Inside Black Blaze Paddington By Strutt Studios
After six years at its Paddington flagship, Black Blaze called on Strutt Studios to shape the next chapter, using the brand’s natural, moody palette as the starting point for a design that reflects its evolution.
Words HANDE RENSHAW Photos NIC GOSSAGE Interior Design STRUTT STUDIOS Builder TRINITY SHOPFITTING
The Black Blaze flagship in Sydney’s Paddington.
Inside the Black Blaze flagship warm timber joinery, cork-clad walls and clay-toned tiles create a layered material palette.
Warm timber joinery and clay-toned tiles feature in the space.
Black Blaze was founded in Sydney in 2016 by Joe Zhou and Ray Zheng.
“For Black Blaze, fragrance and objects have always belonged to the same conversation. They shape the
way a room feels and the rituals that unfold within it.”
Black Blaze’s scented candles, diffusers, room sprays and incense are presented alongside sculptural pieces in marble, brass and ceramic.
An island counter and dining-style table make the space feel more like a home than a traditional store.
Concealed lighting and integrated shelving are worked into the interior, allowing pieces to sit naturally within the space.
‘After six years at this address, we wanted to consider how the space could evolve with us,’ says Black Blaze co-founder, Joe Zhou.
Works by local makers sit alongside Black Blaze’s own collection, connecting the space to Australia’s wider creative community.
Founded in Sydney by Joe Zhou and Ray Zheng, Black Blaze has expanded well beyond fragrance, with its Paddington flagship evolving to reflect a growing collection of objects for the home.
Rather than leave its original Oxford Street space, the brand engaged Strutt Studios to rethink the existing 36-square-metre interior.
Timber joinery, cork-clad walls and clay-toned tiles give the interior its warmth, while integrated shelving and concealed lighting keep the focus on the collection.
A central island and dining-style table make the space feel less like a traditional store. Fragrance, sculptural objects and Black Blaze’s own collections sit alongside selected works by local makers, connecting the flagship to Australia’s wider creative community. Candles, diffusers, room sprays and incense are displayed with pieces in marble, brass and ceramic, reflecting the direction the brand has taken as its collection has expanded.
‘After six years at this address, we wanted to consider how the space could evolve with us,’ said co-founder Joe Zhou. ‘For Black Blaze, fragrance and objects have always belonged to the same conversation. They shape the way a room feels and the rituals that unfold within it.’
Strutt Studios carried that approach through the fit-out, using cork, timber, tile and stone throughout. The materials are repeated in different ways, adding depth without making the small footprint feel overworked. An earthy palette runs through the scheme, with shifts in texture helping to define each area.
Fragrance and objects are brought together rather than treated as separate categories, reflecting the way Black Blaze now approaches its collection. The result is a flagship that feels more resolved, while still connected to the original space.
The project has since been shortlisted in the Retail category of the 2026 Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), placing the Paddington fit-out among this year’s recognised Australian retail interiors.
Black Blaze
58 Oxford Street, Paddington, New South Wales
Follow @blackblazesydney
