Domain Review Bayside & Port Phillip - August 23, 2023

Makes Room for Memories and Mess

Interior Designer

Brahman Perera

Left: Otway Dining Table & Armchairs by Kett. Photo by Ben Hosking.

Right: Pure Sofa by Tribu. Photo by Brett Boardman.

Domain Group is a leading property marketplace made-up of a portfolio of brands. We are united in our purpose to inspire confidence in life’s property decisions. Our brands offer products and solutions to consumers and agents interested in property across every step of their property journey. We are motivated to innovate in our industry and leverage our unique data, products, and technology to deliver solutions to our customers that are found only on Domain.

Domain  National magazine editor: Natalie Mortimer   Editorial producer: Hailey Coules   Group picture editor: Kylie

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Chief marketing officer: Rebecca Darley

Chief executive officer: Jason Pellegrino

Residential sales: Ray van Veenendaal, 0438 279 870

New development sales: Ash Wood, 0424 427 402

Contact: editorial@domain.com.au

Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, it is all subject to change.

This publication is published by Domain Holdings Australia Limited and Broadsheet Media Pty. Ltd. and is printed by IVE, 25-33 Fourth Avenue, Sunshine VIC 3020

Broadsheet is Australia’s leading independent publisher. Online and in print, we aim to keep you in the loop with the best Melbourne has to offer and enrich your life in the city. We won’t waste your time with anything you don’t need to know about – just the essentials in home & lifestyle, art & design, fashion & style, food & drink, entertainment and travel. Broadsheet also has a presence in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

Broadsheet  Founder and publisher: Nick Shelton  General manager: Sian Whitaker  Editorial director: Katya Wachtel

Publications director: Nick Connellan

National editor: Michael Harry  Melbourne food & drink editor: Audrey Payne  Studio and strategy director: Roya Lines  Group campaign manager: Emily Barlow

Editor: Jo Walker Assistant editor: Gitika Garg Design: The Company You Keep, Sam Aldridge, Ella Fajdiga, Ben Siero Sub editors: Adeline Teoh, Annie Toller Writers: Sanam Goodman, Alice Jeffery, Leta Keens, James Williams Photographers: Jamie Alexander, Amy Hemmings, Kaede James Takamoto, Jo McGann, Harry Moody, Arianna Leggiero, Jake Roden, Samantha Schultz, Kate Shanasy, Lillie Thompson

Cover credits: Brahman Perera shot by Lillie Thompson

Broadsheet Media acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to lands, waters and communities. We pay respect to Elders past and present and honour more than 60,000 years of storytelling, art and culture.

From Domain Managing Director and Chief Executive, Jason Pellegrino

Australia has a deep-seated love affair with property, for most it represents far more than our greatest asset, it sets in motion the way we want to live and the memories we want to create.

Domain recognises the significance of property decisions and is purposed to inspire confidence across the property journey by providing support from financing through to finessing.

Which brings me to our exciting partnership with Broadsheet . We’ve joined forces with Australia’s best city guide to create a new magazine that brings all this information together in one place. Our aim is to give readers a unique and holistic view of the property market. We know that people buy a home for more than just the house itself; it’s the local pub they love, the best new restaurants in the area, and the community they want to be a part of.

So whether you’re looking for your first home, your next investment property, or just some inspiration for your next move, we hope you’ll turn to the pages of Domain Review, in partnership with Broadsheet.

From Broadsheet Founder and Publisher, Nick Shelton

Welcome to the first edition of the Domain Review, in partnership with Broadsheet. We are thrilled to be collaborating with Domain to bring the best of Melbourne’s design, food and lifestyle together with its best properties.

At Broadsheet, we’ve always had a passion for design, architecture and property. So now, in collaboration with Domain, the property experts, we’ll be exploring these topics in more detail than ever before, all accompanied with striking photography and design.

Melbourne: Level 4, 600 Church Street, Cremorne 3121, VIC Instagram: @domain.com.au Facebook.com/domain.com.au/

Sydney: 100 Harris Street, Pyrmont 2009, NSW Instagram: @domain.com.au Facebook.com/domain.com.au/ www.domain.com.au

Melbourne: Level 1, 123 Smith Street Fitzroy 3065, VIC Instagram: @broadsheet_melb Facebook.com/broadsheet.melbourne

Sydney: 258A Crown Street, Surry Hills 2010, NSW

Instagram: @broadsheet_syd Facebook.com/broadsheet.sydney

www.broadsheet.com.au

Each week we’ll be touring a new suburb, exploring everything it has to offer. We’ll be visiting Melbourne’s most beautiful homes and talking to the city’s most talented designers and artists. And, of course, it wouldn’t be Broadsheet without our favourite restaurants, fashion editorials and travel features.

In this first issue you’ll find stories on James Beard Award-winner Rosheen Kaul, hospo and residential designer Brahman Perera (you might recognise his work from Entrecôte), and a pop-up planetarium you can eat in.

So enjoy issue one and look out for a new issue each week in your local cafes and restaurants. I’ll see you around town.

Neighbourhoods: South Melbourne

Want to serve big floral looks with only small amounts of foliage? Embrace gorgeous sculptural forms (and save on blooms) with the stunning handmade vessels on page 11.

Jo Walker Editor

Property Listings

Back Chat with Rosheen Kaul

Feature: Brahman Perera

Work Uniform with Emily Nolan

NOW OPEN

Reine

380 Collins Street, Melbourne

Australian ease, French food and American go-largery. That’s the proposition at Nomad Group’s magnificent new restaurant Reine, inside the 132-year-old Cathedral Room at the former Melbourne Stock Exchange. Gothic vaulted ceilings, limestone walls, solid granite columns? You can’t build a place like this – only inherit it.

Popping in for quick hors d’oeuvres like anchovy pissaladière (tart) is a possibility, but the ritzy menu is best suited for big occasions. From the sea there are oysters, a lobster cocktail, an ever-changing seafood platter for two, and caviar served with crème fraîche and tempura kombu (seaweed).

For mains, an imposing woodfired grill cooks whole fish, half ducks and six cuts of steak – the largest weighing in at one kilogram. All the classic sauces are on hand for that proper steakhouse experience. And Reine’s 700-strong wine list is stacked with suitably weighty reds – including, unusually, 100 bottles from the US. — NC

THREE OF A KIND Gildas

Created in the 1940s in San Sebastian, and named after the Rita Hayworth character, this savoury snack is back on the menu all over town. There are many variations, but the standard gilda (found at Napier Quarter) is a spear of green olive, pickled guindilla pepper and dark anchovy. Stokehouse uses a white anchovy, while Gimlet goes for salted cucumber, pickled mussel, tuna and aioli.

Napier Quarter, Fitzroy

Gimlet at Cavendish House, Melbourne

Stokehouse Pasta & Bar, St Kilda

Photos: Amy Hemmings, Jo McGann, Arianna Leggiero

Photo: Jamie Alexander

READ ME IN THE DIARY ADD TO CART

Sono Studio Dino juicer

Jurassic Park taught us that life finds a way. With Melbourne artist Abbey Mehrten’s Dino juicer, the last skerrick of fresh-squeezed juice also finds a way – straight into your morning smoothie or margarita mix. Handmade in stoneware clay, the juicer is wheel-thrown with individually attached spikes and promises to squeeze “the living daylights” out of fruit. Each small batch has been a sell-out since the Dino’s debut, so those who covet an artisanal punk juicing experience best get in quick. — JW

$82 / sonostudio.com.au

The Dinner Party

Fine-dining chef Martin Benn is best known for brain-bending finale challenges on Masterchef and his tenure at top Sydney restaurant Sepia, but his secret passion is throwing fabulous dinner parties with wife and collaborator Vicki Wild. This glossy cookbook presents complete menus for nine themed celebrations, with more than 70 recipes (try Better Than Hasselback potatoes), playlists, wine matches and entertaining ideas. Plan a range of meals including a backyard soiree, spreads from Italy and Japan, or a vegetarian-inspired feast. — MH

$60 / hardiegrant.com

360º Dining With Supernormal

Melbourne’s newest large-scale festival, Now or Never, is dedicated to digital art and future thinking. Amid the DJ sets and trippy film sessions, you’ll find us inside pop-up planetarium Neversphere, enjoying eats from Andrew McConnell’s Supernormal and basking in video projections from Ryoichi Kurokawa and Natalia Stuyk. The whole thing is soundtracked by Pantha du Prince’s delicately nuanced techno, imagining new (delicious) worlds lodged between the human and the natural. — JW

6.30pm–10 30pm Aug 29–Sep 1 / Neversphere 11 Nicholson Street, Carlton / nowornever.melbourne.vic.gov.au

HOME MAKER

Plantchester

Tim Berenyi is a hemp true-believer – despite the fabric’s maligned past. His Melbourne-based label Plantchester works on a circular business model, producing 100 per cent hemp sheets and doona sets that offer comfort and style with big eco and social responsibility credentials. Coloured with plant dyes from walnuts, tea-tree fruits and gardenias, the bedding is plastic-free and fully compostable at end-of-life. “I used to get really disheartened at the world and wonder why people weren’t considering their impact on the planet,” Berenyi says. “That’s why I’ve made a brand that creates high quality products that do good.” — SG

plantchester.com

SNACK BAR STREET STYLE

by Audrey Payne Gertrude Street,

Fitzroy

Stop by Maker & Monger at Prahran Market this weekend (August 26 & 27) for a collaborative toastie from former Rumi chef Tom Sarafian. Shop 98 Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road, Prahran / makerandmonger.com.au

Windsor is now home to Rose Island, a freewheeling craft beer bar. Everyone (and their dogs) is welcome, and visitors are encouraged to BYO food. 406 High Street, Windsor / @roseislandwindsor

New casual restaurant Nora Thai serves fiery cuisine. Try a zesty dry red curry with pork, garlicky stir-fried malindjo greens, or a deeply umami sour fish curry by two friends from Thailand’s Surat Thani province. 69 Davis Avenue, South Yarra / norathaimelb.com.au

Newcomer Ray’s Sandwich Deli brings a slice of New York to a quiet Hawthorn backstreet, serving handmade bagels and Italian-inspired sangas. Shop 2/731 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn (shopfront on Chrystobel Crescent) / @rayssandwichdeli

Wednesday August 30 is your last chance to visit the Winter Night Market at Queen Vic Market. Stop by for mulled wine and ginger beer, Casa Nata egg tarts, French raclette, or five types of paella. Queen Victoria Market, Corner Queen Street and Therry Street, Melbourne / winternightmarket.com.au

Ten Minutes by Tractor has repurposed its cellar door and opened Allis, a new Mornington Peninsula wine bar, featuring a list that includes the vineyard’s current vintage and around a dozen back vintage bottles. 1333 Mornington Flinders Road, Main Ridge / alliswinebar.com.au

Carlton’s beloved Ima Project Cafe has been reborn at Brunswick’s Nightingale Village in the form of a new restaurant called Ima Asa Yoru. Visit for dishes including kingfish chirashi and shokupan slathered in mentaiko (cod roe). 1 Duckett Street, Brunswick / imaproject.co

Read the full story for each dot point: broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/series/snack-bar

Name: Eric Jiang Age: 23 Occupation: Student What are you wearing today? I’m wearing a sweater because Melbourne is cold now, so I want to keep warm. I bought most of my clothes overseas in my hometown in China, and this poncho is from a vintage store in Adelaide. How would you describe your style? My style? Freedom!

CHANGING FACE OF FITZROY

One of Melbourne’s oldest suburbs, Fitzroy has transformed from an industrial working-class area into an in-demand burb. The number of dwellings in Fitzroy is forecast to grow from 6011 in 2021 to 10,003 in 2041.

MEDIAN HOUSE PRICES FITZROY 2 beds, $1.18m 3 beds, $1.58m 4 beds, $2.27m

Source: Data based on sales within the last 12 months

Photo: Amy Hemmings

Photo: Amy Hemmings

Photo: Kaede James Takamoto

Photo: Samantha Schultz

Thelatestin Melbourne foodnews

BACK CHAT Rosheen Kaul

Words by Jo Walker

Photos by Jamie Alexander

Rosheen Kaul has a large burn mark on her left arm – the souvenir of a recent pressure cooker explosion. The calamity didn’t happen at celebrated Brunswick restaurant Etta, where Kaul serves as head chef, but in her parents’ kitchen in Malvern. After taking herself to hospital, the worst bit was dealing with the mess afterward, she says. “I had to go home and clean it all up. It was trotters and chicken feet all over the kitchen – the stickiest texture of stuff.”

Burn aside, you could say that Malvern kitchen had already left an indelible mark on Kaul – along with all the other spaces and memories connected with her family’s cooking traditions, which combine Peranakan-Chinese, Filipino and Kashmiri heritage via an early childhood in Singapore and an upbringing in Melbourne’s inner south-east.

“I love my parents’ foods so much,” she tells Broadsheet. “Dad makes the most incredible Kashmiri food, which I haven’t even attempted to cook because I’m like, ‘You do it better!’ And my mum makes amazing Malaysian-Singaporean dishes like sambal prawns and chicken curries.”

Currently based at her family home (“I ended up back here post-Covid and haven’t moved yet”), Kaul embraces the perks of living with mum and dad, from a consistently full fridge to an after-work chat. “Having that warmth at home is really nice, because sometimes your days can be quite difficult – especially in a restaurant,” she says. “Mum is usually awake when I get home, so we have a little chat when I finish work. And Dad gets up really early in the morning, so there’s always somebody around.”

Moving from Singapore to Melbourne at age eight, Kaul admits she initially found Australian food “very beige”. But then

came hot chips with soy sauce, school bake sales, birthday party fairy bread. There was also her first plate of XO pippies – a dish that’s “got this country in a chokehold” – at Armadale’s now-shuttered Silky Apple. Her first bite of a  dim sim. “I think I just needed to attribute meaning. Once that happened, it’s like, ‘this is as much my food as Singapore food’.”

Kaul talks a lot about the meaning of food and representing culture on a plate. “It is quite hard to articulate my personal culture and family history because it is very, very mixed. But it’s also very clear to me on a plate what it is … That’s the best place for me to articulate it.”

The recipe-as-autobiography approach is central to Chinese-ish: Home Cooking, Not Quite Authentic, 100% Delicious, the 2022 book Kaul co-authored with friend and artist Joanna Hu. The publication has now landed both of them a coveted James Beard Media Award – a prize scheme sometimes likened to the Oscars of food. It’s a huge win for a book that started out as a lockdown project between mates.

Kaul is proud, if a little dazed, when contemplating her achievement. She’s just received the official James Beard medal in the post (“it’s pure silver and enormous”) and isn’t quite sure what to do with it beyond planning a semi-jokey photoshoot with Hu.

Mostly, she’s grateful to have found her vocation as a chef. And the opportunity, night after night, to tell stories with food. “I’m a night owl. I love the pressure. I love the discipline. I love the creativity. I love the way you actually end up communicating very clearly through food if you’ve got something to say … It’s like I had to become a chef. And I’m really glad because it turns out people like the food I cook.”

Six Statement Bud Vases

By Jo Walker

ACV STUDIO EDGING OVER VASE – $330 Melbourne artist and designer Anna Varendorff enjoys a cult following for her conceptual installation work, and she channels the same sense of theatricality into this spunky round tubular vase for her label ACV Studio. Made from powder-coated stainless steel, it’s a stunning sculptural form even without an added bloom. acvstudio.com

DOUBLY TALL DURIAN VASE – $200 NZ expat Aimee Carruthers is an agency art director who likes to get her hands dirty on the weekend for her Melbourne-based ceramic practice Doubly. It’s a range of pleasingly textured clay work that speaks to both brutalist and organic forms – including this fruity Durian vase in speckled stoneware. doubly.studio

NOM NOM STUDIO META VASE – $149.50 Copenhagen’s Nom Nom Studio has a knack for turning out witty and colourful homewares. Its signature Meta vase is crafted from recycled plastic pipe – artfully crumpled and coated in highly saturated paint – with a slim opening perfect for hosting just one or two statement blooms. Available in pink, blue, lavender or cream. theminimalisthome.com.au

MAISON BALZAC MARGOT VASE TRIO – $89

Not all statements have to shout. This bud vase trio from star Sydney label Maison Balzac makes a quietly stylish statement with classic lines, calming colourways and quality craftmanship. Hand-blown from 100 per cent borosilicate glass, each vase holds just one stem as an elegant sufficiency. maisonbalzac.com

BERNADETTE HUANG DOUGHNUT VASE – $100$250 Working out of her Sydney home studio, TaiwaneseAustralian ceramicist Bernadette Huang is a small-batch maker who favours simple and symmetrical forms with minimal adornment. Her horizontal stoneware doughnut vases (she makes upright ones too) vary in size and finish, and provide a dramatic base for pared-back flower arranging. bernadettehuang.com

MARLOE MARLOE TWIGGIE VASE – $380-$625

Aussie design studio Marloe Marloe’s Twiggie vase is simultaneously shapely and skinny. You’ll find its curves glazed in a range of hyper-textured finishes that lend distinct character to classic forms. Handmade in Indonesia, it’s designed to make a statement with minimal greenery – or just on its own. marloemarloe.com

HOME OF THE WEEK Put The Dairy in your diary

Words By Anders Furze

Old and new make for stylish bedfellows in this property, known as The Dairy. As lead agent Ben Manolitsas notes, this is a local Albert Park icon. Once the Morris Bros Union Dairy, the stylish art deco facade hosts a contemporary property that is kitted out with the latest in smart-home technology.

It makes for the kind of striking, stylish design that is well-suited to buyers looking for a statement home. And it’s a statement that speaks directly to the grand history of this remarkable pocket of Melbourne.

The inside of the house is all about soaring ceilings and opportunities for light. There are steel-framed windows and doors, custom joinery and designer finishes throughout.

Enter through the porch and you’ll find the living room, with gas fireplace, immediately to the right. There is also a powder room at the front end of the house.

Further inside the property is the open family-meals area and kitchen. The Poggenpohl German-made luxury kitchen has bifold servery windows, an integrated Miele fridge and freezer, a wine cave, marble benches and a butler’s pantry.

This area opens out onto the rear paved area and a covered al fresco zone. This is a true highlight of the property, and perfect for summer entertaining. Here you’ll find a barbecue kitchen, dishwasher, outdoor speakers and bench seating around a fire pit. There’s even a powder room out here, and it can all be accessed without going through the house, thanks to the rear right of way.

Back inside, the upstairs level is all about the bedrooms. The main bedroom is made for lazy mornings in. It has a private wraparound balcony (north-facing, which means this is perfect for a spot of basking in the sun), a dressing room and an opulent en suite. The two other bedrooms are also up here, both with built-in wardrobes and access to a rear shared balcony. A bathroom sits between them, hosting a double vanity.

There’s also a home office/fourth bedroom up here which makes working from home a breeze as it has a built-in desk and storage.

The basement has secure parking for three cars, and enough storage for 400 bottles of wine in the display cellar. C-Bus home automation, underfloor heating in the bathrooms

and powder room, CCTV and an alarm system are bonuses.

As for the neighbourhood where The Dairy can be found? Its close to all of Albert Park’s amenities and a short walk from the beach, the village, Albert Park Lake and Melbourne Sports Centres – MSAC.

It’s metres away from the nearest tram stop, meaning inner city access is a breeze. Or stay local and check out the many cafes. The home is also in the zone for Middle Park Primary School and Albert Park College.

Albert Park

24-26 Herbert Street

$7 million-$7.5 million

4 2 4

Auction: 11.30am, September 2

Agent: Marshall White, Ben Manolitsas 0400 201 626

WHAT THE AGENT SAYS

“The Dairy is one of Albert Park’s true icons. Its luxury transformation pays homage to its past yet delivers a peerless domain of indulgence that is nothing short of breathtaking.”

NEED TO KNOW

The property was last sold for $5 million in August 2017.

The highest recorded house price for Albert Park (past 12 months) was $5.25 million for 67 St Vincent Place South in September 2022.

RECENT SALES

$2.13 million

34 Herbert Street, July $3.05 million

31 Merton Street, June $1.78 million

237 Danks Street, June

Ben Manolitsas Marshall White

Residential architecture and construction integrated in a process that promotes creativity, flexibility and efficiency.

Words by Leta Keens

READ THE ROOM

Interior designer Brahman Perera tells his clients’ stories through bold works – from homes flled with travel souvenirs and family heirlooms to Entrecôte’s French bistro style, and even a shop ft-out inspired by a religious icon.

Photos by Lillie Thompson

When Brahman “Brem” Perera visits a prospective client’s home for the frst time, he makes what must seem to many like a shocking request. “I ask them not to clean up before I come – just to leave things as they usually are,” he tells Broadsheet. Like a detective at a very stylish crime scene, he’s then able to pick up clues on the client and how they live. “I’ll suddenly see, for instance, piles of laundry, and realise there’s nowhere for them to do it.”

The interior designer, whose work spans residential, retail and hospitality, sees himself essentially as a problem solver. And that’s a slow process, involving lots of observation, talk and trust. “The key thing with any project is to pre-empt problems – or ofer solutions – to things the client can’t see themselves.”

This approach, Perera says, comes in part from a long stint studying architecture (he has a master’s degree from RMIT) and his time working at infuential design frms Fiona Lynch and Hecker Guthrie, before going out on his own in 2020.

There’s the intensely practical side of the process: a case in point is the Terra House in Hawthorn, a project Perera inherited, originally to help with the art. “It was a twin build, with the main project being the house for a family with two young daughters and, next door, a house for the parents who were moving from somewhere much larger. They had a lifetime’s worth of memories and beautiful art that we needed to fnd homes for.”

Working his way through the family’s art collection, he asked where they were planning to hang one very signifcant piece. “Everyone just sat there looking at each other – there literally wasn’t a wall large enough for it. We had to entirely reshufe the layout to accommodate it.”

Then alongside the practical is a focus on the importance of memory, and creating a home that truly represents the people who live there. It’s irrelevant, Perera says, what he thinks about their belongings. “It’s really about whether the client likes them. Part of my process involves celebrating the stuf my clients have invested in, whether that’s with money or with emotion.

“Often they’ll ask me if they should get rid of everything, and I think, ‘Gosh, I would die if I had to do that.’ Where’s that ugly vase you bought when you were backpacking? You want to keep that. Then, the question is, how do we celebrate it? Does it go on a beautiful shelf or on a plinth? Suddenly, it’s really special.”

In this way, the spaces become “layered and considered and sincere and timeless, but

not necessarily a particular style”, Perera says. “I think it always ends up looking like my work through osmosis, but ultimately I don’t live in someone’s house – I have to design for what they need.”

In his own home, the designer tends “to look through the lens of hospitality” – hardly surprising given his partner is Entrecôte restaurateur Jason Jones. “If you come to my house for dinner, there’ll be music on, you’ll be welcomed at the door, I’ll have a drink in hand for you and take your coat. A lot of people appreciate it but, that being said, it’s not for everybody.”

Perera designed the interiors for both Entrecôte iterations (in Prahran and South Yarra), leaning into classic French styling with the odd luxe-bohemian twist. Currently, he and Jones are working on the ft-out for their new Sri Lankan diner project, Hopper Joint, set to open later this year on Greville Street. His interest in design started in childhood, he says. “My heritage is Sri Lankan. My parents are from Colombo – my mum’s Hindu and my dad’s Catholic. There’s a lot of amazing culture that came with them, and that they imbued in myself and my brother. I was very drawn to it – it’s an exciting, colourful culture,

and I defnitely reference it in my work.”

As a young kid, he was also making things. “Everything: birthday cards, ornaments for Christmas, gifts for people … A lot of that came from our next-door neighbours, an elderly couple we called Auntie Elsa and Uncle Ray. She was a milliner, and had a couple of rooms devoted to her trade – that was such a treasure trove for me … She was an amazing part of my life, and I often think of her.”

Perera’s background can reveal itself in unexpected ways. For one hospitality project, a colour scheme started life in a statue of the Virgin Mary that stands in his family home. “It was sort of a blush pink and that really beautiful shot-silk royal blue. Looking at it, I could see how the colours worked together.”

Inspiration, he says, comes from engaging with the world as much as possible. “I go to the ballet and theatre. My partner plays the piano very well, so we see a lot of live music.” It can come, too, from travel or old photography books – he’s particularly drawn to the work of glamorous mid-century designer and photographer Cecil Beaton.

Perera generally finds he needs downtime to “let his brain rest” and allow ideas to develop. “I’ll see something I like and then mull over it for a while. I’ll try to work out what I like about it, and what I could do to make it more interesting.”

This slow contemplation brings tangible results. When designing the Prahran shopfront for fashion label Henne, he kept thinking about “amazing seagrass squares – the ones from all our childhoods”. The idea of putting them on the foor “didn’t make any sense to me in that environment, but to fip them as a wall treatment felt so rich and textured, and really cool”. Like a lot of Perera’s work, the outcome is tactile and bold and nostalgic, while efortlessly up to date.

Being completely hands-on, and taking the time to think and develop, encourages Perera to keep his business “small and nimble”, he says, and fnd new ways of creating. He’s experimenting with lighting design and debuted as part of a group show at Oigåll Projects during Melbourne Design Week this year. He’s taken on the challenge of designing for new builds at Mirvac’s new Albert Park project. And he’s also keen to do some largescale murals, and have time for more painting.

The hope for all his output is that “it says something”, Perera explains. “That it inspires conversation, whether good, bad or other. That’s the aim, that’s the goal.”

Previous page: The Albertine by Mirvac. Facing page: Entrecote Prahran. This page clockwise from top: Henne boutique, Prahran; Painterly House, Hawthorn; Bower Penthouse, South Yarra

WINDOW SHOPPING

South Melbourne

By Jo Walker

South Melbourne’s tempo is set to market days. Founded in 1867, South Melbourne Market now gets the inner-city suburb bustling four times a week with almost 150 stalls spanning fashion and homewares to fresh produce. Locals join the line for Cannoleria’s handmade cannoli and Agathé Pâtisserie’s French-style baked treats. Or load up on take-home meals and ingredients from go-to outlets like Mama Tran Dumpling and butchery Hagen’s Organics.

There’s plenty of energy outside of market days, too – a  lot of it supplied by the legion of cafes that make up South Melbourne’s first-rate coffee scene. Long-time favourites like St Ali, Half Acre, Hector’s Deli, The Kettle Black, Chez Dre and Kuu Cafe & Japanese Kitchen cater to locals and office workers from a host of nearby media and creative agencies. Recent additions like Clementine and Juniper (from the creative minds behind wildly popular Carlton cafe Florian) prove the area hasn’t yet topped out on brekkie, lunch and takeaway coffee.

Leafy green verges and heritage architecture bring charm to South Melbourne’s historic streets, and residential areas are never more than a few minutes’ walk from shopping and dining on its major strips.

Tree-lined Coventry Street hosts chic fine diner Lûmé and the thoughtfully curated homewares store Vincent Design, plus the quiet luxury of a good bookshop (never to be taken for granted) in Coventry Bookstore. Cecil Street boasts Austro Bakery – with its nod to centuries-old Central European recipes – plus gastro pub Lamaro’s Hotel and Bambu Asian Eating House, home to crispy-shell duck tacos and smoky char kway teow noodles. Over on Clarendon Street there’s the characterful Cloudwine Cellars, the four-storeytall pub Mr Brownie and, of course, a bougie Coles.

After dark, head to wine and pizza joint Woods Yard or to Park Street Pasta & Wine, where the pasta is made fresh in-house every day. If it’s beer you’re after, Westside Ale Works boasts 30 brews on tap – including 20 made at the brewhouse next door – plus its own small-batch gin, dark rum and four-grain whisky.

NEED TO KNOW

South Melbourne is one of the most sought-after suburbs in the city due to its close proximity to both the CBD (two kilometres south) and Southbank. It’s popular with all ages, but young professionals and families in particular are moving to the suburb.

Average Age 39

Median Weekly income $2,101

Owner 51%

Family 51%

Renter 49% Single 49%

Clockwise from top: Juniper, photo Arianna Leggiero; Austro Bakery, photo Jake Roden; South Melbourne Market, photo Harry Moody; Cannoleria, photo Kate Shanasy

WHAT THE AGENT SAYS

Hoo Marshall White

“A vibrant suburb with a rich history and strong community. With a diverse café culture and buzzing South Melbourne Market, it’s bordered by the beach, Albert Park Lake, and the CBD.”

MEDIAN HOUSE PRICES

Median price houses $1.805m

Median price units $592,500

Distance from CBD 2km

Hover your camera over the code to see Domain listings in South Melbourne

Clockwise from top: Market flowers, photo Harry Moody; St Ali eggs and frontage, photo courtesy St Ali; Clementine, photo Amy Hemmings

Nicholas

UNIFORM Emily Nolan

Words by Alice Jeffery · Photos by Amy Hemmings

Emily Nolan feels most at ease in a suit. She claims to work in chaos, but the founder and designer is the ultimate ambassador for her polished namesake label.

Launched in 2018, bespoke suiting brand E Nolan aims to build a considered wardrobe for women and LGBTQI+ folk. Nolan sees made-to-measure clothing as the antithesis of “flippant add-to-cart purchasing, overconsumption and wasteful manufacturing”. But bespoke pieces are also a gateway to feeling good about yourself.

“I always think: what does this client want to wear whilst heartbroken? What do these garments need to do to assist the wearer in getting out of bed and into the world? How can I make someone who feels vulnerable or is lacking confidence feel more like themselves?”

Housed in the old MacRobertson confectionery factory in Fitzroy, Nolan’s work and home life exists over three levels of converted warehouse space. It’s here she geeks out over form and function, and plays with the distinction between high style and low.

Alongside custom garments, the brand offers a range of ready-to-wear pieces sized 4 to 22. These everyday basics, modelled on fitting data from Nolan’s clients, are designed to work with and without suiting, and echo her wholehearted approach to getting dressed – clothes that work for you, not against.

What does an average workday look like for you? To be honest, most start with chaos. I’m not a great sleeper so it takes me about an hour to remember my name in the mornings. With an ADHD/neurodivergent brain, I sometimes try to wear all the small business hats at once.

I see clients from 9am to 6pm. Then I pattern-make, get my admin ducks in a row and creatively work after dinner, usually until about 1.30am. I like to work at night while everyone is asleep, there are few interruptions and it feels like you have a secret.

How do you separate living and working in the same space? The levels of the space separate the functions. The Dressing Room on the bottom floor is the client fitting room and

ready-to-wear showroom. Our workroom and head office are on the middle floor. [Upstairs, the bedroom is] my cubby house. No work comes with me up that last flight of stairs.

What do you require from your clothes to be able to do your job properly? I need to have a trouser that is comfortable and has room in the leg for the bending, pinning and kneeling that taking measurements requires of me. I also can’t ever figure out if I’m hot or cold so layers are important – especially given Melbourne’s temperament.

How do you describe your personal style? I like to look thrown together, not put together. I’m time poor and it feels more honest and less intimidating meeting with clients. There is always a high-low mix. Think tailored suit but with sneakers and a band T-shirt.

Who are some of your favourite fashion designers? Grace Wales Bonner, Alessandro Dell’Acqua, Phoebe Philo and Donna Karan. I admire the worlds that Simon Porte Jacquemus, Sandy Liang and Emily Bode have built. I love the career progression of Marc Jacobs. And Jonny Johansson at Acne Studios.

What’s your most beloved item of clothing? I have a vintage Nascar T-shirt. I am obsessed with it. It’s so old and the perfect worn-to-shreds weight. I also have a vintage shearling jacket I love; Owen Wilson ran me over with his bike 30 seconds after I bought it.

How did you get into tailoring? Clothing is how I express myself and I believe it’s how I can help others. I like to think of it as my love language. I learnt this growing up in my granny’s sewing room and my grandmother’s millinery school. I studied fashion design at Whitehouse [Institute of Design], graduated designer of the year and then went on to complete my menswear apprenticeship and worked as a menswear tailor before starting my own business.

Women and LGBTQI+ folk are neglected when it comes to product and garment design. Historically, it has always been men first and then women second – the afterthought. I wanted to create a space and a made-to-measure product for clients who weren’t catered to.

FRAGRANCE

“I’ve only ever worn this Chloe Signature Eau De Parfum, and when I say ‘worn’, I mean drenched,” Nolan laughs. “Sometimes when people hug me they say I remind them of getting ready before parties in high school. I love how scent is just as important as the tone of your voice when you greet someone.” $118 at adorebeauty.com.au

Recently she’s discovered Melbourne perfume house Perdrisat. “It is all hand-bottled and made locally. Pretty Boy is my favourite.” $330 at perdrisatperfume.com

SKIN

“I am obsessed with James Vivian. I am a smoker and he makes me look like I’ve remembered to drink enough water, get enough shut-eye … I visit him and his team about four times a year where I get laser genesis and stock up on my skincare routine.”

For everyday maintenance, Nolan loves Dermaquest Even Skin Vitabrite ($130 at jamesvivian. com.au) and Darl Cleanser ($60 at darlskincare.com). And for sunscreen it’s Dermaceutic Laboratoire K Ceutic Post-Treatment Cream SPF 50 ($83.50 at thefacialroom.com.au)

HAIR

There’s only one stylist for Nolan. “I am fiercely loyal to Marie Cain at Have a Nice Day in St Kilda. My life changed when we met,” she says. “Marie took one look at my Hermione Granger – first film – mop and gave me a Lou Doillon that is no fuss and minimal upkeep. I am so bloody lucky that I can wake up, spritz some salty crap into my hair and be ready for work.”

For washing, Hair by Sam McKnight Light Cleanse Hair & Scalp shampoo is a go-to. It’s available at Mecca Cosmetica for $55

LIPS

Nolan rates PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Lip Booster ($99 at jamesvivian. com.au): “I talk a lot so I need moisture. This is technically a lip treatment and it has saved my chapped chatty lips.”

For “a swipe of lipstick when I’m late to the pub”, it’s Too Faced Lady Bold Lipstick in Rebel 07, $46 at Mecca Cosmetica.

NAILS

“Sometimes in December I can get my ducks in a row to get my nails done and eyelashes tinted. It makes such a difference. Nails are always Lincoln Park After Dark; 2008, made the executive decision.” Find OPI Lincoln Park After Dark for $23 95 at adorebeauty.com.au.

“Clothing is how I express myself and I believe it’s how I can help others. I like to think of it as my love language”

Lennox Head, NSW

by James Williams

The road into Byron Bay gets blocked up through to the motorway in summer –too popular for its own good. But in its shadow lies the sleepy seaside village of Lennox Head, which has all the makings of an idyllic holiday destination without the crowds.

There’s no fight for towel real estate on pristine Seven Mile Beach, which stretches long past the town’s main strip, and there are a handful of good venues to eat at between swims. Lennox Head, or simply Lennox to locals, is a quiet place that’s not trying to be anything it’s not.

A picturesque headland stirs a right-hand break that makes it a popular spot for local surfers. And on the other side of Lennox Point there’s the beautiful,

secluded Boulder Beach, which you might have all to yourself. Historically a popular fishing area, the headland boasts an unusual landmark: an iron peg that tethered brave anglers to land in case of rogue waves. Apparently the surrounding reef is a dhufish haven that made it worth the risk.

Pat Morton Lookout is a prime dolphin- and whale-watching vantage point between June and November. And the tea-tree-stained Lake Ainsworth is a popular spot for families (and sunburn victims hoping to soothe their skin).

Hungry? Roll straight from the beach to Williams Street, a laid-back all-day diner with a large front deck that hosts local musos each weekend. Or seek Shelter, a stylish seaside eatery

offering paddock-to-plate dining from breakfast through to dinner. Up top there’s a chic holiday apartment with vast ocean views and full-menu room service.

As far as location goes, Reflections’ Lennox Head Holiday Park is hard to beat. The campground borders Lake Ainsworth and Seven Mile Beach, offering cabins and glamping in addition to powered sites. Wherever you settle you’re practically beachside – and sandy toes are welcome everywhere.

Photo courtesy of Tourism Australia

LUXURY

Words By Kay Keighery

Port Melbourne

57 Swallow Street

$3 million-$3.3 million

4 1 1

Auction: 12.30pm, August 26

Agent: Marshall White, Kaine Lanyon 0411 875 478

This single-level house on a sizeable block greets with a gorgeous, double-fronted Victorian facade and concludes with an inspired extension wherein the north-facing hub basks in extra light due to clerestory glazing under a soaring ceiling. Timber floors, window frames and joinery lend warmth. Beyond the deck, terrace and lawn backyard, the carport cosies up with a fitted home office. Inclusions cover hydronic heating, solar panels and a Tesla car charger.

St Kilda

501 & 502/129 Fitzroy Street

$5.7 million-$6.2 million

5 4 2

Private sale

Agent: Jellis Craig, Sam Hobbs 0404 164 444

This sale is going to make history. With two penthouse apartments in the iconic George building to be sold together, buyers have the option of amalgamating and the guarantee of joining local penthouse royalty. Both floor plans incorporate open-plan living areas and terraces, and both pads revel in extraordinary views – as does the expansive roof terrace. Currently proudly presented, there’s still the opportunity to tailor them to your tastes.

Brighton

2b Mulgoa Street

$4.5 million-$4.85 million

5 3 2

Expressions of interest: Close 3pm, September 6

Agent: Marshall White, Matthew Pillios 0408 145 982

A large deck and a pool suggest summer socialising here, while a golden mile status means you can also walk guests to the beach in minutes. Set over two levels, the residence offers a choice of living areas and up to five bedrooms, with the main claiming a walk-through wardrobe and sleek en suite. The open-plan hub woos with shiny timber floors, a window seat and a marble-framed gas fireplace. Glass sliders marry it and the lounge with the deck.

Elwood

201/1-3 Foam Street

$3.1 million-$3.4 million

3 3 2

Expressions of interest: Close 5pm, August 29

Agent: Kay & Burton, Gowan Stubbings 0412 269 999

Impeccable credentials and a triumvirate of garden terraces with vast views recommend this penthouse apartment to those who like their living a cut above. The bright interior features a decadent main bedroom suite, a second with en suite and a third that doubles as a home theatre. Glazed corners link the main bedroom and the living hub with wraparound terraces. From the joinery to the baths to the stone accents to the designer lighting, the styling is spot on.

OPEN FOR INSPECTION

Clearance Rate of 68%*

Source: Domain Group

WHAT OUR EXPERT SAYS

Dr Nicola Powell Chief of research & economics

“Spring has arrived earlier this year, giving buyers more options. In Melbourne, new property listings increased over the month, and they are now higher annually for the first time in almost a year.”

For the latest property insights go to domain.com.au/research

HIGHEST VALUE

$3.35 million

Northcote

16 Knowles Street

Sold by Nelson Alexander*

*As reported on August 12, 2023

Middle Park 3/41 Park Road

$1.25 million-$1.35 million

2 2 2

Auction: 10.30am, September 2

Agent: Jellis Craig, Pil Minerth 0406 851 117

Just metres from the beach, Albert Park Lake and Canterbury Road trams, this former chapel conversion home opens to reveal a combination of polished timber floors, high ceilings and stained glass. Downstairs, openplan living and dining areas are complemented by a well-appointed marble-bench kitchen and European laundry, while marble en suites feature upstairs. Other features include a double garage and electric heating.

Brighton East

5a Billson Street

$1.65 million-$1.8 million

3 2 2

Private sale

Agent: Marshall White, Ben Vieth 0404 084 793

A light-filled home on a quiet tree-lined street on the beach side of Nepean highway. Walk up to the traditional verandah and into a modern home with generous living and dining spaces and a sleek kitchen, all looking out through bay windows onto a leafy front garden. Warm timber floors, spacious built-in wardrobes and a double lock-up garage make for practical living, with train, tram, schools and bustling Brighton cafes, shops and restaurants nearby.

Sandringham

2/17 Holzer Street

$1.8 million-$1.98 million

3 2 2

Auction: 12.30pm, August 26

Agent: Hodges, Nick Sinclair 0422 217 788

Oriented to maximise light, this townhouse features full-height glass capturing garden views. The kitchen includes an integrated fridge, European appliances, and Caesarstone benchtops, while other features include a dual vanity en suite, freestanding bath, zoned climate control, a gaslog fireplace, and herringbone oak floors. The beachside location is close to schools, Sandringham Village and walking tracks.

Elwood

31 Goldsmith Street

$2.65 million-$2.8 million

4 3 2

Private sale

Agent: McGrath, Nicole Prime 0418 940 962

This striking new abode puts residents at the heart of the Elwood action, close to both Elwood Village and Elwood Beach. Aside from the garage, the ground level comprises a powder room, laundry and open-plan living decked out with designer joinery, quality appliances and splendid stone surfaces. Glass doors in this triangular hub part to a sunny patio. Upstairs, the main bedroom has an en suite and balcony access.

Richard Cornish, Kay Keighery & Peter Semple

Cheltenham

6 Fairview Drive

$1 million-$1.08 million

3 2 2

Auction: 11.30am, August 26

Agent: Buxton, Craig Harrison 0459 991 120

This townhouse offers modern living in a vibrant community. Downstairs the spacious stone-topped kitchen and bench lend themselves to entertaining, while the living area and sun-drenched patio are ideal for family life. Upstairs the bedrooms feel private with plantation shutters and a skylit bathroom.

Brighton

1b Warriston Street

$2.75 million-$2.95 million

3 2 2

Private sale

Agent: Kay & Burton, Alex Schiavo 0419 239 549

On a quiet, established street this rare two storey standalone home has generous three metre high ceilings and full height sliding glass doors flooding this spacious modern home with light. The kitchen, with butler’s pantry, is ideal for entertaining. The cosy living area looks over the solar-heated lap pool.

Port Melbourne 328 Williamstown Road

$1.4 million-$1.5 million

3 1 2

Auction: 12.30pm, September 2

Agent: Jellis Craig, Mack Burgoine 0439 464 625

Close to parks, gardens, Bay Street, and the beach this solid, double-storey, home features a timber staircase, door frames, and floors, double-glazing, and a gas fireplace. A dedicated dining area adjoins the retro kitchen and laundry/butler’s pantry, and provides access to the covered patio.

2 Somme Parade, Edithvale a b c d e

Hover your camera over the code to view live listings on domain.com.au

293 Moray Street, South Melbourne

A Rare Piece Of South Melbourne’s Soul

Auction: Saturday 9th September, 11.30am

Inspect: As advertised or by appointment

601G/14-16 The Esplanade, St Kilda

World-Class Sub Penthouse at Saint Moritz by Gurner

Proudly at the very pinnacle of waterfront lifestyle excellence, this grandly proportioned, 3 bedroom, 'Saint Moritz' sub-penthouse residence frames a picture-perfect panorama from the 6th floor of the Fender Katsalidis designed 'Grand Esplanade' building.

139 Thomas Street, Hampton

5 A 3 B 2 C

Expressions of Interest

Close Monday 11th September at 5pm

Viewing Thursday 11.30-12noon & Saturday 1-1.30pm

Contact Robin Parker 0409 336 282 Kate Fowler 0418 418 385

marshallwhite.com.au

187 Page Street, Middle Park

3 A 1 B 1 C

Auction Saturday 9th September at 12.30pm

Viewing Thursday 1.15-1.45pm & Saturday 2.45-3.15pm

Contact Nicholas Hoo 0435 728 272 Oliver Bruce 0409 856 599

marshallwhite.com.au

Absolute beachfront location

E l w o o d 4 Pozieres Avenue

An Impeccable Home on 758sqm (approx.) North Facing Land with Approved Plans to Extend

Superbly renovated, this Arts & Crafts inspired 4/5-bedroom home is single level, including a self-contained studio, dual access and impressive approved plans for a double storey extension with swimming pool to create one of Elwood’s best homes, positioned on north facing park like grounds in one of Elwood’s most convenient locations a mere 300m approx. from the foreshore.

Expressions of Interest : Close Tue 5th Sept 4 00pm

Guide: $4,300,000 - $4,600,000

Contact: Lesley Pianella 0425 770 217 Torsten Kasper 0428 454 181

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Port Melbourne For

Spectacular

Expressions

Closing