Tristan Ceddia and Adriana Giuffrida

The Melbourne home of designers Tristan Ceddia and Adriana Giuffrida and their daughter Valentina.  Table is vintage Kartell from eBay. Book shelf was a collaboration between Fred Ganim, Tristan, Mark and Nathan Ceddia. Vase is by Gaetano Pesce. Sculpture in the corner was a wedding gift from Brendan Huntley. Photo - Sean Fennessy. Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Living room detail.  Print on wall by Todd James, collage on top shelf by Martin Bell, print on top shelf by Alice Oehr. The ET money box was found at a market and is made of of coconut husks. Photo - Sean Fennessy. Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Top artwork - a gift from Barry McGee, bottom left from Benjamin Litchenstein, bottom right photograph is by Douglas Lance Gibson. Table is vintage Kartell found on eBay. Photo - Sean Fennessy. Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Kartell table found on eBay. Brendan Huntley cover of Artand. Photo - Sean Fennessy. Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Painting by Brendan Huntley, ceramic wall vase made by Adriana, print on the left is by Sister Corita Kent. The pillow is made from a baked bean yardage print Tristan designed for Ksubi. Photo - Sean Fennessy. Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Tristan, Adriana and baby Valentina Rose at home! Photo - Sean Fennessy. Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

In an unremarkable 1950's block of villa units, in a quiet street in suburban Brighton hides one seriously cool little family.  Allow me to introduce amazing designer / art director Tristan Ceddia of NeverNow and The Blackmail (modest but insanely clever creative genius responsible for so much good design work you know, but don't yet know you know), his partner Adriana Giuffrida (designer behind cult accessories label POMS), and their gorgeous little girl, Valentina Rose. Tristan and Adriana are the kind of people who know about everything and anything new and awesome waaaay before the rest of us catch on.  They really can't help it, it's just the way they are. Having worked with a bunch of amazing brands including Ksubi, Lucy Folk, P. Johnson and more, Tristan really is just one of those dudes who is always ahead of the pack, always onto the next thing.  Not surprisingly, the home he and Adriana share is full of amazing treasures including artwork and design pieces created by talented friends such as Brendan Huntley (who Tristan studied with), Fred Ganim, Nathalie du Pasquier and many more. Though they both studied in Melbourne, Tristan and Adriana spent time living in Sydney, and also three months living and working in Europe before deciding it was time to move back to Melbourne and settle down.  They found the housing market less aggressive in Brighton than it was closer to town, and ended up buying their light-filled two bedroom unit from an old teacher of Adriana's from RMIT.  'She loved the place, and was happy to pass it on to people who she felt would love it too, which we do' says Tristan. Living on the 'South side' really suits Tristan and Adriana.  They love the peaceful, quiet neighbourhood, and being close to family.  'We came to the suburbs to find a nice place for Valentina to live' says Tristan. Though they both spend a lot of time in the city, it was also important to both Tristan and Adriana to find a home close to both of their families, before starting a family of their own. After moving in, Tristan and Adriana made a few cosmetic changes such as re-carpeting, re-painting, and adding minor finishing touches such as new lights throughout, new window and door hardware and updated tap fixtures in the bathrooms.  Their greatest decorating achievement, according to Tristan, has been 'somehow managing to blend our tastes into one'! 'Generally one of us will bring something home for the house, and the other will love it instantly' says Tristan.  The pair are passionate about art, they love furniture and design objects, vases and natural timber. They also love TV! 'It's unpopular to admit that you love television but we do' says Tristan. 'Much time is spent on the couch cooling out in front of the TV'.  It's only fitting then, to have created a custom modular shelving and entertainment unit (or as Tristan calls it, an 'alter'), made from carefully selected Russian birch ply, with the TV as its centre piece. 'Our good friend Fred Ganim sourced the wood, and my father and brother put it together' says Tristan. Local designer Fred Ganim also designed and built the custom dining table with hidden storage compartment, and beautiful dusty blue powercoated base. 'We had a rough idea for what we wanted and he worked his magic' says Tristan. 'Fred makes great furniture and thinks in the same way we do, he is an amazing craftsman. The table has a piano hinge on one end and opens up to reveal a felt lined storage cavity. It's beautiful'. The sculpture in the corner of the living room is a particularly special piece, a wedding gift from Tristan's dear friend friend, artist Brendan Huntley, inscribed with a personal message on the inside. The painting above the couch is another work by Brendan - 'these are our friends in the room' says Tristan.  'Most of the artwork that we own have been gifts or trades with friends, it's super nice surrounding yourself with art by friends'. Riley Payne's artwork in Valentina's room is the family's latest acquisition. 'We always wanted something from Riley, and when this popped up at his most recent solo show we thought it would be perfect for her room, we think she might be an aspiring ballerina'. Huge thanks to Tristan and Adriana for sharing their beautiful and super cool little house with us today!  

Custom dining table by Fred Ganim. Shiva (cazzo) vase by Ettore Sottsass. Candle sticks by Georg Jensen. Oil pastel drawing by Peter Cole. Vintage light shade by Poul Henningsen. Photo - Sean Fennessy. Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Custom table by Fred Ganim. Shiva (cazzo) vase by Ettore Sottsass. Candle sticks, a wedding present, by Georg Jensen. Oil pastel drawing by Peter Cole. Vintage light shade by Poul Henningsen. 'Little Friend' on the top shelf is Mike Kelley for PAM. The skull drawing is an early Jonathan Zawada artwork. Photo - Sean Fennessy. Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Shelf details.  Vases by Monkeys of Melbourne and Nathalie du Pasquier. Collage and small squished clay sculptures by Misha Hollenbach. Chocolate bar by Paul McCarthy. Terrazzo Tile by Dan Moynihan. Plasticine artwork by Martin Bell. Tooth by Beci Orpin. Sleeping paintbrush by Brendan Huntley. +10 invite to Barry Mcgee's 2004 exhibition in Melbourne. Photo - Sean Fennessy. Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Master bedroom. Prints above bed by Nathalie du Pasquier. Pillows - an old design from PAM. Throw by Pendleton. Side table - Kartell. Photo - Sean Fennessy. Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Bedroom dresser.  Tahiti lamp by Ettore Sottsass, which was lovingly lugged back from Italy! Large photo by Christopher Day. Small googley eye artwork by Tristan Ceddia. Photo - Sean Fennessy. Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Custom table by Fred Ganim. Candle sticks by Georg Jensen. Oil pastel drawing by Peter Cole. Light shade by Poul Henningsen found on eBay. Kettle is Michael Graves for Alessi. Chairs are from Ikea. Photo - Sean Fennessy. Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

 

Valentina's room.  Eames rocker, a gift for Adriana's 30th. Stokke crib. Miffy lamp. Photo - Sean Fennessy. Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Valentina's room.  Eames rocker, a gift for Adriana's 30th. Stokke crib. Miffy lamp. Photo - Sean Fennessy. Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Valentina's room. Artwork by Riley Payne. Mobile by Beci Orpin. Big Ted belonged to Tristan as a child. Photo - Sean Fennessy. Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Adriana and gorgeous Valentina!  Sculpture by Brendan Huntley. Vintage throw, another gift from Brendan. Pillow from Turkey. Photo - Sean Fennessy. Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.