A lifetime of creative influences bounces off the sleek mirrored walls in the Sydney home of art director, artist and creative dynamo Anna Viniero, reflecting her love of 1970s and ’80s avant-garde art, music, fashion, film, architecture, design and interiors.
Riffing on the era’s sensual textures, geometric forms, cinematic mood and languidly seductive tempo, the result is a visual remix played at a sultry rhythm – perfectly in sync with her ultra-fabulous DJ alter ego, Sophia Moroder.
An art director for Greg Natale by day and a DJ at night, Anna Viniero invited Belle to experience the glamorous apartment that acts as a visual soundtrack to her creative life.
WHO LIVES HERE?
Me, myself and I… and sometimes Sophia.
HOW HAVE YOU UPDATED YOUR HOME?
Not long after moving in (back in 2007), I installed a seamless concrete epoxy-resin floor and had my dear friend – and now full-time boss – Greg Natale design a new kitchen for me. The kitchen is timeless and still looks great today.
Recently, we updated the bathroom and laundry, which led to further cosmetic updates: new carpet, squared-off cornices, new joinery, lighting, custom rugs and blinds. I continued the mirrored splashback throughout, linking the kitchen and living area for a cohesive, open feel.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE INTERIORS?
Clean, minimalist, sensual and streamlined, with mirrors throughout (a nod to fashion label Halston’s NYC headquarters). They visually double the space and bounce light in playful ways. The aesthetic is rooted in the ’70s and ’80s – vertical blinds, vintage furniture and pieces I’ve worked on as art director at Greg Natale, with touches of my graphic design and illustration. My velvet-striped vintage sofa plays off the custom rugs I designed and had made by Designer Rugs, echoing the geometry of the sofa and blinds.
Deep burgundy carpet running upstairs ties in with the sofa and dining chairs, reupholstered in our ‘Cemento’ fabric. Joinery integrates seamlessly and holds vinyl records, cassette tapes, DVDs, VHS and dinnerware. The sculptural, geometric-tiled ’80s side table was made by Greg’s partner, Jason – it’s a cool-looking home for my stereo.
Upstairs, my butter-yellow ’80s bedroom suite with brass trim pairs nicely with Greg’s new Florence Broadhurst ‘Steps’ duvet – the print that earned him his first Belle award 25 years ago. The bathroom is a showstopper – small but impactful – with mirrored cabinetry and hypnotic terrazzo in orange, black, red and white.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT LIVING HERE?
I’m right in the middle of the action – close to nightlife, food and culture. Everything’s walkable, and I’m surrounded by energy and inspiration.
WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE ROOM?
The living room. I love the mirrors – perfect for spontaneous fashion parades. It’s also like a dance studio. With my controller and tunes, I often turn it into a private VIP disco/Studio 54 moment. The ‘Reggiani’ track lighting is solid and practical – it even has a hook for my disco ball. There’s never a dull moment here – just not enough time in the day!
TELL US ABOUT YOUR ART COLLECTION
I have works by Kate Banazi, Constanze Zikos, Scott Petrie, Studio Zero Milano (Giorgio Tonti) and Aileen Brown’s More Columbines linocut. I’ve also got a series of my own: portraits of my mother and dear friend Catherine Baba (which I entered into the Archibald), a metallic stucco piece, one from my ‘Annalog’ collection and a string art piece I made with my friend Filomena Bazina.
FROM WHERE DO YOU DRAW INSPIRATION?
My apartment is a living collage of references across time and culture. I mix tunes from across decades and project visuals on my mirrored walls, with reflections from the disco ball bringing the space to life. Think rare VHS finds, Italo cosmic disco, Euro-trash gems, hip hop, funk, freestyle, new wave, breakdance and Italian variety shows.
I love the dance choreography of Raffaella Carrà and Heather Parisi. Film-wise, I recently fell into a silent cinema rabbit hole after a Valentino documentary led me to Salomé (1923) with sets inspired by Aubrey Beardsley.
In fashion, I love Larry LeGaspi’s futuristic, metallic, Art Deco inspired looks for Grace Jones, KISS, Patti La and George Clinton. And always, Grace Jones – iconic in power, style, performance and presence.
WHICH ARTISTS DO YOU ADMIRE?
Graphic design is my roots, and I appreciate the strong symbolic clarity of Massimo Vignelli, Herb Lubalin, Saul Bass and Peter Max. I’m drawn to geometric and Op Art – from Bridget Riley, Victor Vasarely, Carlos Cruz-Diez, François Morellet, Jesús Rafael Soto and Josef Albers, to the abstract scale of Al Held.
Spiritually, I connect with the mystical works of Hilma af Klint and Emma Kunz – women who channelled the unseen through sacred geometry.
WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN ARCHITECTURAL INFLUENCES?
I’m inspired by the spiritual geometry of Louis Kahn and the optical surrealism of MC Escher, infused with the dreamlike worlds of filmmakers Federico Fellini, Dario Argento, Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch, and evoking the cinematic moods of Nino Rota, Ennio Morricone, Henry Mancini and Burt Bacharach.
My Italian heritage draws me to the Vatican, Pantheon, Villa Farnesina and Colosseo Quadrato in Rome. I love Castel del Monte’s symbolism, the Trulli of Alberobello and Matera’s cave dwellings. Also, ancient marvels like the Egyptian pyramids and the Mayan ruins of Mexico, for their spiritual geometry and mystery, Antoni Gaudí’s fantasy in Barcelona and the Gothic grandeur of Notre-Dame.
I love the retro-futurist spirit of mid-century modern architecture – from Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier, Harry Seidler, to John Lautner, and the dreamy Palm Springs aesthetic. I’m drawn to anything avant-garde, bold, modern, layered and transportive. That’s the energy I try to bring into my home, my music and everything I create.
WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO?
At Greg Natale, I’m excited about new rug, textiles, wallpaper and tile collections and whatever he throws at me next.
Personally, I’m channelling my inspirations into Sophia Moroder. She DJs, dances, dresses up and sports a fabulous bouffant. She’s performed for Greg Natale, Hermès, artist Antonia Perricone Mrljak and with performance artist Gaffy Gaffiero at the Hollywood Hotel. A wedding at the MCA is next up. She needs more outfits and more dance moves.
