Paul Hecker

The St Kilda home of interior designer Paul Hecker of Hecker Guthrie.  Dining room details - Flos Black and White pendant light, Fritz Hansen table and Ant chairs,  Edra Janette chair in background, Tom Dixon small table.  Wall colour - Dulux Namadje.  Photo - Sean Fennessy, Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Amazing corner in Paul's upstairs living room, overlooking a leafy view to the adjacent St Kilda park.  B&B Italia Charles sofa, Paul Kjaerholm chair, TV unit custom designed by Paul, small table by Cappellini.  Photo - Sean Fennessy, Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Upstairs living room.  B&B Italia Charles sofa, green table by Zanotta, low table by Cappellini, Eero Saarinan side  to right. Wall colour - Dulux Namadje. Photo - Sean Fennessy, Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

After interviewing Paul Hecker from revered Melbourne interior design studio Hecker Guthrie earlier this year, I must say I am pretty chuffed with today's scoop...  I feel very lucky to be able to share Paul's own St Kilda home with you today!  With it's moody, masculine colour palette, sleek, understated styling and seriously impressive collection of classic design pieces, ceramics and fine art, this really is the ultimate design-lover's bachelor pad. Paul has lived in his compact 2 storey home since 2000 ('Oh my Lord…really!' he says, when realising it's been 13 years since he first moved in!). A testament to his impeccable taste and innate sense of style, the space still feels completely contemporary, despite having been designed and built over a decade ago. 'I started with a minimal space and my aesthetic was quite pared back, however my natural lust (greed) has meant that there is a heavy accumulation of 13 years worth of stuff' says Paul of his incredible collection of furniture and design objects.  Structurally, the one bedroom home has remained largely unchanged since he first moved in, although the interior is always changing, as Paul keeps adding things…. lots of things! When asked which are the most treasured pieces from this growing collection, Paul is characteristically jovial and outspoken!  'I love or at least like everything in my house, or why have it?' he says.  He's probably most attached to his vintage ceramic collection - an impressive family of mostly Scandinavian pieces, collected over many years and dotted throughout the space.  'My favourite things change constantly, but if God forbid there was a fire, and I could only save one thing, it’s tough … but it would have to be a tiny white vase by the Swedish ceramicist Wilhelm Kage… it’s irreplaceable'. Though known for his meticulous attention to detail with his clients' work, interestingly, Paul has quite a different, almost philosophical approach to his own living space.  'There are so many things I’d change, but for some reason, living with the imperfect doesn’t matter' he says. 'All I know is, I have tried on many occasions to find a new home, and yet I have always retuned to this. Maybe it is the area, the coffee shop at the end of the street, the park next door, or just the fact that it feels like me'. Couldn't have said it better myself!  This striking home indeed presents the most perfect reflection of its uniquely creative inhabitant - suitably stylish, yet relaxed, lived in, and unmistakably low-key.  We wouldn't have expected anything less Paul! Super massive thanks to Paul for sharing his private world with us today, and to Simone Haag at HG for faciliating our shoot and assisting with captions!

Dining room.  Flos Black and White pendant light, painting by Andrew Brown, Fritz Hansen table and Ant chairs,  Edra Janette chair in background, Tom Dixon small table.  Wall colour - Dulux Namadje.  Photo - Sean Fennessy, Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Dining table details.  Owl - a gift from Paul's business partner Hamish on a recent trip to Copenhagen, jug by North Carlton Ceramics, Roger Capron tiles, Mark Tuckey bowl. Paul’s weekends are often spent rearranging items from his amazing collection of design objects!  Photo - Sean Fennessy, Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

First floor - top of the stairs. Artwork by Collin Pennock.  White framed table to left custom designed to house Royal Copenhagen tiles sourced on a trip to Denmark. Underneath framed side table sits a timber object that Paul and Hame designed for the centrepiece of Hecker Guthrie's table for the NGV fundraiser 'Best of the Best' event earlier this year. White table on right hand side by Knoll.  Small clocks on left wall by Georg Jensen.  Photo - Sean Fennessy, Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Dining room detail.  Georg Jensen Clocks (spelling?), Danish ceramics.  Photo - Sean Fennessy, Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Downstairs loungeroom looking through to master bedroom.  Ox chair, red side table by Zanotta, Arco lamp.  Photo - Sean Fennessy, Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Master bedroom.  Alpaca blanket by Creswick Wollen Mills.  Vate table lamp from Ikea. Photo - Sean Fennessy, Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Bedoom reverse, looking into courtyard.  Swan chair, Cassina Cavalletto desk, Knoll side table, Foscarini Diesel lamp.  Photo - Sean Fennessy, Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Entrance.  Painting - 'Paynes Way' by Chris Bellamy (represented by Libby Edwards Galleries).  Gumboots by Barbour, Ptolomeo book shelf.  Photo - Sean Fennessy, Production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.