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Issue 61 - Vintage Modern Issue

Issue 61

Vintage Modern Issue

The breadth and scope of Habitus has always been extraordinary. With how we live at heart of every issue, we have stepped it up with Guest Editor David Flack of Flack Studio shaking the ‘how’ and looking at new ways to make a house a home. With Vintage Modern as the issues theme, we look at the way iconic design has stayed with us, how daring pieces from the past can add the wow factor and how architecture and good design defy the pigeon hole of their era.

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A Product of

Reawakening sleeping beauties
HomesSaskia Neacsu

Reawakening sleeping beauties

Australia

Habitus House of the Year 2024 Nominee

Photography

Anson Smart

Designer

Greg Natale

Greg Natale has adopted the term ‘European Minimalism’ to describe a more-is-more approach to materials that stands in stark contrast to the restrained, minimalist furniture choices.


If Greg Natale’s approach towards design could be described in a word, it is illustrious. The riotous excess of opulence far outweighs the neutral colour palette lacquered across his interiors. A continuum of idiosyncratic features is found in the exalted Bellevue Hill House, conceived by Greg Natale, on which he first put his signature touch twelve years ago.

Now, returning to the project he once completed, the renowned designer has been invited back to reawaken the Hollywood Regency aesthetic within its enveloping walls – ushering in a dramatic paradigm shift from its former self. Where bold geometry and glamour once reigned, a contemporary language has emerged: one of soft curves, natural textures and organic forms that nod to Cycladic architecture while espousing modern subtleties.

The remodel began at the threshold. Upon entry, a twisting staircase materialises from a floor of Patagonia Verde quartz, unfurling like a sculptural ribbon towards the second storey. Beneath this sweeping ascent, a generous archway leads to the formal lounge, hinting at the undulating forms that follow throughout the house. A continuous wall flows, uninterrupted, from the lounge to the dining area, where wave-like ceilings carry the eye, reinforcing a sense of movement. Here, the walls and ceilings are dressed in a soft clay wash, imparting an ethereal, sunlit quality to the space while blonde timber floors anchor it in warmth. Elsewhere, an ensuite exclusively enveloped in Arcadia Marble and a series of bullnose-edge skylights punctuate the ceiling, adding depth to the space.

Related: Good bones brought back to life by Greg Natale

The kitchen is arguably the most opulent of all, with walls, countertops and a bespoke island encased in Breccia Capraia marble — sourced directly from Italy. Each bathroom, too, has been given its own identity, with stones handpicked to redefine their character.

A more-is-more approach to materials contrasts with the restrained, minimalist furniture choices, resulting in what Natale terms “European Minimalism.” The interplay of organic curves, lavish stone and contemporary furnishings speaks to Natale’s personal evolution. To revisit and reinvent a previous design from the ground up, Natale reflects, has been a ritualistic act: one that symbolises growth, change and a bold redefinition of his aesthetic voice.

Next up: “Elegant yet unassuming, detailed yet calming”


About the Author

Saskia Neacsu

Tags

Bellevue Hill HouseEuropean Minimalismgreg nataleHome ArchitectureHouse Architectureidiosyncratic featuresillustrious designInterior Designmore-is-more approachSydney


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Issue 61 - Vintage Modern Issue

Issue 61

Vintage Modern Issue

The breadth and scope of Habitus has always been extraordinary. With how we live at heart of every issue, we have stepped it up with Guest Editor David Flack of Flack Studio shaking the ‘how’ and looking at new ways to make a house a home. With Vintage Modern as the issues theme, we look at the way iconic design has stayed with us, how daring pieces from the past can add the wow factor and how architecture and good design defy the pigeon hole of their era.

Order Issue