Bedside Pets

The custom design of these bedside tables was just one part of the interior design of the whole house that contained many custom designed items of furniture and lighting.

These bedside tables needed to sit appropriately within the bespoke interior of the master bedroom and remainder of the house. The bedside tables needed to simply provide a shelf top and drawer storage.

Designed for a home where elements within are consistently hand crafted, these bedside tables are an example of the use of traditional crafted materials constructed using contemporary manufacturing processes. Like the components of the house itself, the bedside tables are designed to appear as sculptural elements that take their form and reason from what surrounds them.

The plan form of the bedside tables takes its cue from the fluid shape of the concrete roof over the master bedroom. The concrete roof itself reflects the fluid plan forms of the local iconic City Beach Kiosk building. In seeking to create a house, interiors, and furnishings that are ‘of their place, this referencing was an important design generator with the intent to create a ‘sense of belonging’. It is important to note that the iconic City Beach Kiosk building was, at the time of the design process, in danger of demolition by the local council. The design of the house and the elements within, such as these bedside tables, stand as a testament to the importance of recognising and capturing a ‘sense of place’.

The bedside tables were also designed to complement the selected master bed and bedhead. The same family of the fabrics of the bedhead was used to choose a complimentary fabric to upholster the sides of the bedside tables. The upholsterer side walls, and drawer front are clad over the cabinetwork interior carcass. Both the laser cut profiled top push plate the drawer front and legs are from aluminium. The fabrication of the bedside tables involved three trades which made for a high level of coordination to achieve the final product.

Neil's clients, Brad & Lisa commissioned Neil to custom design furniture, rugs and light fittings which reinforced the story of the house and its place in the suburb further.

The custom designed elements as follows:

‘Kiosk Table’ – the main dining table within the house was designed and fabricated by Neil Cownie. The detailing and shapes of the table reflect that of the iconic local Brutalist Floreat Beach Kiosk building. The design of the table was Awarded in the 2018 Design Institute of Australia WA Awards in the ‘Product Design’ category.

‘Sea Breeze’ – the external family dining table was designed and fabricated by Neil Cownie. The tile colours and pattern to the tabletop represent Perth’s cooling summer breeze, known as the ‘Fremantle Doctor’.

‘Sea Breeze Rug’ – like the external table, a custom designed rug by Neil Cownie tells the story of the local cooling summer breeze.

‘Bedside Pets’ – bedside tables for the master bedroom designed by Neil Cownie sit alongside the bed just like obedient pets. The organic shapes of the bedside tables are intended to appear not only ‘animal like’ but also reflect the shapes within the house.

‘Wetlands’ Pendant lights – custom designed and fabricated pendant lights by Neil Cownie sit below and visually relate to the story within the profiled concrete ceiling over the main void space in the house. The pendants work together with the concrete ceiling to tell the story of the house’s location within the nearby wetlands, with its series of interlocking chain of swamps and waterbodies, named by Perth’s first European settlers as the ‘Great Lakes District’. Incorporating the large water bodies of Ncoorenboro (Herdsman Lake), Galup (Lake Monger) and Boojemooling (Hyde Park) and many others prior to the European settlers infilling of swamp lands and the gradual division of the chain through the introduction of roads and freeways. These wetlands were previously a place of an abundance of wildlife and a place of passage and encampment for local indigenous people. The design of the pendant lights was Awarded in the 2017 Design Institute of Australia WA Awards in the ‘Product Design’ category.

Robert Frith, Michael Nicholson, Jack Lovel, Jody Darcy, Alana Blowfield.