Habitusliving talks steak tartare, Negronis, Picasso and desktop tools with SJB director, SID Insider and Design Hunter Jonathan Richards.

On My Desk:

So, in clockwise kind of order from the top left:

1. I used to hate indoor plants, now I can’t get enough of them. My house is full of cuttings in clear glass jars and now it’s spread to the office. It gives a fresh shot of wild green and also help purify the stale office air.

2. A lovely little sketch by my daughter Peggy.

3. A watercolour set I use for throwing some colour on the my drawings.

4. My favourite set of headphones that I use to shut the world out. I love listening to music – we have it playing through the studio most of the time and the headphones help when music tastes clash!

5. I bought an iPad recently – as with most Apple products, I now wonder how I ever coped without it.

6. A big highlight from a recent trip to Tokyo was visiting the Fog Linen shop – beautiful products. Among a collection of loot, I came away with this Fog linen striped tray that does little more than remind me of Tokyo and holds the coffee spare change.

7. I have a soft spot for good stationary and desk equipment. This little swivelling scale ruler has any scale you need including a scale that converts between A3 and A4 paper! Genius.

8. A small tub of Aesop moisturiser to fight off the dry air in the office.

9. Sketches – everywhere, all over the desk. Somewhat quaint, but I still hand sketch.

10. I can’t get far without a tape measure. There is nothing much more important than getting the pragmatics of size and proportion right when designing.

11. I’m loving this ‘&TRADITION’ range of products from Copenhagen. Lovely catalogue and a matching calibre of fresh design products.

12. Lastly, my Persol sunnies – purchase inspired by Stephen Dorff in the movie Somewhere. I lose sunglasses all the time – so I hope those people who’ve found them are looking after them better than me. But these ones, fingers crossed, are stayers.

Design Hunter Q+A:

Your name: Jonathan Richards

What you do: Director, SJB Interiors

Your latest project: Too many going at any one time –

Who are three people that inspire/excite you:

1) Vincent Van Duysen
2) Pharrell Williams
3) Wes Anderson

What is your favourite… 

(THESE ARE TODAY’S FAVOURITES, MIGHT ALL CHANGE TOMORROW)

Car/bike/plane/boat model: A Sydney ferry (I’m not much of a motor freak)

Chair model: Joe Colombo’s Elda chair (as demonstrated by him)  
And, more current, the Knot Chair from Normann Copenhagenn

Residential space: Utzon’s Majorca houses

Commercial space: The Guggenheim NYC

Decorative product: Any beautiful plant – as used by SANAA Architects, love the way they do it!

Functional product: Hard to beat a piano

Handmade good: My Panerai watch

Mass-produced good: Wastberg Sempe clamp desk light 

Meal: Steak Tartare

Restaurant: Apollo Potts Point 

Drink: Negroni

Bar: 10 William Street, Paddington

Item in your studio: The new publication on Kerry Hill published by Thames and Hudson

Piece of technology: My iPad

Historical figure: Picasso – outrageously gifted with a passion for life

Fictional character: Darth Vader – serious issues there.

Vice: ok, just one more drink …

Virtue: Persistence

What does the term ‘Design Hunter’ mean to you? Being able to pick through all the stuff, all the imagery, all the clutter that surrounds us everyday and select those unique and rare items that are an extension of just you! And when you put it all together you, it has genuine style.

From high profile designers to trendsetting design hunters, the SID Insiders will be leading the Sydney Indesign experience by lending us their eyes and ears, sharing their thoughts on Sydney Indesign and giving a personal insight into their own design journeys. 

From their approach to Sydney, favourite haunts and city tips, right down to how they navigate their lives, make sure to follow their Twitter, Instagram andFacebook pages as they share their own experience of Sydney Indesign.

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