The young Sydney designer banishing beige

T here are people who enjoy living in gallery-inspired, zen-like spaces in shades of antique white and linen finished with layers of soft grey and beige materials.

And then there’s Nic Kaiko.

The young interior designer burst onto the Sydney market more than a decade ago with a thirst for colour and a love of ‘dynamic eclecticism’, a style he describes as a mix of contemporary and timeless design. Since then, he has created his own signature style based on rich colour skilfully imbued with pattern, working across residential and hotel environments.

A crimson red velvet lounge from Arpège anchors the living space. Photo: Fiona Susanto

But despite his experience in hospitality and hotel interior design, when he had the opportunity to create his own space to call home in Sydney’s Waterloo, Kaiko paused.

“Working for myself, I knew I could be a little more flexible but it’s tricky being your own client,” he said. “You can’t just pick up things you like and hope they work together. There needs to be a rationale behind your choices. You can’t have too many ideas.”

Want more stories like this? Subscribe to Kanebridge Quarterly magazine here.

Kaiko had wanted to buy into the Casba building in Waterloo’s Danks Street precinct since it opened almost 10 years ago. A collaboration between architects BLP and SJB, and interior designers BKH, the building is defined by its access to two parallel streets, linked by a central courtyard with a reflection pool at its heart. At street level, it is host to a suite of high end retailers, including the new Winnings Appliances showroom, now also home to Spence & Lyda and Rogerseller, in the heart of the popular food and art precinct.

“It has beautiful public spaces and it was really activated on the ground floor,” Kaiko says. “The architecture and build was really high quality.”

Apartments were well thought out, with careful consideration given to light, ventilation and the natural flow between spaces. After securing an apartment in the building, he set to work. Because the execution of the design and build was so well done, Kaiko says there was not a lot that needed to change with the floorplan.

“The layout is perfect,” he says. “The bedrooms face east and the two bathrooms and the kitchen are really well planned. In terms of adjustments, which is tricky in apartments, it wasn’t necessary.”

The apartment in inner Sydney has a leafy aspect and enjoys abundant natural light. Image: Fiona Susanto

Taking inspiration from the silver travertine floor tiles and drawing on his experience in hotel design, Kaiko opted to paint the walls in soft grey tones, separated by a thin black line at picture rail height.

“The stripe on the walls came from when I used to do hotel work,” he says. “The bedroom particularly feels like a hotel and the layout lends itself to having that hotel feel.”

Floor-to-ceiling semi sheer curtains in the bedroom continue the sophisticated hotel vibe, borrowing an old design technique of extending the curtains beyond the window frame to make the room feel larger.

The foundation materials were already decidedly neutral when he bought the apartment, which Kaiko decided to work with, including the flooring.

“The floors are beautiful. The travertine is cross cut and they are laid in that chateau style with big and small pieces,” Kaiko says. “They were fit for purpose and they continue from the public spaces into the bedrooms and then onto the balcony.

“We always try to make the existing work.”

To bring some personality into living spaces, the apartment is punctuated by rich tones of cobalt, forest green and a deep crimson, including an Arpège sofa in a colour reminiscent of the 2023 Pantone Colour of the Year, Viva Magenta.

“Cobalt is my favourite colour and I wanted to make that work. In terms of the concept, it was really more about colour blocking and keeping the background palette pretty neutral,” Kaiko says.

An abstract artwork in gradient colour by Brisbane-based artist Andy Harwood plays a central role in the living space, providing depth to the room and drawing together the equally intense shades of cobalt and deep pink.

Nic has used an artwork by Brisbane-based artist Andy Harwood as the focal point in his living room. Image: Fiona Susanto

A veined marble coffee table from Zuster provides a visual link between the stronger crimson and the quieter neutrals while a touch of rattan in the kitchen pendant lights and the Thonet dining chairs lighten the mood.

Pinstriped black lines ensure the look is urbane and contemporary, without being too heavy.

For Kaiko, it’s not just a design statement. As all good interiors should, the apartment reveals the personality of its owner.

“This project gives people a good indication of my loves,” he says. “Some people think colour is not high end but some of the great designers across the world use colour.

“A lot of people are afraid of using it and have a tendency to think ‘If I do everything white, it will look more high end’ but it can look incredibly pedestrian.”

No chance of that happening here.

Rolls-Royce has unveiled the Phantom Centenary Private Collection, a landmark series of just 25 motor cars honouring the 100th anniversary of its most storied model.

Described as the marque’s most complex and technologically ambitious creation to date, the Centenary Collection is a statement of craftsmanship, symbolism and legacy, three years in the making.

Each Phantom Centenary tells the story of the nameplate’s century-long reign as the pinnacle of luxury motoring.

Every surface, from its embroidered headliner to its gold-detailed engine cover, reflects an element of Rolls-Royce’s history.

The Bespoke Collective of designers and artisans distilled the Phantom’s heritage into 77 motifs that appear throughout the car, created using groundbreaking techniques such as 3D marquetry, ink layering, laser-etched leather and 24-carat gold leafing.

Chief Executive Chris Brownridge called the Centenary Collection “a tribute to 100 years of the world’s most revered luxury item,” describing it as “a motor car which reaffirms Phantom’s status as a symbol of ambition, artistic possibility, and historical gravitas.”

Inside, the rear seats feature more than 160,000 stitches across 45 panels of high-resolution printed and embroidered fabric inspired by historic Phantoms, developed in partnership with a fashion atelier.

The front seats are laser-etched with hand-drawn sketches that reference key design codenames, while the Anthology Gallery installation – 50 brushed aluminium fins engraved with a century of quotes – forms a centrepiece that reads like a living archive.

The exterior pairs Super Champagne Crystal paint with Arctic White and Black tones, finished with iridescent glass particles. Each car is crowned with a solid 18-carat gold Spirit of Ecstasy, enamelled and hallmarked with a bespoke “Phantom Centenary” mark. Even the famed RR badges have been plated in 24-carat gold and white enamel for the first time.

Bespoke woodwork depicts the Phantom’s most defining journeys, from Sir Henry Royce’s homes in France and England to the 4,500-mile expedition of the first Goodwood-era Phantom across Australia. Roads and landscapes are etched in gold, and interior embroidery continues these lines in gleaming thread.

The Starlight Headliner, with 440,000 stitches, portrays the mulberry tree under which Royce once worked, complete with bees from the marque’s Goodwood apiary and constellations referencing legendary Phantoms such as Sir Malcolm Campbell’s ‘Bluebird’.

Limited to 25 cars worldwide, the Phantom Centenary Private Collection stands as both an homage to Rolls-Royce’s past and a promise of its future, a modern-day heirloom crafted to be read, driven and remembered over generations.

The young Sydney designer banishing beige

Jewel-like colours add depth and personality to this architect-designed inner city apartment

Only 25 of the most intricate Rolls-Royce Phantoms ever made will celebrate the nameplate’s 100-year legacy.