Pattern & patina

Ch a r l o t t e C o o t e Imagination takes flight in this design studio.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STUDIO? A whimsical, classic oasis with a contemporary edge. I wallpapered the space in Brunschwig & Fils ‘Bird and Thistle’ – it provides a peaceful garden to work from. I used the same textile to design a banquette and framed it with European sconces. A floor-to-ceiling mirrored wall creates an interesting play on space and pattern. At this point it looked very pretty, peaceful and downright predictable – I felt I needed to set the cat among the pigeons! I asked my friend, artist Robert Doble to create a large artwork to breathe life and energy into the space. Robert and I chose four colours from Resene and he produced an artwork which catapulted the space to the next level. It’s called Daphne, after my third daughter (and Robert’s goddaughter), and it clashes wonderfully with the gloss pink console – a one-off piece with lions’ legs, Georgian egg and dart detailing and unusual hairy paw feet. It epitomises the Coote&co. ethos of a one-off bespoke design experience. WHAT INITIALLY APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT THE SPACE? That it could become an exclusive oasis off one of Melbourne’s high-end shopping and lifestyle strips. HOW DOES YOUR WORKPLACE REFLECT YOUR WORK? When clients arrive here they are inspired, their creative juices start flowing... one eyecatching creation inspires another. DESCRIBE THE VIEW FROM YOUR OFFICE? It’s the most terrific people watching! We look onto the hustle and bustle of Hawksburn Village. It’s a madness of prams, trams and automobiles. We can tap into that energy, or shut ourselves away. DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY? No two days are the same. Typically we start with a pot of ‘Alan’ tea. No day would be complete without a story told or knowledge shared about design. This workspace is very happy, sophisticated and efficient. We laugh a lot and always listen to music. DO YOU USE YOUR OFFICE TO ENTERTAIN CLIENTS? Absolutely. We’ve hosted a cocktail party, a dinner party and a design talk – this year alone. WHAT DREAM DESK PIECE WOULD YOU BUY RIGHT NOW? Salvador Dalí’s ‘Lobster’ telephone in white. I F YOUR STUDIO WERE LOCATED ANYWHERE ELSE, WHERE WOULD THAT BE? Pimlico Road, London.