Offering services in design and decoration, and a well-considered collection of retail objects, the famous words are clearly evident in AP Design House’s eye for detail. “Less is more, but you need to be clever about it,” says principal designer Alexandra Ponting. “Everything needs to have a place. It needs to be functional and practical as well as beautiful.”
Ponting established AP Design House in Brisbane seven years ago, and recently opened the practice in Sydney with an office on Moncur Street, Woollahra. With new customers and clients in Mosman and the Eastern Suburbs, as well as a steady following in Brisbane, AP Design House undertakes residential projects that range from large-scale renovations and new builds, to small-scale upholstery and art selection.
AP Design House’s minimal, curated and tactile aesthetic is evident across their spectrum of projects, and it combines a shared love of mid century and elegance. “We’re always paring back interiors until we get to a point where we can say it doesn’t need anything more or anything less,” Ponting explains, referencing Coco Chanel who famously encouraged women to take one thing off before they leave the house. But while minimalism reigns, it’s certainly not to say their interiors are sparse and unwelcoming. Quite the opposite; they’re warm, fresh, and inviting, and demonstrate the pair’s skills with layering, texture, colour and art.
Taking inspiration from travels abroad, Ponting regularly attends overseas design fairs, including Milan Design Week, Maison & Objet in France and the Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York, keeping abreast of new products and designers and sourcing vintage and antique pieces.
As they add more residential projects to their belt, AP Design House’s future is bright and they hope to turn their talented hands to boutique hospitality projects. They are currently working on a century-old house in Mosman, injecting a contemporary feel while respecting its original foundations. “It’s such a beautiful project to be part of,” the designers explain. “It’s so rewarding when the project comes to fruition.”
AP Design House
apdesignhouse.com.au
This story also appears in McGrath Magazine.
