At home with Jarrad Seng
When photographer Jarrad Seng isn’t touring with Passenger or Ed Sheeran, shooting the Milky Way, hiking the Namibian desert or exploring the world’s largest caves, he is at home in his Fremantle loft.
PHOTOGRAPHY Jody D’Arcy • WORDS Elizabeth Clarke
Where is home? My three-level loft in central Fremantle. The original building was an old factory constructed in the 1920s that was one of the first warehouse conversions in the city designed by the renowned architect Brian Klopper. It's cosy, quirky and free-flowing, and I like to think of it as my little treehouse in the heart of Fremantle.
What drew you to it? I'm a sucker for a warehouse conversion, and I was immediately drawn to the floor-to-ceiling windows and open-plan design. Of course, I surmised all this from the online listing only. I may or may not have submitted the offer on the apartment sight unseen whilst blind drunk at Ed Sheeran's birthday party in Brazil. It's a long story!
What changes did you make when you moved in? I've always wanted a big, beautiful bookcase to call my own, so I enlisted local cabinetmaker Classy Joints to create custom jarrah shelves with black powder-coated steel uprights. It fits in perfectly with the feel of the space. I've also added some hidden storage areas underneath staircases and platforms to make the very most of this compact space.
What other changes do you have in mind? I'd love to experiment with more custom shelving options on the other levels. I collect many things – artworks, trinkets, records, instruments, plants, and carvings – and I need space for all of them.
Did you use a stylist? West Elm laid the foundations with some furnishings in the living room. Otherwise, the random and eclectic nature of the home can be blamed on the gentle chaos in my head. My goal has always been to curate a space that inspires creativity.
How is your thirst for adventure reflected in your home? I've collected trinkets from around the world and scattered them across every space. There are wood carvings from South America, boab nuts from the Kimberley, film cameras from Eastern Europe, and even soapstone animals from Africa. It may seem random on the surface, but everything here reminds me of all those wild adventures from the road.
Any quirks to be found? A few slowly reveal themselves as you look a little closer. The dining table benches are suspended from the ceiling by chains – a bold and somewhat impractical design choice by the previous owner, but I still get a kick out of it.
Who are the artists displayed? Some of my favourite local artists, like Amok Island, Pippa McManus, Emma Freestone, Mekel and Hayley Welsh. The geometric wood mosaic on the first floor was created for the space by local artist Studio Sarai and features timber from an old Fremantle jetty as the centrepiece, which is very cool. I also couldn't resist showcasing glimpses of my beloved Western Australia on the walls, so you'll also find my photographs from Rottnest Island and the South West.
If you could live anywhere other than Perth, where would that be? A little fantasy of mine is to live in the remote Iceland wilderness, and home would be an isolated cabin among the frozen waterfalls with the northern lights overhead.
Where do you find inspiration? Many places – from listening to soul music whilst walking around a foreign city, from the afternoon light flowing through the window and brushing the walls, to seeing my talented friends achieve their wildest dreams. It inspires me to create and bring my ideas into the world.
What music is on high rotation? My 'welcome home' playlist has been [South African-born indie artist] Gregory Alan Isakov for years. He's an incredible songwriter with whom I've been lucky enough to tour on the road. His music calms the soul.
What does your collection of indoor plants bring to your home? Holding as much greenery inside these walls brings peace. I'm happiest in the remote wilderness, and this brings me a little closer.
What is on your bookshelf? I love reading – it's probably the only time my hyperactive brain slows down enough to catch a breath! I enjoy fantasy, old fairy tales, photography, art tomes and the odd memoir.
Which of the cameras on display are your most treasured? I've worked as a photographer for over a decade and churned through a good amount of machinery. There's no better way to honour my old camera bodies than display them around the home. They're not just cameras; they represent years of adventures worldwide and have been through blizzards and sandstorms, on the tops of alpine mountains at sunrise, on stage in front of tens of thousands of screaming music fans, and even beneath wild ocean waves. They have many stories they have to tell.
At Home with Jarrad Seng featured in Havenist Magazine Issue #2
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