The winners of the Belle/Coco Republic Interior Design Awards 2012 were announced in Sydney on Wednesday evening.The Awards now in their second year were held at Coco Republic's Alexandria store where over 200 guests attended. BKH director, Iain Halliday took out the coveted Interior Designer of the Year Award and will receive two tickets to Paris to attend the Maison and Objet exhibition in September.Halliday whose recent work includes Ikon Apartment and Whale Beach House, was modest about the win putting it down to luck and longevity."I've been doing it an awful long time, I think that's it," he said.Halliday was pleased to have won the accolade but couldn't pin point why he was selected above his peers."I don't think there was any particular project; I think it's a cross section of work that the judges decided on."The judging panel included London-based designer Kelly Hoppen MBE - the first international judge for these awards, Domenic Alvaro (Principal, Woods Bagot Australia), Margie Attard (NSW/ WA Manager, Coco Republic Interior Design), Steve Cordony (Interior Design Editor, Belle), Mitchell Oakley Smith (Author and publisher), Anthony Spon-Smith (Executive director, Coco Republic), Neale Whitaker (Editor-in-chief, Belle) and Jean Wright (Senior design consultant, Belle).Halliday is currently working on a new project which he is excited about."We're working on a restaurant at Crown Casino in Melbourne for Neil Perry, an Italian restaurant which is very beautiful.""It's evocative of classic Italian elegance in the manner of Cipriani."Russell and George was the only firm to win two awards: Best commercial Interior for the fit out of the Aesop store in Claremont and Best Corporate Interior for Paper Stone Scissors.Byron George, Director at Russell and George said: "We feel elated. The standard of entries in all categories was very high."The total list of winners and finalists is:Tusculum ResidenceBest Residential Interior - Tusculum Street Residence Smart Design Studio Finalists Whale Beach House BKH; Toorak Residence David Hicks.
Aesop in ClaremontBest commercial Interior - Aesop Claremont Russell & George
Finalists Paul and Joe Doherty Lynch; SFXN Coop Manly Corso BKH.
Paper Stone Scissors
Best Corporate Interior - Paper Stone Scissors Russell & George
Finalists Medich Office Sjb Interiors; Saatchi & Saatchi Smart Design Studio.
The Apollo
Best Hospitality Interior - The Apollo George Livissianis
Finalists The Old Library Hecker Guthrie; Scarlett Sjb Interiors.
Iain Halliday - The Beach House
Interior Designer of the Year - Iain Halliday for BKH
Finalists Ryan Russell and Byron George for Russell & George; David Hicks for David Hicks Design.
Images courtesy of Belle magazine
