Gold gilding makes a comeback in Australian luxury interiors

German-trained artisan Krissie Mayne is reintroducing 24-carat gold gilding and Verre églomisé to contemporary Australian homes, where designers and homeowners are seeking bespoke finishes that feel personal rather than mass-produced. The trend is gaining traction in high-end residential, hospitality and commercial projects as quiet luxury and handcrafted details take priority.

Why it matters: - Australian homeowners are looking for interiors that feel distinctive, personal and harder to copy than standard luxury finishes. - Traditional gilding offers a handcrafted alternative to paint, wallpaper and manufactured surface products. - The technique can create bespoke architectural details that change with light and cannot be exactly replicated.

What happened: - Decorative artist Krissie Mayne is bringing 24-carat gold gilding and Verre églomisé into contemporary Australian interiors. - Mayne is a Certified Master of Historical Painting Techniques, Gold Gilding and Heritage Conservation. - After a year of Master training in Munich, Germany, Mayne brought the techniques back to Australia. - Mayne now works with architects, interior designers and builders on high-end residential, hospitality and commercial projects.

The details: - Verre églomisé is the centuries-old art of gilding glass. - Traditional gilding uses genuine gold and precious metal leaf applied entirely by hand. - The work can be used for feature ceilings, decorative glass, fireplace surrounds and statement walls. - Mayne grew up around historic European architecture, including time spent in a 60-room Bavarian castle. - Mayne later returned to Germany for Master training in Munich to refine techniques used in palaces, churches and grand residences. - Gold leaf has long been associated with heritage buildings and ornate interiors, but Mayne says the contemporary version is more subtle and architectural.

Between the lines: - The revival reflects a broader move away from trend-driven interiors and toward homes that signal craftsmanship and individuality. - Designers are still using natural stone, timber and textured plaster, but decorative finishes are becoming another way to differentiate a home. - Mayne says the homes people remember are not always the largest or the most expensive, but the ones with details they have never seen before. - Relatively few artisans in Australia work at a Master level in traditional European gilding, which may keep the niche both exclusive and in demand.

What's next: - Interest in handcrafted finishes is likely to grow as more homeowners seek authentic alternatives to mass-produced materials. - Mayne expects traditional gilding to keep expanding in contemporary architecture as a signature luxury detail. - The trend points to continued demand for custom surfaces that help homes tell a personal story.

The bottom line: - In Australian luxury interiors, old-world gilding is being reframed as a modern marker of quiet luxury.