The Designer Collection

Kelly Behun show apartment

Introducing the first apartment in The Designer Collection, by world-renowned interior designer Kelly Behun. With her gallerist’s eye and deep connections to the art world, Kelly Behun was the natural choice for designing this exceptional show home. The designer apartment’s magnificent proportions and original features called for a bold vision from someone who appreciates the importance of The Whiteley’s location and history.

“IT’S VERY MUCH ABOUT HOW YOU NAVIGATE THROUGH A
SPACE. THERE SHOULD BE AN ELEMENT OF DRAMA AND A LITTLE BIT OF SURPRISE, AND EACH AREA SHOULD HAVE ITS OWN PARTICULAR CHARM THAT MAKES YOU FEEL A CERTAIN WAY.”

Kelly Behun

The imposing curved windows are an important heritage feature of The Whiteley, but more than an impressive architectural detail, their careful preservation brings the highly individual spirit of the original building into the apartment. Unlike the flat glass wall of a new build, on a sunny day the square mullions cast a spellbinding pattern of shadows, and even on a grey day the whole space is suffused with light.

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The room’s epic sense of scale meant Kelly could be ambitious in her composition of the furniture and artworks. For her, art is vital when it comes to making an interior feel like a home, adding a layer of emotional connection she believes is critical. She commissioned a mix of emerging local talent and artists she already knows, like Chris Wolston, the American artist who designed the sconces gracing the central window of the sitting area. A riff on the classic torchiere shape, they’re crafted from handblown curved glass shades and hammered bronze stems. At more than two metres tall, their striking form brings a touch of theatre and intrigue to the space.

Mary Katrantzou, a fashion designer with her own label, is the artist at The Rug Company who designed the sittingroom rug. The pattern of wavy lines brings to mind the rays of the sun, or the ripples cast from a pebble dropped in water, and the piece is carefully positioned to echo the sunshine filtering in through the windows and radiating out in all directions.

“PLACE AND CONTEXT ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. I WAS ESPECIALLY INSPIRED BY THE WHITELEY BEING SO CLOSE TO HYDE PARK. THE THOUGHTFUL PRESERVATION OF HERITAGE DETAILS LIKE THE WINDOWS AND FAÇADE MEANT I WAS ABLE TO CREATE A BEAUTIFUL MARRIAGE OF THE OLD AND THE NEW.”

Kelly Behun

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“FROM THE HERRINGBONE FLOORS AND THE WORKSURFACES IN THE KITCHEN, TO THE MARBLE IN THE BATHROOMS, THE FINISHES ARE NEXT LEVEL. IN TODAY’S WORLD, PEOPLE WANT A HOME THAT FEELS LIKE A SANCTUARY, A PLACE THAT BRINGS BOTH SOLACE AND JOY.”

Kelly Behun

Kelly Behun’s stellar career began at Ian Schrager Hotels’ in-house Design Studio in New York City, where she trained under architect Anda Andrei and worked with renowned designers Andrée Putman and Philippe Starck. She later went on to found Kelly Behun Studio, where her projects for high-profile clients utilise everything from bespoke furnishings and unique designer pieces to offbeat accents and unexpected vintage finds.