A special order of luxury that travelled halfway around the world.
Building a new home presented the owners of this enviable property with a smorgasbord of opportunity most could only dream of — and they weren’t shy about indulging. The result is an aweinspiring residence of a calibre seldom seen but often aspired to. The high standard is set the moment the door is opened and the grand entrance is revealed. From here, a great staircase ascends toward the high ceilings, from which ornate chandeliers float. Roman columns stand proudly between the large open spaces that flow effortlessly from one to the next, with polished marble floors underfoot. Detailed mouldings and cornices adorn the lower-set ceilings that have been used to create a comfortable ambience in a selection of the living areas, where carefully chosen furniture pieces have been placed to maintain the regal atmosphere of the more reverent adjacent spaces. This all combines to create an inspired stately home that honours the great houses that have come before it; however, the majority of its predecessors and modernday contemporaries are not neighbours — in fact, most are found where history is rich and families date back hundreds of years.
To replicate such tradition and grandeur, the owners turned to their favourite English designer, Clive Christian. In the hands of Australian kitchen company Davinci Designs, a Clive Christian kitchen was conceived and made possible. Designer Darren Pollit of Davinci Designs explains: “My brief from the clients was to create a stunning Clive Christian kitchen — an English-based manufacturer of the most luxurious bespoke furniture in the world. Every piece produced is created without reference to cost or trends for ultimate quality and timelessness. Luxury design is always paramount.”
With such a depth of scope at his command, Pollit fashioned a kitchen that pays homage to traditional design and style with all the trimmings that could be desired. What makes it truly unique is the manner in which the Clive Christian inclusions have been incorporated to allow them to shape the aesthetic character of the space and enhance all other aspects of the room. For instance, the freestanding Falcon oven and cooktop are proudly accompanied by the Clive Christian mantle that frames the marble splashback above it. This centrepiece of the kitchen is surrounded by equally fine Clive Christian Regencystyle hand-painted cabinet doors, panels, mouldings and kickboards. The knob handles boast the Clive Christian emblem to mark their exclusivity, as does the timber dove-tailed drawers. Davinci Designs was prudent in its consequent room design and selection of materials to ensure the high standards of the English manufacturer were upheld throughout the space. Marble benchtops, pilasters, a large central island, prep zone and cleaning area were all included, along with a fully integrated Miele dishwasher and twin Liebherr refrigerator. Together, the many elements produce a flawless finish that does not disappoint.
So impressed were the owners by Davinci Designs’ execution of their preferred style they decided to entrust all their cabinetry requirements to the company. “We designed and built the bathroom cabinetry with the same hand-painted finish as used in the kitchen and with similar design features, such as the traditional-style door, pilasters and kickboards. We also designed and installed the cabinetry for the bedrooms, laundry, scullery and coffee stations,” Pollit reveals. It is this consistency throughout the home that makes it a success. Refined elegance dominates every facet of the residence, permitting it an aura of sophistication equal to the splendid homes and designers that inspired it.
