An Antique Specialist’s 1930s Apartment Drenched In Colour
Homes
Alex added double doors to allow better indoor-outdoor access, increase light, and provide a space for morning coffee. Outdoor lounge chairs made by a friend. Pablo Palazuelo art print on left from Galerie Maeght. Eduardo Chillida art print on right. Outdoor setting purchased from Sunshine Vintage in Tocumwal.
Alex Telford-Sargeant in his East Melbourne apartment.
1950s Italian cane lounge chair purchased from Angelucci 20th Century. Pablo Palazuelo print from Galerie Maeght. French ceramic plate by LUC Vallauris. Mid-century standard lamp from Ace Antiques.
1950s Italian bamboo mirror and Swedish wool rug from Angelucci 20th Century. Roger Capron tiled coffee table and Clunes #24 artwork by Bruno Leti, both from Leonard Joel. Mid-century lounge chair purchased from a country vintage shop. Bookcase purchased from Dookie Vintage Emporium. White ceramic vase by Alessio Tasca.
Clunes #16 artwork by Bruno Leti, and vintage circular dining table, both from Leonard Joel. Pair of Swedish teak chairs purchased from the Daylesford Mill Market. 1950s french table lamp from Angelucci 20th Century.
1980s Galerie Maeght art print. Art above window ‘The Striped Garden’ by Bruno Leti. Mid-century kitchen table from Dookie Vintage Emporium. Ceramics from a French market.
Custom chartreuse paint to contrast the ‘Aperol spritz’ vibe in the lounge room! Cane side chair from Swanpool Antiques.
1950s Italian cane lounge chair, Scandinavian ceramic table lamp, and Röllakan rug all from Angelucci 20th Century. Pair of 1970s travertine and brass table lamps from McPherson Antiques. Mid-century Swedish teak drawers from Leonard Joel. Mirror purchased from an op-shop. Art by Olga Jaskin. Custom mix paint.
‘Plume’ wall sculpture by Dominic Kavanagh. 1970s chrome table lamp from Leonard Joel.
Two Boats artwork by Margie Sheppard. Early 20th century oak side table from Leonard Joel. Small oil painting from a Marseille market. White uplight purchased from a Euroa op-shop.
The East Melbourne 1930s building.
Alex Telford-Sargeant was destined for a career in vintage furniture, having grown up regularly visiting his local op-shops on the NSW-Victoria border, and being inspired by his creative mum, Ann.
‘She was having furniture reupholstered back in her 20s and has always surrounded herself with antiques/vintage and treasured pieces, even if it is just fresh cut flowers from the garden,’ Alex says of his mum.
This obsession deepened later in life, when Alex began working in the secondhand and vintage furniture industry in Melbourne at store Angelucci 20th Century, and later as a furniture assistant at auction house Leonard Joel.
This background shows in his East Melbourne apartment, which is brimming with character, colour, and life that exceeds its one-bedroom size.
The apartment wasn’t love at first sight for Alex (‘It took three inspections to decide to make an offer,’ he says) but there was no denying the convenient location within walking distance of multiple parks, the CBD, Collingwood, and Richmond. He also liked the proportions of the rooms (more generous than many newer apartments) and the 1930s features of the building.
Alex has drawn on the building’s architecture and context in the styling, referencing the energy of the art deco period, the apartment’s urban location, and its red brick exterior. ‘I wanted colours that harnessed the spirit of the art deco era, more so than a literal reference to the era’s colour palette,’ he explains. ‘The building’s brick exterior, which varies from rusty reds to flecks of ochre and charcoal, was a definite influence towards warmer colours.
‘I was also curious and wanted to experiment with intense colour. What would it look like? After living in rental white for so many years I thought, just do it. It’s only paint!’
Alex did all the painting himself, choosing subtly varying shades of orange for the kitchen and living room, a mix of sample pots to create the pale blue bedroom, and a vibrant chartreuse hallway. ‘I secretly love painting walls and it’s usually a few days of exercise and mess per room,’ he says.
The overall feel of the space is collected, casual, intimate. ‘There’s a definite mid-century bent to the interior, without being too serious,’ Alex says. All the furniture and objects are secondhand, with a mix of Swedish, Italian, French and Aussie designers represented. The antiques are newer additions, sourced by Alex during his time at Leonard Joel. ‘I think I have a bit of brown from every decade: Victorian brown, mid-century teak, 1970s brown, chunky hippy pottery brown!’
Alex hasn’t embarked on major renovations here, instead focussing on cosmetic updates – changing ceiling lights, hanging new curtains, and installing double doors into the internal courtyard. It’s inspiring to see what he’s been able to achieve with only minor updates, in a relatively small space!
Here, Alex has created a unique pocket of the world that’s always being updated to suit his taste and lifestyle. Every ceramic or lamp represents a memory of a road trip, or a reminder of another special moment. ‘It’s collected, but it is also evolving and changing,’ Alex says. ‘Interiors are ephemeral, and nothing stays in one place for too long.’