Homes

Steven and Bobby Clark

Artists Bobby Clark and Steven Clark (aka Den Holm) live above a shop in Thornbury in Melbourne’s North. Their apartment is a sweet and slightly quirky two bedroom space, with a rooftop garden just big enough for their beloved pup Scout! They’ve been here 18 months.

Written
by
Lucy Feagins

Bobby’s home studio. Vintage Turkish woven wall hanging, print by Lisa Sorgini from ‘Anywhere But Here’ series, artwork by Bobby Clark and assorted vintage hats collected by Bobby. Pop & Scott Dreamer Couch and Dream Weaver custom lamp. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Dining details. Pop & Scott dining table and bench seat, chairs are hand-me-downs from Matt and Lentil from Grown and Gathered. Matisse print found at the Rosemond Street rummage for $5, and concrete vase by Steve aka Den-Holm. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Wicker chairs found at Itchy Coo Park Vintage Store in Thornbury, limestone planter by Steven, and Pop & Scott white planter. ‘Dave the Duck came with us all the way from Scotland, we have had him our entire relationship, he was our first fake pet!’ explains Bobby. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Vintage round mirror, sculpture and planter by Steven Clark of Den-Holm, print by Caroline Walls and plant in Oxfam basket. ‘The Moroccan Berber wedding blanket was gifted to me as a leaving gift by Pop & Scott,’ says Bobby. ‘I cried A LOT, I had wanted one for about a year, Poppy and I saw this together and she talked me out of buying it then surprised me with it!’ Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

‘It took Steve 1.5 years to put these shelves up! I love collecting hand-made mugs, most of which are by Amy Leeworthy – others are from garage sales and op shops,’ mentions Bobby. Vase on top shelf also by Amy Leeworthy and large slate bowl by Anchor Ceramics. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The Thornbury home of artist and photographer Bobby Clark and her partner Steven Clark aka Den Holm. Living room. Coffee table made by Scott Gibson of Pop & Scott. Vintage Fleur couch, Pots by Pop & Scott, sculpture by Steven Clark aka Den Holm and weaving by Jessica Blume. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Fire place details. Terracotta planter by Anchor Ceramics, artwork by Jordan Kerwick, a cherished photo of Bobby’s parents as young loves, vintage Turkish rug and We Are Pampa Patagonia blanket. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Master Bedroom details. Plants from North Street Botanical, In Bed Store bedding and We Are Pampa Patagonia blanket in sand. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Steve and Bobby’s rooftop garden. Weaving by Jessica Blume, Charcoal Aztec pot by Pop & Scott, and vintage metal bath tub gifted by Pop & Scott to Steve and Bobby for Christmas a few years ago. Bobby does fill it up occasionally and indulge in a rooftop soak! Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Steven and Bobby Clark with their dog Scout, on their rooftop! Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Steve and Bobby’s rooftop garden. Day bed by Vince Conboy of Cenzo Design, layered vintage Turkish and Moroccan rugs, planter by Steven aka Den-Holm, and the couple’s dog Scout wearing a custom leather collar by Carpenter’s Daughter, with added vintage pompoms! Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Writer
Lucy Feagins
6th of December 2016

I have a bit of a crush on these two people. It’s all very innocent of course, after all they’re married (to each other)… so rest assured I’m just admiring them from a safe distance. The two people I’m referring to are of course artist and photographer Bobby Clark, and her partner, sculptor Steven Clark aka Den Holm. BOTH are seriously talented creatives making really cool, original artwork, and both have featured on TDF over the past few months. In retrospect it seems inevitable that we have convinced them to let us photograph the home they share in Thornbury.

Since Bobby and Steve relocated to Melbourne from their native Scotland six years ago, they’ve formed many close friendships with local creatives, and their apartment brings together the work of many of these creative friends. Their dining room table was a gift from close pals (and Bobby’s previous employers) Poppy Lane and Scott Gibson aka Pop & Scott. The ‘Dream Weaver’ floor lamp is another Pop & Scott creation, a prototype from their popular locally woven lighting range. ‘This light was one of the first ones we made while I worked at Pop & Scott, and it has great memories woven into the fibres’ Bobby recalls.

Furniture pieces not made by Pop & Scott tend to be vintage finds. Bobby’s favourite is her vintage Fleur couch. ‘It is like a big velour marshmallow and the colour is exactly what I wanted – I found this dream on Ebay for $60 bucks’ Bobby says. ‘We drove out to the Dandenong Ranges to pick it up from this gorgeous old couple who told us about its long history in the family and how they bought it in the 60s and were really sad to be letting it go. I love pieces with a history’.

Though they’re renting, Bobby and Steve are endlessly industrious ‘can do’ creative types, and haven’t been able to help themselves but make a few minor improvements here. They’ve painted both bedrooms white – the large master bedroom has become a beautiful light-filled home studio for Bobby, leaving the smaller second bedroom for sleeping. ‘It drives me insane that the rest of the house isn’t white. One day I will cave and paint it’ Bobby says.

Setting aside her ongoing frustration with the colour of her living room walls (!) Bobby has enthusiastically decorated and styled her place, all on a relatively modest budget. ‘We have moved around so much that most of our belongings have been lost along the way’ she explains. ‘I actually think this house doesn’t truly represent both Steve and I. It’s sort of bohemian, tribal, hand me down chic. Ha ha! When we build our own house from the ground up it will be our true style. This home represents us finding our way.’

Recent Homes