Jardan Flagship

This is Melbourne furniture maker Jardan’s first interstate flagship. It’s in a thoughtfully renovated building on Oxford Street that was home to Ariel Booksellers for more than 30 years.

Jardan’s furniture is made in Melbourne from native woods and textiles from some of the world’s finest producers. Patagonian throws and Italian wool cushions combine with the company’s signature modernist-inspired sofas, chairs and tables to create spaces that are comfortable and approachable. Its furniture is designed for the Australian lifestyle; it alludes to an outdoorsy culture and is built to last a lifetime.

The company also works with local artists and craftspeople to stock the store. For example: wood-carved T-shirts by sculptor Toby Pola and photographs of Australian landscapes by Kane Alexander.

Although the space’s redesign remains sympathetic to the building’s Art Deco roots, inspiration was found in the work of some of Sydney’s most influential art-world families, such as interior designer Marion Hall Best, artist Brett Whiteley and the Olsen family of Dinosaur Designs. Upstairs, a lounge room looks onto a sunny vista outside to create a Whiteley-esque scene. A palm tree brushes against the window and white sails dot the emerald harbour in the distance.

A gigantic skylight drenches the entire three floors of the store in light. Subtle pastels of blue, pink and green colour the walls and the magnificent staircase. Designed by architect Iva Foschia, the space provides a context for the company’s products that feels more like a home than a showroom.