Steve Cordony transforms spaces with a touch of romance and whimsy, creating environments that inspire joy and connection. Discover how thoughtful design invites everyday luxury – where beauty, nature, and conviviality come together effortlessly.
Above: While working with the incredible concrete proportions, checked marble flooring, and enticing garden vistas of the modernist extension to this old Federation home on Sydney’s North Shore, I was influenced by director Luca Guadagnino’s 2017 film, Call Me By Your Name. Antique and vintage Italian furniture in a mix of finishes, and quirky modern lighting were chosen to loosely represent characters in the movie.
I was once quoted as saying “styling is the simplest way to make a space ‘feel’ a certain way…
The space can be designed to within an inch of its life, but if there is no soul or representation of the people who live there then it becomes a showroom.”
This is still the mantra I live by, because in my mind the most interesting spaces to spend time in are the ones that constantly pique your curiosity. Spaces where there are myriad elements to look at – at once engaging and intriguing, personal and characterful – are what makes a house feel like a home.
My love for entertaining comes down to my Italian-Maltese roots, where mum was always cooking, setting the table and styling the house with flowers and candles, while dad was keeping everyone entertained with outdoor games and projects.
I love mixing classical elements and giving them a contemporary spin. In any space I reimagine, I try to add objects, furniture, and accessories that complement one another – whether that’s through colour, style, or form – yet also contrast so that the space never feels one-dimensional.
“We spend a lot of time in our kitchens, so it makes such a difference to fill them with the things that keep us inspired and make our hearts happy.”
Where space allows, an entrance foyer can also double as a cosy sitting room. Here, a pair of vintage swivel armchairs team with a stone coffee table, and a bentwood bar cart to create a sense of arrival as well as a taste of the style of the rest of the home.
I strive to create the emotion of ‘push and pull’ across every surface. By contrasting highly polished elements – like a brass vase for blousy florals – with rustic handmade elements (a terracotta pot), I create depth even within a pared-back coffee table vignette.
I indulge my love for crescendos of overscaled greenery in the kitchen, where each month I play with different fallen foliage I’ve foraged from the garden. It creates a focal point that draws the eye upwards, making the standard height of our kitchen ceiling feel grander than it actually is.
I love to style and restyle, over and over again, this favourite nook in the kitchen. I’m always rearranging different elements, from the leaning artwork which helps to break up the back wall to a statement vessel, a low bowl for fruit, vegetables or eggs, and a vase of fresh flowers.
Symmetry brings serenity to the main bathroom, where an ebonised vanity cabinet with double sinks is paired with matching gilded mirrors and light sconces.
The smallest of details – a golden glazed ceramic Aerin vase filled with scented roses and a shagreen clock – can create a special moment in any bedroom nook.
Whenever I style a surface, I think about assembling clusters of objects, but they should always be set at different heights on different planes. I create a low, mid, and tall point when styling a tabletop vignette.
Looking for more home styling inspiration? Pick up a copy of Moments at Home by Steve Cordony, published by Quadrille. Available in stores nationally.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Anson Smart (ansonsmart.com), Georgina Egan (georginaegan.com); Bathroom Felix Forest (felixforest.com)
This article was originally published under the title Moments at Home in Issue 40 – A Little Abundance. You can purchase previous issues and enjoy more enchanting content here.
