Woollahra Showroom
BOYAC’s welcoming Woollahra showroom is Sydney’s top destination for luxury textiles and wallpapers – a space where craftsmanship, longevity and sustainability are king.
In Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, BOYAC’s flagship showroom offers a glimpse into a business that has shaped some of Australia’s most beautiful interiors for nearly four decades. Founded in 1988, the company is the exclusive distributor of leading European and North American textile houses, supplying architects, interior designers and manufacturers with fabrics, wall coverings and accessories for residential and commercial spaces. “The designers are looking for the exceptional quality that we deliver,” says managing director Eleonore de Vienne.
This commitment to quality and longevity has always been a defining feature of the business. In fact, products often last so long that repeat customers can take decades to return. “We often have clients come in and say, ‘Oh, we did our whole house in BOYAC. We did it 25 years ago and we love it.’ And you go, ‘Oh, well, that’s a shame because it’s lasted 25 years,’” Eleonore says, laughing.
Today, BOYAC represents 13 international brands, including Anna French, Colony, Création Baumann, Iksel, Luigi Bevilacqua, Métaphores, Perennials and Thibaut. According to creative director Susanna de Vienne, the company maintains the complete collections of its suppliers across its Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane showrooms. “We have everything that they have in their showrooms in Paris or London or Rome.”
The Woollahra showroom itself reflects the calibre of the products on display. Visitors enter through a welcoming space showcasing the latest wallpapers before moving into a light-filled interior framed by arched windows. A black bamboo pathway draws the eye through the space, creating a connection between indoors and out.
Storage was a key challenge in the design. “There’s a lot of product and we don’t want it locked away in cupboards,” Eleonore says. Elegant brass hangers display textile samples, while modular furniture can be reconfigured for events or communal dinners. The showroom’s soft pink walls – an inspired suggestion from Susanna – provide a versatile backdrop for the thousands of patterns and textures on display.
Beyond aesthetics, BOYAC places strong emphasis on ethical production and sustainability. “The EU guidelines are strict for sustainability,” Susanna says. “We have one supplier in particular, Création Bauman – you’re able to drink the water that comes out of their mill in Switzerland. So that’s the type of supplier that we like to work with.”
For Eleonore, the company’s success ultimately comes down to people. “The suppliers are at the core of what we do and I think the team plays a huge part. Thirty-eight years wasn’t just built on Susanna and I. It’s built on our predecessors and on the teams that have made up that journey.”
