Interiors Beyond the Primary Palette by Arent & Pyke at Design Show Australia

Juliette Arent and Sarah-Jane Pyke formed their eponymous firm Arent & Pyke in 2007. Since then, the architecture and interior design business has become known as one of the most luxurious and innovative studios in Australia. Work by Arent & Pyke has been published in both national and international publications and won awards both in Australia and overseas.

In 2021, they were named Interior Designers of the Year at the Belle Fanuli Interior Design Awards, also winning Best Residential Interior. In 2018, they were one of six practices selected to exhibit in the National Gallery of Victoria’s Rigg Design Prize and in 2019 they received recognition as the only Australasian practice in the prestigious AD100 France listing. Today, Juliette and Sarah-Jane are opening up their minds and creative processes to aesthetes via their new book, Interiors Beyond the Primary Palette, $80, published by Thames & Hudson and released October 25, marking the 15th anniversary of Arent & Pyke.

The tome is a source of knowledge and inspiration, offering readers a sneak peek inside some of Arent & Pyke’s most beautiful projects that showcase the duo’s distinctive brand of decorative modernism. Joy, colour, character, spirit and alchemy are the five concepts on which the Arent & Pyke design ethos is built, and this book takes a deep dive into each facet of this approach.

The reader is guided through colour, shape, scale, materiality and composition via up-close-and-personal case studies handpicked by Sarah-Jane and Juliette. For every project the key inspirations and influences are revealed, from plants and art to emotion and outlooks. All the while, little pieces of design wisdom are bestowed upon the reader, practical tips and advice that can be applied to personal projects and makeovers. The imagery is rich and evocative, making the book an essential purchase for any interior design or architecture enthusiast.

Ultimately, this book reflects upon the path of Arent & Pyke, not only how far the duo have come but what they wish to bring into the future, and how the concept of joy shapes and informs their every creative decision. This passage from the book’s introduction sets the tone beautifully:

“Everything we do is to create visceral joy – that inner thrum of delight where instinct speaks over intellect, heart over head. A beautifully designed space has the power to generate a sense of belonging, comfort and freedom that uplifts your spirit. We believe that power extends even further – a space that fills you with joy can transform how you live.”

Sarah-Jane and Juliette are speakers at Design Show Australia, which runs from October 20 to 22 at Sydney’s International Convention Centre. From 2:45pm until 3:30pm on October 22, you can catch Arent & Pyke on the main stage where they will be hosting their talk, ‘In Conversation with Arent & Pyke – Celebrating 15 years of exquisite residential design’. This event will be followed by a book signing by the authors.

Interiors Beyond The Primary Palette by Juliette Arent, Sarah-Jane Pyke, published by Thames & Hudson Australia, $80, available 25th October. Get your tickets for Design Show Australia here.

Get to know the women behind Arent & Pyke in ArchiPro's Let's Talk Interiors video, below.