Pairing luxury and industrial: Conqubine Studio, Parnell

The winners of the 2019 Red Awards for retail design excellence span a diverse group of innovative fitouts from the crisp timber interiors of a dentistry practice to the arresting entrance and interior of Kathmandu in Newmarket. But it is the Specialty Retail Design Group Winner, Conqubine Gallery, that stands out for its intrepid exploration of themes that at first glance seem at odds with one another.

Located in a former warehouse building in a rapidly developing enclave of Parnell, the studio is a deep, narrow space retaining its original character with polished concrete floors, original exposed concrete columns flanking the entrance, and a north facing bi-fold window facade.

“The immediate vicinity plays host to a number of vibrant new cafes, restaurants and shops and has the buzz associated with being the backyard playground of a large number of design industry professionals,” Conqubine’s Leigh Pryde says.

“The brief for this project was to design a clean, contemporary and sophisticated space evoking the brand’s key emotive identifiers: luxury; harmony; and, elegance.  The space needed to enhance the brand’s contemporary East/West design aesthetic with an affinity for mixing old with new, together with a hint of the unexpected in a contemporary and yet timeless, relevant setting.”

The unifying design concept had to seamlessly cater to three differing needs in the space, as a luxury furniture and accessories boutique, a fine art gallery and as a design studio. 

Utilising dualism and complementary opposites, a strong sense of balance and harmony was created across themes of power and serenity, luxury and industrial, masculine and feminine and old and new. 

“The design concept placed an importance on borrowing from the history of what has gone before to instil a sense of place and relevance while giving rise to new experiences,” Leigh says. Incorporating elements such as barn rail tracks, harking back to the building’s industrial heritage, and unfinished copper signage that lent a subtle industrial quality to contemporary, stylised lettering.

A global nomad, Leigh has spent much of her career living and working in Asia on high-profile luxury hotel and residential developments throughout the region. Immersed in the area’s rich cultural heritage, her resulting style is one infused with the balance and harmony of the region, and one that the Conqubine Design studio resonates.

“Powerful architectural elements, harmonious colour palettes and rich textures are signatures of my style as a designer. Mixing old and new with subtle shifts in textures through a luxurious choice of materials creates clean lines and brings a sense of calm to interiors,” she says.

“At the studio, I’ve incorporated the art of one of Hong Kong’s foremost modern abstract ink painters, Nina Pryde, with curated objects including Burmese lacquerware, bronze and cast metal accessories and custom crystal objects.”

Luxury is paired with these industrial elements by using materials including gold leaf, grass cloth, bronze, faux florals, marble and leather.

Conqubine offers bespoke interior design services specialising in luxury hospitality and high-end residential, as well as a curated collection of luxurious furniture, fine art and accessories.