Grand Vision
RENOVATION Westquay • INTERIOR DESIGN Christian Lyon • PHOTOGRAPHY Jody D’Arcy • WORDS Elizabeth Clarke
CLD velvet curtains, sofa and scatter cushions, vintage Janalzi coffee table, Fort Street Studio rug, Shizue Imai lamp, vintage French nesting tables, vintage Gio Ponti chair and foot rest, all from editeur; mantle piece, MCW; artwork The Bridge to Innocence and Safety IV by John Young, Moore Contemporary.
Celebrated designer and founder of Cottesloe design store Editeur, Christian Lyon knows how to make his clients happy. Riverside Residence in the Western Suburbs is the second project he has completed for its owner.
“She is an artistic, passionate and stylish woman and I wanted this home to encompass all those qualities,” he tells Havenist. “She knows beautiful quality and appreciates it, so I wanted layers of that throughout as well as beautiful moments – some diluted and others concentrated. The home is a true journey.”
The foyer rotates around its jewel – an original 70s Brutalist Paul Evans table made of metal and brushed marble, crowned with a striking Christopher Boots light.
Christian Astuguevieille floor rug, original serigraph by Victor Vasarely, original Paul Evans vintage brutalist metal and marble table, Christopher Boots Petra light, Shizue Imai objects, all from editeur.
Style-off. Two New York City icons come face-to-face. Christian Astuguevieille’s Centur chair is just seen in the corner.
Photographic print of Andy Warhol by Christopher Makos, Ralph Pucci New York.
“A visceral and sensual reaction to texture is what makes you feel something in this space,” says Christian of the home’s calm and sumptuous living room.
Floor rug, Robyn Cosgrove; Agnes Debizet ceramic tables, CLD chenille sofas, and vintage Brutalist lamp, all from editeur.
Sheer smoky drapes and tall glass panes allow natural light to flood the dining space.
Floor rug, Robyn Cosgrove; CLD custom designed table, corduroy velvet upholstered chairs, Christopher Boots Bucky light fittings and Gilles Caffier Paris marble vessels, editeur; grass cloth wallpaper, Phillip Jeffries.
A mirror bounces light around and reflects the vignette in the foyer, whilst a stunning mural draws the eye up an inky staircase leading to the second floor.
CLD ottoman in Dedar jacquard from South Pacific Fabrics; wall mural Faye Toogood; wallpaper, Calico Wallpaper.
A landing showcasing glass wall sculptures provides a glimpse into the master bedroom.
Mark Douglass glass sculpture, client’s own; floor rug, Robyn Cosgrove; sofa canape and side tables, editeur.
The existing building possessed strong elegance with beautiful proportions, sky-high ceilings, and lots of natural light. “It was a big white empty box that needed softening and variation,” he explains. “It required passion and spaces that conveyed different emotions, from the calm to the dramatic.”
Referring to his little black book of global antique dealers and design houses, Christian flew to New York City seeking inspiration and artisanal treasures. The tastemaker is passionate about vintage design and unusual materials which he mixes with ease. All items custom designed and sourced from New York were delivered before fit-out stage which was executed over 10 days. His delicate balance of design qualities and functionality allows a luxurious home that is liveable too.
Flowing over three levels in a ‘dumbbell‘ configuration, it features pods at front and back that connect with a central circulation space. Occupying the lower ground floor is a den, and upstairs are more private spaces including the master bedroom. A guest retreat lies on the ground level providing complete privacy.
Soft, intricate layers of gold foil and turquoise create a bedroom “not of this world”.
Custom designed wallpaper, Calico Wallpaper; floor rug, Robyn Cosgrove; Rubelli, Dedar and Sahco bed linen, all from South Pacific Fabrics; vintage Murano glass bedside tables, vintage Murano light, bronze and shagreen table, CLD custom designed sofa, all from editeur.
A CLD custom designed console inspired by Etruscan jewellery creates an exotic focal point.
CLD custom designed console, vintage Accolay French vases, vintage Jacque d'Aubres wall lights, all from editeur.
Art meets function in the form of a table light composed of Carrara marble, naturally uncut clear quartz crystals, and brushed brass,
Prometheus VI table lamp by Christopher Boots, editeur.
On entering through glass-paned steel doors designed by Christian, the vestibule floods natural light deep into the home and allows visual orientation to all connecting levels. Down the hall, two 3.2-metre-high reflective photographic works by American artist Christopher Makos dominate. Discovered by Christian at Ralph Pucci in New York City, one is of Andy Warhol and the other is Susanne Bartsch, queen of disco 70s New York nightlife.
Down the hallway, a Christopher Boots statement light sits with a pair of rare Victor Vasarely artist proofs, and at the end, is a stunning original Paul Evans 70s Brutalist-inspired table in bronze with brushed marble top. Known for his stunning but polarising pieces, the late American furniture designer and sculptor is considered one of the most collectable American designers of the late 20th century, counting the likes of Gwen Stefani and Lenny Kravitz as devotees.
The front sitting room is a richly layered, textural profile of the woman who owns it. Swathed in deep purple liquid velvet curtains, the space is occupied by a custom sofa in Tiger Mountain velvet, a vintage chair and footrest designed by Italian master Gio Ponti, and a vintage glass and brass coffee table by Belgium designer Janalzi. A brushed stone mantelpiece and John Young artwork ground the space, with sculptural pieces by Shizue Imai adding an organic feel.
Eclectic elegance that is chic, and comfy too.
Christian Lyon for Matsuoka Chrysanthemum coffee table, Emanuel Ungaro velvet upholstered chair, editeur.
A generous family living room is a study in finishes, from smoky sheer curtaining dispersing natural light, to plush sectional seating providing comfort and texture. “Layering texture is the fundamental basis of all of my designs,” says Christian. “It’s what creates the mood of a room and makes you feel something in that space.” A beautiful nest of small ceramic tables by French artist Agnes Debizet takes centre stage - its pieces fitting together like a jigsaw puzzle that can be moved around as required.
Climbing the stairs that lead to the master bedroom, a mural handmade by designer Faye Toogood clads the walls, and a forged steel handrail designed by Christian leads the way.
In the upstairs foyer leading to the patrician master bedroom, a cluster of glass ‘dimpled’ sculptures by Australian artist Mark Douglass crawl the walls, and an elegant canape sofa in sumptuous, quilted velvet is flanked by side tables, one in black shell and the other shagreen.
“I exhale when I walk into the bedroom,” says Christian. “I feel calm and as if I am floating. It sits high above its views of the Swan River. I wanted to bring the water and sky inside and make the view even closer and enveloping.”
A place to work and a spot to rest.
Floor rug, Robyn Cosgrove; CLD custom designed chaise, Christopher Boots Stalactite lights, CLD for Matsuoka Cradle desk and chair, all from editeur; artwork by Dale Frank.
The very definition of a stylish contemporary man cave.
Light sculpture, Joshua Webb; vintage Scarpa sofa, editeur.
The bedroom is inspired by its sweet spot, The Goddess Cabinet, a turquoise leather-wrapped console designed by Christian for the owner’s last residence. “I was inspired by the original works of Italian designer-maker Aldo Tura that I saw in Sag Harbour in the Hamptons,” he says. “They were covered in green goatskin, and I loved the idea of furniture being wrapped in skin. I used turquoise leather on this console that resembles lacquer and added hardware in gold and brass based on Etruscan jewellery.” On top sit two 1970s Accolay vases and above, vintage backlit wall lights by Jacque d'Aubres constructed of gilded brass filigree with slices of agate.
The room features signature Christian touchpoints, from the shagreen and bronze bed end stool and vintage Murano bedside lamps, to the luminous oxidised gold-leaf wallpaper he commissioned while in New York. “It has a gold finish layered with oxidized printing that forms a soft dustiness,” he says. “It was a complicated space to get femininity into because of its imposing proportions. We worked hard to create soft layers of texture and restricting colours. There isn’t much contrast – just gold foil and turquoise and slight oxidations. It’s a low contrast room that’s high in texture with a lovely feeling of layering and discovery.”
A home office showcasing layers of rich patina is both luxurious and functional.
bronze and vellum mirror, CLD custom designed bronze leather desk and polished snakeskin leather swivel chair, all from editeur.
Pulsating colour brings a deeply opulent palette to life.
Fort Street Studio rug, CLD custom designed velvet sofa, vintage Romeo Rega coffee table, all from editeur; artwork, Thomas Wardle, client’s own.
The guest bedroom is a study in organic colour, shape and form.
CLD custom designed bed and acrylic bedside tables, Ooumm carved marble candle holders, vintage Murano lamps, Vincent carved plaster mirrors, all from editeur; Khoro bedlinen, South Pacific Fabrics; custom designed mohair silk floor rug, Robyn Cosgrove; linen wallpaper, Phillip Jeffries.
Various patinas and textures mesh with ease providing framework for a collection of carved plaster mirrors.
CLD custom designed bed and acrylic bedside tables, Ooumm carved marble candle holders, vintage Murano lamps, Vincent carved plaster mirrors, all from editeur; Khoro bedlinen, South Pacific Fabrics; custom designed mohair silk floor rug, Robyn Cosgrove; linen wallpaper, Phillip Jeffries.
A custom-designed sofa and Chrysanthemum coffee table designed by Christian for Matsuoka sit nearby. Off to the side, a wardrobe and private den is filled with treasures - art by Dale Frank, a bronze leather-wrapped desk designed by Christian for Matsuoka, and a swivel chair covered in polished snakeskin leather. “It is a room all of her own,” he says. “A space where she can work and retreat but feel a little bit pampered doing so.”
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