Let there be light

The first home you bought?
My first home was in Hawthorn. It was a charming Victorian weatherboard in a terrible state and in need of TLC. We literally spent every weekend renovating it. I recall my poor mother tirelessly on the end of a blowtorch stripping paint.

The suburb you love?
South Yarra’s Botanical Gardens precinct. I love the tree-lined streets, proximity to the city, the peacefulness of the Yarra River and the energy produced by people exercising and embracing the outdoors.

Describe your home style
Contemporary yet timeless; not austere; spacious and light-filled. My home has a refined masculine elegance with natural tactile materials that soften the space, which is layered with collectibles from faraway lands. I use lamp light to gently illuminate a space or rooms in the evening, creating a subtle luxury.

Most treasured possession?
I treasure my Guaxs modern glass vases – probably because I work with mouth-blown glass lighting. I also treasure a Peter D. Cole sculpture and a small cast bronze hand, collected by my grandmother on her travels in India. I also love my collection of design and architecture books. I believe people make a house a home.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
Everything around me inspires: nature, art, fashion and garment detailing. I was recently asked by Elenberg Fraser architects to design lighting for Rockley Gardens in South Yarra and I was inspired by the leafy park nearby. The brief was to create lighting pieces like wall or ceiling jewellery.

Best design tip?
Less is more. The detail is in the simplicity. Be original and have courage. Consider the function to be as important as the overall design aesthetic. Stay true to your brand or design philosophy.

Your next home?
It will be in the country or by the beach – definitely near water. It will have an orchard, a vegetable garden and be surrounded by trees and nature. I would like large windows where the outside is invited in – a cocoon from the chaos and bustle of life.

Best kitchenware shop?
Daylesford Organic, in London. In Melbourne, I like Scullerymade, in Malvern, and the Essential Ingredient, in Prahran.

Nicci Green is the design director of Articolo Architectural Lighting, articoloarchitecturallighting