Sydney favourites Victor Churchill Butcher

I am not surprised that Victor Churchill Butchers won the International Interior design award for retail stores (held in New York a few years ago) It is one of the most breathtaking stores I have ever seen!

It's hard to believe that you are standing in the middle of a bustling butcher shop. It oozes beauty, character and soul. It is a truly unique store, which has successfully blended a traditional European butcher in look and feel, with modern, cutting-edge design elements. This amazing atmosphere is nurtured by the stores owners, the wonderfully warm and inviting Puharich family.

"As a boy, Anthony Puharich feasted on lamb cooked whole in the garden by his Croatian-born butcher father Victor Puharich, sharing a taste and respect for meat they've never lost. His glamorous meat boutique in Sydney's Woollahra has been dubbed ''the Bulgari of butcheries''. The floor might be Italian marble rather than sawdust, but fifth-generation butcher Puharich still has his feet firmly on the ground. Together with his father, he runs the shop and Vic's Meats, the nation's biggest meat wholesaler, supplying many of Australia's top restaurants, including Vue de Monde, Movida, Sepia and Quay."

Well worth a visit, it is an absolute visual feast.... Oh, and the meat isn't bad either! 

Victor Churchill  Butchers

132 Queen Street Woollahra, New South Wales

 …and Oprah signed her approval!

Sydney favourites Chiswick

This week in Sydney I stumbled across some favourite new destinations; restaurants, stores and other well designed locations...

"Located in the beautiful Sydney suburb of Woollahra, CHISWICK Restaurant is a superb casual dining venue co- owned by Matt Moran and Peter Sullivan. CHISWICK is a neighbourhood restaurant, where the menu is designed for sharing, reflecting the simplicity of great produce and changing seasons. The heart of CHISWICK is its kitchen garden where much of the produce for the menu will be grown. The approach is something altogether more natural, continually evolving, where the emphasis is on where the food comes from and how it is grown.

This iconic restaurant site will remain familiar to locals but has been extensively remodelled; a light filled space with a contemporary dining room, casual bar area with a large communal table and shaded outside seating. A local place, where you can drop in for a quick bite or a drink at the bar, a special celebration with close friends or Sunday lunch with the family."

CHISWICK Restaurant

65 Ocean St Woollahra  

Back to Bank Street

A hidden gem in country Victoria, Bank Street Wood Fire Pizza and Garden is in a class of its own.

I first visited Bank Street in 2012 (http://justinbishop.com.au/blog/2012/4/16/bank-street-wood-fired-pizza-and-garden.html) The cafe, designed, built and operated by my close friends Janelle Toomey and Callum Kaka, is always on my wish list of favourite getaway destinations. 

I'm happy to sit as a guest, enjoying a pizza or a platter, featuring a selection of home grown produce (mixing it perfectly with a local drop of sparkling). This visit, however, we were able to witness some behind the scenes magic as Janelle and Callum prepped seamlessly for this evenings full house of guests. Janelle managed constant calls from last minute hopefuls with finesse, trying to secure them all a table (she hates turning people away). Callum controlled the kitchen effortlessly, stoking their enormous custom built wood fire oven, making perfect dough from scratch and editing a delicious selection of local produce that makes up Bank Streets eclectic pizza menu.

I am always impressed by the creative use of the seasonal fair that makes it's way into the Bank Street Kitchen. This week, for instance, Bluey Shelton, (an ex Essendon Footballer and now local identity) delivered a box of his enormous home grown figs to the kitchen door. Callum had already designed a pizza around these (Fig with prosciutto and blue cheese, topped with rocket and Parmesan). The figs, on occasion, have also found their way into home made ice cream. The cafe sells tubs to take home! 

While the kitchen and cafe bustles with activity, I take the time to revisit Bank Streets exquisite gardens. They extend through the outdoor eating area, through manicured beds edged with English box (and filled a luscious selection of vegetables, herbs and spices). following along pebbled paths that continue on to an ornamental lake. The gardens sit under the canopy of enormous specimen trees that provide shade and shelter for outdoor entertaining throughout the year. (Janelle and Callum have just taken a booking to host a wedding in this very spot!)

Before we know it, it's time to leave, and again I am filled with a sense of loss. It is hard to drag ourselves away from the company of our friends, and the serenity of this idyllic location! 

We will be back soon, to Bank Street! 

Bank Street Wood Fire Pizza and Garden

5 Bank Street, Avenel, Victoria

(03) 5796 2522

GULF STATION YARRA GLEN, VICTORIA

Gulf Station - Melba Highway Yarra Glen, Victoria. 
An absolute gem hidden in Melbourne's Glorious Yarra Valley. My ancestors built this historic farm in the 1850's and lived there for over 100 years. My mother stayed there often as a child. As a young boy, I visited it often too and it's magic continues to captivate me whenever I return. Now owned by the National Trust of Victoria, it remains incredibly intact, as it was 100 years ago. It is maintained by a small army of volunteers (including my mother) and is open to the public throughout January. Well worth a visit!

A tribute to a master - Stuart Rattle

There is no doubt that Stuart Rattle was a master of his craft. 

His work was elegant, timeless and utterly sophisticated. Clearly, it was of a superbly  international standard. He approached his creative endeavours with a gentle sensitivity; Rather than showcasing his own style, a priority for many designers, he focused on his clients needs. He managed to highlight their lifestyles and capture their personalities. The results were sympathetic, calming and reflective.

We saw this sensitive and thoughtful style in his personal character also. Perhaps this is why his untimely passing this week was so unsettling; the tragic circumstances that have unfolded do not reflect his gentle demeanour. Personally, I admired Stuart from afar. Only meeting him on a few occasions. Still, the sense off loss is immense.

Looking at his work now, I am inspired by his classic style. Scale, proportion, colour and elegance transcend design trends to construct beautiful and timeless spaces. We are fortunate to have images of his work as a reminder of his creativity.

Here, I think, are some of the very best.

RIP Stuart Rattle

An incredible sense of loss this week, at the news of the passing of Stuart Rattle. From my days as a fledgling design student, in my early twenties, I have long admired his sense of style, his creative endeavours and his business acumen. As an acquaintance over the years, and more recently, as a fellow interior designer, I wish our paths had crossed more often. He has left us far too soon. Although he achieved so much, I'm sure his best was yet to come. Not only was he one of the most polished and professional interior designers that I have known, he was a true gentleman. A great loss to Melbourne. So, so sad. RIP.

Christmas Giftwrapping

Gift wrapping, love it or hate it. It is a traditional task that we are compelled to tackle when giving gifts. At Christmas time the task is at its peak, as the work load multiplies by the number of gifts that we plan to give, and by the increasing expectation to produce a 'designer' style gift wrap, worthy of a magazine editorial. 

Most retailers offer a gift wrapping service at Christmas time, a blessing for those who are time poor or who feel that they lack the finesse to complete the job themselves.

However, with a little technical know how, a dash of design inspiration and some positive thinking, you can create some show stopping results yourself; rivaling the work of entertaining experts, Carolyne Roehm and Martha Stewart!

Here are some of my wrapping favourites, that have inspired me over the last twelve months.

Creative inspiration

Revisiting the work of a master. When I was first introduced to the films of legendary film maker Peter Greenaway, (The cook, the theif, his wife and her lover - 1993) my life changed forever! I was mesmorised by his creativity, it was exciting and inspirational. He borrowed historical imagery and classical design elements and reinvented them in his work. 

I instantly appreciated his creative process and I began to reference historical images in my work also.  I allowed it to inspire me.

I developed my style by taking stock of this inspiration. 

Promotions

New promotional postcard - October 2013

STYLES OF INTERIOR DESIGN # 2

TRADITIONAL INTERIOR DESIGN

Traditional interior design is typically evocative of classic European decor. Hallmarks of this style generally include deep wood tones, architectural details, and elegant furnishings. This style is quite versatile and can be combined with other interior elements to create a unique look in a room.

One of the most important facets of traditional interior design is the silhouette, also called the line, of the furnishings. Wing-backed chairs, claw footed tables, and curved furniture pieces that hearken back to the 18th and 19th centuries are examples of this. Common models for such traditional furniture are pieces attributed to the Queen Anne or Chippendale styles. Antiques are also often integrated into this design style, but many companies sell new pieces that mimic the lines of the old.

Architectural embellishments are widely used in traditional interior design. These can include elaborate moldings, beveled wood paneling, and intricate tile and wood floor patterns. Arches, columns, and built-in cabinetry are also frequent features of this type of design.

Rich wood tones are another key element in traditional interior design. Dark woods like cherry, maple, and mahogany are typically used in furniture pieces of this style. These are often carved and lacquered to give them a luxurious, elegant feel. Wood floors are also considered a standard for this decor, although tile and carpet are often used as well.