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My Space: Inside the calming home and workplace of interior designer Jane Ledger

Clare RyanSTM
Jane Ledger in her Claremont apartment.
Camera IconJane Ledger in her Claremont apartment. Credit: Michael Wilson/The West Australian

Jane Ledger is surrounded by the latest and greatest furniture and homeware on a daily basis, yet the creative director of Jane Ledger Interiors, embraces a minimalist decor when it comes to her home.

“As much as I’d love to be a maximalist and I admire it in other people’s homes, I can’t do it in my home. I’m surrounded by a myriad of colour, texture and pattern every day and spend hours on detailed interior plans and documentation for my clients,” Ledger explains. “I need to keep my working and living environment as peaceful as possible. Inspiration strikes me in moments of quiet when the world and my mind is still. That’s when I do my best work.”

The spacious interior of Jane Ledger’s apartment.
Camera IconThe spacious interior of Jane Ledger’s apartment. Credit: Jody D'Arcy

When she bought her Claremont apartment in 2015, the original 70s interior was in desperate need of a renovation.

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“On the first inspection, I was greeted with cigarette stained ceilings, downtrodden carpet and a derelict bathroom with Roman bath. But I saw its potential and did a complete reno on the place, fitting it out in a simple style and fresh contemporary palette,” she says.

It took only four months to completely transform the home into a space that merges her work and life as a designer.

“I bought the apartment for its orientation and outlook. I love working in natural light and knew the aspect overlooking the courtyard would suit my work from home and creative lifestyle perfectly,” she says. “My space is a little unique in that my working area is in the main living room of the home. I need to be in an open space where I can see sky and nature; not in a back room facing a wall. I tell my clients this all the time! I’m not a fan of work spaces being shunted to the back of the home.”

Ledger seeks to keep her working and living environment as peaceful as possible.
Camera IconLedger seeks to keep her working and living environment as peaceful as possible. Credit: Jody D'Arcy

Over the years she has collected an abundance of sample stone, timber, tiles, rugs and fabric swatches, which are often scattered throughout the home when they aren’t stored away in her storage room.

“There are days when I’m immersed in a project and the house becomes a sea of samples, concepts and drawings, which means the project is all coming together, but then I need to pack everything away,” she laughs. “That’s when my sample room comes in handy, it’s a treasure trove of inspiration and where client palettes get stowed away.”

The home is styled with timeless pieces, including a Walter Knoll Healy armchair and a Foscarini Buds table lamp.

“I prefer to invest in classic furniture and buy infrequently. Art was one of the first things I focused on when I furnished the apartment,” she says.

Jane’s love of WA’s coastline and landscape is expressed through her selection of artwork. Hanging on the walls is a mix of original art, prints and photography by local Perth artists including Jordy Hewitt, Jane Tangney, Jody D’Arcy and Martine Emdur.

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