On the walls, fluted white lacquer panelling adds luxurious detail and evokes the spirit of ‘80s-era *Dynasty–*style glamour.

Blush-painted ceilings make for an intimate setting while picking up the slight pink tones of the light oak floors.

New elements included a dramatic mirrored entry, a series of arches to form different spaces, and the additions of a fireplace, joinery, kitchen benchtops, bathroom vanities, finishes, and furnishings throughout. Taking the owners’ love of rich and varied hues, and the beautiful gleam of brass, Natale began a process of luxe layering and embellishing over the original space. “They’re a young couple, and they’re open to a lot of new ideas.” My clients aren’t neutral people,” Natale says. The sprawling space started as a spec apartment, so it presented an incredibly clean slate. The brief for the 4,000-square-foot penthouse apartment in the elite Melbourne suburb of Toorak included bringing a sense of grandeur to an otherwise uninspiring minimalist shell. The owners of the residence, who run a luxury watch and jewelry business, fittingly requested the lavish use of jewel tones-particularly pink and maroon-after seeing the latter’s rich application on the walls of Natale’s own apartment. Surrounded by the magic of the City of Light-so many arches and swaths of maroon-inspiration was not difficult to come by. When Greg Natale got the call for a new project in Melbourne, the Australia–based interior designer was on a research trip to Paris.

Lively wallpaper purple