Thomas Hamel

The apartment of Sydney-based interior designer Thomas Hamel and his partner, antiquarian Martyn Cook, was featured in this months Vogue Living (Australia). It definitely has a very masculine feel about it, and I'm loving their ensemble of mixed antiques and the neutral colour palette. This to me has an Australian feel (although not uniquely) about it - the furniture is from various parts of the world - and the colonial pieces definitely look right at home.

In the living room two gild Italian Neoclassical side chairs (c 1790) and a French bureau (c 1890) in front of an imported 19thC Chinese wallpaper panel.

A syrian teak and bone inlay coffee table on a woven leather rug from Nth Africa. Portuguese mahogany bureau (c 1750), flanked by a pair of Anglo-Ceylonese carved ebony armchairs (c 1880) on the back wall.

Four antique doors open up the living room to the sitting room. On the far wall is an English neo-gothic bookcase.

18thC chandelier hangs above the dining table, behind is an English George III neoclassical mahogany chest on chest.

English Goerge III giltwood mirror (c 1750) hangs above the fireplace. Wing chairs are French, and upholstered in linen.

Sth African mask sits on a wicker chest in the guest bedroom. The hanging lamp is Recency style.

The guest bedroom features a 19thC Anglo-Portuguese carved ebony bed which is flanked by custom-made georgian-style bookcases. The bed sits in a niche that was created to showcase a 1730's map of Paris printed on cork (what an ingenius idea!).

This article got me thinking this week about how many stunning homes we see featured in magazines around the world that are owned by gay male couples. I love that magazines feature interiors based on the style, regardless of whose they are, but I'm beginning to wonder why I have never seen an apartment owned by a gay female couple. Where do they all live? Do they not have equally the same style as their male counterparts?