“This is not even me pandering, but the Open Door video was such a huge part of my confidence in being able to start Tsu Lange Yor,” Troye Sivan tells AD, referring to the fan-favorite tour of his home that we published in 2021. “Interiors are obviously something that I’ve always loved in a really personal way for myself, but sharing it with you guys and seeing the reaction, I realized maybe other people like the same things that I like. It definitely was kind of the final push to do this.”
The Australian musician and actor announced Tsu Lange Yor, the lifestyle brand he founded with his brother Steele Mellet on Instagram on August 15. The collection of scented candles, eau de parfum, hand-cast oil burners, and a dreidel, which means “to long years” in Yiddish, sold out in two days. It looks like his intuition was right.
Sivan and Mellet developed the brand together over 18 months, choosing to build it from the ground up rather than “white labeling,” or allowing another company to create the products and simply slapping a label with his name on it at the end. “This has been the steepest learning curve of my life,” he says, but he’s excited by that fact, not exhausted. “It was really just so exciting to be completely new at something and be learning again. Making music never gets old to me, but at the same time I’m really just addicted to the creative process in all forms and to collaboration in all forms, and to learning and to trying new things.”
When working with designer David Flack of Flack Studios on his Melbourne home, Sivan’s main note was that the space should feel elevated and special, but it “couldn’t for a second feel pretentious.” The Tsu Lange Yor collection is certainly an extension of that spirit, particularly the oil burners and dreidels which will develop a patina as they’re used. “These are definitely luxury products, and they’re something that should feel like a treat for people, but at the same time they’re not fussy,” Sivan states.
“I would like to think that what people [responded to when seeing my home] is that there’s beautiful design and beautiful objects and beautiful furniture and beautiful art, but still, the second anyone walks into my house, I hope that they know and can feel that they can kick off their shoes, lie down on the couch,” he continues. “If they kick the coffee table, it’s fine. There’s nothing that is too fragile in the house.” The authenticity that comes through the TLY collection is no doubt a product of Sivan’s thoughtful consideration of his own home and how its thoughtful design has served his wellbeing.
Below we chat with Sivan about what life at home has looked like in the years since our visit to his Melbourne home.
AD: What city do you live in?
Troye Sivan: That’s honestly a tough question. I would say Melbourne.
Describe the style of your home in one sentence.
It’s personal and eclectic. I know this isn’t one sentence, but I have so many different influences from so many different places, and at the end of the day, the only kind of constant is that I like the thing. I didn’t hold myself to any rules, like, “No, that’s not midcentury enough,” or, “That’s not Australian enough or Italian enough.” If I liked it, it worked.
What is one kitchen item you use every single day?
Oh, my Breville coffee machine.
What is your favorite gadget or appliance?
My Breville coffee machine.
What is your bedtime ritual?
I wish it was better. Lately I’ve been plugging my phone into my bathroom, and I go into bed and I either read for a little bit or most nights I fall asleep to the TV.
What is your ideal bedding setup?
Oh, big pillows. I love lots of big pillows and then a soft sheet. I had linen for a second, and I found it to get too crunchy when I washed it, so I pivoted.
Which room in your house is your favorite and why?
My bedroom. It’s all the way upstairs, and it’s totally private. It’s got everything that I need, and it just feels like an escape from the world.
Describe one item in your home that you brought back from a trip.
I always buy books. I bring a lot of books back, like photo books. And I have a lamp that I bought in Sweden, it’s like one of those accordion bedside lamps that you can kind of pull out, and I really like that.
What object in your house has extra sentimental value?
So much of it. It’s not really an object, but that painted-on post that I showed in the Open Door video on the wall outside, that’s really sentimental to me because I think it reminds me that I am one custodian among many for this house so far. That feels really special to me. It makes me very grateful to be able to live here.
What is the oldest thing in your house?
I actually don’t know, that’s a good question. A lot of the house is original, so there’s probably a lot of things.
What is the newest thing in your house?
I got new dining chairs a couple of months ago. I mean, they’re vintage, so they’re not technically new, but they’re new to me.
Do you have a room or area that serves an unusual purpose?
I have a bathroom outside, and it’s actually such a dream. It’s the best guest bathroom ever. I think people really enjoy going there, which is a strange thing to say about a bathroom.
What would you change about your home if you could choose only one thing?
I would love to eventually continue the spiral staircase up one more level onto the roof and have a roof patio.
