A Cabinet of Curiosities was commissioned to sit in an apartment interior we originally designed in 2019. In the five years since, where a glazed wall once had views over East Melbourne, there is now an office tower. An apartment designed originally for living, now post-COVID, used partially for working. The clients are collectors, and wanted a multifaceted piece that would:
-allow them to display their collection of curiosities
-screen the new neighbouring apartment building
-act as a work from home station which could be closed off when not in use to enforce work/life separation

The design sought to achieve this without completely blocking the light from the window beyond. The result is a dynamic piece that can at once be made solid and barrier-like, but then through the use of tambour doors, quickly adjusted to appear light and transparent. Tambour doors slide away, seemingly to nowhere, leaving a completely porous, light permeable object.

Crafted meticulously by Simeon Dux, the piece has been made to masterful levels of craftsmanship, with hand-cut dovetails, piston-fit drawers, continuous grain quartersawn veneer tambour doors, hand-turned 10,000 year old ancient redgum drawer pulls, handmade brass pulls, alongside custom integrated power, lighting and hardware.

Photography: Charlie White