Domain Review Bayside & Port Phillip - November 27, 2024
FEATURE
Tali Roth’s
Cool World
The Vogue-approved interior designer’s family home is bold and modern and “a little bit undone”
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Cover credits: Tali Roth shot by Graham Alderton
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Tali Roth’s interior design practice straddles two hemispheres and her work has been featured in the likes of Vogue, Domino and the New York Times – but she’s not a fan of perfect. Instead, her Caulfield family home – which we visit for this week’s cover story – embraces the undone and the unexpected, balanced with luxe detailing, contemporary cool and kid-friendly comfort.
Jo Walker Broadsheet
Editor
Melbourne: Level 4, 600 Church Street, Cremorne 3121, VIC
When Moon Mart burst onto the crowded cafe scene in 2022, it gained instant attention for its pitch-perfect fusion of Korean and Japanese cafe culture. Two years on, it’s still as popular as ever. Now, the cherished cafe and convenience store has moved from West Melbourne to a new home in South Melbourne.
The new location retains much of the yellow-hued charm of the original Moon Mart, but with a more straightforward layout. The new spot sits 15 inside, with a handful of street-side tables.
The menu remains largely the same, filled with the techniquedriven dishes many regulars schlep across town for. Signature items like the bulgogi breakfast sausage muffin and okonomiyaki hashbrowns still take pride of place, alongside newer additions like the unagi katsu (fried eel) sandwich.
There are new beverages, too, including Moon Mart’s take on the viral drink of the moment, the strawberry iced matcha. — CA
ADD TO CART
Elka Collective vest shirt
Melbourne label Elka Collective’s new collection is full of sleek silhouettes designed for everyday wear that can be taken effortlessly through to night – but this piece gets our pick. It’s got all the right features of a classic summer vest, but it’s elevated through its slimline tailoring, statement button detailing and low scoop neckline. Cinch it in at the waist with the adjustable back tie, or loosen the fit for warmer days. — SR
$249 / elkacollective.com
IN
THE DIARY
Big Design Market
Bringing together more than 250 exhibitors, the Big Design Market has everything from homewares and artworks to local fashion labels and stuff for kids. Get all your independent design gifts for the holiday season in one place, from labels like Lumi Clothing and Chloe McColl Jewellery to Arcadia Scott Ceramics. There’ll be plenty to eat and drink too, including Ca Com’s banh mi, and hot chocolate and sweet treats from Mork. — GC
Nov 29–Dec 1 / Royal Exhibition Building / melbourne.thebigdesignmarket.com
Photo: Chege Mbuthi
315 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne
Photo: Blake Walshe
Lobster party looks READ ME
Time for Dinner
If Adam Liaw gets any more efficient, he’s going to burst into flames. The TV host and author’s latest cookbook – his fourth in as many years – is called Time for Dinner. And in it, speed is the name of the game. Spend less time chopping, shopping, cooking and washing with this compendium of fast family meals, from carbonara fried rice to Taiwanese three-cup chicken. Plus, a compelling case for eggs on toast as dinner. — DC
$49 99 / hardiegrant.com
PANTRY ITEM
Nice Pickles
This isn’t your average gherkin. Nice Pickles puts a tangy twist on the classic condiment, with pickled pineapples, jerk beans, cauliflower and mixed veggies. Available in a 500-millilitre jar or a jumbo two-litre option, the brine can also be added to dressings, guacamole and even cocktails. Or buy it bottled separately, along with a range of other spices, seasonings and sauces. — GC
$15 / nicepickles.com
THREE OF A KIND
Seafood motifs are still trending – and this summer, lobsters are taking the lead. Local fashion label Jag joins forces with Jess Kent for a playful embroidered shirt perfect for holiday hostess duty (there’s a matching skirt too). Pair with Sydney label Maison Balzac’s trompe l’oeil topless pinafore in European flax linen for a dashing party look, while you serve canapés on Kip and Co’s nostalgic hand-painted Lobster Bisque platters. — JW
Balzac lobster apron, $89, maisonbalzac.com
Jag x Jess Kent lobster shirt, $150, jag.com.au
Kip and Co Lobster
Bisque platter large, $79, kipandco.com.au
Maison
HOME MAKER
Homu’s Chroma range IN THE KITCHEN Pad krapao
“The concept behind Homu is an application of how we use and grow within our own home,” says Lys Chin, the Melbourne homeware brand’s founder and director.
Together with her husband Hamish Hoskins, Chin was inspired to create Homu in 2019 while designing custom furniture for their first home. Crafted with style and purpose, Homu’s range includes delicate ceramic tableware, linen lamps and larger custom furniture pieces.
Chroma, the latest collection, takes a more dramatic direction with stainless steel servingware featuring a brushed silver finish. From sculptural bowls to elevated platters, these pieces are designed to stand out on your dining table. — GC
homudesign.com.au
Sattawat Tangsuksan, Dodee Paidang
Serves 4 160ml tbsp vegetable oil 800g chicken mince 1 tbsp sliced long red chilli plus extra to taste 1 tbsp minced garlic 80ml (1/3 cup) oyster sauce 2 tsp Thai black soy sauce 2 tbsp fish sauce 1 tbsp chicken stock powder 2 tsp caster sugar 40g snake beans, chopped 20g Thai holy basil Steamed rice to serve
Heat a wok over medium–high heat. Once it feels hot, pour in half the oil, swirl to coat, then add half the chicken and stir to break it up. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until lightly browned, then transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining oil and chicken, then add the reserved chicken back to the wok.
Crank up the heat, add the chilli and garlic and stir-fry until the entire kitchen is filled with their awesome scent, about 10 seconds.
Now, it’s time to add all the good stuff that makes the meat tasty. Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, stock powder and sugar, and continue to stir-fry and toss until the sauce reduces and gets nice and sticky, but the chicken is still juicy and delicious, about 1–2 minutes.
Once the chicken is nicely browned and well coated, add the snake beans to give the dish more texture, plus some more chilli if you want more heat. Mix it all up, then add the Thai basil to infuse that wonderful scent. Stir for just 5 seconds with your spatula, and voilà: you’re ready to serve. Find 80 fresh recipes in The Broadsheet Melbourne Cookbook: The New Classics. Recreate our city’s iconic dishes in your kitchen, from institutions like France-Soir and Gimlet to hot newcomers like Manzé and Askal. $54.99 / shop.broadsheet.com.au
Broadsheet Melbourne Cookbook
SNACK BAR STREET STYLE
By Audrey Payne Johnston Street, Abbotsford
New all-day bakery and cafe Cheri from Darling Group (Top Paddock, Kettle Black) has opened in the former Bibelot and Chez Dre sites near South Melbourne Market. Find a gelato bar, chocolate brownie croissants and fancy finger buns –in flavours such as rum and raisin and cookies and cream – all made in-house at the 150-seat venue. 285-287 Coventry Street, South Melbourne / cherieatery.com.au
Eighties and ’90s Miami vibes have landed in Frankston thanks to the opening of Hotel Paradiso. The 330person venue takes design cues from the American city with pink pastel walls, teal-coloured subway tiles and a healthy number of disco balls. 10 Kookaburra Street, Frankston / hotelparadiso.com.au
The team behind Exhibition Street restaurant Askal has opened a new rooftop bar called Inuman. Cocktails highlight Filipino ingredients including gumamela (hibiscus), lambanog (distilled palm tree sap) and tapuy (rice wine). Upstairs 167 Exhibition Street, Melbourne / inumanmelbourne.com
Brunswick East favourite Bar Romantica will close next March after seven years. But it’s not over yet. The team is planning to host events and make use of its 24-hour liquor licence before the bar, in the former Cafe Romantica space, calls last drinks. 52 Lygon Street, Brunswick East / barromantica.com.au
Rahaf Al Khatib, who runs the popular Falastini Food Truck, will soon open her first bricks-and-mortar restaurant. The homey casual Palestinian spot is named Beti Siti, which translates to “grandmother’s home” in Arabic, and will showcase recipes from Al Khatib’s mother and grandmother. 150 Bell Street, Coburg / @beit.siti
Read the full story for each dot point: broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/series/snack-bar
Name: Yoshino Maruyama Age: 30 Occupation: Post Sole Studio store and studio manager Tell us about your outfit today. I studied fashion design at university, and this dress is from a girl who was a couple years my junior called Breah Lucas. It has detachable sleeves and lots of buttons and ties, which I love. The top underneath is by another designer from New Zealand called Nicole Van Vuuren. She uses scrap fabrics. And then the jeans are second-hand and shoes are Post Sole Studio. What’s your style inspiration? Growing up, Japanese street style was a huge inspiration for me. My grandma would send me fashion magazines every month from Japan. There was one called Jelly and another one was Popeye
Abbotsford’s edgy mix of warehouse conversions, charming terraces and riverside apartments attracts creatives and young families alike. Locals enjoy its lively breweries, riverside trails, artsy cafes and an effortlessly cool vibe by the Yarra.
ARTSY ABBOTSFORD
Photo: Kaede James Takamoto
Source: Data based on sales within the last 12 months
Photo: Chege Mbuthi
Photo: Parker Blain
Photo: Casey Horsfield
Photo: Chege Mbuthi
Photo: Amy Hemmings
THE INTERVIEW
Pep Is Anything but Run-of-the-Mill
Words by Michael Harry · Photo by Dave Verheul
“Can you write this story without using any pepper puns?” asks Josh Gardiner, co-founder of premium pepper company Pep. It’s unlikely. The branding features so much spicy wordplay, my job’s been done for me. But is the new product all it’s cracked up to be? (Sorry.)
The Pep talk started over steak au poivre (pepper steak) at France-Soir in South Yarra in 2022. Old friends Gardiner, Myki Slonim and Royce Akers wondered about the origins of what was on their plates. “There were all these delicious ingredients in the meal – the oil and the butter and the meat itself – but then the conversation turned to the pepper,” recalls Gardiner. “Everyone knew the salts they had at home, but not the pepper.”
The trio – who played in a Bangles cover band together before working at Vice Australia – started quizzing friends and neighbours about their choice of seasoning. “They would proudly rattle off their Malden, their pink
Himalayan, their sea salt, their kosher salt,” Slonim tells Broadsheet. But when they asked about pepper they’d get “a stunned, or even embarrassed, look from someone who fancies themselves as a home chef”.
Like many of the best ideas, it’s surprising this one hasn’t been done before. “So many people say, ‘I’m a pepper fiend, I love black pepper, I put too much of it on everything,’ but like us they had never really thought about it, or tasted a better pepper,” says Akers.
“It was an epiphany we had,” continues Gardiner. “There are many chefs who know [a lot about pepper] – we’re not revelatory in that way – but we’re talking about reaching people like us.”
The gap in the market was clear, but they needed to source a product that was far from the “run-of-the-mill” peppers on supermarket shelves. They sampled dozens of varieties on balls of plain white rice (the best vehicle for
tasting pepper) before landing on a singleorigin peppercorn grown in Cambodia’s Memot district.
Next came the memorable red and yellow branding (“Un-Meh Your Pepper”), designed with another mate, art director Benny Moore.
“We wanted [the branding] to look like it had been around a long time but not be a pastiche of retro,” Akers says. “And he was happy to do a million versions of it.”
Brand mascot Pep the goat was actually a horse for a long time before the design was finalised (“It’s got kick!”). The black cylindrical grinder is made of glass and a ceramic mechanism for optimum crack. Need a refill?
Pep also comes in 50-gram boxes. Slonim says: “The challenge was to make a grinder that looked good. We wanted it to be reusable, and for it to work really well.”
The finished product? It’s… a cracker. Generous grinds of fragrant, herbaceous black
pepper with notes of chocolate and citrus which can elevate everything from eggs to salads to a Bloody Mary. For now, you can find it online or at specialty Melbourne retailers such as Morning Market, Maker & Monger, Cibi, Blackhearts and Sparrows and Spring Street Grocer (with more to come).
The reaction has been genuinely warm so far, according to the team. “We have people say, ‘It’s just so peppery’,” Gardiner enthuses. “We’re on the same journey as coffee. People didn’t talk about aromas, origins and notes before, but there’s a whole world of pepper out there, and we want people to expect more from it.”
“After all,” Slonim says. “It’s the last thing you put on your meal.”
For more information on all things Pep, including grinder and pepper refill sales – plus merchandise and recipes – visit eatpep.com
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Discover e ortless bayside living at The Coterie, an exclusive address of only twenty- ve apartments in the heart of Sandringham. Designed by Warren & Mahoney, with interiors by Lisa Buxton; come home to a sanctuary inspired by a real sense of place, and a charming, laidback neighbourhood. Purchase now and se le early 2026.
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Artist Impression
Artist Impression
THE FIT-OUT Stylish Swimwear Labels With Inclusive Sizing
By Jo Walker
SAINT SOMEBODY The Vogue - and Sports Illustratedapproved Sydney label (stocked at Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus in the States) has been turning out luxe swimwear since 2018. Simple and elegant ’90s supermodel vibes are the go this season with square necklines, cool monochromes and subtle detailing for sizes 8 to 28 saintsomebody.com.au
SHEILA THE LABEL Founded just last year by Melbourneborn Apple exec Clare Barrins, Sheila delivers bold and bright activewear-meets-swimwear-meets-streetwear in sizes 6 to 24
Crafted from recycled nylon that’s rated UPF 50+ for sun protection, the range features shorts, crop tops and rashies –plus a ridiculously cute one-piece – ready for the beach and the gym, as well as daily life. sheilathelabel.com
FORM AND FOLD Taking its cues from lingerie sizing and construction techniques, this Melbourne-born label produces elegant pared-back swimwear in sizes 8 to 20 and cup sizes D to H. Bikinis and one-pieces feature hidden in-built underwire bras and design details such as powermesh slings and adjustable straps for extra lift. formandfold.com
ANDIE Andie makes the kind of bathers you don’t have to spend all day tugging at, just comfy well-cut non-boring classics in sizes XS to XXXL (approximately 4 to 24). The Essentials line features tried and true cuts in a range of colours (check out the Amalfi in cherry red for iconic Baywatch vibes), and there are bold seasonal looks too, including textured fabrics and vintage florals. andieswim.com.au
OBUS The swim line from longstanding Melbourne fashion label Obus is small but gorgeously formed for sizes 8 to 20
This season it features luxe shell motifs on bikini separates, zip rashies and luxe wrap one-pieces (very Versace on lifeguard duty) plus groovy checks and timeless block colours. Pair with matching hats, sarongs and accessories. obus.com.au
LE BUNS This Melbourne brand offers a tight edit of longwearing minimalist bikini separates in sizes 6 to 24 – mostly in classic black plus some cobalt blues and whites for good measure. Each top is convertible and can be styled to fit multiple ways. Pieces are fully lined for an extra-luxe supportive feel and made from a premium sustainable fabric blend containing recycled ocean plastic. lebuns.com.au
HOME OF THE WEEK
Summer-ready bayside opulence
Words by Anders Furze
Rathgar is a true Brighton showstopper, sitting on more than 1200 square metres of land just minutes away from Dendy Street beach. When you combine the bones of a home that dates to 1884 with an ambitious renovation from Stephen Akehurst, the result is a stylish family abode that’s a testament to the breezy, beachside Brighton lifestyle.
The wraparound limestone verandah makes a tasteful statement to the manicured front lawn. Head through the magnificent entry hall, and you’ll find both original front rooms. One has been given a luxurious makeover into the main bedroom suite.
A marble en suite with a double vanity and bath awaits here, as does a separate walk-in wardrobe. Classy bay windows overlook the front verandah and bring the designer gardens into the room. Across the hall, a formal living room has another fireplace, while the home office has two built-in desks.
The large central family and dining room overlook the resort-style backyard. A Howqua stone wood-burning fireplace brings warmth to the family room. The kitchen’s custom joinery hosts everything from the WHAT THE AGENT SAYS
“Victorian heritage meets modern opulence in this Brighton compound designed by Stephen Akehurst. From glorious gardens to refined interiors and extensive amenities, this residence offers luxury, resort-style living and stylish, poolside entertaining.”
Liebherr fridge-freezer to the Paul Bocuse Rosieres free-standing cooker, and there’s a separate butler’s pantry.
Head through the French doors, and you’ll find the al fresco area, which is paved with limestone and bluestone and equipped with a plumbed barbecue. The pool is a luxurious 14 metres long, and there’s a spacious spa with room for 12 people. Extended paving makes for delightful opportunities for poolside lounging at either end.
Back inside and upstairs, you’ll find three more bedrooms circling a rumpus room, cleverly adding more space for family living.
The upstairs marble bathroom has its own bath and double vanity. One bedroom has an en suite, and all three have lovely built-in seats in their windows, offering the opportunity to survey the surroundings while also adding under-seat storage. Built-in desks and wardrobes add more storage and functionality to each bedroom.
This home also extends underground. Head into the basement, and you’ll find the spacious and wood-panelled home theatre, enhanced by an adjacent cellar.
Other highlights include a rear gym, which could also be a bedroom, a mudroom and hydronic heating throughout. The double garage has a workshop, and there’s a laundry equipped with a drying cabinet and chute. Tennyson Street is ridiculously close to the sandy shores of Dendy Street beach – a two-minute walk away, to be exact. The buzzing Church Street precinct is close by, as are top schools, including Brighton Grammar, Firbank Grammar and Haileybury College.
Brighton 24 Tennyson Street
$13.5 million-$14.5 million
5 4 4
Expressions of interest: Close noon, December 2
Agent: Marshall White, Ben Vieth 0404 084 793
The highest recorded house price for Brighton (past 12 months) was $9.5 million for 36 Dawson Avenue in February. The median price for a fivebedroom house is $4.8 million.
Ben Vieth Marshall White
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TALI ROTH’S COOL WORLD
Words by Leta Keens · Photos by Graham Alderton
The Vogue-approved interior designer’s practice stretches from Melbourne to New York City. Her 1960s Caulfield family home breaks the renovation rules with a Euro modern look that’s sexy and “a little bit undone”.
Tali Roth’s first stab at interior design came about when she was 14 years old.
“I begged my parents for a four-poster bed – the headboard was a wrought-iron heart and each post was a squiggle. I thought I was the coolest person on the planet.”
Around the same time, she did a make-up course and gave all her friends makeovers. From the age of 10, Roth was also sketching outfits and making her own clothes: “All sorts of visual things.”
But when it came time to decide what to do with her life at age 18, “I wasn’t confident enough to think I could have a career in the creative world,” Roth tells Broadsheet. Instead, she majored in (and loved) psychology and social work at university, and thought she’d end up a clinical psychologist.
Along the way, though, Roth started making and selling clothes. “It awoke something in me that was like, ‘I need to pursue this, I’m actually good at it.’” After working in fashion for a few years, she realised she was more inspired by spaces than clothes, and moved into event decor. Eventually it dawned on her that “the most grounded feeling was the idea of creating spaces for people to live in rather than ones that were deconstructed after 24 hours”.
After finishing a degree in interior design at RMIT in 2013 she was on a plane to New York with her husband, Marcus Jankie, for his work. Starting her career there, Roth says, was “definitely a steep learning curve because I was just so green”.
She joined buzzy start-up Homepolish, at the time a newly formed agency that matched designers with clients. “I went straight into running my own jobs, but with the backing of the company.” After a couple of years, she took on her own residential and commercial clients, and was featured in the likes of Vogue, the New York Times and Architectural Digest Having returned to Australia during Covid, Roth estimates around 65 per cent of her
interiors projects are still in the States, although most of the time she works remotely from her home office. “I’m not that keen to leave my family for jobs that last three years,” she says. When we speak to her, however, she’s just flown home after the opening of Trove, a jewellery store she designed in Manhattan’s West Village – a project that took eight weeks, start to finish. Roth’s take on interior design, she says, has been strongly influenced by her eight years in the USA. “When I moved there, I thought what we were doing in Australia was the best – clean, contemporary Scandinavian design. But then I was thrown into pre-war buildings and a much more traditional aesthetic – more of a love of warmth and wallpapers and fabrics, and different ways of expressing one’s personality through interior spaces … Where I land now is I’m probably a little bit contemporary for the Americans and, for the Australians, a little bit too vintage.”
It’s that mix that can be seen in her own home, a 1960s house by Czech architect Robert Rosh. It’s in Caulfield, where she and her husband (they were childhood sweethearts) grew up, and where her parents and in-laws still live.
They bought the house, sight unseen, from New York, a surprisingly undaunting prospect. “My husband’s in property development so we understand spaces remotely, plus we knew exactly where it was, and I know the family that built it,” she explains.
Classic mid-century, its design is one that has always resonated with Roth. “I think it’s the linearity of it and generosity of space.”
Her grandparents and grandparents’ friends lived in similar houses, and her grandfather built a number of modernist-era apartment buildings in Melbourne.
“I’ve always liked stone. I remember being really into The Flintstones and thinking, ‘Gosh, I want to live there.’ There’s something about the bedrock – the coldness of that – and
mixing it with really warm furniture like cosy, oversized couches. I love that juxtaposition.”
*
Name: Tali Roth
Lives: In a three-and-a-half level mid-century house in Caulfield
Since: 2022
With: Her husband and their three children
*
What are some of the changes you’ve made to the house since you moved in? We renovated the kitchen and laundry, respecting what was there. I tried to create a kitchen that was almost like furniture, making sure it was highly functional and that there was a space for everything. We cleaned up the electricals and painted throughout, and also made some revisions to the main bathroom. There was yellow carpet in the entry and all through the living and dining area – it was foul, but in amazing condition. It made me want to throw up.
Can you describe the vibe of the house, and your approach to decorating it. It feels like European modernism – it’s kind of cool and a little bit sexy. It’s also a little bit undone, so doesn’t feel perfect, which I like. The windows are all original, which means they’re kind of [messed] up, and all the cabinets are original and untouched, so it’s beaten up a bit.
My look is collected. It’s warm and comfortable, and doesn’t really subscribe to the rules of our industry when it comes to the way things need to work together. In my head, I always try to have about a third vintage, a third contemporary and then a third custom-made for the space. If you can create that kind of hybrid, you’ll have a very balanced aesthetic. It’s the same when it comes to every element – hard and soft, warm and cool. I’m always trying different things to get that balance right – when I’ve created spaces that feel too precious, I haven’t enjoyed living there. I’ve
only been here for two years, but feel really comfortable – it’s the right balance of hard and soft, high-end and accessible.
What’s your favourite room? I just love walking into the big yellow entry – it’s so grand and massive. I added the yellow Venetian plaster, rewired the original lights from the space (putting all the glass through the dishwasher) and took the fluorescents out of the skylight. I replaced the carpet with terrazzo, and it feels like it’s meant to be there.
How about your favourite object? That’s a really tough question to ask someone like me. I’m obsessed with a glazed red vase shaped like a head by Matthias Vriens of Atelier MVM, which lives mainly on the dining table. I’ll never get over how much I love it. We were on a stopover in LA, and it was my birthday. I went to this amazing designer store and bought it for myself – it just makes me feel happy.
Then there’s the Mario Bellini Le Bambole loveseat, upholstered in purple bouclé. It’s modernist and awesome – I bought the most [messed] up one I could find for the cheapest amount of money from 1st Dibs, and stayed with it for a while. Towards the end of [the renovation] project, I reupholstered it.
I’ve also got a Danish armchair I love, and my bedside table and bedside lights which I got from Geoffrey Hatty, who passed away. He always made me feel so at home in his store – I was so happy to buy a couple of things from him and have them in my house.
Favourite places to buy homewares and art? Smith Street Bazaar, because they have an incredible eye for vintage furniture and we love the same era. I love Criteria Collection – the owner Rachel is so kind and gracious, and has a beautiful aesthetic. Sophie Gannon Gallery –again, she’s lovely to deal with and has such a good eye. Oigall Projects showcase excellent people and are always on the edge of incredible design, and Pepite has beautiful stuff and she’s also lovely.
LIKE A LOCAL
Ashburton
By Sasha Murray
Travel 14 kilometres south-east of Melbourne’s CBD and you’ll find the affluent suburb of Ashburton. It’s known for lush green spaces, and its close proximity to Chadstone Shopping Centre and Monash University. Just like its neighbouring suburbs – such as Glen Iris and Ashwood – it’s a popular pick for families.
Start your morning with coffee and brunch on sunny High Street. Joe Frank, a family-run cafe named after the co-owners’ father and grandfather, is popular among locals. The menu features reliable classics like smashed avo on toast and loaded brekkie burgers. Other spots along the street include all-day Italian eatery Mr Burton and European-inspired cafe Miss Ash. Once a month, the latter hosts Friday Nights, a lively dinner with drinks centred around a changing theme (past nights have included Mexican, French and Mediterranean). Tucked away in the backstreets, there’s also charming cafe Habitat. Go for the hearty bean burrito, or order chilli scrambled eggs stuffed into a flaky croissant.
Next, get out into nature. Markham Reserve is Ashburton’s main park, and one of the biggest in the area (it covers more than 113,000 square metres). It’s a great spot for a picnic on warm days – and if you’re bringing the kids along, they’ll be easily entertained with a massive adventure playground and skate park. Equally, you could cool down at the Ashburton Pool and Recreation Centre, which has four swimming pools, two spas and a sauna.
In the afternoon, head back to High Street and check out the independent shops dotted along the strip. You’ll be able to find just about anything here: rare antiques, gifts, provisions, books (The Leaf Bookshop is a must), wine, clothes and even comics.
While it’s more of a daytime suburb, there’s still plenty to explore in the evening. For dinner, try a traditional Korean gukbap (a dish made by putting cooked rice into soup) at Seoul Ttukbaegi or feast on homey Afghan food at Ashy’s Afghan Restaurant. For drinks, head to late-night cocktail bar Oydis or microbrewery Two Doors Brewing.
Ashburton has evolved from a sleepy suburb to a thriving community while preserving its charm. It offers a mix of period and modern homes, lush parks, bike trails and a vibrant village filled with quality shops, cafes and excellent city access.
Average Age
41
Median Weekly income $2,743
Clockwise from top: High Street, Mr Burton Italian restaurant, street art mural by Ana Armillas, window shopping
“Ashburton
Clockwise from top: Cycling on the Anniversary Trail, Oydis late-night cocktail bar, Markham Reserve playground, The Hive lifestyle store.
All photos by Amy Hemmings
Ash Howarth Marshall White
STUDIO VISIT Will Mann Finds His Groove With Pitch Drop
Words by Sanam Goodman
Photos by Casey Horsfield
Will Mann didn’t set out to be a furniture designer. His journey to launching Pitch Drop – a brand of minimalist tubular steel furniture – emerged from a need to find a creative outlet after years playing music. “I was in a band, and that was my whole thing,” he tells Broadsheet . But as music became less central, he began searching for a new outlet.
Moving from Hobart to Melbourne, Mann tried his hand at different jobs, including running a cleaning business. “It was a way to make money,” he reflects, “but it didn’t really fill the creative void.” It was only when the former muso took up furniture restoration and then welding that he found his true calling. “The day after my first Tafe course, I was like, ‘This is it!’ I was really happy.”
Pitch Drop’s collection takes minimalism down an unexpected path, pairing clean lines with vibrant hues. Each of Mann’s designs is hand-crafted from tubular powdercoated steel – chosen for its durability and unique visual profile – and turned into gorgeous Bauhaus-inflected furniture and homewares, including coffee and dining tables, desks, shelves, clothes racks, mirrors and, most recently, a curvaceous candle holder.
The pared-back nature of the material has become Pitch Drop’s signature look, creating a cohesive identity that can add a bold pop of colour to almost any space. “I think the simplicity just works, it gives each piece versatility in any interior setting,” he says.
Located in a quiet industrial area of Coburg North, Mann’s studio is part workshop, part place to call home. He admits the set-up is unusual: a warehouse at the back with a residential space in the front. “It’s pretty weird, but it’s kind of perfect.”
Filled with other busy studios, the area bustles with activity during the day. But by night the streets empty, offering Mann a quiet solitude – and the freedom to work late into the evening without fear of disturbing the neighbours.
Mann is inspired by ’70s modernism as much as current design trends that embrace colour and individuality, and what some call “dopamine dressing” for interiors. Right now he sees a shift toward bolder choices, driven by a desire for joy in a challenging world. “Everything is so hard. People are looking for things that bring excitement, that feel like little moments of joy,” he says. “Furniture
design was plain for a while, but now there’s so much personality in it, and that’s exciting.”
Finding that signature style was a big part of Mann’s early creative process with Pitch Drop. His first piece, a simple table, served as the foundation for everything that followed.
“That initial design helped set the tone,” he says. “At first I had all these ideas about different styles I could explore, but I realised it made sense to stay cohesive.” Mann sees this consistency as a strength, narrowing his focus to a style that resonates with him and his customers. “When people see a Pitch Drop piece, they recognise it.”
Pitch Drop has also become a popular destination for clients to commission bespoke pieces, including tables, chairs and shelves that merge Mann’s trademark style with the end user’s specific needs. Some custom items have even inspired new products for the Pitch Drop catalogue, helping him expand his offering while staying true to his minimalist roots. All pieces are made to order by Mann in his Coburg North studio, and most can be customised with different colour finishes.
Running Pitch Drop as a solo operation brings its own set of challenges. As the sole designer, fabricator and marketer, Mann wears many hats, some of which he never expected to try on. “I had no idea what I was signing up for,” he says, laughing, of the early days setting up the business. From sourcing materials to fielding commission requests to running ads, he’s had to learn as he goes. “There were weeks where I’d just be on Youtube learning about marketing and paid ads.”
And while he’s found the work incredibly rewarding, he acknowledges that there are days when he dreams of hiring a team to handle the business admin, freeing him up to focus purely on the creative side of things – after all, the desire for creative autonomy is what drove him to start his own business in the first place: “Working for other people just made me depressed.”
For Mann, Pitch Drop offers the freedom to set his own schedule, make his own decisions and build something that reflects his vision. “It’s tough work, but it’s fulfilling in a way other jobs weren’t.”
See and order the current Pitch Drop collection – or ask about custom work – online at pitchdrop.com.au
Go West for a Perth City Staycay
By Lucy Bell Bird
It’s the most isolated capital city in the world, so what makes Perth worth the slog of a four-hour plane trip?
Of course, there are the sunsets (some of the world’s best), Margaret River’s award-winning wineries, and the quokkas on Rottnest that dominate Instagram with their apparent social media savvy. But beyond natural wonders, Perth has oodles on ofer, including killer galleries, daring new diners and lush hotels. So strapping in for a weekend in the city itself is a seriously good call.
Base yourself at the Como Treasury, a lovingly restored luxury hotel in the city’s State Buildings. There are 48 spacious rooms, cloud-like beds,
high ceilings and deep baths. Rooftop bar and diner Wildfower is known for its masterful use of native ingredients and menus in line with the Noongar six-season calendar. Downstairs, a central forum is home to several of the state’s best bars and restaurants: Wine Merchant, Beer Corner, cafe Shop 1875, modern Australian restaurant Petition and David Thompson’s seminal Thai diner Long Chim.
A short walk takes you over to Northbridge, where you’ll fnd hot new spots Edward & Ida’s (try the curried Scotch egg and Patagonian toothfsh burger) and the sexy ’70s-inspired Bar Love, slinging peaches & cream Negronis, Mont Blanc-esque cocktails and as many utterly
flthy dirty Martinis as you like.
A quick drive out to Cottesloe brings you to Gibney, a lush new bar and grill with waistcoated staf and views stretching from South Cottesloe to Rottnest. It’s all about old-school classics here, with tableside Caesar salads and serious steaks.
Back in town, the Art Gallery of Western Australia is on hand to ofer a spot of culture. Beyond its permanent exhibition, the gallery is currently home to a blockbuster multimedia show from Melbourne street artist Rone. There’s a mammoth 12-room installation to explore, plus immersive bar and dining experiences for those who want to get among it.
LUXURY
Words by Richard Cornish & Joanne Brookfield
Middle Park
38a Langridge Street
$6.2 million-$6.5 million
4 4 2
Auction: 12.30pm, November 30
Agent: Jellis Craig, Max Mercuri 0431 043 723
In 1898, Seafarer’s Warehouse was built as a boat builder’s yard. In the 1970s, it became an underground nightclub before being transformed into a photographic studio. Today, it is a spacious, secluded three-level home that seamlessly blends its industrial history – with bare brick walls and exposed wooden beams – with modern comfort and style. From the gourmet kitchen to the poolside entertaining area, this is a unique opportunity to live in the beachside ’burb.
B.E Architecture was inspired by the elegant minimalist aesthetic of contemporary art galleries when designing this refined house, finished with limestone floors and American oak joinery. Over three levels, all connected by a lift, the floor plan provides the luxury of a basement home theatre, wine cellar, and generous gym/yoga space accompanied by a wellness room with an infrared sauna and ice bath. Above ground, there are also two offices and a fully equipped butler’s pantry.
Malvern East
6 Epping Street
$5 million-$5.5 million
4 3 2
Expressions of interest: Close 3pm, December 3
Agent: Marshall White, Rae Tomlinson 0418 336 234
Architect Damien Honto transformed this beautiful solidbrick Edwardian home on the historic Gascoigne Estate by adding a striking two-storey extension featuring sharp lines softened by a Japanese charred timber exterior. The result is a stunning and functional family home with marble-lined bathrooms, timber floors, and three-metre ceilings in the open-plan kitchen and living area, which looks north over the solar-heated pool and a Lisa Ellis landscaped garden.
G07/16-18 Fellows Street
$3.9 million-$4.25 million
3 2 3
Expressions of interest: Close 5pm, December 3
Agent: Marshall White, Daniel Bradd 0411 347 511
On a quiet street lined with stately plane trees, this new ground-floor apartment is light and modern yet warm and grounded. Looking out through floor-to-ceiling glass over the garden and heated pool, the spacious open-plan living and kitchen area features oak parquetry floors, natural stone surfaces, and Gaggenau appliances. Set between the tranquillity of the Yarra and the bustle of Kew Village, this is a rare chance to secure a newly built home in this established community.
Kew
OPEN FOR INSPECTION
Words by Shae Wiedermann, Maria Harris & Richard Cornish
WEEKEND
Clearance Rate of 59%*
Source: Domain Group
WHAT OUR MANAGING EDITOR SAYS
Natalie Mortimer Domain managing editor
“The spring selling season remains strong, with new listings above average, but sellers of quality properties remain reluctant, keeping A-grade homes and investment-grade options harder to find.”
4/631 Orrong Road
$2.3 million-$2.5 million
3 3 2
Auction: 11am, December 7
$2 million-$2.2 million
3 2 2
Auction: 1.30pm, November 30
Agent: Marshall White, Jack Moss 0439 378 954
Ideal for entertainers, this house has a north-west-facing garden with a deck, a built-in barbecue, a keg fridge with beer on tap and a bluestone terrace. Inside, two bedrooms (one with a fireplace, the other with built-in wardrobes) complement an upstairs main bedroom with a walk-in robe, en suite, balcony (with heater and speaker) and fitted study nook. Wonderfully situated, this home is close to Glenferrie Road’s shops and restaurants, Malvern Central and Malvern station.
9b Genoa Street
$1.52 million-$1.57 million
4 3 2
Auction: 2.30pm, November 30
Auction: 1.30pm, December 7
$4.44 million
Albert Park
91 Merton Street
Sold by Marshall White* HIGHEST VALUE
*As reported on November 16, 2024
Agent: Ray White, Winston Wei 0430 146 011
Floor-to-ceiling windows provide light-filled spaces and leafy outlooks on every level of this house. The ground floor has a rumpus room, a laundry, a bathroom and a bedroom with a secluded courtyard. Take the glass lift to the first floor’s living domain and partially covered balcony. Up further is the main bedroom – with walk-in wardrobe and en suite –a third bedroom with en suite, and a balcony.
This house in Albert Park’s Laureate complex provides luxury on four levels. High ceilings and full-height windows characterise the living domain, while even more space is offered by the top-floor study/lounge area. It has ample outdoor space for an inner-city house, with two covered balconies, a roof terrace with views of the city skyline, and a landscaped garden out front.
Agent: Buxton, Amanda Morecroft 0417 347 489
This new two-storey house, located on a quiet street, was designed with the modern family in mind. It features living spaces on each floor, with three bedrooms upstairs, the main with an en suite, a lock-up garage, and ample storage. Flow and functionality are key, with hardwood timber floors, a spacious open-plan living and kitchen area, and smart stone benchtops in the kitchen and laundry.
Toorak
Moorabbin
Auction: Noon, November 30
Agent: McGrath, Charlie Clemons 0405 635 914
A stylish kitchen and open-plan living-dining area that connects to a large, sunny courtyard are highlights of this townhouse, just moments from trendy Chapel Street and Windsor station. The main bedroom has a private balcony. With parking at a premium, there is off-street space for two cars.
Auction: 10am, November 30
Agent: Jellis Craig, Will Bennison 0438 572 371
A pretty Edwardian facade and great street appeal are matched by contemporary interiors and a winning location at this house near Malvern Primary School, Penpraze Park, shops and transport. Three bedrooms include the main with an en suite. Off-street parking from a rear right-of-way is a bonus.
Private sale
Agent: Kay & Burton, Walter Dodich 0413 262 655
On the first floor of the Sequoia building in Studley Park, this apartment and its elegant terrace are made for entertaining. Luxurious features include double glazing, European oak floors, a limestone fireplace and kitchen with Gaggenau and Liebherr appliances. Two basement car parks have EV charging points.
BEAUMARIS 10B MCNAUGHT STREET
Victorian Grandeur with a Designer Edge 33 Kerferd Road, Albert Park
Auction Saturday 14th December at 11:30am
Inspect
As advertised or by appointment
Grand North-Facing Proportions with Rare Garden Setting
