Island PARADISE

Renowned designer Stuart Membery works his magic on a villa in Bali and opens his doors to guests from around the world.

- Victoria Carey

Stuart Membery has spent a lot of his life living out of a suitcase, but he's not complaining. Far from it. "A suitcase forces you to choose and makes you edit down to the things you love the most. And that's what the job of a designer is: to edit. A poor designer is one who loves everything. A good designer is one who has refined their taste," he says.

And there you have it. The key to the Membery brand. One thing is very clear - this is a man who definitely does not love everything, but he knows exactly what he does like.

It's an ethos he honed in the world of fashion. The Stuart Membery label was launched in 1982 when the Perth-born designer decided to branch out under his own name after a successful stint in the US working for clothing label Esprit.

But Stuart has always had a passion for interiors. During his fashion days, the design of the retail spaces showcasing his label were just as important as the clothes themselves. A 1985 profile in The Age newspaper detailing his search for a marble-topped desk from Italy is just one small testament to his legendary eye for detail.

Today, Stuart - who splits his time between Sydney and Indonesia - is back at his desk in Bali after a quick trip to Perth. Shelves laden with design references fill the wall behind him as he tells me about working with talented craftspeople in Java on bespoke furniture for upcoming and in-progress projects.

The demand for Stuart's decisive style has taken him around the world. He can be in Bowral, in the NSW Southern Highlands, one week and in Bahrain the next, with a side trip to Harbour Island in The Bahamas thrown in. It's a busy life and he relies heavily on his much-loved team to make it all work. "We work in shorthand, which makes it all so much easier," says Stuart.