David Hicks transforms an expansive inner-city apartment with a slice of la vie Francaise

This expansive inner-city apartment has been transformed into a luxurious slice of la vie Francaise by high-profile interior designer David Hicks.

Hicks, who has earned a reputation for redefining Australian luxury with his opulent, more-is-more aesthetic, demonstrates his much-vaunted flair at the project with a daring blend of hot pink mohair, ochre-veined Calacatta marble and antique chandeliers.

The clients, a mature-aged couple with adult children, split their time between Melbourne and France, where they own a chateau in the province of Normandy, about half an hour’s drive from Paris.

Their love for France provided a starting point for the overall aesthetic of the interior, with Hicks seeking to evoke the sumptuousness and attention to detail seen in grand old Parisian dwellings.

“The client downsized from a large family home, searching for a residence that was practical yet spacious enough to accommodate the couple’s children as they come and go,” he says. “[Their] passion for all things French helped inform the design story we aimed to tell for this project.”

The apartment, comprising three bedrooms with en suites, occupies the first floor of a four-storey block – a development that Hicks and landscape designer Jack Merlo completed two years ago – in the bustling inner-city suburb of South Yarra. The exterior of the building takes cues from the brutalist architecture movement of the mid-20th century, with raw concrete and simple, stripped-back lines.

“The client, who purchased partway through construction, made minor changes to the design, such as a lighter stained timber for the flooring and a request for Dior grey walls,” Hicks says.

“From this point on, the project was more decorative. Although the spaces are large, we wanted to create a sense of intimacy achieved through raw oak herringbone floors and strategic use of antique French furniture.”

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Hicks says the interior “tells a story” about the progression of French furniture design, a blend of different eras typified by the Louis-style armchairs reupholstered in contemporary fabric from Parisian fashion house Hermes.

The mid-century sofa by designer Jean Royere in the living room was also reupholstered, with Hicksopting for pink mohair from Elliott Clarke Textiles.

Elsewhere, a more traditional French style is evident, such as in the main bedroom’s antique chandelier and Corbeille bed. “The overall aesthetic is contemporary French, layered with history,” he says.

Custom pieces designed for the project include the dining table, which is paired with Platner chairs from local furniture retailer De De Ce. The rugs are also custom-designed by Cadrys, with alpaca wool featured in the main bedroom.

“We were not restricted by the predominantly French theming and sourced other furniture globally, such as vintage Italian chandeliers by Giogali and contemporary pieces from [US design house] Knoll,” Hicks says.