After 15 years of working and living across the globe as a freelance creative, landing a more permanent gig back home opened the door to Brendan securing his own little slice of Sydney.
As a self-proclaimed “international nomad”, settling down wasn’t always on the cards for Brendan De La Hay. The award-winning creative director, designer and performance artist wears a lot of hats (figuratively and literally) as an entertainer, TV personality, and visual artist - just to name a few.
“I’ve performed and designed work all around the world, mostly for theatre or film,” Brendan shares. “More recently, I’ve been doing a lot of brand activations with massive labels, which has been really exciting.”
It’s hard to miss Brendan’s work. It’s expressive, big, bold and undeniably colourful.
"The goal with my work is to always just make people smile and bring color, happiness, and joy to the world," Brendan shares. Though he's not afraid to challenge audiences either. "There are a lot of misgivings around being colorful, especially as a man, or someone with masculine energy. It's good to shake it up a bit."
With a creative reach that extends beyond performance and design, Brendan is also the force behind House de la Hay, his own genderless art fashion label, that has caught the attention of the likes of Azealia Banks, Frankie Grande, and Annie Murphy from Schitt's Creek. But after a stint living in New York, where his designs graced the racks of Bloomingdale's, COVID brought Brendan back to Sydney shores.
Upon his return home, Brendan found himself in need of a place to land. His “saving grace” was living with his brother in a one-bedroom apartment in the city. “When I came back from living overseas, I needed a place to live during COVID,” Brendan shares. “And this place was really cheap for some reason; probably because no one wanted to live in the CBD.”
Fast forward a couple of years, and Brendan is back living in the very same building — only this time as a homeowner. “I've actually lived in the building three times over the last decade,” he reveals. “One of my favourite facts about this place is that Robert Helpmann [of the ‘Helpmann Theatrical Awards’] used to live here.” Which, given Brendan’s career, seems a very fitting coincidence.
Built in the 1960s, it was the tallest building in the Sydney CBD at the time, while its brilliant central location now puts Brendan at the heart of everything he loves most about Sydney.
"I'm walking distance to all of my favorite things - the art galleries, the park, the harbor, and Oxford Street, where I can go out and be queer and fabulous.” he shares. This includes a view of Sydney’s iconic Coca-Cola sign, which can be seen from the apartment’s living room windows.
"I really love that,” Brendan shares. “Because, to me, Sydney is that Coke sign!"
For many creative professionals, particularly those who've built careers as freelancers, the path to home ownership can often feel out of reach.
“I didn’t actually think I would ever be able to do this — especially in Sydney,” Brendan explains. “I was expecting to use that money to move overseas or do something more frivolous.”
Unfortunately, it’s an all too common experience for many self-employed creatives. As Brendan explains: “No matter how much money I had, the bank didn’t seem to take me seriously”. But after landing a more permanent full-time role, Brendan was nudged by a few industry friends to contact the team at Pure Finance and see what might be possible.
Of course, the home-buying process itself brought its own challenges. "It was daunting and confusing - especially around the timing of everything," Brendan recalls. "I remember asking the team, ‘Do I inspect the place first and then make an offer? When do I get a gauge on the price of a place? Do I need to have a loan first? What is the order of events?’” he laughs.
For Brendan, working with Pure Finance meant having a source of trusted knowledge and support, helping to demystify the process. "Having that confidence that I wasn't doing it wrong, and knowing there was going to be a way to fix anything if we hit a hurdle - that was really great," he shares. "It also allowed me to focus on the emotional side of buying a house, which is huge, and how much I really wanted it."
For Brendan, his "tiny pocket in the clouds" already feels like home. Just a few months after moving in, there are many subtle (and some not so subtle) nods to his 'avant-garde' aesthetic throughout the entire space. An all-white electric piano occupies one corner, while a striking electric cello - stripped back to just its sleek black frame - stands in another, both of which are played by Brendan. The lounge area features custom banquette seating, wrapped in a fabric reminiscent of bright blue skies and fluffy white clouds - a creative repurposing of a set piece from one of Brendan's recent production designs.
The apartment has also become a gallery of sorts, with the walls adorned by portraits of Brendan himself, created by renowned artists like David Bromley, Kathrin Longhurst, and Michael Simms. "Many of them are Archibald artists who painted me for the prize but didn't get in that year. Then the next year, they got in with someone else's portrait,” Brendan laughs. "I'm like the Archibald graveyard!"
For someone whose creative journey has taken them across the globe, settling in one place might have, on the surface, seemed like a compromise for Brendan. Instead, the little piece of Sydney sky he now calls home has provided a secure base from which his work can continue to evolve and flourish.
“I do feel very appreciative and lucky to have been able to maximise this moment,” Brendan shares. “Having my own home gives me more security, no matter what I choose to do with the next phases of my work.”
Brendan's favourite local spots in the neighbourhood:
- The Art House Hotel - "They do the best steaks and they're super cheap on particular nights of the week. It's also a really beautiful old building and lovely inside."
- The restaurants under the Event Cinema - "It's a really cool pocket of the world. It kind of reminds me of Korea and it's always fun there."
- IMAX Sydney - "It's literally two minutes away, so I love walking down to watch a movie."
- Strolling around the city - "I just love being so close to art galleries, St Mary's Cathedral, the QVB and St Andrews - they're all such gorgeous buildings. I'm surrounded by beauty!"
If you're looking for more info about navigating home ownership with a creative career, we'd love to be a sounding board. Get in touch: info@nullpurefinance.com.au