How interior designer Brahman Perera transformed a Fitzroy apartment

If the Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy were a brief, how would you describe it? And how does this apartment respond to that brief?

Eclectic! Fitzroy is layered, and slightly contradictory - there’s a strong historic grain, but it’s constantly being reinterpreted. It has a looseness to it, but also a sense of density and culture that’s quite specific. The apartment responds by not trying to compete with that. Instead, it takes a more restrained position internally, focusing on proportion, material depth, and clarity - so that the life of the neighbourhood can remain the more expressive layer. It’s less about mirroring Fitzroy, and more about framing it. You have described the terrace as offering a way to engage with Fitzroy's rhythm without being fully exposed. 

How has living here influenced your practice of designing urban spaces?

Yes, particularly in how thresholds are handled. Urban living is often about negotiating proximity - to people, to movement, to noise. The terrace works because it filters rather than blocks. That idea has definitely influenced my broader thinking - creating spaces that allow engagement without requiring full exposure. It’s a more nuanced approach to privacy. The terrace is cleverly designed above the pavement, and with a deep lush planter box and lighting; it gives the feeling of being elevated and private, despite the fact we are actually close to the ground floor.

Which local designers or brands do you find yourself reaching for?
There’s a strong community of makers in Melbourne, and I tend to gravitate towards those who have a clear material sensibility. Studios like Zenn Design who made our beautiful bed, alongside others working in timber, metal, and textiles, offer a level of nuance that’s difficult to replicate at scale. We often collaborate with Volker Haug for lighting, Ma House for styling, Mondopiero for home accessories, and ceramicist Alex Cerny.

Art feels like the real anchor of this home. How do you approach collecting? Is it instinctive, or is there a method to it?

It’s largely instinctive, but over time patterns emerge. I’m drawn to works that hold a certain tension, whether that’s through material, composition, or subject. I don’t tend to collect with a fixed outcome in mind. The pieces accumulate, and the relationships between them develop over time. That’s what gives a home a sense of authorship rather than decoration.

Tell us about the light pendants you have designed. 

They’re relatively simple in form but considered in proportion and material so they feel integrated rather than applied. My pendants are in constant evolution. Currently I'm working on an upturned floor lamp, playing with transparency and drama, alongside a short fat table lamp that has great presence. All on show at Oigall Gallery a short walk away from the apartment. 

The green timber core that wraps the bedroom and bathroom is a distinctive feature. How did that idea come about?
It came from a desire to give the apartment a centre of gravity. New-build apartments can often feel dispersed or overly neutral, so introducing a defined core creates both contrast and orientation. The material choice - a deep green timber veneer - was about adding weight without heaviness. It allows the core to read as something intentional and architectural, rather than purely functional, and it ties back directly to the gorgeous kitchen joinery, and colour saturation of the bathroom.

g05/385 Gore Street, Fitzroy is currently on the market with Jellis Craig Inner North. Contact Charles Atkins