Melbourne-based interior design studio GOLDEN is known for its expressive interiors that embody a less-is-more approach. That’s not to say that the interiors created by co-founders and creative directors Kylie Buhagiar and Alicia McKimm, along with studio director Daniel Stellini, are minimalist or spartan. In fact, the opposite is true. Each project — from residential, hospitality and workplace — is conceived as a tactile, sensory experience, designed as expressions of modern life that enhance the everyday. 

For our Designer Selects series, the GOLDEN team share their top picks for design icons that elevate a space and command attention, while still being incredibly functional. 

Akari 14A

Designed by Noguchi in 1951, this light is the balance of Japanese craft and modernist form, providing soft, warm ambient light and sculptural form. It speaks to our GOLDEN design principles and often finds a home in our work.

699 Superleggera Chair by Gio Ponti

A classic dining chair designed by Gio Ponti in the 50s. These chairs bring warmth to an interior via their rattan seats and frame in a pop of colour, which when selected for our Littlewood residence, contributed to the environmental palette of the interior design.

7 Fauteuil tournant – Durable (also known as the LC7 chair by Charlotte Perriand)

This iconic chair was designed for Italian design company Cassina by one of the greatest female makers of all time, Charlotte Perriand. Its versatility and suitability in residential, hospitality and commercial interiors make it a staple for GOLDEN. It is the perfect combination of comfort and timeless beauty.

Screen 100 by Alvar Alto 

This iconic design piece by Artek, designed by Alvar Alto in 1963, is a functional screen that can be rolled up or expanded. Its form can be manipulated by the user to divide rooms with multiple curves or simply straight and upright. For us, it expresses the mantra of form follows function. 

Ventaglio table by Charlotte Perriand

A highly crafted piece, the Ventaglio table by Charlotte Perriand for Cassina is one we love for its adaptability. We’ve used it as a dining table, console, desk or display. Being asymmetrical, the subtle quirk of its geometry aligns beautifully within our spaces. 

Images supplied unless otherwise mentioned.

For more inspiration check out Sally Knibbs’ Designer Selects.