Three Australian designers share how USM’s modular furniture adapts to their homes—balancing function, form and personal expression through evolving, versatile design.
USM’s modular furniture has long been celebrated for its enduring design and versatility. From a calming beige sideboard that grounds a richly layered family home, to an olive green credenza that conceals and celebrates in equal measure, to a black storage unit that plays with contrast and light—these stories highlight how USM integrates seamlessly into diverse sensibilities.
We spoke with three leading Australian designers—Tali Roth, Mardi Doherty and Alicia Racovolis—who open their own homes to share how their chosen USM pieces anchor, elevate, and evolve within their daily lives and form a personal canvas for individual expression.
In partnership with USM
In the lower-floor living space of Roth’s home ‘Alma’, a beige USM Haller sideboard with three drawers offers ample storage, while a bespoke brass door leads to a playroom furnished with Knoll Tulip chairs. “I designed the doors with the idea that one day the playroom could become a home gym or wet bar,” says Roth. | Photography by Lillie Thompson
A Martinelli Luce Pipistrello table lamp casts a sculptural glow over a sleek Cassina Constantin side table, blending enduring design with contemporary elegance | Photography by Lillie Thompson
Tali Roth
Interior designer Tali Roth
What drew you to the taupe coloured USM piece you chose for your home’s living/dining space, and how does it reflect your broader design philosophy?
Tali Roth: With so much colour, texture and layering happening throughout our home, the beige USM felt like a grounding, calming anchor. It has a quiet strength that balances out the richness around it. For me, every space is a canvas—it’s about layering contrast, mixing vintage with contemporary, and incorporating pieces with longevity. The USM sideboard embodies all of that. It’s timeless, sculptural, flexible and completely integral to the room.
How does the piece function day-to-day for you and your family—is it more of a practical storage solution, a display for cherished objects, or a spatial anchor within the room?
Tali Roth: This piece sits on the lowest level of our home, the kids’ hangout zone, so it’s filled with books, toys and endless colouring pads. It’s absolutely a practical storage solution, but it also works as a strong visual anchor. I love that it manages to be both functional and sculptural.
USM is known for its modularity—have you found the piece has adapted with your lifestyle or evolved with your space over time?
Tali Roth: Definitely. As our family has grown and shifted, so has the way we use it. Sometimes it hides away the chaos; other times it proudly displays special objects on top. That flexibility makes it such a core piece in our house, and it always feels relevant.
Beyond function, what aesthetic or emotional value does the piece bring to your home environment?
Tali Roth: It just works with everything. The beige finish is neutral yet elegant, so it plays beautifully with all the bold colours and textures in the rest of the house. It’s one of those forever pieces—something we’ll cherish as a family and eventually pass down to the kids.
Designer Tali Roth at home | Photography by Lillie Thompson
"It’s absolutely a practical storage solution, but it also works as a strong visual anchor. I love that it manages to be both functional and sculptural."
– Tali Roth
Studio Doherty
Founder and principal Mardi Doherty
What drew you to the green USM piece you chose for your home’s study space, and how does it reflect your broader design philosophy?
Mardi Doherty: Our studio often invests in quality pieces that can evolve with a client or a space, and a USM had been on my bucket list for decades! We couldn’t decide between steel blue and beige, and were just about to order the beige when I spotted a special edition olive green on Instagram. The olive green adds character without shouting—it’s nuanced. The piece is playful yet refined, which reflects our broader design philosophy. It’s also an unexpected colour for USM, representing our studio’s intentional and unusual use of colour in our projects.
How does the piece function day-to-day for you and your family—is it more of a practical storage solution, a display for cherished objects, or a spatial anchor within the room?
Mardi Doherty: Our piece has eight drop-down drawers, which neatly conceal all our admin folders and family stuff! The top surface is also a great height for displaying objects. It’s a strong, confident piece that reminds me good design doesn’t age or go out of style. It also serves as a spatial anchor in the room.
USM is known for its modularity—have you found the piece has adapted with your lifestyle or evolved with your space over time?
Mardi Doherty: It was mostly for files at first, but a couple of the compartments now store tennis racquets and balls! We deliberately chose a fully concealed unit with no open shelves because the opposite side of the room has lots of open shelving, and we needed a place to hide away all our filing.
Beyond function, what aesthetic or emotional value does the piece bring to your home environment?
Mardi Doherty: To me, it represents years of hard work and longing. It feels like a piece of art, and every time I open it, I marvel at the design and construction.
In the study space of Doherty’s Gable House, Artwork by Bara Prailova from Fin Gallery hangs overlooking the set of eight drawers from USM in olive green | Photography by Sean Fennessy
In the study, a lilac-hued, vintage glass pendant from Leonard Joel Auctions hangs above a white Chubby Chair by Dirk van der Kooij, whose playful form contrasts with a bold red Eames professional chair from Herman Miller | Photography by Sean Fennessy
Gable House by Studio Doherty | Photography by Sean Fennessy
Mardi Doherty at home in Gable House | Photography by Sean Fennessy
Alicia Racovolis
Interior designer Alicia Racovolis
What drew you to the black USM piece you chose for your home’s living space, and how does it reflect your broader design philosophy?
Alicia Racovolis: I’m particularly drawn to the Black and Beige colourways, as they work harmoniously within my designs. I chose Black for this space to visually anchor and balance the room. With my appreciation for craft and design history, USM aligns perfectly with my focus on considered design and material quality, resulting in a timeless piece. Choosing black also came from a need for contrast—a visual anchor to balance the characterful, organic, and textured pieces around it. I also love how the chrome tube frame stands out against the black metal panels, enhancing the detailing of the piece.
How does the piece function day-to-day for you and your family—is it more of a practical storage solution, a display for cherished objects, or a spatial anchor within the room?
Alicia Racovolis: All of the above! As my studio is at home, it inevitably houses many of my design samples. I also love using it for display, pairing contrasting tactile pieces. Its minimalist aesthetic lends itself beautifully to showcasing cherished decorative objects and books.
USM is known for its modularity—have you found the piece has adapted with your lifestyle or evolved with your space over time?
Alicia Racovolis: As my studio has grown, so has my need for storage. What started as a purely visual anchor quickly became a practical and essential piece. One of my favourite ways to use USM in projects is to house and display record players and records—although it’s not set up that way currently, I look forward to incorporating this in future rotations.
Beyond function, what aesthetic or emotional value does the piece bring to your home environment?
Alicia Racovolis: The USM Haller unit catches the morning light that streams in, and the shiny chrome interacts beautifully with the sunlight, reflecting beams across the room. I often find myself admiring this luminous detail. There’s comfort in having such a versatile piece of design—it could exist in many areas of the home. Its adaptability echoes my desire for longevity and timelessness when investing in pieces.
Have you styled or personalised your USM piece in any unexpected or creative ways that make it uniquely yours?
Alicia Racovolis: Whenever I source a unique object, book or bring home some fresh flowers, I will play around with the display and styling. I enjoy the process of creating new and beautiful moments with the piece. I tend to have an incense burning there, serving as a place for daily rituals as well.
The Living Divani Extrasoft sofa by Piero Lissoni in Panama anchors the lounge area, alongside a black USM modular unit and atop the Armadillo Eden rug | Photography by Lillie Thompson
"The USM Haller unit catches the morning light that streams in, and the shiny chrome interacts beautifully with the sunlight, reflecting beams across the room."
– ALICIA RACOVOLIS
Photography by Lillie Thompson
Interior designer Alicia Racovolis at home | Photography by Lillie Thompson
