Sitting pretty

What most deserves the attention - the glowing gold cabinet? The low-but-statement-making purple-y dark red storage? The touch-me-touch-me velvet of the pale red chair? The subtle textures and alluring materials all around? Step back and enjoy it all at once which is how it was designed, of course and it comes together like a puzzle, each piece neatly clicking into place.

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This room is arguing with itself.

Okay, it's more like a friendly debate or some playful teasing, but there's a slight ruckus, an undercurrent of a tussle, as the dramatic textures and tones strike intense contrast with one another. Warm versus cold. Colour versus neutrals. Slick versus textured. Organic versus machined. Rustic versus new. Soft versus hard. 'The cool tones are contrasted with the warmth of the brass cupboard, and the warm, neutral palette is grounded with a pop of deep burgundy joinery,' says Julie Niass, design director at Australian firm Carter Williamson Architects, creators of this space. 'The colours make the room feel warm and inviting, elevated and sophisticated, while the mix of materials adds texture, embracing light and shade.'