Getting to Know Melbourne-Based Designer Brahman Perera
Having recently opened his own studio, Brahman Perera offers a thoughtful perspective on design, reframing and elevating our experience of home
With his boundless creative energy and entrepreneurial spirit, establishing a solo interior design studio was a natural progression for Brahman Perera. After studying for a bachelor’s in architectural design and a master’s in architecture from RMIT, Perera worked in fashion design and curation before honing his interior design skills at some of Melbourne’s most reputable studios.
Building on this creative foundation, Perera has built up an impressive portfolio of hospitality projects in collaboration with his partner, restaurateur Jason M Jones, including Stamford Park, Bouzy and Second Home. Perera largely credits his experience in residential design for the success of these projects. ‘The venues have warmth and are meticulously layered with personal touches,’ he says. ‘They invite people to linger and dwell on memories from their own lives.’
This personal approach is at the heart of Perera’s new practice. Applying his appreciation for materiality and place, he strives to understand the lives and interests of his clients, contemplating how their spaces can better serve them. ‘I always regard my client’s possessions as a narrative of their lives,’ Perera explains. ‘My job isn’t to erase these things, but to compose and reframe them, gently introducing new pieces in a way that resonates.’
This is perhaps Perera’s defining angle: crafting interiors that are driven by contemplation, theory and romance, rather than the desire to attain a recognisable or singular expression. His work eschews steadfast trends and themes. Books, fashion, travel and art are his greatest sources of inspiration, and these influences often manifest in unexpected ways.
‘I’m stirred by all sorts of imagery and don’t feel the need to translate ideas in a way that builds a linear narrative,’ he says. At Stamford Park, for example, the colour palette of the parlour bar is inspired by a statue of the Virgin Mary. ‘That’s not a typical precedent,’ he says, ‘but it’s such an evocative vision and a beautiful composition of colour. The key is for all the pieces to come together in a way that’s balanced and compelling.’
Perera’s affection for his craft is undeniable. He has tremendous nous and is a natural aesthete. ‘Underpinning all my work is the persistent pursuit of beauty,’ he says. Indeed, his interiors are skilfully composed; characterful, celebratory and imbued with a reverence for the past. ‘It’s always been about making a special occasion of the everyday,’ he concludes. With a number of residential projects underway and a collection of custom furniture and lighting pieces in development, Perera is a creative talent to keep a close eye on.
Text / Louise Waters
Images / Stamford Park by Lillie Thompson; Portraits by Eliza Harrison
