Shellee Gordoun Victoria + Albert Interview

Shellee Gordoun Victoria + Albert Interview

Leading freestanding bath manufacturer Victoria + Albert Baths has been awarded a 2010 Good Design Award™ for its Napoli bath, beating more than 500 other entries for its design distinction. The coveted Good Design™ Awards are bestowed annually by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

The Napoli bath blends contemporary and natural elements into a seamless statement of understated luxury. Its lines are clean and minimalistic – a perfect example of the 'less is more" approach to design. There is also an undeniable element of warmth and nature in the Napoli with its egg-inspired silhouette and an inherent sense of organic beauty thanks to its QuarryCast® composition of finely ground volcanic limestone. As the stone-rich alternative to both cast iron and acrylic, it is cast in one seamless piece that won't creak or flex. This unique construction is hand-finished to provide a glossy white solid surface that is both highly durable and easy to clean.

Now in its 60th year, the Good Design™ was founded in 1950 with the participation of early modernism's most formable designers. It remains the oldest and most globally recognised program for design excellence worldwide.

Interior designer Shellee Gordoun appreciates the design merits of the Napoli bath, having used it in a scenic Sydney bathroom, see image. 'I selected the Napoli bath because of its organic shape and comfortable depth. The bathroom is quite streamlined in all other design aspects with the bath as the main feature set on a plinth overlooking Sydney Harbour," she says.

Victoria + Albert is a global brand with a worldwide reputation for creating beautiful baths. The ultimate statement in qual¬ity and style, the Victoria + Albert collection is packed with inspirational designs made from 100% QuarryCast®, a blend of volcanic limestone and high performance resins. Naturally white, each tub is individually hand-finished by craftsmen. All products have been tested by IAPMO to UPC and cUPC standards and come with a 25-year limited consumer warranty.

Interview with Shellee Gordoun

Question: Why did you choose to use the Victoria + Albert Napoli Bath in the bathroom overlooking the Sydney Harbour (picture seen above)?

Shellee Gordoun: Basically because it is organic and streamlined.


Question: What do you like about using the Victoria + Albert Napoli Bath?

Shellee Gordoun: It is ascetically quite pleasing.


Question: How can Australians use the Victoria + Albert Napoli Bath in their homes?

Shellee Gordoun: They can purchase the bath. The biggest thing with a freestanding bath is that they need to have the space because the bath needs air to breathe as it takes up a little bit more room. When you have a bath that looks like the Victoria + Albert Napoli Bath it becomes the feature of the space.

Question: What colours do you suggest people use in their own bathrooms?

Shellee Gordoun: I prefer a neutral palette. The obvious palette in bathrooms that has been traditional for ever has been the limestone natural colours. I think in the bathroom (pictured) I have used grey palettes and more into the chocolate palettes; the limestone on the floor is a colour called -mink'. The Napoli Bath is an off-white pearl colour that sets off the cream colour and you get a contrast.


Question: What is your number one must have for the bathroom?

Shellee Gordoun: For the Napoli Bath I would always say it is for the master bathroom and I think it must have a double vanity.


Question: What inspires you when you are designer a room?

Shellee Gordoun: The clients personality and the building and location.


Question: Which is your favourite room to design?

Shellee Gordoun: Probably living areas and the kitchen.


Question: Do you use Feng Shui when designing rooms?
Shellee Gordoun: I always use Form Feng Shui which is about thoroughfares, clearances and spaces.


Question: What originally inspired you to become an interior designer?

Shellee Gordoun: The love for texture, colour, pattern and everything about it.


Interview by Brooke Hunter