Award-Winning Interior Design to Inspire

If you’re looking for luxury interior design inspiration, go no further.

Belle Magazine (one of our Belle Property partners) has been celebrating excellence in Australian interior design and decoration for 11 years. Last month, they announced the winning projects of the 2021 Belle Fanuli Design Awards. An expert panel of judges considered more than 300 entries, headed by editor-in-chief Tanya Buchanan. Fanuli sponsored the awards alongside Luxaflex, Winning Appliances, Signorino, Ilve and CDK Stone.

We’ve compiled some of our winning highlights, sure to inspire your next re-style or renovation.

Garden House – Arent & Pyke

This stunning work received first prize for Best Residential Interior (overall and Readers’ Choice), as well as Best Residential Kitchen Design. Interior designers Juliette Arent and Sarah-Jane Pyke aimed to create a space connected to nature that promoted tranquility. They bring the garden “indoors” through cool, green terrazzo floor tiles and rough-rendered walls to achieve this incredible space. The texture of the house is rich and warm, accented by natural materials such as timber and marble.

Peace Project – Carole Whiting

Carole Whiting has had a huge impact in the five years she has held her practice. Her refreshing work favours neutral tones alongside furnishings and finishes that exude warmth and texture. Her award as this year’s Emerging Design Star is well-deserved and recognises her entire body of work.

Our favourite example of her simple and authentic style is ‘Peace Project’. It brings together crisp white walls throughout with contrasting timber cabinetry, as well as marble surfaces and leather accents. Here, muted colours make every space feel calm and relaxed.

The Edge House – Hare + Klein

Meryl Hare started her studio in 1989, and has been well-respected in the industry ever since. Her sophisticated style is equally subtle, with an eye for detailing that is well-renowned. Her induction into the Hall of Fame for this year’s awards recognises over 30 years of powerful work.

‘The Edge House’ is a fine example of her work. It was the client’s love of the colour pink that drove the final finishes, lighting and furniture, and the hues used perfectly balance light and shade throughout.

Lena – Smart Design Studio

The bathroom of ‘Lena’, a project of William Smart from Smart Design Studio, took out Best Residential Bathroom Design. This marble ensuite is nothing short of theatrical and is the epitome of elegance. Smart placed freestanding marble boxes throughout to separate the bath, shower and toilet. As a result, different levels of light reach each ‘enclosure’ within the space.

Alexander House – Alexander & Co.

Alexander House is the terrace where the Alexander & Co. team work in Sydney, and received the nod for Best Commercial Interior. It has indoor and outdoor areas, private workstations, meeting rooms, bathrooms, sleeping quarters, as well as a café/kitchen, steam room and pool over four glorious levels. The suave space is also designed sustainably, strongly aligning with the firm’s values. Each room also showcases what Alexander & Co. can do in a residential space – “a home for working in”, says the firm’s principal, Jeremy Bull.

Our favourite design element is the use of reclaimed timber throughout. You’ll find it used for flooring, ceilings and custom cabinets – most impressively in the library. Contrasting polished concrete floors and other finishes with marble accents in the kitchen also add to the modern charm.

Feeling inspired?

For more incredible interiors, you can browse our current listings or book a weekend away to one of the blissful spaces curated by our partners at Belle Escapes Central Coast.