/ The interior was very minimalist and black and white, so I wanted to use colour and sculptural artforms to inject energy and fun into the house, particularly as the clients had young children. / SWEE LIM
Vibrant, eye-catching art makes an impact in this house from the moment you near the entry. Art consultant and designer Swee Lim, of Swee Design, worked with the owners to source and commission unique and distinctive artworks and sculptures that would add bold personality to the modernist-inspired house.
The clients engaged Lim following the redesign of their Melbourne house by Austin Design Associates, who created a sophisticated and stylish home and selected key furniture and feature lighting. The crisp palette of black timber joinery against white stone and walls created an elegant backdrop for Lim to enliven with vibrant artwork, furniture and objects. “The interior was very minimalist and black and white, so I wanted to use colour and sculptural artforms to inject energy and fun into the house, particularly as the clients had young children,” says Lim. “They were also very adventurous and embraced life, and I wanted the art to reflect this.”
Lim and the clients started by identifying key locations where art would have an impact. The first location was outside the entrance to the house, where Steven John Clark’s sculpture creates a “wow experience,” as Lim describes. She commissioned Clark to create the work – a totemic sculpture with curvaceous and organic forms. Made with South Australian limestone, the large-scale piece is seen from outside and inside, framed by the fine black edge of the windows.
Inside the front entry, an artwork commissioned from German artist Jan Albers is another bold statement. “The artwork is the first thing you see when you enter the house, creating an eye-catching, whimsical moment,” says Lim. Albers’ abstract artwork plays with texture and dimension, through faceted geometric forms and an intense gradient of hues. Anna Glynn’s kangaroo sculptures add an ethereal quality, while the voluptuous shape of the Roly Poly Chair and geometric lines of Michael Hourigan’s painting have contrasting forms, yet are united by their golden tones. “We chose the tangerine hues, reminiscent of sunshine, to contrast against the green outdoors,” says Lim.
Like in the front entry, a mix of art mediums is used throughout the house. Lim paired colour-infused abstract artworks by Jennifer Goodman with natural timber sculptures by Jo Wilson in the dining room. The hand turned wooden totems made from old telegraph poles were commissioned for the client, as was a third painting by Goodman to create a dynamic triptych. “Commissioning artworks is risky and challenging, but I wanted unique large-scale art and sculptural works that create moments for contemplation and enjoyment,” says Lim. Through commissioning and acquiring pieces, there are more than 15 artists represented through the house.
/ Commissioning artworks is risky and challenging, but I wanted unique large-scale art and sculptural works that create moments for contemplation and enjoyment. / SWEE LIM
A landscape by photographic artist Kate Ballis infuses the living room with an atmospheric moodiness.
Using infra-red technology, Ballis isolates colours within the spectrum to create an otherworldliness in familiar scenes. Pat Brassington’s photomontage and Ryan Hoffmann’s circular artwork in the bedroom also have a surreal and enigmatic quality. Brassington’s black and white palette balances the jewel-like greens, blues and rich velvets, while Hoffman’s layers of textured, coloured paint play with light and dimension. The Ivy floor light by Lucie Koldova and sculptural side table by denHolm are more imaginative touches. Clark, who created the outdoor sculpture, is the artist behind denHolm. This table is from a series of ten, each with its own abstract form reflecting cloud formations. Adding impact throughout the house, the bold artworks, sculptures and furniture inject personality and individuality into the contemporary home. And while the client was interested in art but did not have much knowledge of it at the start of the process, they enjoyed the journey so much that Lim and client nicknamed the house Maison Du Bonheur, which translates to House of Happiness.
“The home is sophisticated, full of life and unashamedly whimsical,” says Lim.
Above: In this open living space, the greens of the view to a tennis court and hedge are contrasted with warm-toned artworks. At left is a Michael Hourigan artwork, from Studio Gallery; in the centre is a Jan Albers, an art commission from Van Horn Gallery, Dusseldorf, Germany and at right is Anna Glynn’s Kangaroos in Gowns from Fletcher Art. The Driade Roly Poly chair is by Faye Toogood. ART CONSULTANT, FURNISHING AND STYLING: SWEE LIM OF SWEE DESIGN. INTERIOR DESIGN AND FURNISHINGS: AUSTIN DESIGN ASSOCIATES. PHOTOS: SHANNON McGRATH. COURTESY: SWEE DESIGN
