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Originally from Narrandera in South West NSW, Adelaide Daniell and her brother Fraser share their colourful three bedroom art deco apartment in Parkville with a third housemate, Harry Scott. What is most apparent when you meet these three clever kids (I call them kids even though they’re in their twenties, I think that’s because I’m over 30?) is just how driven and switched on they are! It’s quite exhausting.
Adelaide is a freelance graphic designer who has built an impressive client base in just a few years since finishing her studies, and she also has a little side business with a friend called Adelaide & Amanda, designing super cute souvenirs (illustrated totes, teatowels and magnets) stocked at various outlets along The Great Ocean Road. Adelaide’s younger brother Fraser is in his final year of graphic design at Swinburne, and restores old bikes, as well as riding in a cycling team with third housemate Harry. ‘Fraser and Harry ride bikes like crazy’ says Adelaide! They must be pretty good, because Fraser has negotiated sponsorship (!) and has designed amazing professional racing gear for their cycling team, Pat’s Veg Racing. Third housemate Harry is finishing off his Finance and Economics degree at RMIT, while also working at Moss Green Gallery and Auctions. When not cycling, Harry is also a keen photographer, and often collaborates with Adelaide.
Having lived here for the longest time (six years), Adelaide has probably had the most input in the look and feel of the apartment. Her design aesthetic, informed by a love of bold colour and eclectic detail, has certainly been injected into the home. Not long after her parents purchased the apartment, Adelaide and her Dad ripped out the kitchen and the bathroom. They did most of the tiling and flooring themselves (including those brilliant painted floorboards in the kitchen!), being careful to retain as many of the original art deco features as possible. The apartment was painted throughout, with brave colourful shapes painted in the hallway and in Adelaide’s bedroom. More recently, Adelaide added the sticky dots to the dining room walls and furniture, on a bit of a whim. ‘I did the dots when I was going through a bored design stage, the plan was originally to change this space every couple of months into something else – but the dots sort of just stayed!’ she says. (HOW AMAZING do they look!?).
Adelaide also pulled in a number of creative and capable friends to assist with sprucing up her much loved apartment. An in-built daybed with storage underneath and custom make book shelves were designed and built by local artist and friend Esther Stewart, with the help of another friend, Ben Corallo.
One of the most distinctive features of this apartment is the impressive art collection Adelaide has already begun to amass. Gotta love a confident twenty-something art collector! Adelaide is particularly fond of a painting she purchased from her friend Esther Stewart. ‘Esther and I met playing tennis, and this piece looks a little like a tennis court – I love the colours, scale and geometric style’ she says. Another favourite piece is the large painting in her bedroom entitled ‘Working Holiday‘ by another young Melbourne artist, Oscar Perry. ‘My Dad did a season in the Austrian Alps and used to tell these crazy stories about his time there. When I went to Oscar’s show The Eagle has Landing, it was like those stories painted. I showed Dad and he completely agreed!’ says Adelaide.
When observing Adelaide, Fraser and Harry at home, it’s clear these three housemates love living together, and are pretty chuffed with their happy little home. I must admit, I was particularly impressed with how houseproud this young trio are – even the boys’ bedrooms were very considered, super neat and organised! ‘We’re all from the country and this apartment is between two parks, with a heap of native birds nearby, and it’s really quiet – so it feels like home’ says Adelaide. ‘It’s a spacious apartment, with a good view, and natural light – there’s just a really positive feeling within these walls’.
