At Home With Bree Banfield

Bree Banfield is an Australian interior designer and stylist known for her bold use of colour, pattern, and trend-led interiors.

What is your favourite meal to cook at home?

Pizza — I make it from scratch most Friday evenings and really love the process as an end-of-week wind down. It also helps to have a good bottle of rosé handy.

Where do you buy your clothes/what are your favourite clothing labels right now?

I’ve learnt over the years to buy clothes when I come across something I love — even if you don’t have somewhere to wear it yet, it saves the stress of trying to find that perfect thing when you have an occasion — and also to invest in good-quality and ethically made clothing wherever you can, it lasts longer and you feel great in it. I love Australian brands such as Elk, Yevu, Country Road, Binny Wear, Bared and Sans Beast to name a few.

Where is your favourite place to dine?

We are oh-so-spoilt in Melbourne for amazing food — I could make a long list! I love Di Stasio Citta or closer to home Da Giuseppe, as Italian food is the way to my heart; Johnny’s Green Room for a rooftop vibe and favourite cocktail bar — Apollo Inn, it’s tiny and dark and moody and deliciously furnished, with amazing service and impeccable bar food and drinks.

Favourite café?

Merchants Guild or Boosa in Bentleigh East have great coffee.

What are you reading/listening to right now (book, podcast etc)?

I have a few books on the go, I’ve just finished a couple of amazing books — Birds of a Feather by my friend Rhinanna King (I love that I know someone who wrote an actual novel — and it’s such a great story!), Surrender by Bono — some amazing stories and bit of wisdom, I also recommend listening to the audio book — it’s like Bono is just there telling you some tales and I’m now listening to All The Colours of The Dark by Chris Whitaker. Also — it would be remiss of me not to mention my own podcast with designer Lauren Li — Design Anatomy — have a listen if you love all things design and a bit of banter between friends.

What music are you listening to right now?

I devour music and tend to have pretty diverse tastes — at the moment I’m loving Thelma Plum, The Buoys, Remi Wolf, Amyl and the Sniffers, Jacotené, Fontaines DC, Charlie xcx, Olvia Dean and Doechi. I frequently dive back into classics and love opera and classical, too — but honestly it changes so much this is a tiny snapshot 🙂

Favourite artwork in your home or favourite artist?

Current fave is a work I commissioned with Kelly Larkin, she creates beautiful recycled paper and plaster sculptures, usually in their inherent natural colour but she perfected one in my favourite acid yellow. I also have a beautiful piece in my bedroom by Claire Kirkup, I love her style and the way she uses colour.

Do you have a favourite magazine/online source?

Elle Decor UK and Elle Decor Italia are faves — I also love The World of Interiors and Wallpaper. Aussie mags House and Garden and Vogue Living are a must. I love to keep an eye on fashion so Vogue Runway is a great resource.

What is your favourite homewares brand?

Ooh now I couldn’t possibly choose a favourite! Australian brands are slaying though — Bonnie and Neil, Kip & Co, Fazeek and Dinosaur Designs. I also love resources that sell makers’ work — Craft Victoria, Pepite.

What is your favourite furniture piece at home?

Also so hard to choose just one — but I do one from Coco Flip and a beautiful yellow tinted glass one from Grazia & Co. But close to my heart is also my vintage fi nds — a ’70s sofa with chunky chrome legs and some ’80s Italian armchairs in the original purple velvet pinstripe fabric.

What other interior designers and architects inspire you?

I love the work of colourist and designer Tekla Evelina Severin — she has perfected her brand and what she creates feels distinctly her, Kelly Wearstler has been a fave for a long time, her glamorous vintage style is iconic. I’m drawn to the colourful work of MAYE, a Mexican interior design studio, and am inspired by Italian designers Studio Pepe and Dimore Studio for their quintessential Milanese style.

Find more from Bree via her Instagram @bree.banfield or visit her website breebanfield.com