Domain Review Stonnington & Boroondara - May 01, 2024

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FEATURE Art Couture

Scotty So tells stories through fashion and drag – and just about any other medium he gets his hands on

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CONTENTS

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  Publications director: Nick Connellan   National editor: Michael Harry   Melbourne food & drink editor: Audrey Payne   Studio and strategy director: Roya Lines   Media partnerships manager: Jessica Kirsopp

Broadsheet  Editor: Jo Walker   Assistant editor: Gitika Garg   Design lead: Ben Siero   Designer: Ella Witchell   Sub editors: Miriam Kauppi, Barnaby Smith, Adeline Teoh, Annie Toller   Writers: Holly Bodeker-Smith, Gideon Cohen, Leta Keens, Grace MacKenzie, Vivian Tang, James Williams   Photographers: Pablo Diaz, Liana Hardy, Casey Horsfield, Phillip Huynh, Kaede James Takamoto, Natalie Jeffcott, Lexi Laphor, Arianna Leggiero, Charlie McKay, Ella Mittas, Ben Moynihan, Jess Murphy, Julia Sansone, Samantha Schultz, James Tolich, Leah Traecey, Brett Walker

Cover credits: Scotty So shot by Natalie Jeffcott

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.

Scotty So uses his second bedroom as a walk-in wardrobe. It’s stuffed with handmade drag costumes, vintage kimonos and a collection of mid-century Dior chapeaux – all tools for making art that (cat)walks the line between fashion, performance, photography and camp. Plus serious meditations on race, gender and history. For this week’s cover story, the Melbourne artist invites us into his messily glamorous world to talk about the stories that matter.

Jo Walker Broadsheet Editor

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Melbourne: Level 1, 231 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

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NOW OPEN Arlo

It’s almost impossible to miss Arlo with its bright aquamarine window frames and neon signage. The new Elwood cafe – from the team behind Albert Park’s Leaps and Bounds – opened at the end of last year near popular local spots Combi and Plain Sailing.

It’s on hallowed hospitality ground, in a space that housed Geoff Lindsay’s Vietnamese restaurant Dandelion for more than a decade (it closed in 2021).

While the two venues have some menu items in common, executive chef Mahesh Adhikari (who also heads the kitchen at Leaps and Bounds) has several new dishes for Arlo with Mediterranean and Asian influences.

A favourite is the Chicken Bang – a crunchy waffle with cinnamon-sugartossed fried chicken and streaky bacon, topped with kimchi butter and maple syrup. The fritters are another highlight. They combine sweet potato, mung beans and kimchi, and are served with spiced-lime-andcardamom yoghurt, charred broccolini and poached eggs. — GC

ADD TO CART

Helena Geiger x Babici cycling jersey

Here’s something stylish for your next Hell Ride (or leisurely spin to the shops). Sydney cycling apparel brand Babici has teamed up with awardwinning Indigenous artist Helena Geiger for a limited-edition jersey. Geiger’s striking motifs and bold hues tell the stories of Australian landscapes, turning technical performance wear – made from premium Italian fabrics – into some very aerodynamic works of art. Choose from Lagoon, Pindan, Sand Dunes and Sand Hills designs in a tight range of colourways. — JW

$229 / babici.cc

IN THE DIARY

Melbourne Out Loud: Life Through the Lens of Rennie Ellis

From concerts and street festivals to footy and the passion of protests, over his 30-year career Melbourne photographer Rennie Ellis documented intimate moments from Australian culture and society. His eclectic lens captured the celebrities, social movements, fashion, nightclubs, parties and diversity on the streets. Head to the State Library Victoria – home to the largest public collection of Ellis’s works – to see 450 iconic and unseen photographs, as part of Photo 24: International Festival of Photography. Free entry. — GG

Until Jan 28, 2025 / State Library Victoria / melbourneoutloud.slv.vic.gov.au

Photo: Leah Traecey

133 Ormond Road, Elwood

SNACK BAR STREET STYLE

Thelatestin Melbourne foodnews

By Audrey Payne Collingwood Yards, Collingwood

Pastry chef Joey Leung has taken her online bakery Joy Jaune and opened a small shop at the Preston Market. There are usually jellies made with market fruits, Hong Kong-inspired twists and slices of just-set Basque cheesecakes – but the eclairs and choux pastry swans are only available on Fridays and Saturdays. Shop N 28 , Preston Market / @joyjaune

Katsuretsu Co, from Michelle Yap and Jason How of Windsor’s Ton & Co, has recently opened in the CBD. While there are other dishes on the menu, the casual spot is laser-focused on tonkatsu: golden, deep-fried Japanese pork cutlets. Midcity Centre, 6/200 Bourke Street, Melbourne / @katsuretsuco

American-inspired sandwich shop Hector’s Deli will soon open its first CBD location on the corner of Little Collins Street and Club Lane. The store, which is inspired by old-school luncheonettes in places like New York and Chicago, is expected to open this June. 61 Little Collins Street, Melbourne / hectorsdeli.com.au

Chef Tom Sarafian is opening two new spots in the CBD this winter with Nathan Toleman of the Mulberry Group: restaurant Zareh, and daytime eatery and deli Sarafian. @zareh. melbourne

Toddy Shop chef Mischa Tropp and Brendan King of Sydney curry joint Derrel’s are teaming up on Sunday May 5 for a one-day-only “Let’s Havva Chaat” Indian-focused pop-up at Tropp’s Fitzroy diner. It’s $50 per person; bookings are essential. Rear/ 191 A Smith Street, Fitzroy / marthandenhotel.com/events

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

Name: Wanting Zhao Age: 39 Occupation: Designer Tell us about your outfit today. My jacket is from Ess Laboratory on Gertrude Street. I love it because the tailoring is well-cut and clean. The shirt is from Japan – my husband bought it for himself but I wear it anyway. The shoes are Comme des Garcons x Converse. How does your style fit in with your lifestyle? I used to really focus on how I dressed: for me, dressing up is like a piece of art and how I express my feelings. But at this moment, I’m more focused on my inner world. I believe if I have an abundance of inner world, whatever I look like outside is always comfortable and elegant.

TRUE DIVERSITY

Transitioning from gritty to refined and vibrant to serene, Collingwood embodies diversity. Thriving on a robust sense of community, its proximity to Fitzroy Gardens, Carlton Gardens, Yarra Bend Park, Collingwood Farm and the MCG enhances its appeal.

1 bed unit, $440k

2 bed unit, $681k

3 bed house, $1.327m

Photo: Kaede James Takamoto

Photo: Casey Horsfield

Photo: Pablo Diaz

Photo: Arianna Leggiero

Photo: Julia Sansone

THE INTERVIEW

Ella Mittas Documents the Good Stuff

Words by Grace MacKenzie

Photo by Ella Mittas

Halfway through Broadsheet’s interview with Ella Mittas, there’s a knock at her door. She promises to be quick, and darts out. “My old neighbours came past,” she says smiling on her return. “They’ve got a new baby and they’re showing everyone in the apartment block.” Cue delight.

The Greek-Australian chef and author’s travels and kitchen time – in revered venues like Brigitte Hafner’s Gertrude Street Enoteca, Annie Smithers’s du Fermier and Yotam Ottolenghi’s Nopi in London – drive the vibe of her pop-up events and private catering. Along with introducing their new arrival, her neighbours returned an old cookbook of Mittas’s. “I live in an art deco building, and during Covid we all hung out in the court. Before that I didn’t know any of my neighbours, but now we’re quite close,” she says.

Shared homey experiences like these form a golden throughline in Mittas’s debut book Ela! Ela! (“Come! Come!” in Greek). And come the people did. Released as a self-published project in 2022, the 1500-copy run was a sell-out success. “I absurdly did think it was going to sell out,” Mittas laughs. “I have a strange combination of being quite ambitious but being kind of self-deprecating.”

In the book, transportive essays on travel and chapters of family-style recipes are magicked up with Mittas’s textural photography. Sardines glisten in a pool of golden oil. Sun-weathered hands pass plates across dressed tables. There are deep blue oceans and craggy mountains.

Connecting to others through food is to be expected of a chef, and Mittas’s writing is ripe on the page. Murdoch Books caught wind of the book and is about to publish a second edition. There are a few more recipes, and a new terracottahued woodcut image (by Mittas herself) on the cover. But the rest remains the same: tales of hot syrupy nights in Istanbul, brash kitchens and culture clashes. Cigarette hazes and markets full of unfamiliar produce.

Regional specialties dictate travel plans. The thought of foraging wild greens takes Mittas to Alacati, a coastal Turkish town with Grecian flavours. Stories of Greece’s best food being found in Crete take her to Drakona, where hand-cut chips are fried over an open woodfire. “I could go overseas and work in these kitchens, but it’s quite a direct experience of culture – you’re working with everyday people, they’re speaking another language.”

“The project’s been a question of culture,” Mittas says. “I love witnessing or experiencing a new culture, and then I love documenting it.” In search of a “more-real” expression of her own Greek heritage, Mittas’s explorations took her from Melbourne to Turkey to Greece.

“I think it’s a very common experience to be looking for culture outside of your family,” she says. “I was constantly going to Greece to look for this identity that I thought would be in Greece … but I realised that it’s in Melbourne. That’s what the book is about: me going overseas and being like, ‘There must be a place where there’s more culture than what we have in Australia’, and realising I was imagining a fantasy culture somewhere else.”

As a Greek-Australian living in Melbourne, there’s a specific melding of flavours and family.

“ [ This] family setting is a very particular mix of being Greek and Australian that doesn’t really exist in Greece. A lot of my photos seem to be about that as well: you know, Greece in Australia, what does it look like?”

Her favourite photo in Ela! Ela! hints at one scene. “It’s at my pappou’s house [in Melbourne], of a table that’s covered in a lace tablecloth. It has plastic over the top, and on the table is a bottle of ketchup and a plate of feta. It’s this perfect mashing of cultures. Things like that, I love them so much. They’re nostalgic for me even when they’re happening in the moment.”

HOME OF THE WEEK

Sophisticated Victorian charm

Words by Anders Furze

The clever creative brains at Mim Design are behind this lovely renovated Malvern home, which seamlessly blends doublefronted Victorian charm with contemporary liveability. While the front is a tasteful tribute to some of Melbourne’s best residential architecture, the rear of the property is devoted to seamless family living – both inside and out.

Ultimately, 10 Soudan Street is “a home seldom found on the market in this location,” agent Fraser Cahill says, adding that its design exudes sophistication and convenience. It’s all about discerning family living.

The entry hall sets the scene. Its highlights include high ceilings, space pendant lights and premium oak flooring.

You’ll find two bedrooms on either side of the entrance. The southern bedroom has built-in wardrobes and overlooks the front tessellated verandah. The northern bedroom has a period fireplace and lovely bay window, which grants occupants views of the delightful front garden, including its high hedges. It could also work as a formal living room.

Head further in, and you’ll find the spacious main bedroom. The marble fireplace

brings luxurious flair to the bedroom, which also has a separate en suite and a lengthy walk-in wardrobe. The fourth bedroom opposite has built-in wardrobes and storage.

An Italian-tiled bathroom sits at the heart of the house.

Walk through the custom-designed glass pivot door at the rear of the hallway, and you’ll discover the house’s spacious family zone. The kitchen has Miele appliances and stone benches, and two sets of bifold doors connecting to the rear courtyard. An adjoining home office has a built-in desk.

The north-west-facing rear courtyard is devoted to elegant bluestone paving. Thanks to the built-in benches, you can enjoy pleasant meals outdoors during Melbourne’s milder months. But the defining feature of this space is the separate rumpus room, which makes al fresco entertaining a breeze.

Offering a unique, design-led twist on indoor–outdoor living, it has its own wine room and plenty of glass overlooking the paved rear courtyard.

The double garage also has a rear workshop with a built-in bench.

Other features throughout the property include designer garden lighting, an alarm and keypad entry, hydronic heating and pedestrian access to a ROW.

Claremont Village is an elegant pocket of Malvern that exudes heritage from every angle of its picture-perfect tree-lined streets. It’s also incredibly convenient. Malvern train station is close, as is Malvern Central and schools, including Caulfield Junior College and Malvern Central School.

Malvern

10 Soudan Street

$6 million-$6.5 million

4 2 5

Expressions of interest: Close 2pm, May 13

Agent: Marshall White, Fraser Cahill 0400 592 572

Hover your camera over the code to see Domain listings in Malvern

WHAT THE AGENT SAYS

“10 Soudan is the epitome of luxury living – a single level seamlessly blending Victorian charm with modern elegance, enhanced by Mim Design’s exquisite renovations. Located on the doorstep of Claremont Village, this home exudes sophistication and convenience.”

NEED TO KNOW

The highest recorded house price for Malvern (past 12 months) was $7.38 million for 20 Embling Road in February.

Fraser Cahill Marshall White

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WORN STORIES

Words by Leta Keens · Photos by Natalie Jefcott

Artist Scotty So tells stories through fashion and drag – plus ceramics, painting, photography, sculpture, video and installation work.

In Melbourne, he’s found a home for his restless art-making, where serious themes meet the “thrill of camp”.

Scotty So still remembers the disappointment he felt as a boy in Hong Kong when he was excluded from part of the lead-up to a cousin’s wedding. “My Chinese grandmother wanted her to wear her wedding cheongsam,” the artist tells Broadsheet. “The whole family, all the aunties and my cousin, went into my grandmother’s room to look at the dress. I really wanted to join them, but they were like, ‘Oh, it’s only for girls’.”

As it was, his cousin chose not to wear the traditional garment. “She thought it would make her look like a waitress in a Chinese restaurant.”

Last year, when So was back in Hong Kong on a visit, his grandmother finally showed him the dress. “She could see I really appreciated it, with its hand stitching and construction that’s so different to mass-produced clothing. I told her I could donate it to a museum here, and she wants me to – she said no one else in the family would take it. I feel sad when I look at garments from other people’s families being sent to op shops – there’s so much story behind them.”

Story, in one way or another, is integral to So’s art practice. That could be in the form of his glamorous drag alter ego, Scarlett So Hung Son, who has made appearances everywhere from the Grand Prix gala to a trompe l’oeil billboard on the Hero Apartment Building on Russell Street.

“She’s what I dreamt of being when I was younger – she’s a way to create that In the Mood for Love authentic sort of beauty in real life. She’s a muse to me, but I am the muse as well.”

Equally, story can be found in + 50 , his recent Benalla Art Gallery exhibition featuring photographic portraits of 25-year-olds convincingly aged by 50 years, thanks to a combination of professional studio shots and AI.

“One of the girls I photographed is from Thailand and she’s like a little sister to me in Melbourne. After I did the AI I sent it to her saying, ‘Oh my god, you look like my Thai grandmother’. The next day, my mum called me and told me my grandmother had passed away that night. It felt like everything was connected in a way.”

A Stonnington local (or “Stunnington” as he sometimes calls it), So works across many mediums, including ceramics, painting, photography, sculpture, video, performance and installation art. “I get bored very easily, and am interested in different things all the time,” he says. “But there has to be a reason why a particular medium works for a concept.”

Apart from painting and drawing from the age of two, So’s creative path started at the age of 13 when his father gave him a camera. “Photography’s in my family,” he says. “My dad used to take a lot of photos and so did my grandfather. The kinds of things I’d take photos of were really random – me squeezing an egg, my friends eating, lots of pictures from my window of buildings across the harbour or of the sky.”

His artistic side also developed in front of the TV watching his favourite show, America’s Next Top Model. “The theme every week for the photoshoot was unique and very creative,” he recalls. “They glamorised different issues with clothing, hair and make-up – it was a new way of thinking for me and got me into wanting to do something creative.”

produced photos of himself in drag during different historic eras, wearing masks and matching outfits. Alongside these were a series of porcelain face-coverings. The works featured in NGV’s Triennial 2021, and it was from that point, he says, that he started working full-time as an artist. “I met my gallerist Andy Dinan then, and also started having more attention from the industry.”

So had already started doing drag in Hong Kong but, again, found it quite restrictive. “The owner of a bar there wanted me to do really poppy stuff, but I wanted to incorporate a vintage aesthetic and my interest in retro music

“To me, campness comes from being serious and sincere in doing something silly, without even noticing it being silly.”

After doing part of his degree in Hong Kong, So moved to Melbourne six years ago to finish his studies, eventually gaining first-class honours at the Victorian College of the Arts.

One reason he moved was to escape the entrenched hierarchy he encountered back home, he says. “In Asian culture, you have to respect your elders and your teachers, which I do; but if they’re your teacher, you have to bow down to them – there’s not a lot of equal conversation.”

Soon after finishing his degree, and as his response to the Covid lockdowns, So

and opera. Also, people in Hong Kong are not so understanding of drag. They were just saying, ‘Oh, that’s a lady boy’. There weren’t many positive reactions.”

In Melbourne, So has explored drag in often surprising ways. As a student, he made images of himself in a number of different guises – including as a Melbourne burlesque performer from the 1930s and as Hong Kong’s ex-chief executive Carrie Lam – and published them online. “I thought, ‘If I put them on Wikipedia, will people believe them?’”

He soon found out when a friend in Italy saw his Carrie Lam photograph in a newspaper story there about the politician. His cheeky vintage burlesque photos were also so convincing that someone started reproducing them and selling them on eBay.

Many of his images have been taken down, but some are still floating out there. “I can’t reveal to you what they are,” he says with a laugh. He hesitates to call them fake. “It’s more like a different version of truth, because all of them come from a reference point that already existed.”

As far as clothing goes, So estimates he owns around “60 vintage and second-hand kimonos, 50 vintage hats, six or seven Diors from the ’50s and the ’60s, and more than 80 costumes for drag – that keeps growing, because if I have a red-carpet event, I really can’t wear the same clothes.”

He usually either makes his costumes –“I taught myself, sewing is basically sculpture” – or has a tailor friend in Hong Kong make them. He also goes online to buy vintage, and occasionally finds pieces in op shops. All are kept in his second bedroom, with the kimonos folded in the traditional way and stored in washi paper.

A lot of So’s artwork, he says, is driven by the “thrill of camp. To me, campness comes from being serious and sincere in doing something silly, without even noticing it being silly. I see some of my work being camp and some not camp.”

In the Triennial show, for instance, one porcelain mask, a respirator, is cast in a material far too fragile to be usable. “And the filter of the respirator is actually an incense holder, so smoke comes out from it, which is totally the opposite of how it should be. At the same time, it’s very sincere because it talks about Covid and talks about racism in some way.”

Equally camp is the video of So lip syncing to Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E Minor, which is hilarious, but also, he has said, “highlights the absurdity of the male hero and tragic female in classical music. When I do that work at a gallery, people pay too much attention to it and go quiet, but when I do it at a club everyone just laughs very loudly, because it’s really stupid.”

The seriousness of his work often comes from the research involved. Recently, as a way of making sense of his place in Australia, So’s been visiting local museum and gallery archives, to see if their collections contain garments worn by earlier generations of Chinese immigrants.

“I see myself as first-generation AsianAustralian because I don’t have any family in Australia,” he says. “Some of my experiences are the same as the people before me would have had … I feel I have a responsibility to talk about that culture.”

LIKE A LOCAL

Mont Albert

By Vivian Tang

Mont Albert, a sleepy pocket in Melbourne’s inner east, offers quality over quantity with a tight but charming selection of cafes, bakeries and shops.

Since opening in 2019, day-to-night eatery and deli Via Porta has built a local reputation as strong as its coffee. Inside you’ll find sun-kissed terrazzo interiors to fit its Southern Italy-inspired menu. During the day get beef brisket toasties with house-made kimchi, crushed broccoli, mozzarella and spicy mayonnaise. By night, the team serves share-friendly antipasti, pasta and other Italian-leaning mains. Or stop by for coffee from Five Senses, and rotating roasters like Padre, Bench and Maker.

Then there’s Matilda, an old milk bar that’s been converted into a French-inspired-cafe. Like your eggs served soft-boiled or perfectly fried on top of a croque madame? Find both on the menu alongside bagels, toasties and sweets, including cinnamon scrolls. The cafe-corner store hybrid is across the road from smaller takeaway-only spot Petite by Matilda. Enjoy all the same goods on-the-go, as well as new catering options and celebration cakes.

Along Whitehorse Road is the family-run Swiss-style Hilltop Cake Shop. Pick from a glass cabinet generously filled with a neat and colourful array of fruit-glazed mini custard tarts, savoury pies, mini quiches and cake. Try a classic carrot, cherry and hazelnut, or espresso. Or venture further north to Madame Sourdough – a hidden gem for bread and pastries. Get in early for (sell out) rustic loaves and viennoiserie.

Take a break from food to visit Discrepancy Records & Gallery for its extensive and impressive range of new and used vinyl LPs. Or get active along several trails, most notably the Koonung Creek Trail – great for cyclists and walkers. There are also local parks – including Elgar Park, Kingsley Gardens and Mont Albert Reserve – for dog-walking, leisurely strolls or casual weekend catch-ups.

As the sun sets local mainstays like St Albert’s Pizzeria serve comfort food. Known for its sourdough pizzas, opt for a fresh sugo or bianca base with your preferred toppings. Or take a seat at Flame Greek Tavern for simple grilled spit roasts and traditional home-style share plates.

NEED TO KNOW

Mont Albert is a tranquil enclave boasting period homes and cosy cafes –plus easy access to the CBD via the new Union Station and the 109 tram. Close proximity to Surrey Hills and Box Hill adds to its allure.

Clockwise from top: Hamilton Street, Little Library, Whitehorse Music, Mont Albert Florist, photos Casey Horsfield

WHAT THE AGENT SAYS

“Mont Albert is a captivating suburb embellished with delightful homes – some with timeless character while others boast a modern aesthetic – all embraced by lush greenery surroundings and serene streets.”

MEDIAN HOUSE PRICES

Median price houses $2.316m

Median price units $760,000

Clockwise from top: Via Porta, photo Casey Horsfield. Matilda, photo Samantha Schultz. Petite by Matilda, photo Liana Hardy. Via Porta pastries, photo Casey Horsfield

Anna Molinaro OBrien Real Estate

Distance from CBD 12km

Hover your camera over the code to see Domain listings in Mont Albert

THE MAKER Clean Clean Clean

Words by Holly Bodeker-Smith

Photos by Charlie McKay and Jess Murphy

Our bathrooms know a lot about us. From the songs we belt out in the shower, to whether we scrunch or fold, to what state we leave it in for the next person. But Natalie Bradburn, the Wellington-based designer behind Clean Clean Clean, thinks we don’t give our bathrooms enough attention in return. Especially when it comes to colour.

“I feel like bathrooms can have a bit more character or personality,” the graduate architect tells Broadsheet “About eight out of 10 bathrooms are white … There aren’t a lot of alternatives [on the market] to say: ‘Hey, this is who I am and this is what I want my house to feel like’.”

Clean Clean Clean is flipping that narrative with its eye-catching range of Aotearoa-made bathroom fixtures. The colourful collection includes bold basins, toilet-roll holders, towel hooks, towel rods, and striking and swirly shelves for holding your toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, soap and other necessities.

The powder-coated aluminium hygiene stations come in a handful of hues – from burnt orange to sage green and Wedgwood blue – making them ideal for injecting colour into bathrooms of any size or palette. “Colour has always made me feel really good. It sets the tone for the day,” says the designer.

Yet Bradburn’s pieces are as much about function as they are form. The sturdy Roma basin, for example, is a onestop-bathroom-shop alternative to the classic standalone pedestal basin. The sleek and solid unit has a wide top shelf, generous splashback surface, cascading sink, bench space, drawer and towel cubby. The basins are made to order, which means Bradburn can tweak it to your wet-room wants and needs – from moving the drawers to powder-coating it in your favourite colour.

This small-scale making also aligns with Bradburn’s ethos of working with local producers, avoiding excess inventory and reducing waste where possible. “I like working with aluminium because it can be repurposed. So, if you’re changing the colour of your bathroom, you can still have that same basin and re-coat in a different colour.”

But you don’t have to dive straight into the basin to splash around with Clean Clean Clean. There’s also a smaller toothbrush holder – a slotted fixture that promises to fit “every manual and electric toothbrush we could find” – and a larger shower shelf that features a perforated section for soap suds drainage. Plus, a sleek toilet roll holder with a timber rod that easily slots into place – leaving no excuses for not topping up the empty toilet roll.

Making bathrooms brighter and bolder wasn’t always the plan for Bradburn, whose academic past includes stints studying fashion and interior design. But architecture school was where she became fascinated by the most underrated room in the house. “I’m a bathroom person,” she says. “I love spaces that feel really intimate.”

Years later, while on maternity leave, Bradburn noticed a stench in her own bathroom. It was coming from the makeshift toothbrush holder above the sink. “This beautiful ceramic mug cup had bits of dust, water and toothpaste that had trickled down, and it was filthy. And our toothbrushes were sitting in it,” she says.

Bradburn spent months designing a shelf, and created one that harks back to the freestanding toothbrush holders of the 20th century. “I didn’t really mean to develop it as a product for sale, I just wanted to resolve it for myself.”

Today, all of Clean Clean Clean’s pieces are designed by Bradburn in Wellington and crafted by makers and manufacturers in Whanganui and across the North Island, she says. “Physically making things isn’t my specialty. But I like finding the right people, working with them and understanding the tools behind the design.”

As with the toothbrush holder, many of her designs are sparked by her frustrations with the dysfunctional items in her own bathroom. Currently, she’s spending her shower time scheming alternatives to the ubiquitous bamboo shelf. You know the one. “You can see absolutely everything in it. It looks hideous. I’ve been thinking about creating a vanity unit that is separate to your basin,” she says. “That bamboo shelf has got to go.”

Beyond the nifty fixtures, Bradburn also transforms people’s bathrooms through custom fit-outs, from full renovations to one-off colourful basins and bathtubs. Her expert tip for bathroom styling? Make it a room that you can enjoy.

“A space should make you feel really good,” she says. “You’re often naked in the bathroom, or semi-naked, or defecating, or doing something quite unusual and intimate. So make yourself feel comfortable and make it reflect who you are, not what you can buy at Mitre 10. Oh, and bring in some colour.”

The Clean Clean Clean range is available online, priced in New Zealand dollars, and ships to Australia. Its wares start at around AU$72 for a short yet smart toothbrush shelf, and go up to around A$2,750 for a custom-made basin. Visit cleancleanclean.nz for more.

BEST OF

Six Mother’s Day Gifts for Cool Mums (and Regular Mums)

By Jo Walker

DEIJI STUDIOS TACK SET – $299 Based in Byron Bay, Deiji Studios is known for its luxe Japanese-influenced loungewear. This Tack Set is essentially where traditional shirting meets relaxed pyjamas, and can serve equally well as mum’s most formal pair of PJs or her comfiest brunch outfit. Crafted from stonewashed French linen – and it has pockets! deijistudios.com

MAISON BALZAC BLACK BOW COUPES – $179

FOR TWO Bows have the distinction of being both an of-the-moment motif and a timeless feminine touch that never quite goes out of style. Sydney homewares label Maison Balzac’s take on the trend adds gothic drama with a smoky black stem on a classic coupe. Equally great for pre-opera Martinis or mum’s afternoon Daiquiri. maisonbalzac.com

CILLIE KNITTED SWEATER THROW – $650 This witty piece comes from new ethical Sydney homewares label Cillie. Is it a sweater? Is it a throw? Okay – it’s a throw, made from 100 per cent RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) merino knitted in two-tone twisted cable, with hand-embroidered mohair detailing. cillie.com.au

FOOD FOR EVERYONE X DANIEL EMMA KEYCHAIN – $60 A friendly oyster and lemon slice adorns this Australian-made laser-cut acrylic charm set with key ring and clip – perfect for those who love seafood just as much as they love organisation. Each item purchased funds food for people in need through donations to Food For Everyone’s charity partner, Second Bite. foodforeveryone.com.au

ZONZO ESTATE BELLINA – $25 Think your mum’s a peach? Let her know with this fizzy Italian aperitif from unconventional Yarra Valley winery Zonzo Estate. A tasty companion for Mother’s Day brunch, Bellina mixes peach nectar and prosecco, promising a fruity hit on the nose and palate with a creamy texture and plenty of bubbles. zonzo.com.au

EMMA LEWISHAM FACE & BODY OIL – $87 Emma

Lewisham’s illuminating oil delivers a subtle bronzing glow from head to toe, while deeply nourishing the skin. Includes hyaluronic acid for long-lasting hydration, plus antioxidant-rich jojoba and green-tea oils that’ll treat mum right. The Kiwi skincare brand is reportedly a favourite with actors Phoebe Tonkin and Margot Robbie and model Kate Fowler. mecca.com

Photo: Andersen Studios

Photo: James Tolich

Photo: Brett Walker

LUXURY

Words by Joanne Brookfield & Maria Harris

Middle Park

46 Canterbury Road

$3.6 million-$3.8 million

4 2 1

Contact agent

Agent: Marshall White, Ben Manolitsas 0400 201 626

Victorian-era architects knew how to impress with a grand facade. Inside this iron-lace balconied terrace, a more recent renovation has converted it into an impressive modern abode. Located opposite Albert Park Lake, the 349-square-metre allotment has pedestrian and vehicle access to Canterbury Place and a lush private oasis for outdoor entertaining. Middle Park beachfront is only a few blocks away, as is the local lively village and public transport.

Brighton

G02/5 Dudley Street

$3.8 million-$4.1 million

3 3 2

Private sale Agent: Kay&Burton, Alex Schiavo 0419 239 549

Enjoy executive style in this enviably located golden mile residence. This three-bedroom apartment is in as-new condition. It sits on the ground floor of a boutique development, giving it additional al fresco living space with a landscaped garden terrace. Luxurious finishes include Venetian plaster, tundra marble and French oak, while the kitchen comes with top-brand ovens (yes, plural), induction cooktop, dishwasher and wine fridge to make entertaining a breeze.

Malvern East 7 Westgarth Street

$3.75 million-$4 million

4 2 1

Auction: 12.30pm, May 4

Agent: Marshall & White, John Manton 0411 444 930

A white weatherboard facade, with pops of coloured leadlight, sets the scene for the light-filled interiors of this renovated Edwardian home. Classic period features remain, including fireplaces in the three downstairs bedrooms. Designer style dominates the rest of this spacious family home. The mosaic-tiled pool, alongside a large bluestone barbecue terrace, is ideal for making memories. An established hedge in the north-west garden creates privacy.

Black Rock 18 Sturdee Road

$2.4 million-$2.6 million

4 2 3

Auction: Noon, May 4

Agent: Marshall White, Simone Tindall 0408 330 355

Paying homage to its mid-century origins, this contemporary, architect-designed home in a quiet Black Rock court provides space and a great connection to the outdoors with a deck, patio and swimming pool. Finishes include polished concrete floors, exposed bricks and timber, while the versatile floor plan creates an excellent separation between the living hub and the bedrooms. Kids’ bedrooms and a rumpus room are at one end of the home. The main suite is at the other.

OPEN FOR INSPECTION

Words by Richard Cornish, Maria Harris & Shae Wiedermann

LAST WEEKEND

Clearance Rate of 68%*

Source: Domain Group

WHAT OUR NATIONAL EDITOR SAYS

Brighton

11b Elm Grove

$1.75 million-$1.925 million

2 1 2

Contact agent

Agent: Evoke, Tracy Tian Belcher 0402 007 882

Down this quiet, elm-lined street is a charming solid-brick home. Recently renovated and set on a single level, it is snug and secure with a lock-up garage for two cars. Upgrades include a stone-hued tiled bathroom and a sleek modern kitchen. The spacious living and dining area flows to the al fresco dining area and a brick-paved terrace with a verdant garden setting. All are within walking distance of Bay Street and Martin Street shopping, the beach and trains.

“Despite Easter, the school holidays and Anzac Day disrupting property sales, last weekend’s clearance rate shows the resilience of the Melbourne property market.”

Kew East

56 Hartwood Street

$2.4 million-$2.6 million

4 2 2

Auction: Noon, May 4

HIGHEST VALUE

$4.01 million

Glen Waverley

25 Winston Street

Sold by Jellis Craig*

Agent: Jellis Craig, Mike Beardsley 0476 777 004

This family-sized house has a clinker-brick facade with 1930s character and sits on a tree-lined street near Hays Paddock and High Street. Hardwood timber floors complement high ceilings inside, and the garden has a shed, treehouse, chicken coop, pool and deck. The first floor can be a fourth bedroom or study, and downstairs a secondary living zone can be a games room or retreat area.

Sandringham

4 Georgiana Street

$2.095 million-$2.295 million

3 2 2

Auction: 2.30pm, May 4

Agent: Belle Property Sandringham, Stephen Tickell 0418 177 565

It’s a three-minute walk to the beach from this sunny Californian bungalow, a solid early 20th-century home with a vibrant 21st-century living space by architects Rachcoff Villa at the rear. The 3.6-metre-high ceilings are topped with clerestory windows flooding the timber and stainless steel kitchen and entertaining area with light. There’s a lovely home office, plunge pool and easy-care garden.

Richmond

9 Brooks Street

$2.7 million-$2.95 million

4 2 2

Contact agent

Agent: Fletchers, Nick Fletcher 0403 387 580

This urban abode is contemporary, creative and exudes tranquillity across three lightfilled, flexible levels. There are two retreat areas alongside a light-filled open-plan kitchen, living and dining area. Two bedrooms accompany a generous main suite and the ground-floor deck is a private oasis with ornamental pear trees. The upstairs roof deck has a heated spa and views of the city.

Natalie Mortimer

Domain national magazine editor

Prahran

104/6 Sydney Street

$1.39 million-$1.44 million

2 2 2

Private sale

Agent: Belle Property Armadale, Michel Swainson 0447 612 166

The dramatic sweeping curves of this stunning apartment building are the hallmark of architects Woods Marsh. This is an elevated retreat offering views of adjacent parkland. New, classic touches include a marble kitchen and travertine marble mosaic in the spacious main bedroom’s en suite.

Glen Iris

1837 Malvern Road

$1.7 million-$1.8 million

4 2 2

Auction: 11.30 am, May 4

Agent: Marshall White, Fiona Ansell-Jones 0410 325 240

This solid-brick 1930s Glen Iris home features generous proportion and large rooms with high, strapped ceilings, fireplaces and bay windows. Designed for formal and informal living and entertaining and updated over the years, the modern kitchen overlooks the informal living room. There’s room to extend.

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St Kilda East

5/39a Balaclava Road

$850,000-$935,000

2 1 1

Auction: 11.30am, May 5

Agent: McGrath, Abie Munz 0468 434 533

Art deco but with some modern updates, this apartment has two large outdoor deck areas on either side. One extends from the living area and is perfect for admiring the blue and white exterior and leafy foliage. The double bedrooms have built-in wardrobes and share a bathroom with a separate toilet.

2

201 & 202/99 SPRING STREET

1 SARGOOD STREET TOORAK

a 4 b 3 c

Luxurious indoor-outdoor excellence

Close 14 May at 5pm

Thursday 1-1:30pm

Saturday 1:30-2pm

KAYBURTON.COM.AU

23 TALBOT CRESCENT KOOYONG

Close 13 May at 5pm

Thursday 11-11:30am

Saturday 1-1:30pm

Close 14 May at 5pm

Thursday 12-12:30pm

Saturday 2-2:30pm

11 BATES STREET MALVERN EAST

‘SEQUOIA’ 8/27 HOWARD STREET

Wednesday 11:45-12:15pm

Saturday 1-1:30pm

Tuscan Villa in the Heart of Fairfield

Award-Winning Town Residence

Open for Inspect�on

Designer Victorian in

Unforgettable Design and

Scale Down Without

Iconic Art Deco with Modern Transformation

12.00pm- 12.30pm

Architecturally Striking with Amazing Views

A Spectacular Family Entertainer

Family Excellence in the Gascoigne Estate

7 Westgarth Street, Malvern East

4 2 1

Exclusive 'The Melburnian' Garden Tower Residence

415/250 St K�lda Road

Southbank

2 2 2

Auct�on

Saturday 4 May 10.30am

Open for Inspect�on

Wednesday 12.00pm-12.30pm and

Saturday from 10.00am N�cholas

Auct�on

Saturday 4 May 12.30pm

Open for Inspect�on

Thursday 10.30am-11.00am and Saturday from 12.00pm

Prized Opportunity on Scotch Hill - Two Homes on One Title

195 Walsh Street, South Yarra

Wayne Gillespie Excellence with Pool and Separate Apartment

Executors’ Auction

16 Devorgilla Avenue, Toorak

Saturday 4th May at 11:00am a b c

18 Robert Street, Balwyn North

Saturday 18th May at 12:00pm

Carbethon c.1910 – A Sackville Ward jewel on 1497m2

Expressions of Interest : Closing Monday 13th May at 12:00pm

Inspect: By appointment

Auction: Saturday 11th May at 1:00pm

Inspect: As advertised or by appointment

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