Inside interior decorator Alex Hocking’s Melbourne pad

As a big collector of quirky things, the one-bedroom apartment of 24-year-old Alex Hocking is chock-full of carefully sourced wares and furniture he has refurbished himself.

From the spinning wheel (a nod to his love of Disney and Sleeping Beauty), which he upcycled in metallic gold with black spikes, to his custom-made eight-foot long design bench turned dining table, Alex is all about creating a home with one-of-a-kind pieces. “I’ve made my home very quirky with lots of fine detailing and unique room accessories,” explains Alex. ” I am a little fussy with the way I like things — I do have a mild case of OCD which does come across in the styling of my apartment. I’m a huge fan of white and black, neutral colours and clean lines — but then to counteract I love bold pops of colour.”

Situated just outside of Melbourne’s CBD in West Footscray, the home is extremely modern and full of character, with high ceilings, white walls and large windows and doors that let in an incredible amount of natural light. And while Alex is currently renting, that’s definitely not stopped him from putting his own stamp on things.

“I’ve never found renting to be a hinderance in decorating my home just the way that I like. My first question to any agent before I sign on the dotted line is can I put frames up on the walls? I’m a huge fan of art and own more framed pieces that I can count! I find adding things like framed pictures to a wall is a great way to show your personality and make your place feel like home. Removable wallpaper is great for small featured areas and I’m also a big fan of soft furnishings such as textured throw blankets, rugs and pillows — they are effortless and can definitely make a home feel warm and welcoming.”

Working as an interior decorator, but with a background in fashion design, styling and photography, Alex approached the home decoration process in the same way he does during his nine-to-five. “Generally when I put together a room I’ll start with the big-ticket items such as furniture, then move onto artworks and lastly finish with cushions, blankets and rugs. I think when adding colour to a room it’s best to incorporate it with small accessory items rather than in the furniture. Though I haven’t always followed this rule I do try to as often as I can!”

It is for this reason that his favourite space is his bedroom, liking it for its monochrome base with the occasional pop of colour. “My bedroom is just so cosy and warm and is a perfect representation of my style. It’s the kind of room I’ve always wanted! It’s nearly entirely black, white and silver which can be quite cold, however I’ve balanced this by adding warm dim lighting, a lot of plush silk cushions and linen accompanied by a faux fur blanket throw and rug, and most importantly, a musk candle so that it always smells like my favourite candy and makes me happy.”