ease with which it melds both period and modern architectural elements. He has layered his strikingly transformed Grange pieces with custom rugs, which he designed especially for DOMO. Meanwhile, his signature cushions provide the final flourish in the inviting rooms. As well as Natale’s skills as a designer, the collaboration readily illustrates the customisation potential of the Grange range. “Starting with cherry, walnut or oak, the furniture can be painted or a wash applied, or left as it is,” says Novembre. “Then you can use whatever fabric you like. Grange has its own range or the customer can bring along their own.” Natale nods in agreement. “You could use this new range in a contemporary apartment and it would look incredible, while it also looks supercool in this classic home with its grand proportions and its arches and mouldings. You can customise the whole Grange range in this way. It’s a designer’s dream.”
“I took out the brown and replaced it with black to make the furniture sexier, sleeker and more contemporary” — Greg Natale