StylecraftHOME Melbourne is the bold new venture for well-established brand Stylecraft, which has a long, successful history in the high-end commercial furniture sector. Its new Melbourne showroom has been designed to capture a different audience – retail buyers of residential furniture. Following the success of the flagship store in Sydney, also designed by HASSELL, the brief was to bring the concept to Stylecraft’s historic Melbourne base, translating the design so that it retained the strong elements of the original while embodying an intrinsically Melbourne feel.

StylecraftHOME Melbourne occupies the ground and lower ground floors of the early twentieth-century brick building. Aptly inspired by a typical home, the residential showroom is organised as a series of rooms you would find in any home, with visitors invited to wander through like welcome guests. Each space takes you on an inspirational journey, which calls to mind European luxury and style, where outdoor courtyards merge with opulent interiors, and where good design is an intrinsic part of everyday life.

The pivotal design element is the arch, which evokes a distinctly European style. Arches also provide a vehicle through which to frame and display products. Familiar spaces such as a living room, kitchen and study – defined by rich, bold colours –are all present, providing both inspiration and areas for meetings. This crossover between home and work is reflective of today’s office environments.

HASSELL created an interchangeable set of elements by breaking down the design into a refined kit of parts that, when combined, embody the essence of the brand and the concept. Arches, mesh, gardens, timber, stepping and skylights – these elements create an identifiable brand look for the new venture, which can continue to be applied to future showroom spaces.

Photography: Nicole England.