Cover The landscaping of the tranquil outdoor garden is realised by Myles Baldwin Garden Design. Photo: Willem Dirk du Toit Photography

Articolo Lighting founder and lighting designer Nicci Green’s cosy Melbourne apartment uses illumination and green views to boost the sense of serenity of its minimalist interior

As the founder of Articolo Lighting, Nicci Green knows only too well the power of illumination in bringing interior settings to life. Natural light and well-chosen lamps can dramatically alter the ambience of various spaces, increase functionality, and highlight furnishings and focal points. 
 
So naturally, her home in Huntingtower Road in Melbourne, Australia, takes into consideration all of these qualities, and more. Working in collaboration with architectural and interior design firm Studio Goss, Green sought to give her 2,637 sq ft  apartment a layered aesthetic built upon a neutral palette and brought to life by the play of illumination and shadow.  

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Photo 1 of 3  The open-plan dining and kitchen areas features Articolo Lighting lamps as well as the De Padova leather cushions, Porro dining table, Cassina Cab chairs and Molteni&C counter stools. Photo: Willem Dirk du Toit Photography
Photo 2 of 3 A view of the living room. Photo: Willem Dirk du Toit Photography
Photo 3 of 3 Capping off the overall look are a selection of Articolo lighting fixtures throughout the home, which bring visual interest and soul to the interior with their metallic accents and gentle glow, including the kitchen pictured here. Photo: Willem Dirk du Toit Photography

“I engaged Studio Goss as David has designed each of our Articolo showrooms so innately and intimately understands my aesthetic and my desire to showcase a selection of our fittings in the space,” says Green. “I have always loved the less is more approach. A timeless design that combines only a handful of different finishes, gently layering one upon the other to provide a subtle canvas to dress the interior with carefully selected furniture pieces.”

The living, dining, and kitchen areas comprise the heart of the home; these spacious zones are built upon a neutral, tactile backdrop of textured plaster, stone, and pale oak which lends warmth and evokes calm. These materials demarcate the main zones, add depth, and pick up the shadows that pass through the home over the course of the day, cast by the deciduous trees that grow along its northern boundary.

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Above The garden is a calming sight, and is furnished with an outdoor dining set. Photo: Willem Dirk du Toit Photography
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Above Nicci Green, founder of Articolo Lighting. Photo: Sharyn Cairns Photography
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Above The Scandal wall sconces from Articolo Lighting create visual interest in the understated dining area. Photo: Sharyn Cairns Photography
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Above The peaceful study. Photo: Sharyn Cairns Photography

The choice of furniture and soft furnishings in this central zone is an extension of the home’s base palette. Pieces such as a De Padova sofa and rug, a B&B Italia console and a Poliform ottoman feature ecru, off-white and muted khaki tones, while a secondary layer of dark bronze and brass fixtures, as well as tan leather elements, creates tonal contrast. Side tables from Studio Brichet Ziegler and De La Espada, as well as artworks from Australian photographer Bill Henson bring a creative flair to the interior settings. 

Adjacent to the living room is the garden, a lush, layered green zone designed by landscape firm Myles Baldwin that uses the language of light to heighten its ambience. “When lit at night, the shadow play of light dancing across the leaves and branches is mesmerising,” says Green, referring to the Articolo outdoor lights that illuminate this space.  

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Above The peaceful outdoor area. Photo: Willem Dirk du Toit Photography
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Above A peek at the display shelves beside the study, which is hidden behind a wall in the living area. Photo: Willem Dirk du Toit Photography

A glimpse at the light-filled study is possible from the living room; the former is a quiet, subtly elegant space that incorporates a wall of bespoke designed bronze and pale oak bookshelf joinery. Privacy is assured by the block element, which shields part of this space. The central living and dining space is flanked by two private bedroom suites at either end; these restful spaces are havens for repose with their neutral hues and plush textures.  

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Photo 1 of 2 The bedroom is a tranquil zone with serene views of the outdoor garden
Photo 2 of 2 The wardrobe area of the ensuite bedroom is similarly understated

Casting a glow over every space in the home when dusk falls are the sculptural lighting fixtures from Articolo Lighting, which Green lovingly refers to as “ceiling and wall jewellery” and “little pieces of art”. Be it the delightfully effervescent Fizi table lamp in the living room, the sleek, tubular Scandal wall sconces in the dining area, or the bell-shaped Domi wall scones in the bedrooms, each piece elevates its surroundings with its sculptural form and soft radiance. 

“Unfortunately, lighting is always at the end of the build process, so it often gets swapped out or value managed,” says Green. “But lighting is intrinsic to creating a soulful space, a place to express yourself and your personality, to retreat to and unwind.” 

This 18-month renovation resulted in the successful amalgamation of mood and materiality, supplemented by the attentive use of lighting and the changing of the seasons, and a haven in which Green can seek refuge from the daily grind. 
 

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Above The bathroom is a zen zone. A peek at the display shelves beside the study, which is hidden behind a wall in the living area. Photo: Willem Dirk du Toit Photography
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Above Another view of the bathroom. A peek at the display shelves beside the study, which is hidden behind a wall in the living area. Photo: Willem Dirk du Toit Photography

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