Alongside travertine and bouclé, glass won hearts and minds this year as a hero material of choice.
We fell hard for a new wave of Australian stained-glass artists making the ancient craft their own. Eloise McCullough, aka Fools Glass, delivered a cool modern take on leadlighting in her work for private clients and businesses like Brunswick’s Sporting Club Hotel. (She’s also been known to turn out smaller pieces like these glass coasters and run the occasional “Fools Class” workshop for leadlight-curious students.)
Poppy Templeton’s label Duck Ragu also charmed with offbeat leadlight pieces. She gave us geometric, Mondrian-esque mirrors and bold custom panels depicting everything from oyster suppers to kookaburras to Sbagliato over ice. Plus there was the odd stained-glass bikini – which we’re told is surprisingly comfortable.
Making the old school new again was also the theme with New Zealand maker Lauren Joyce’s Lumo Bloc – a new line of upcycled glass-brick lights. Handmade from scavenged and unloved vintage glass blocks, the covetable coloured lamps give a nod to classic mid-century architecture (as well as suburban ’80s strip malls). Expect to see more glass bricks into 2024 – these mini brutalist materials might finally be getting their time to shine.
Long-term local favourites also had big years. Cult label Fazeek – the Melbourne-based purveyor of wavy glassware – brought its signature curves and colour pops to the morning cuppa, with teapots, coffee plungers and mugs.
Further north, Sydney label Maison Balzac – fresh from celebrating 10 years in the glass game – paired elegance with fun in its La Danse series, dedicated to early-1900s Paris ballet, and an art deco-style collaboration with Oscar-winning designer Catherin Martin.
And of course we have to give props to Melbourne’s Hot Haus glassblowing practice. We visited the (literally very hot) studio to find out how their stunning wares get made – turns out there’s a lot of flame and fire behind the artistry.
