Exclusive: Look Inside Alice McCall's Bali Home
See inside the designer's home in all its surf-rock glory.
Designer of all that is feminine and pretty, Alice McCall has lived between Sydney and Bali for the last five years. She's currently moving out of her house in Canguu, Bali, in search of bigger and quieter pastures — so what better time to look around her bright home, in all its surf-rock glory? We caught up with the lady herself to find out what inspires her impeccable interiors.
Melissa Kenny: So, are you shifting residency to fit more art into your new place?
Alice McCall: I love collecting art, but now I am forever flying between Bali and Sydney — both are my homes. The house I have in Canguu has been home for five years. Five years ago Canguu was much quieter but now it is becoming like Seminyak; buildings popping up like mushrooms, so ideally it would be good to move a little further out in Bali and have more land for the kids. And it would be lovely for the art collection to grow too!
You have a lot of great pieces on your walls. Who are your favourite artists?
I love Anthony Lister, an Australian based artist/graffiti artist, living in New York. I love his mix of spray paint and other mediums that he uses that bring a unique life and movement to his work. His work is always very cool, and his style is constant. I have an original Gered Mankowitz silk screen of Jimi Hendrix that I just love, as well as old original record covers from Donovan and the Small Faces, from my Aunty Sheena McCall who was an artist. Our surfboards are from by Dain Thomas and Ozzie Wright. All the art in our house is very surf rock n roll.
What kinds of things do you look for when you're decorating your home, besides parrots?
Unique pieces of furniture, I love looking at websites like 1st Dibs for antique pieces, and the great thing with Bali is that you can replicate the things you love which are out of your price range, or you might get inspiration from a table but can make it slightly different. I have been doing quite a lot of reupholstering with great ikats that I have found around the world, on armchairs and chaise lounges.
Forget all space, functionality or financial constraints for the moment. What is the most supremely fabulous feature you could dream of having in your own home?
I would love a house with really, really high ceilings, like a beautiful old church or cathedral, and to have amazing natural light, with stained glass windows and chandeliers. Light brings magic in to an environment and so does open space, so to have a church in the middle of a farm would be magical. I love the story of my Aunty Sheena, when she was with her first love (ex-Rolling Stones member) Mick Taylor where they moved to Ireland and lived as artists. They had no money, so they built a house out of old church ruins. There was no electricity or hot water but there were stunning stained glass windows everywhere and they would sit together in the magical light and draw 60s psychedelic art that would become the cover album art, such as for Donovan's 'Mellow Yellow'... Now that's romantic living!
The house is actually for lease so hit up info@alicemccall.com if you're interested!
Introduction: Jerico Mandybur
Interview: Melissa Kenny
