By Greg Natale
Housed in the 107 year old refurbished Armadale Theatre in inner-Melbourne, this luxuriously appointed interior sits within the 1400 square metre James Said luxe furniture showroom on High Street, also designed by Greg Natale.
Originally opened in August 1912, this grand dame of Melbourne’s upmarket Armadale has seen life as a 1200 seat cinema, then a Vaudeville playhouse, a toy factory, auction house, and even an indoor ski school complete with a ski slope.
The James Said Bistro now offers a mixed seating floor-plan with bar seating, lounge areas, banquettes, tables and chairs as well as a unique arched private dining room for special events.
Natale has taken the opportunity to showcase James Said’s furniture and lighting offering in a unique experiential capacity where all furnishings can be enjoyed and purchased!
The custom painted ombré walls are a signature of the space graduating from the black stain timber floors through to the white ceiling overhead. The richness of the blue paint is carried through the upholstered furnishings as well as the fluted wall treatments that separate the arched private dining room from the bar area.
Greg Natale, founder and director of Greg Natale, is a multi-award-winning Australian designer known for his innovative approach to creating highly detailed and uniquely curated spaces. His designs have featured in numerous local and international publications, including Architectural Digest, Elle Decoration, Vanity Fair, Vogue Living and Belle. Among the many awards to his name are Belle Interior Designer of the Year for both 2011 and 2014, and the 2021 Australian House & Garden Room of the Year. He has been named one of The World's Most Influential Designers by AD Mexico and a Design Visionary by Harper's Bazaar Interiors Middle East.
At the core of Greg Natale's intricately layered approach is tailoring to his client's individual tastes and needs. His passion for materiality, colour, pattern, and geometry motivates the designer to consistently explore new avenues and design genres through his work, weaving various references from classic to contemporary into his designs.
Greg has released three books on interior design showcasing his unique style: The Tailored Interior (published by Hardie Grant Books Australia in 2014), The Patterned Interior (published by Rizzoli NY in 2018) and The Layered Interior (published by Rizzoli NY in 2022). He continues to expand his business and currently has his own line of products available online and at the Greg Natale flagship store in Sydney, as well as leading homewares stockists in Australia, North America, Europe and Asia.