- Interior
We take you to an impressive, renovated townhouse in Australia. As soon as you walk in, you get the feeling of leaving the busy city centre behind and find yourself in a haven full of soothing, neutral tones, warm materials and soft furnishings. This project was fittingly named 'Townhouse Caramél', in reference to the rich caramel hue you find throughout the interior.
CJH Studio is an interior design practice based in Melbourne and is led by Cassie James-Herrick. One of their most recent projects, situated in Melbourne, was called 'Townhouse Caramél', as it is soaked in the signature caramel tones. The residents’ biggest wish was to come home to a place completely detached from their working day, where they can completely unwind and enjoy the warmth of their family. Using the understated palette of materials and colours, this feeling is brought out perfectly. Although the house was in great condition and had undergone a previous renovation, it did not really fit the new owners' mindset, so they enlisted the help of CJH Studio. 
The use of materials throughout the project is very consistent and carefully restrained. This allows the home to enjoy an interesting balance between the soft, warm textural elements in natural wood and stone, combined with colder metals and glass, alongside very tactile forms of naturally soft furnishings and fabrics and wall finishes. The thread of caramel tones beautifully reflects the owners' personality. The combination with wood and the introduction of natural stone adds texture to the spaces. The team opted for very subtle (wall) lighting so that the home retains its atmosphere even at night. 
The minimal colour palette called for additional enhancement of details and textures
Next to spaces where the family can retreat, there are also more open and connected communal areas that are characterised by the abundance of natural light that enters. In addition, there was a big focus on warmth, so the choice was made to eliminate the large differences in tonality in the palette, creating a softness that is shared with the walls, floors and all the introduced joinery, furniture, lighting and art. Playing with the minimal colour palette called for additional enhancement of details and textures. 
Although the owners enjoy their privacy, they also love conviviality, so the kitchen, dining and living spaces were designed with that mindset. The dining room features a Maxalto Febo dining chair and a Roberto Lazzeroni Mizar Giorgetti dining table. The sculptural wooden bowls on top of the island bench were custom designed by CJH Studio. An elevated and detailed approach to joinery is used to support everyday living and as craft pieces in their own right. Townhouse Caramél reuses the residence's existing architecture and carefully lays out a textural richness to exceed all expectations. 
Do you want to know more about CJH Studio? Read the full article in Imagicasa Winter 2022.
Photography by Timothy Kaye