10 Design Essentials with Interior Designer Alexandra Donohoe Church (Design Masterclass)

We discussed 10 design essentials with interior architect Alexandra Donohoe Church, founder of interior design and architecture studio Decus. These must-haves include superb textiles, weighty handcrafted pieces in metal and timber, and what she believes is “one of the sexiest chairs on the planet”. The 10 design essentials with interior architect Donohoe Church video covers her go-to pieces. When asked what her essentials say about her, Donohue Church replied: “probably that I'm not particularly practical in my choices, and I have very expensive taste.” Be that as it may, her curation is a delectable concert of materials from silk, linen and wool to rosewood and glass, unified by a tapestry of warm, earthen tones. The first of these 10 design essentials with interior architect Donohoe Church is Studio Henry Wilson’s modular system of cast aluminium panels, which feature abstract motifs. “You can rotate each of the panels to create a different relief,” she says. “It almost feels like the effect is a little bit endless or limitless.” Similarly, Decus’ series of timber textures, created in collaboration with Tim Noone, are noted in this video of 10 design essentials with interior architect Donohoe Church. Expressing a dappled surface – the scale of which varies depending on the size of the drill bit used to carve the timber face, and specified for joinery facades or wall panelling – these textures are infinitely versatile. A common through line in these 10 design essentials with interior architect Donohoe Church is an affinity for warm, natural and “dirty” colours. Nothing is too pristine, and the effect is of layered, visually interesting palettes. For instance, The Équilibre rug by Atelier Février, which features a geometric pattern in a golden, toffee tone, is a favourite. “For me, the palette of this rug is my absolute spirit animal,” says Donohue Church. “As a studio, we tend to err on the side of the dirtier, more earthy colour palettes, so I'm here for this.” Linen and wool blankets from Society Limonta express a similar palette of deep forest greens and rusty hues, which can also be layered and casually tousled for maximum effect. A slightly more opulent inclusion is Green Interspace by Dimore Studio: a “totally outrageous upholstery that is not for everyone,” admits Donohue Church. She describes the design as “a little carnival, a little Memphis, a little 1993 opulence,” adding that she loves it “because it's really unexpected”. Among the 10 design essentials with interior architect Donohoe Church, she shares one piece of furniture: the Presidencial Armchair by Jorge Zalszupin for ETEL from Mama Casa, which is her “all-time favourite armchair”. Designed in 1955 in Brazil, it exudes many of the ideals redolent of this context and era, like the prominent use of rosewood, the diaphanous frame that facilitates air flow and the decidedly sculptural silhouette. “It’s one of the sexiest chairs on the planet,” she concludes. 00:00 - Introduction to 10 Design Essentials with Interior Designer Alexandra Donohoe Church 00:25 - 10: Decus Special timber textures by Decus Interiors and Time No-one 01:12 - 09: Presidencial Armchair by Jorge Zalszupin for ETEL from Mama Casa 01:55 - 08: Wall Relief Study edition 290 by Studio designer Henry Wilson 02:41 - 07: Green Interspace upholstery by Dimore Studio 03:29 - 06: Splatter Rug by Martyn Thompson from Tibet Sydney 04:18 - 05: Iris Field upholstery by Dimore Studio 04:58 - 04: Sand-cast glass vessel by Studio Vogel 05:45 - 03: Throws & Blankets from Society Limonta 06:27 - 02: Équilibre rug by Atelier Fevrier 07:07 - 01: Sand-cast bronze tray by Michael Verheyden For more from The Local Project: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thelocalproject/ Website – https://thelocalproject.com.au/ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-local-project-publication/ Print Publication – https://thelocalproject.com.au/publication/ Hardcover Book – https://thelocalproject.com.au/book/ The Local Project Marketplace – https://thelocalproject.com.au/marketplace/ For more from The Local Production: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thelocalproduction_/ Website – https://thelocalproduction.com.au/ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/thelocalproduction/ To subscribe to The Local Project's tri-annual print publication see here – https://thelocalproject.com.au/subscribe/ Filmed and edited by The Local Production The Local Project acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land in Australia. We recognise the importance of Indigenous peoples in the identity of our country and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands. #Design #Essentials #InteriorDesigner