{"id":70431,"date":"2025-10-12T19:52:14","date_gmt":"2025-10-12T19:52:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/70431\/"},"modified":"2025-10-12T19:52:14","modified_gmt":"2025-10-12T19:52:14","slug":"how-david-flack-creates-interiors-that-feel-alive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/70431\/","title":{"rendered":"How David Flack Creates Interiors That Feel Alive"},"content":{"rendered":"

When David Flack<\/a> arrived in Melbourne from the Australian countryside, he felt out of place until he came out at age 19. \u201cEverything evolved from that minute,\u201d he recalls of the experience, which marked a turning point that reshaped his creative outlook. \u201cBeing true to yourself and allowing that level of authenticity unlocks your creativity a lot further.\u201d That conviction soon found form in his design career. In the decade since he founded Flack Studio<\/a>, the firm has grown into a global practice celebrated for richly expressive interiors brimming with exuberant color, unexpected material pairings, and an infectious sense of joy. His work has since expanded in scale and ambition, grounded in an intuitive understanding of how the physical and emotional qualities of a room can shape daily life. \u201cI don\u2019t necessarily have an ego attached to it,\u201d he says. \u201cYou\u2019re expressing yourself through someone else.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"Book<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u201cFlack Studio: Interiors.\u201d
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Courtesy of Rizzoli<\/p>\n

Flack\u2019s portfolio now spans standout commissions such as modernist homes in Melbourne and Los Angeles<\/a> for pop star Troye Sivan and the Ace Hotel Sydney<\/a>, both of which propelled his studio to global recognition. The former cemented his reputation while the latter pushed his small team to its limits. \u201cAce was monstrous,\u201d Flack admits. \u201cAt the time, we were only six people. It nearly killed me.\u201d Across his projects\u2014many featured in his new monograph Flack Studio: Interiors<\/a> (Rizzoli)\u2014his process remains instinctive and deeply personal, driven by an innate curiosity for how \u201cmaterials sing and dance together.\u201d At the Ace, for example, he layered glazed brick, timber, and leather with vibrant site-specific art commissions, creating a tactile rhythm that captures the hotel\u2019s irreverent rock \u2018n\u2019 roll spirit. His work continues to pulse with that same individuality and joie de vivre\u2014each interior fully alive in its ability to transform the way people live.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Below, in an interview that has been edited and condensed for clarity, Flack reflects on his journey from small-town Australia to international recognition, the evolution of his expressive approach to material and color, and the creative risks for his increasingly high-profile clientele.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Man<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDavid Flack.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Anson Smart<\/p>\n

When I first moved to Melbourne, I was an awkward country kid and didn\u2019t feel like I found my place initially. I came out at 19, and everything just evolved from there. It was that moment where you feel truly expressive about yourself. From that point onward, I never held back on any explorations or discovery. Being true to yourself and allowing that level of authenticity unlocks your creativity a lot further.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That\u2019s one thing I find with my work\u2014I don\u2019t necessarily have an ego attached to it. I feel highly engaged, like I\u2019m getting so much creativity out of it, but the spaces aren\u2019t for me. It\u2019s expressing yourself through someone else, interpreting what they want. My curiosity and self-discovery allow me to continue creating. I was 28 when I set up the studio, and I\u2019m 40 now. You look at your own growth as a designer\u2014that evolution of practice, that continuation to keep striving for the next best project or idea. Your process becomes more integral to your practice. That really drives me.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Sophisticated<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFor a house in Middle Park, Melbourne, scalloped Venetian plaster walls frame a stone fireplace flanked by leather-wrapped cabinetry, with an Apollo sofa by Maxalto, a Caleb Woodard side table, and a Glas Italia piece gathered beneath a luminous artwork by Oscar Nimmo.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Anson Smart<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Modern<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn a house overlooking Sydney\u2019s beaches, built-in shelves lined with books, ceramics, and sculptures anchor the room, where a vintage Fantasma floor lamp by Afra and Tobia Scarpa glows behind a Camaleonda sofa by B&B Italia and a 1930s armchair.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Anson Smart<\/p>\n

When I start a project, it\u2019s a slow burn. The minute we\u2019re engaged, clients are excited about the process and know they\u2019re up for something special. I\u2019ve always been dogmatic about saying \u201cI\u2019m not the right person\u201d or \u201cthis isn\u2019t the right project.\u201d You throw yourself so personally into a project for years. If you\u2019re not passionate, the whole thing goes belly up, and the results show it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t ask clients too many questions when we start. We chat about life. I want to know about them and their families, if they\u2019ve done renovations, what they loved about the house. More importantly, I ask how they want to feel in the space. Do you come home and put a record on? Are you messy? Are you clean? Those questions matter. You build that relationship quickly, because they pour out all this information. It\u2019s nerve-racking to embark on a renovation, spending millions of dollars. I don\u2019t take that lightly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn the Middle Park house, double-height ceilings and generous natural light define the open-plan kitchen, dining, and living areas, where patchwork walnut doors slide open to reveal a full chef\u2019s kitchen or close to conceal the rhythm of daily family life.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Anson Smart<\/p>\n

Materials are a huge part of what I do. From the beginning, I gather them and build a big board. I\u2019m succinct about what the vision might be, and I gently guide clients through. If I feel they\u2019re not loving it\u2014or if they are\u2014I\u2019ll go harder or softer. Over the years, I\u2019ve become more confident to say, \u201cHere\u2019s my initial idea, and we\u2019re going to price it from here.\u201d But I always leave room for pivots: sometimes on site, sometimes after travel, sometimes even on holidays. I like how those pivots occur. They change the rhythm of a project in a weird and wonderful way. Clients love it too\u2014as long as it doesn\u2019t cost them more money!\u00a0<\/p>\n

I worked on one apartment where everything changed midway. The client had just fallen in love with what we presented, and then suddenly we shifted again. They had to fall in love with the next iteration because I believed in it more. I always say to my team, \u201cimagine we\u2019re a goods train with boxes loaded on.\u201d The journey twists, turns, and jolts, but nothing falls off. We\u2019re always making sure the journey is exciting and enjoyable, even when there are countless calls and texts.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Stylish<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAt Ace Hotel Sydney, the lobby channels the spirit of Australian Modernism with a sunken lounge lined in ochre carpet and leather upholstery, framed by a solid timber structure set between in-situ poured concrete columns.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Anson Smart<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Colorful<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe main staircase of rust-toned concrete and stone leads to the sunken lounge, where a monumental sculpture by Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran greets arriving guests.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Anson Smart<\/p>\n

Early in my career, I was producing very monochromatic interiors. They were beautiful, but I wasn\u2019t satisfied. At some point, I started throwing crazy combinations together, and they landed. That built my confidence. My curiosity for how materials sing and dance together is one of my favorite things. Knowing when it\u2019s right is always a gut instinct. The Middle Park House was pivotal. The bathroom had sculptural, curvaceous forms referencing the Ultrafragola Mirror by Ettore Sottsass<\/a>. The kitchen had Palladiano floors with weird shapes that conjoined. At that point, we realized we could push hard and it still felt sophisticated and beautiful. From there, commissions changed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Troye Sivan<\/a>\u2019s house took it further. That project went global. People loved the relaxed, natural, lo-fi atmosphere. Many clients since then have asked for a hybrid: the bold material clashes of Middle Park mixed with the layered warmth of Troye\u2019s house. He made that project so special. He loves the creative process. He\u2019d give feedback like, \u201cThis doesn\u2019t feel like me,\u201d or \u201cThat\u2019s too much.\u201d Watching his confidence grow was phenomenal. The house was by [late Australian architect] John Mockridge with a rich history. We stripped it back to its modernist origins while still making it a functioning home. When the Mockridge Foundation sent me a handwritten letter saying they thought John would\u2019ve loved what we did, I cried. That acknowledgement meant so much.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Modern<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn a house in Victoria, panoramic views of the Australian landscape unfold against a material palette designed to frame the scenery, where vintage Afra and Tobia Scarpa Monk Chairs encircle a Mark Tuckey dining table beneath a 1950s Italian pendant and an Akari floor lamp.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Anson Smart<\/p>\n

That and the Ace Hotel Sydney changed the studio\u2019s trajectory. Ace was monstrous. At the time, we were only six people. It nearly killed me, but the visibility was incredible. Now over half of our work is international. Covid showed us you can work from anywhere, and that\u2019s freed us.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

With Ace, the approach was residential thinking applied to hospitality. I compartmentalized: the lobby as a lounge room, the restaurant as a kitchen, the conference space as a dining room. I imagined the hotel as a big share house with a sunken lounge where people dive in, drink, and listen to music. We also curated the art. James Lemon<\/a> reworked leftover bricks into a glazed, tactile reception desk. Joanna Lamb<\/a> painted aerial views of suburban swimming pools. Glenn Barkley<\/a> created a mural. Jason Phu<\/a> inked all the corridors over six weeks, even weaving in his own love story along the way. Those collaborations made the building what it is. It suited Ace perfectly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Modern<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA plush Song Sofa by Maker & Son anchors the living room of Troye Sivan\u2019s home in Melourne. Artworks are by Simon Degroot, Karen Black, NELL, and Michael Lindeman.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Anson Smart<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Luxurious<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn the Sydney house, an oversized Gerold Miller artwork engulfs the hallway accompanied by a carved timber Boxing Glove sculpture by Steve Carr.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Anson Smart<\/p>\n

Art is a massive part of my practice. Some clients collect and some don\u2019t, but I always say there\u2019s nothing intimidating about it. We start curating early and integrate the works into the architecture. That relationship with artists and craftspeople is huge.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What I want people to take away from my book is that interiors are alive. They can change your life. That\u2019s why we wrote it from the client\u2019s perspective. The best thing about the interiors is how they become part of their lives and change them. Spaces aren\u2019t just aesthetic. Of course they should look beautiful, but more importantly they should feel good. If the energy is off, it\u2019s not a success. When the atmosphere feels right, when clients embody it at different times of day, that\u2019s when it works. That authenticity and passion are what I care about most.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Modern<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn the Victoria house, a vintage Bonking Bunnys chair faces the fireplace and sweeping views, paired with a vintage Italian floor lamp and a Phantom Hands bench, while a Bio-mbo bed by Patricia Urquiola for Cassina rests on an antique rug beside a copper wood store and Italian wall sconces.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Anson Smart<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Modern<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn Troye Sivan\u2019s Melbourne home, Flack Studio honored John Mockridge\u2019s original architecture while rekindling its bohemian spirit, layering a Percival Lafer MP-61 sofa, vintage Cerutti armchairs, and custom pieces atop a Moroccan High Atlas rug from Halcyon Lake.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Anson Smart<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Luxury<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn a Sydney house, the kitchen blends materials, textures, and colors in a spirit that feels equal parts Milan and Mexico City, balancing robust function with a convivial atmosphere for cooking and entertaining.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Anson Smart<\/p>\n

\t