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Profile: Brahman Perera
Design is personal, so for interior designers, it is important to live, believe in and support the design that shapes their environments, whether it be through their home, fashion choices or interests.
This rings true for Brahman Perera, who sees himself as “an engineer of atmosphere”, a phrase he resonated with when reading Jean Baudrillard’s The System of Objects. This disposition, combined with his magnetic personality, allows the talented designer to genuinely connect with each client to create bespoke spaces that are both memorable and meaningful.
Working across retail, hospitality and residential realms, the architect-graduate-turned-interior-designer always trusts his instincts. After attaining his Master of Architecture from RMIT, Perera worked at design firms including Fiona Lynch Office and Hecker Guthrie before launching his own practice in 2020. “The drive to start my own practice stemmed from a steadfast belief in my personal philosophies as a designer, an excitement to collaborate closely with clients and to wholly trust my own instincts,” he says.
While he is based in a small studio in Collingwood, Perera spends most days connecting and collaborating with clients and creatives. “I always want each project to have bespoke elements, be it custom lighting, furniture or artistic installations,” he says. He values the authenticity of an object made by one set of hands then cherished by another and often develops his own unique handcrafted designs. With his varied experience across interiors, architecture, fashion and lighting design, Perera has always been one to explore and play. “Experimentation has always been critical to my creative process, and I love taking an active role in artisanal practices – painting, sewing and lighting design.” To seek inspiration, “I immerse myself in design, art and culture, so inspiration often strikes from the most unlikely sources. It’s important to seek inspiration outside of the design world, such as in the visual arts or the theatre. I find it will fortify a design result that is more distinctive.”
Raised in a migrant household combining Hindu and Catholic faiths, Perera came to understand that the religious iconography and antiques in his home were touchstones for his parents to recall memories. Ever since, sentimentality has been a consistent source of inquiry in his work.
“I love honouring the personal narratives of my clients and ingraining their most cherished pieces in the interior in a way that resonates.” Perera’s approach balances his own personal history and aesthetic preferences with solutions that are also meaningful to the client. “I try to weave my own artistic and experiential inspiration with an understanding of what is personal and evocative to each client.”
While he loves exploring a broad spectrum of materials, Perera has recently been pivoting to engage with more environmentally friendly materials with Greenstar certifications. “It’s important to push this industry towards accountability and transparency when it comes to materiality and the overarching issue that is sustainability,” he says.
When he’s not busy experimenting or working on his latest project, you’ll find Perera with his restaurateur partner Jason M. Jones at their mudbrick cottage in the small town of Carlsruhe in the misty foothills of Victoria’s Macedon Ranges. Driven by curiosity and a passion for places that simply feel good to be in, Perera uses his time here to ground his practice through reconnecting with his intrinsic creativity, enabling him to continue designing intimate, beautiful and evocative spaces.
