At Home with Daniel Boddam
Sydney architect and interior designer, Daniel Boddam specializes in bespoke, residential design, working closely with clients to create elegant comfortable living spaces. We recently visited one of his projects from his portfolio of luxury housing: his sophisticated art deco home in Bondi Beach where he lives with his wife and talented photographer Kelly Geddes.
Photo Louis Saggus
You champion progressive and enduring design, how have you applied this to your own home?
Progressive and enduring design to me is about continuing past traditions and ideas whilst being relevant to the present and pointing to the future. It’s about permanence and longevity which I believe is ultimately achieved through simplicity. I think there is a certain honesty and simplicity in the project that preserves the original period charm of the apartment whilst adding a new modern layer.
The apartment is very personal, building on our past trips to the Amalfi Coast whilst being relevant to the local Bondi context. We wanted to create the feeling of a holiday at home. The design embraces modern design practice in an elegant way, reinterpreting coastal living through a minimalist and restrained material and colour palette so it will never date. High quality and robust materials have been used in an unconventional way such as the rendered concrete walls in the bathroom and kitchen creating a modern and organic quality.
Tell us about the building, the state in which the apartment was when you bought it, and what inspired the renovation.
Being an architect and interior designer it’s very important for me to shape my own environment. We weren’t looking to buy at the time as I was in the middle of renovating my studio and producing my first line of furniture, so things were quite hectic. It was a friend who convinced us to have a look at it and we immediately fell in love and decided to make an offer. The top floor apartment had a good floor plan, loads of natural light and was a one minute walk to the beach! The building was in good condition and the apartment hadn’t been renovated in 30 years and I saw it as an opportunity to create our new home.
What’s your favourite room in the house? Do you have a special piece of furniture?
I have two favourite rooms, the sunroom and bathroom. The sunroom, now a dining room, through the installation of a custom made banquette seat is a tranquil spot for relaxing in the sun and entertaining. The bathroom was enlarged to accommodate a wet room with a bath and shower. What I love about this room is the sense of space that is achieved in a limited area through the use of unexpected materials like the rendered concrete walls. The coffee table which is my first prototype of the M-coffee table is very special to us. It is a sculptural piece that is different on each side so we twist it around from time to time to create a different atmosphere. I am now fulfilling a lifelong ambition of creating my first furniture range that has been influenced by monumental architecture. It’s called the monument collection.
Do you entertain?
We like to entertain often, normally for between four to six guests which makes for an intimate number and great conversation. We normally start the evening with a hand made negroni. Kelly sets the atmosphere with mood lighting, candles, and a killer playlist. I love to cook and enjoy the process of selecting fresh ingredients from the local markets. We like rustic meals where people can help themselves.
Daniel wears Acne suit & t-shirt, Saturdays NYC sunglasses | Photo Louis Saggus
Talk us through your neighbourhood, and why you feel at home there?
I would describe my neighbourhood as similar to the show Melrose Place. There is a kind of Californian vibe going on in the street which has several Spanish mission-style buildings. It also has a great community feel as we have several groups of friends that live in the same street.
How do you unwind? And where would we find you on an average Saturday or Sunday?
I like to hang out with Kelly listening to music and rummaging through our architecture design books. You will normally find us at the local café or down at the beach on the weekends.
How do you distract from work? And how do you reward yourself?
I try and keep a balanced lifestyle through yoga and swimming and reward myself by simply taking time out to relax and unwind.
What’s the most important piece of advice you’ve given yourself in design?
In design relationships and life my advice to myself is to be honest. If something isn’t right you can’t force it and it’s not meant to be.
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