BEE’S
Bee Czarnota, stylist.
Bee Czarnota’s home in Bayside Melbourne tells the story of visual inventiveness.
With three males in the house she carefully meshes her feminity with a touch of boy edge.
It comes into play as soon as you walk through the front door.
The interest on one wall is all girl; punctuated with artwork by American artist Jeffrey ‘Jeff” Koons.
The light, bright Bayside home of Bee Czarnota of design house @Czar_by_design, her husband Keira and sons Hudson and Maxwell, aged seven and four. Photo – Tania Savage Production – Martine Harte.
Bee Czarnota wearing Barwon Heads based label BinnyWear and ManiaMania necklace. Photo – Tania Savage Production – Martine Harte.
Jeff Koons print sits pretty above a Jonathon Adler lucite bench which is both chic and purposeful. Photo – Tania Savage. Production – Martine Harte.
“I love Adler’s quirky style, he’s a mad potter really, some of his ceramics are great. It’s a bit of playful fun but also they are pieces which work well functionally so having other kids in the house – if their mums coming to pick them up – they can sit here put their shoes on and out the door they go,” laughs Bee.
On the other side of the hall is the ‘masculine’ wall featuring monochrome illustrations.
Photo – Tania Savage Production – Martine Harte.
An armchair designed in the form of a giant baseball glove mounted on invisible wheels was one of the couple’s first “exy purchases.”
Named ‘The Joe’ after American baseball champion Joe DiMaggio, also famously remembered as Marilyn Monroe’s husband, they married in 1954.
Designed by Joe Poltronova, this piece was a hit in the 1970’s. Even Chewbacca, the family dog, is a fan. Photo – Tania Savage Production – Martine Harte.
Photo – Tania Savage Production – Martine Harte.
Most surfaces in the home are artfully styled but not too precious. It’s a rental (the couple recently purchased land) and is working with an architect to design the ‘Palm Springs modernist’ home of their dreams.
“There’s no point having things that can’t be used. I love leather with its patina, the marks just add to the beauty. You can’t be too precious when you’ve got kids and work at home with kids around as well, even with the house we’re currently building the brief is robust,” says Bee.
Photo – Tania Savage Production – Martine Harte.
This Chanel poster has a very cool story behind it. Bee loves the fluid shape of the number 5, saying it reminds her of her mum and takes her back to when she was little girl. It inspired a marble product range.
Over to Bee…
“We went out with this marble range and all of a sudden Baz Luhrmann did the short film with Chanel Number 5 just after we launched so the timing was unbelievable!
This poster is actually from a bus shelter, Keira contacted AdShel and said, “I know you’re campaign must be about to finish any chance we could pick one up?” And they said yes!
We’re not allowed to sell or reproduce it but I can use it in my styling. It’s one of those things that is interesting and will be the original campaign from the year 2015, in 20 years it will become a vintage piece.
Giselle, the supermodel of the era it’s so dreamy and emotive. Certainly not an expensive piece of art but it resonates with us.”
Production – Martine Harte. Photo – Tania Savage.
Bee’s hand finished marble hashtag available at @Czar_BY_ design. Production – Martine Harte. Photo – Tania Savage. Photo – Tania Savage.
Personalised artwork by close friend Katie McKinnon. Production – Martine Harte. Photo – Tania Savage.
Both the boy’s bedrooms showcase a focus on functionality.
One son wanted a Batman theme, the other is into basketball, her designs appeal to her children’s imaginations and personalities and are contemporary, stylish and utilitarian.
Bunk bed from House of Orange. Production – Martine Harte. Photo – Tania Savage.
Max zipping down his fireman’s pole. Production – Martine Harte. Photo – Tania Savage.
A clever rental solution, hang costumes on hook and wall decals. Production – Martine Harte. Photo – Tania Savage.
Production – Martine Harte. Photo – Tania Savage.
Production – Martine Harte. Photo – Tania Savage.
Wall decals are used to create a bat cave and can be removed when Batman is no longer number one in little Max’s world. A great solution when you’re renting.
Production – Martine Harte. Photo – Tania Savage.
HOOK UP WITH BEE:
Over on Instagram at @Czar_in_ design or @Czar_by_design or email bee@czarindesign.com.au
Before you go, there is one snippet from this tale, perhaps my favourite, which I’m withholding… if you want to hear you need to join me… get engaged by tapping here.