A commissioned piece from Saunders Studio. No longer just a place to return to at the end of the day, our home is where we now spend almost all of our time, confined within the same four walls. To combat the frustration, more and more people have sought to rejuvenate their home, investing in decor and homewares to create a warmer and more personal space.
The acceleration of the trend has been so fervent that the luxury fashion retailer Net-a-Porter expanded its home decor range by nearly 200 per cent in November last year. Net-a-Porter’s senior market editor, Libby Page, attributes that growth to the fact that our home is now a blend of living space and office.
“Over the last 18 months, it’s clear that our customers have had more of an appetite for interiors and home decor — understandably, it’s now important to them that their home is a positive space,” says Ms Page.
Amid a dampened desire for new additions to our wardrobes, luxury fashion houses have seized on the homewares trend, pivoting from the catwalk to the chaise longue. Over the past couple of years, fashion maisons have released homewares collections featuring everything from furniture to tableware to wallpaper, alongside smaller decorative trinkets like candles and cushions.
“I think fashion brands recognise this synergy between customers who love beautiful fashion items and those who want beautiful items for their homes,” Ms Page adds.
When incorporating the decor of fashion houses into your home, Sydney-based interior stylist and interior designer Matt Page recommends finding joy in developing your house into a unique expression of yourself.
“We should be discouraging fast interiors and bring our clients on a journey of learning and respecting art, artisans and the joy of the undiscovered,” Mr Page says. “Look for collections that layer your interior, not just add a quick update for something you’re likely to discard once the trend has expired. Think classic — a beautiful Hermès teapot to use each day that has history and a purpose.”
From the romanticism of Gucci to the minimalism of Off-White, here are five luxury pieces T Australia recommends to reinvigorate your home.
Hermès
Hermès introduced blankets into its repertoire in 1988, in a homage to its history as a horse saddle manufacturer. The throws reference stable blankets and feature the classic motifs of the French house. They’ve become a benchmark of luxury. Hermès’s monogrammed Avalon blanket can be seen elegantly draped in the bedrooms and lounge rooms of everyone from Ellen DeGeneres to Kim Kardashian. The house has now released the H Casaque blanket, (right) which takes design inspiration from the silk jerseys worn by jockeys and horse rugs found in the Hermès store on Paris’s Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. The throw blanket is luxuriously soft, made in Scotland from jacquard woven wool and cashmere. Available in five different shades of stripes and colours, the H Casaque adds some splendour to a night spent on the couch. Available from hermes.com/au and in store.
Gucci
Much like Gucci’s catwalk creations under creative director Alessandro Michele, the house’s home decor is maximalist, whimsical and eccentric. The 2021 Décor collection takes its inspiration from the ’70s in a celebration of Italian heritage, art and craftsmanship. The collection comprises furniture and decorative pieces, referencing Gucci’s rich design history and featuring its large selection of house motifs alongside bold prints. A standout of the new range is the seashell-shaped armchairs, (left) which are upholstered in plush teal velvet and further enriched with a butterfly design that is embroidered then hand-applied in a process that takes more than five hours. Made to order in Italy, the armchair is an ode to romanticism and a surefire way to add a flourish to your home. The Gucci Décor line is available on gucci.com and in Gucci boutiques worldwide.
Saunders Studio
Unusually, Jonathan Saunders trained in furniture and product design before turning to fashion, launching his eponymous line and, later, becoming chief creative officer at Diane von Furstenberg. This gives the brand’s second homewares collection a superb level of craftsmanship and design. The collection of stools, screen-printed dividers and chairs takes inspiration from Japanese architecture and techniques. The line references nature and geometry with an exploration of neutral colour and dying techniques. Saunders frequently uses the traditional screenprinting process to create one-of-kind works, including the Flood Screen, (right) the canvas of which is decorated with orange, grey and white dyes. Made to order by Saunders Studio and available in bespoke colours, dimensions and fabrics; enquiries at saundersstudio.com.
Versace
Versace is synonymous with opulent Italian style, an aesthetic accented throughout the brand’s latest Home Collection. Founded in 1978, the house has been creating homewares and decor since 1992 and its newest collection strongly references this history. The range features the iconic Versace motifs, including the Medusa, Greca and Barocco, alongside rich ornamentation, bold colours and enchanting forms in a mixture of Baroque and classical styles. From furnishings to tableware and glassware, bedding and even exercise equipment, the collection perfectly reflects the grandeur and elegance of the Versace maison. Take the Barocco Mosaic Étagère, (left) for example, a three-tiered centrepiece embellished by the brand’s classic Barocco print in pastel purple, soft mint and, of course, classic gold. A statement piece to elevate your tableware in true Versace style. Available at versace.com.
Off-White
The streetwear label Off-White first dipped its toes into homewares through a collaboration with the Swedish furniture giant Ikea. The range sold out almost instantly and since then, the fashion house helmed by Virgil Abloh, who is also Louis Vuitton’s artistic director for menswear, has produced several collections for the home. With a focus on minimalism and featuring the brand’s iconography in its classic muted taupe and metallic gold scheme, the collections have succeeded in their goal of “taking the familiar and making them new”. Off-White’s latest is a capsule in celebration of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. For Muslims, Ramadan is a time to spend with family and the community. In honour of that, the collection features a ceramic tea set (right) consisting of a teapot and four cups. Adorned with the Off-White logo, the tea set has a natural, handmade feel and will fit seamlessly into any kitchen. Available at off—white.com.
