burwood residence

INTERIOR DECORATION
alessandra smith design

PHOTOGRAPHY
Lei Lei Clavey

Burwood Residence, a charming 50s house, is the family home of photographer and creative entrepreneur, Lei Lei Clavey. Despite being a rental, Lei was eager to create a sense of permanence in the space, acknowledging that while this may not be their “forever home”, it should still feel warm, inviting and a reflection of the family’s unique personalities and lived experiences. ‘alessandra smith design’ was engaged to source furniture, objects, art and lighting pieces for the living room, dining room and office space, that would seamlessly integrate with some of the existing sentimental pieces Lei and her husband had collected.

Some of the key pieces sourced for this project include the timeless Le Corbusier LC4 chaise lounge, the electric blue velvet modular sofa sourced from local favourite, Modern Times and the clay-coloured steel coffee table by highly regarded Melbourne designer, Nicole Lawrence. A total of eight artworks were also sourced for the home, many of which make up the gallery wall in Lei’s study, serving as an engaging backdrop for video calls. One piece of particular significance is the photograph of Collins Street, which legendary German-born Australian photographer Mark Strezic took in the 1950s. With Lei being a successful photographer, it was only fitting that one of the collected works include a photographic piece and the fact this it captures the city she calls home and is of a similar vintage to Burwood Residence only makes it all the more special.