As part of a series of profiles on Australian Interior Designers in collaboration with Temple & Webster, David Clark interviews BKH's Iain Halliday about scale, proportion and the influence of James Bond.

What attracted you to the world of design and architecture?

From an early age I was obsessed with my surroundings and my idea of what was beautiful & glamorous. The look of certain movies and television programs both old and contemporary were a fascination. James Bond always seemed to have the best cars, watches and toys. Bond villains always lived in Lautner houses or on private islands. Movies set in New York always featured penthouses. 

Who are the people alive or dead that you think are/were truly inspirational?

Such a difficult question – so many! 

Mies Van Der Rohe, Paul Rudolph, Halston, Josef Hoffmann, Constantin Brancusi, Gianni Agnelli, Tom Ford, Peter Marino, Anna Wintour, Yves Saint  Laurent, Donald Judd, Anish Kapoor.

How would you describe your signature style?

Appropriate, sure-footed, elegant & stylistically diverse.

What matters to you most in the work that you do?

Seeing a client that is happy with what you have produced for them, knowing that you were able to deliver your best in the context of their needs and budget.

Do you have a favourite residential project?

The Johnson – Nicols House in Whale Beach 

What is your design pet hate?

Acres of furniture from only one supplier mixed with a bad high rise flower arrangement and bad art hung too high up the walls (does that constitute 3 hates?)

What do you think works without fail?

Beautifully considered lines, attention to scale and an understanding of appropriate materiality.

You oversee a team of eighteen employees – what do you look for in the people you work with?

A genuine dedication to what we are selling – an understanding of proportion, appropriateness and quality. High levels of energy and patience.

You have had much peer recognition over the years. Is there a key moment that matters most? 

Probably not one but several –
The opening of Darley Street Thai Restaurant (1993)
The release of BKH Book 1 (2007)
The opening of BKH New York Office (2008) 

What would the future bring that would make your career complete?

A substantial commission in New York

 

BKH
bkh.com.au

Article courtesy of Temple & Webster
templeandwebster.com.au