b y DANA TO MIC H U G H E S
COURTESY OF JONES
YELLOWTRACE
Art and design merge in a ‘treasure chest’
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pon entering Kensington Park Residence by Williams Burton Leopardi (WBL), one might feel they’ve stumbled into an art gallery rather than a family home. Expansive heritage volume is grounded by a dark timber floor, while the vivid energy from contemporary art collections leaps from their hung position. This moment comes to define the very special home that lies within, with all of the visual interest of a gallery but without any of the aloofness. The Adelaide property is in an original 1800s heritage villa, the new scheme adding to an ongoing narrative embedded within. This latest chapter began with a shared love of design, art, and furniture coupled with a friendship between WBL interior designer and director Sophia Leopardi and her clients, Brooke and Hugo Michell – owners of the Hugo Michell Gallery – who share their home with four kids, two dogs, two cats and four chickens. “Our guiding principle was structure with softness, underpinned by the understanding we must know who we are designing for,” explains Leopardi. “In this case, a close friendship gave us a free pass, but as any designer who has worked for friends before will know, this is a double-edged sword. The stakes are extra high, and you just really want to give it some extra sparkle and make sure it really bloody works!” The experience of moving through the residence can be likened to opening a treasure chest. Each room houses mind-blowing contemporary art collections, along with an amalgamation of design classics and inherited antiques. The result is a true visual feast – an interior that’s not just a shell for curious items but rather an extension of these collections. Overall, the scheme is largely restrained and neutral, allowing for a delicate equilibrium between structure and objects. In the kitchen, whitewashed walls are contrasted by a deep-green range hood and splashback.
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