LBD STUDIOS
Interior Design & Decoration
Client: LBD Studios
Location: Malvern Victoria
Interior Design: Nickolas Gurtler
Photography: Timothy Kaye
Published: Est Living, The Commercial Project
LBD Studios, a creative and branding agency, appointed Nickolas Gurtler Office to design a new workplace on Malvern Road in the inner suburb of Malvern. The century-old tenancy had served as shop, office and residence over its life, offering generous windows to the street and quiet character within. The studio treated the shell as an atelier, drawing on the Parisian district of Montparnasse for cues of craft, intimacy and composed elegance.
The arrival sequence sets the tone. A solid black door opens to a reception that reads more like the salon of a pied-à-terre than a waiting room. Blonde oak laid in herringbone and painted white brick form a calm canvas for sculptural furniture and lighting. A curved sofa by South African designer OKHA in off-white tweed sits with a vintage stained walnut coffee table. Hand-carved chairs in reclaimed Douglas fir by Australian creative Liam Mugavin add grain and tactility, alongside an ottoman by Destroyers/Builders and an oak and woven-rope chair by Normann Copenhagen.
Lighting blurs object and artwork. Pieces by Australian makers Jay Jermyn and Volker Haug introduce a soft glow that collects on texture rather than glare. Floor-to-ceiling taupe linen drapery runs on discreet tracks to either separate the adjacent boardroom or open the spaces for gatherings.
The boardroom is a workshop for ideas and presentations. A circular stained-timber table encourages conversation on equal terms, surrounded by comfortable off-white boucle and steel chairs. A wall of timber battens, painted in the studio’s signature “expensive beige,” provides a refined backdrop and reinforces brand tone without overt signage.
Upstairs holds LBD Studios’ workrooms. The palette is simple and durable, with cork, brass, black steel, walnut, white and the same warm neutral that wraps walls and ceilings. Large cork boards support concept development and quick iteration. The immersive monochrome references the work of Christian Liaigre and heightens focus by reducing visual noise. In private offices, chairs by Swiss architect Pierre Jeanneret bring timeless presence with walnut and rattan frames. Table lamps are selected for sculptural quality, including dome forms by &Tradition and Euroluce.
The completed project blends the romance of an artist’s atelier with contemporary function. It is calm, precise and materially rich, a brand-forward workplace that supports daily production and presents a confident face to clients.