Experience Melbourne through the eyes of a true local. This week on Home Life Series, join us as we delve into James Ballard's unique inner-city airbnb The Collingwood Pad.
James' iconic loft, nestled in the heart of Collingwood, is a masterful blend of industrial charm and contemporary elegance, reflecting the vibrant pulse of Melbourne’s cultural scene. With rising ceilings and expansive windows, James' apartment provides a serene retreat bathed in light. The blend of modern and chic decor perfectly captures the vibrant energy of Collingwood.
Explore how James blends modernist and vintage elements, and how the apartment's iconic bathtub ended up in the kitchen!
Hi James! Thank you so much for welcoming us inside your sun-filled Collingwood apartment! Please tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do?
Hello! Thanks for popping in. I’m a filmmaker and a musician by day and I don’t do that much by night. Actually I’ve been getting into whittling a bit recently. I made a spoon last week.
You’ve worked across the globe as a cinematographer and director on feature documentaries, TVCs, branded content and most things in between! Did you always want to be in this line of work, and how did your career start?
Well, I studied acting and I’ve done a bit of that but I was left with that feeling actors get of not really being in charge of what they work on. I made films and messed around with cameras at school instead of doing homework so I just ploughed into things on that side of the camera after drama school. Easier to open doors when you’ve got your hands on the tools.
Having worked on numerous films and projects over the years, what has been the highlight of your cinematography career so far?
I mean I got to go to some pretty amazing places throughout Europe and the Middle East. Saudi Arabia before they had a tourism industry was pretty sweet. That’s where I learned how crucial water is to a functional digestive system in a human. Funnily enough though, I still had that feeling of not really being in charge of what I was working on.
I actually fell into shooting stock footage for a boutique agency in the US and when I realised I could shoot what I want, when I want, with who I want I shifted the direction of my plough, so to speak, and turned that into a job. That freed up a whole heap of my time which I then filled with writing music and learning how to mix and master it, music being the other thing I did at school instead of my homework.
That then turned into the development of a TV show about two humans from Earth trying to make it in a band in space. I thought I’d mix the music and the acting and the filmmaking into one big, synth pop space opera. That recently got shelved as Hollywood is a fickle beast but you know what? That might be the highlight. Not getting what I thought I wanted. Cos now I can really choose where I want my plough to go. I’m going to stop with that analogy now. We’ll see what that turns out to be but it feels good to be 100% in charge of what I’m up to. Perhaps I should go into agriculture.
Now onto your apartment, we’re picking up some major New York loft vibes! What drew you to this space and location?
I was pretty nonchalantly keeping my eye out for a pad a couple of years ago. I was strolling past this building as the agent was closing up the inspection one Saturday. I convinced him to give me a quick peek and it took about 4.5 seconds for me to think ‘That’ll do, pig. That’ll do.’ That north light all day is not too shabby. I’m a fan of Vitamin D.
We can see that you're blending modernist and vintage elements in your interiors, and we're absolutely loving it! Where did you find some of these incredible pieces, and how would you describe your overall aesthetic?
Well, this is the first house I’ve owned and the first time I had carte blanche so I got a bit obsessed with interior design stuff for about a month and a half. Some of the things in there are pretty on trend but I tried to steer clear of just filling the place with one of every iconic piece of furniture on Instagram. The Wassilly got me but that’s pretty timeless. Marcel Breuer is the man. I’m a bit of a minimalist in a lot of my life but I realised this place just didn’t lend itself to that so I ended up leaning in to the slightly eclectic thing. I love that painting, it’s by a Melbourne artist called Christopher Jewitt. Super nice guy when I picked up the piece too, which helps. I’m sure he’s still a nice guy.
We're all buzzing about the bathtub situated right in the middle of the kitchen! What inspired this unconventional and intriguing design choice?
Well, I’m glad there are pictures to go along with this because a bathtub ‘right in the middle of the kitchen’ sounds slightly absurdist. Would make eating oranges easier though. I don’t think I really even noticed the bath at the first inspection, I get a little bored sitting in bathtubs but that’s the thing most of my friends dig. Indianna, if you’re reading this, I’m sorry but I’ve had exactly one bath there to date. In fact, if you’re one of those people who does not get bored in bathtubs, jump onto AirBnB. I’m spending a lot of my time in Bali at the moment and I’d love someone to be getting some use out of the modernist and vintage amenities on offer.
Limoncello Stripe Organic Cotton Flat Sheet
