Home front: Tony Cardamone

Interior designer Tony Cardamone’s home is full of colour, pattern and textiles.

Your first home?
When my family got off the boat from Italy, we moved into a little house in South Yarra where mum had chickens and a vegetable garden. Later, my family moved to East Malvern, where I’ve lived for 43 years. The house has had three major revamps. I’m living proof that a person doesn’t have to move to change their environment. 

Describe your home style?
I’m a maximalist so my personal space is all about colour, pattern, texture and an abundance of beautiful objects. I’m not afraid to mix antiques with the contemporary and absolutely everything here is used. Comfort is the ultimate arbiter;  if it isn’t comfortable, it doesn’t get a look in.

The most iconic house?
Melbourne is one of the great Victorian cities, so Como House gets my vote. Everything about Como House is beautiful, pared back and elegant. 

Most treasured possession?
My library is my biggest treasure as it represents a lifetime of passionate interest in design. I have also been collecting contemporary Australian ceramics for decades and many of the artists have become good friends. 

The Melbourne suburb you love?
It has to be a green and leafy suburb such as East Malvern, where I work and live. I’m a passionate gardener and need more space than the inner city suburbs afford. 

Is wallpaper underrated?
A resounding yes! The ’70s and ’80s with their dominant geometric designs did great damage to wallpaper and people are fearful of it. However, all the European galleries use strongly coloured and patterned fabric as a backdrop to art. Wallpaper adds depth to a wall that paint just can’t deliver. Start out with a small room, maybe the guest bathroom, and turn a forgotten space into a gem. 

How important are textiles?
Textiles are everything. All my furniture is covered, all my windows have curtains and I have cushions and fabric-covered bedheads. For me, it is all about the co-ordination of pattern on pattern and colour on colour. When you sit on fabric, its warmth, texture and comfort just can’t be replicated by hard, man-made surfaces. Curtains create a cocoon. 

Best homewares shop?
I’ve never frequented just one shop because I like playing with styles and periods. A home should reflect the owner’s personality, not the shop owner’s. 

Tony Cardamone has recently donated a lifetime of design resources, the Cardamone Collection, to the Textile and Fashion Hub at Kangan Institute.