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Croydon House, NSW, by Ben Giles Architect. Photography by Katherine Lu. The COLORBOND steel colour swatch represents actual product colour as accurately as possible. However, we recommend checking your chosen colour against an actual sample of the product before purchasing. COLORBOND , the BlueScope brand mark and colour names are registered trade marks of BlueScope Steel Limited.

TM colour names are trade marks of BlueScope Steel Limited. 2021 BlueScope Steel Limited ABN 16 000 011 058. All rights reserved.

COMING UP ROSES THE BRINDABELL A IS A WIN NER

This is living 108 PAGES OF INSPIRATIONAL HOMES

BEDDED BLISS LUXE NEW LINEN

for your

DREAM BEDROOM

Gardens great and small Gorgeous grounds in the city and country

Iconic Delta III An elegant approach to functional furniture, Delta III can be reconfigured into many different settings, or even a luxurious bed for two. Delta III is the ultimate modular sofa.

AUSTRALIA

NEW ZEALAND

SINGAPORE

MALAYSIA

SHANGHAI

CANADA

K I N G L I V I N G .C O M

The 2020 Room of the Year, designed by Greg Natale Design.

TOp 50 rOOMS H G

CALL FOR ENTRIES Are you a design professional with a beautiful interior project to share? Here’s your invitation to enter H&G’s Top 50 Rooms competition, showcasing the best of the best.

Submissions open!

Our Top 50 Rooms showcase celebrates the joy and triumph of a well-designed room.

If you have a unique, recently unveiled residential project, we’d love you to share it with us.

We are seeking a diverse range of room designs that together display the pinnacle of skill, beauty, quality and creativity in Australian interiors today. Entries close August 16, 2021 with the 50 best projects to appear in the November 2021 issue of H&G.

Entry requirements

Send in high-resolution images (jpg or tiff) of the room/s you would like to submit. Rooms should be professionally styled and photographed. Multiple rooms from the same house are eligible. We ask that you tell us if your project has been published elsewhere.

Categories

We are seeking entries in the following categories: ● Room of the Year ● Best Kitchen ● Best Indoor-Outdoor Connection ● Best Outdoor Room ● Best Bathroom ● Best Laundry ● Best Bedroom ● Best Use of Colour ● Best Use of Soft Furnishings

Photograph by Anson Smart.

How to enter:

Contact us for an entry kit.

An entry fee of $150 per entrant applies (multiple rooms per entry allowed).

Send images via WeTransfer or Dropbox link.

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“The Bees Knees”

Discover our new collection from House of Heras - ‘Birds and the Bees’

designerrugs.com.au @designerrugs 1300 802 561 Sydney | Melbourne | Brisbane | Auckland

This is living

JULY Cover stories

Photograph by Shannon McGrath

22 108 pages of inspirational homes 35 Bedded bliss Luxe new linen for your dream bedroom 169 Gardens great and small Gorgeous grounds in the city and country 185 Coming up roses The Brindabella is a winner

People

22 Designs On The Prize An awkward shop conversion has evolved into a work of art thanks to owners with a keen eye for design.

189 How To Manage Your Reno Budget Keep financially fit while realising your forever-home dream.

194 The Creative Type Passionate plantspeople Lauren Camilleri and and Sophia Kaplan of Leaf Supply.

Decorating

35 Bedded Bliss Hit refresh on tired bedroom style.

47 About A Grand Design Chic upcycling ideas.

50 On Trend Neon.

52 On Trend Belles fleurs.

63 Ask An Expert Storage solutions.

69 9 By Design Candles.

Houses

74 Breath Of Fresh Air International influences have delivered a family home with personality plus.

88 Large As Life A 1950s bungalow is beautifully reworked to better suit the needs of a growing family.

96 Gentle Touch In Adelaide, a thoughtful addition eased a Federation villa into the 21st century.

106 Welcome Return With homeowners locked out by lockdown, a terrific design and build team pulled off an amazing renovation by remote.

116 Perfect Union An architect and heritage expert’s own beautifully refurbished terrace.

126 Present Form Breathing new life into a Tudor Revival home in Melbourne.

136 High Style A Sydney apartment is transformed from drab to fab.

144 Half Windsor The latest project for a pair of passionate owner-renovators.

154 Salt Of The Earth Home and garden are in perfect harmony at this Mornington Peninsula property.

On our cover After years in an apartment, the owners of this Sydney residence are relishing their new home’s lashings of light and the space to sprawl. See page 74 for more. Artwork by Clara Adolphs. Photograph

by Kristina Soljo.

Gardens

170 Coastal Crush Sea air and sandy soils were no hindrance to creating a magnificent garden.

178 Industrial Evolution A relaxing retreat garden that honours its hard-working past.

185 In The Name Of The Rose 187 Pure Magnificence Magnolias.

For our readers 10 20 192 193

Put your best work forward for this year’s Top 50 Rooms showcase.

Subscribe to H&G and you could win one of 20 Thermomix prize packs valued at more than $2500!

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Panama 3 Seat Leather Sofa In Orlando Incarnadine

Design Your World

EDITOR’S LETTER H G

Photograph by Kristina Soljo. Hair and make-up by Samantha Powell.

We need to move together I painting by Kerrie Oliver (right).

I

“With INSIGHT into the BEHIND the scenes, you can better APPRECIATE the challenges – and the RESULT.”

t’s easy to open a magazine, flick through the pages. admire the beautiful images and perfect-looking homes and dismiss the stories from the journeys behind these dream home aspirations. Emotion in motion is what it is all about in my ideal home world. I know being too passionate about property and finances is never advised, but how can you not be? It’s where you live, where your family and friends meet, where life happens. I love the narrative. I want to know what prompted the owners to decide on this particular house, apartment or piece of land. What brought them to this suburb or town? Why did they crave a sea- or tree-change? If they bought an unrenovated place, how long was it before they decided to hit the green button on project renovation? How did they decide on the master plan and finishes, and what led them to the project team of designers, architects and landscapers if they had one? With insight into the behind-the scenes, you can better appreciate the challenges – and the result.

Whatever the budget, there is always some form of compromise. I admire the converted butcher shop that is the home of marketing director Michelle McEwen and her family (page 22). I love the fact that they got a great vibe when they first saw it: “even among all the design chaos, the house had a nice feel – it felt like ours as soon as we saw it”. And I appreciate that they were patient enough to take on two extensions when the budget permitted, shrugging off the idea of leaving a neighbourhood they loved for an easier fix further from the city.

Our stylish cover house is a quintessential family home (page 74), located beachside in Sydney’s east. It is the fabulous and welcome destination at the end of an expat tour for its owners and their two children. When Covid struck, the major renovation had to be underatken via Zoom and the first time the family saw their newly renovated home was when they were released from quarantine I feel for older readers realising that perhaps the maintenance of a big house, farm or property is no longer sustainable. Even if it is still physically possible, maybe you want to use your precious time for other pursuits. Michelle and Peter have found an excellent solution. After living and farming in the Mornington Peninsula for 40 years, they moved to a large corner block in a nearby township, where they engaged Bower Architects to design a tranquil, light-filled home with easy access and a generous yet low-maintenance garden - see page 169.

Dream homes come in myriad forms, and there is plenty to rouse your inner creative on the following pages. We hope we make the journey as pleasurable as the end product.And if you're an architect or interior designer, our Top 50 Rooms showcase is back, and we would love to see your work. See page 4 for entry details.

Tanya Buchanan, Editor-in-Chief TOP PICKS

Tanya’s top five

SCENT

Paris-Édimbourg Les Eaux De Chanel eau de toilette, $195, David Jones; davidjones.com.

BESPOKE

The Croissant drawer/ cabinet pull, from $90, Zachary Frankel; zacharyfrankel.com.

COLLECT

Alright As You Wish artwork by Tym Yee, POA, aMBUSH Gallery; ambushgallery.com.au.

FRESHEN

Kitchen Collection fragranced hand wash, $24.95, Ecoya; ecoya.com.au.

DINE

Australian House & Garden ‘Esperance’ dinner set, $129.95/12-piece set, Myer; myer.com.au.

DE C OR + DE SIGN IS BAC K !

Join Australia’s leading interior designers for a series of inspirational design talks.

Australia’s premier interiors trade event, Décor + Design, returns to MELBOURNE’S EXHIBITION CENTRE JULY 15-18.

Australian House & Garden is proud to present the seminar series at the event. Hear from a stellar line-up of speakers, including leading Australian interior designers Adelaide Bragg, Arent & Pyke, Cameron Kimber, James Treble, Jeremy Bull, Mim Fanning and Thomas Hamel.

There will also be a virtual presentation by popular UK-based trend forecaster and futurist, Victoria Redshaw.

EDITORIAL Editor in chief Tanya Buchanan Acting creative director Shayne Burton Deputy editor Elizabeth Wilson Interiors editor Kate Nixon Chief copy editor Sarah Pickette Senior content/production editor Tamarah Pienaar Homes group coordinator Annika Baker ART & ST YLE Designer/stylist Sophie Wilson Prepress specialist Matus Kundrat CONTRIBUTORS

Linda Alam, Brigid Arnott, Atelier Lab, Sevak Babakhani, Hilary Bradford, Jackie Brygel, Stephen Crafti, Alexandra Gordon, Kristina Harrison, Marnie Hawson, Belle Hemming, Tammy Huynh, Jess Kneebone, Tom Lazarus, Georgia Madden, Shannon McGrath, Christopher Morrison, Judy Pascoe, Chris Pearson, Carli Philips, Jenah Piwanski, Samantha Powell, Jane Rowley, Kristina Soljo, Sue Stubbs, Saffron Sylvester, Lillie Thompson, Samantha Torrisi, Dave Wheeler, Helen Young ADVERTISING & PRODUCTION Group category manager Rhyl Heavener (02) 8114 9420 Advertising production manager Kate Orsborn (02) 9282 8364 Brand executive Amelia Paterson (02) 9282 8038 Victoria, SA & WA sales director Jaclyn Clements (03) 9823 6341 Director of sales, NSW Karen Holmes (02) 9282 8733 Victoria head of direct sales Will Jamison (03) 9823 6301 Queensland head of sales Judy Taylor (07) 3101 6636 General manager – production services Ian McHutchison Production controller Sally Jefferys Advertising production controller Dominic Roy (02) 9282 8691 Senior event manager Cate Gazal (02) 8226 9342 M A R K E T I N G & C I R C U L AT I O N Marketing director Louise Cankett Circulation manager Robert McIntosh Subscriptions campaign manager Jesvin Vincent Brand manager Sarah Webster Marketing enquiries homes@aremedia.com.au

Adelaide Bragg

Arent & Pyke

Thomas Hamel

While you’re visiting Decor+Design, make sure you check out Como By Design’s special avenue of exhibits. Located near the seminar room and curated by Tigger Hall, the ‘Avenue of Como By Design’ presents 16 booths by Melbourne-based designers including Justin Bishop, Camilla Moulders, Alexander Pollock, Lucinda Kimpton and many more.

DECOR + DESIGN, MELBOURNE EXHIBITION CENTRE, 1 CONVENTION CENTRE PLACE, SOUTH WHARF.

For all details go to www.decordesignshow.com.au

A R E M E D IA C O R P O R AT E Chief executive officer Jane Huxley Finance director David Loeffler Executive general manager – publishing & digital operations Sarah-Belle Murphy Group publisher – homes Shane Sutton Director of sales Andrew Cook Customer director Sally Eagle Business manager Georgina Bromfield Syndications syndication@aremedia.com.au New Zealand enquiries +61 2 9282 8505 SUBSCRIPTION SALES & ENQUIRIES

Magshop GPO Box 5252, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia Phone 136 116 (Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm AEST) Web magshop.com.au All other Australian House & Garden enquiries: (02) 9282 8456 Published by Are Media Pty Ltd (ABN 053 273 546), 54 Park Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. The trademark AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN is the property of Are Media Pty Ltd and is used under licence. © 2021.

All rights reserved. Printed by Ovato, 31-37 Heathcote Road, Moorebank, NSW 2170. National distribution by Gordon and Gotch Australia Pty Ltd. 1300 650 666. ISSN 0004-931X. No material may be reproduced in part or in whole without written consent from the copyright holders. Are Media does not accept responsibility for damage to or loss of freelance material submitted for publication. Allow several weeks for acceptance or return. For enquiries regarding subscriptions, call 136 116 Monday-Friday 8am-6pm AEST, email magshop@ magshop.com.au or mail letters to: Australian House & Garden, Reply Paid 3508, Sydney, NSW 2001 or subscribe online at magshop.com.au/hg. Subscription rate*: Australia $79.99 (one year, 12 issues); NZ A$120 (one year, 12 issues); other countries A$180 (one year, 12 issues). All overseas subscriptions sent air speed. * Recommended price, Australian House & Garden.

H G LETTERS

YOUR H&G Wow, wow, wow! White hot indeed! I get so excited when the new issue’s cover pops up on Instagram each month.

I race out to purchase the magazine with absolute impatience, but once it’s in my hands, I take my time.

The feature about the Three Birds Renovations project (‘Heart-Melting Moments’, June issue) was simply the best example I’ve seen of the current design styles. The bathroom and laundries special arrived at just the right time for my renovation project too – I can’t wait include some of the pieces in my own home.

Roxanna Ford, Spring field, Queensland REPU RPOSE W ITH PU RPOSE

As a serial rescuer of unwanted items from the side of the road, I love your new series ‘About A Grand Design’.

It’s so rewarding when friends and family admire a piece I have upcycled.

Thank you for highlighting a fun and environmentally sustainable hobby with a stunning room created by a fellow ‘second-hand’ lover. One person’s trash really is another’s treasure!

Katherine Epsom, Murrumbeena, Victoria

Facebook

Instagram

adults – to tagging pages to inspire the design and decoration of the 28 homes I lived in before my 29th (and final!) move into an apartment a year ago, the pleasures of my monthly treat roll on. I intend to learn more and experiment more as I continue to be inspired by the fabulous ideas within the pages of Australian House & Garden. Thanks for all the good times, my constant companion.

Lyn Pepper-Budge, Phillip, ACT Pinterest

K ICK ING G OA L S

FON D ME MORIES

I’m currently devouring the June issue of H&G and it has me reflecting on the impact Australian House & Garden has had on my life over the years. From peeping at the pages over the heads of breastfeeding babies – all three of whom are now lovely, lively young 20 |

AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN

W RIT E IN TO W IN The author of each letter published receives $50. Our favourite also wins a prize. This month, Roxanna Ford of Springfield, Queensland, wins a Signature stainless-steel 28cm (10.4L) stock pot, valued at $530, courtesy of Le Creuset. For more fine cookware, go to lecreuset.com.au. Email your letter to H&G@aremedia.com.au or post to Your H&G, PO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 1028. Please include your full name and address in order to be considered for publication.

H^G social

The posts that made your month Facebookers fell for a garden to suit all ages and life stages, Instagrammers pined for a tree-change to the NSW Southern Highlands and a Byron Bay ‘woolshed’ hit the spot on Pinterest.

Facebook facebook.com/ australianhouseandgarden Highlights from each issue plus links to tours of our favourite homes.

Instagram @houseandgarden View the most inspirational images of the month from H&G headquarters and out and about.

Pinterest pinterest.com.au/ houseandgardenau Picture-perfect images from our pages and sensational products to covet.

Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

My husband and I have almost completed a major renovation to create a home that is suitable for multigenerational living. The absolute pleasure I feel when the new issue of H&G arrives each month is second to none – there is inspiration to be found on every page, cover to cover. Thank you so much for helping me to keep my eyes on the prize. The end is in sight!

Annette Duncan, Castle Hill, NSW

BRINGING GREAT DESIGN HOME. NEW SHOWROOM 19/20c Hills Super Center North 18 Victoria Ave, Castle Hill, NSW

www.contentsid.com.au

Shop L105, Moore Park Supa Centa 2a Todman Ave, Kensington, NSW (02) 9662 2443 facebook.com/contentsid

@contentsid

The home’s original exterior has been refreshed with a coat of Dulux Grey Pebble. OPPOSITE Homeowner Michelle McEwen with her son Tom, 10, and their miniature labradoodle, Sophie. B&B Italia ‘Harry’ sofa and ‘Fat Fat’ coffee tables, Foscarini ‘Rituals’ lamp and ‘Milos’ rug, all Space. Black candle, Candle Kiosk.

Cire Trudon candle (white), Libertine Parfumerie.

at home with H G

Designs on

T HE PR I Z E Reluctant to leave the neighbourhood they loved, Michelle McEwen and her family decided to upgrade their home for a second time.

STO RY Judy Pascoe | ST YL IN G Sophie Wilson PHOTO GRAPH Y Kristina Soljo

AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN |

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H G at home with

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AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN

ntering this chic, light-filled home in Sydney’s inner west it is inconceivable to think it was once the neighbourhood butcher’s shop. It’s testament to the owner’s vision and respect for the history of the circa 1896 property that she was able to effect such a dramatic transformation.

In 2007 Michelle McEwen, group marketing manager at furniture retailer Space, and husband Jon were searching for a suitable home. “We were attracted by the original terrace facade and the location – at the top of a hill and on a beautiful wide street with views across a park,” she says. The property had been converted from a shop to a house by the previous owners and renovated by a succession of handyman lodgers. “The layoutwasamess, it was dark and in need of some TLC,” says Michelle.

The house already had three bedrooms and one bathroom that was very cold, at the back of the house and down four sets of steps – “not ideal, as I had a young baby and soon was pregnant with a second,” she says. The original butcher’s blue tiles still lined the walls and the large shop >

“THE LAYOUT WAS A MESS, IT WAS DARK AND IN NEED OF SOME TLC.” Michelle McEwen, homeowner

In the Artex kitchen, a Poliform design, pocket doors conceal a stainless-steel bench that pulls out and clicks into place to create an additional preparation area. Carrara marble island benchtop and splashback. Flos ‘Fucsia’ pendant lights, Euroluce.

Artwork by Craig Parnaby. Neysa curved vase and Avni Podium bowl (on rear bench), both Inartisan. Kartell ‘Charles Ghost’ stools and Tse & Tse ‘Hollow Famished’ bowl (on island), all Space. OPPOSITE A built-in sideboard and a half-height screen define the entry hall within the front room. Joinery by Claremont Joinery. Brass ‘Almost a Circle’ vase by Anna Varendorff of ACV Studio and Kartell ‘Moon’ bowl by Mario Bellini, both from Space. Muuto ‘The Dots’ wall hooks, Top3 by Design.

H G at home with “THE HOUSE HAD A NICE FEEL – IT FELT LIKE OURS AS SOON AS WE SAW IT.” Michelle

Part of the reconfigured open-plan space, the rear living zone flows out to the deck and pool area. B&B Italia ‘Harry’ sofa, and ‘Fat-Fat’ coffee tables, SP01 ‘Anita’ armchair, Foscarini ‘Rituals’ lamp and Kose ‘Ciotola’ wooden bowl, all Space. Cushions, Polite Society.

Painting by Jeannie Petyarre (left) and art print from Castle.

Kasthall ‘Marocco’ rug, Space. OPPOSITE An artwork by Vivien Hong, homeowner Jon’s mother, is a focal point in the stairwell.

window was intact at the front. “But even among all the design chaos, the house had a nice feel – it felt like ours as soon as we saw it,” says Michelle.

The house came with approved plans from earlier owners, so the couple made good use of them to add an extra bedroom andbathroomupstairs,rejigthefloorplan of the downstairs living areas and to lay new flooring throughout.

“Thisfirstrenovationwasgreatbecause it madethespacelarger and more suitable for our little family – including mini labradoodle Sophie. However, to meet our budget at the time, we had to cut out a few structural aspects and compromise on some materials and finishes, which we later regretted,” says Michelle.

As their two sons, James and Tom, grew, the family considered moving to a larger home, but they didn’t want to leave their street, let alone their suburb. “So in 2018, we decided to stay and make this house the very best we could.” Their ideas were vague, however, and they were not really > AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN |

27

surewhatwasimportantandhowfarthey should – or could – take the renovation.

AnintroductiontoClaireMcCaughanof CustomMadarchitectureanddesignstudio helped to coalesce their ideas and needs forthehouse.“Wewantedtobringinmore light,addanensuiteandchangethelayout of the living, dining and kitchen areas. We were also keen to create a new entryway out of the boys’ former playroom,” says Michelle. After a visit to a friend’s house for a barbecue, the list grew to include a pool. “Jon and I looked at each other and said at the same time, ‘We need a pool!’”

With the boys now aged 13 and 10, the pool, above all, has been a game-changer.

“Ithastotallytransformedourfamilylife,” saysMichelle.“We have a constantstream of friends in the pool and we love hearing the kids planning games, laughing and

28 |

AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN

being outside, having fun for hours every day. I love it too – jumping into the water after I’ve been exercising – it feels like a mini holiday every time.”

To create a complementary garden the family engaged landscaper Lies Esselink, who specified large steel planters along the fenceline with a mix of Magnolia grandiflora ‘Teddy Bear’, succulents and pretty violets for ground cover. “The pool takes up most of the space so we focused on adding plants with a mix of heights, plus textured pots to play off against all the white,” says Michelle.

Inside the house, the makeover was just as successful. The entrance is now into an open corridor separated from the front room by storage joinery and a half-height slatted screen. The open-plan living space at the back now includes a dining >

at home with H G

RIGHT, BELOW RIGHT AND OPPOSITE Arca bed and Bocci

‘14.1’ suspension lights, all Poliform.

Round suspension lamp, Space. Velvet cushions, Polite Society. Perfumes, Libertine Parfumerie. Artwork on mantelpiece by Annie Everingham.

BELOW Oriana marble floor tiles and Stretto Grey gloss wall tiles, Onsite Supply+Design. Hansgrohe ‘Axor Starck’ showerhead, Sydney Tap and Bathroomware. Foscarini ‘Rituals’ lamp, Space.

area beside the kitchen, all flowing to the outdoor terrace and pool. The muchdesired ensuite – “so I don’t have to share a bathroom with the boys!” says Michelle – is a tile- and marble-clad sanctuary, cleverly tucked into a sliver of space behind the main bedroom, and a Poliform wardrobe is sleek and unobtrusive.

Michelle was keen to have another Poliform kitchen, having installed one during the first renovation. “I truly love my kitchen. It has so much storage, which keeps it feeling neat as well as functional.

Although the space is just 5 metres wide, it feels so much larger.”

While the home is relaxed and low-key it feels exceptional thanks to considered details and beautiful materials and finishes. “I believe in buying the best quality you can as it lasts longer and looks and feels better,” says Michelle. > Custom Mad, Sydney, NSW; custommad. com. SQ Projects, Balmain, NSW; sqprojects.com.au. Lies Esselink Gardens, Sydney, NSW; 0400 125 170.

at home with H G

“THE POOL HAS TOTALLY TRANSFORMED OUR FAMILY LIFE.” Michelle

Earth Ice wall tiles and Tocca Nature White mosaics at the waterline, Onsite Supply+Design. OPPOSITE TOP Kartell ‘Componibili’ storage unit, Seletti ‘Starman’ vase, Pepe Heykoop ‘Paper Vase’ and Foscarini table lamp, all Space. Bedlinen, Carlotta+Gee. Pax and Hart ‘Captain’ print from The Little Interior. OPPOSITE BOTTOM LEFT The powder room features Wyldefel White wall tiles with Oriana marble used on the vanity and flooring, all Onsite Supply+Design. Foscarini ‘Rituals’ lamp, Space.

OPPOSITE BOTTOM RIGHT SP01 ‘Parisi’ outdoor dining table and ‘Eileen’ chairs, Space.

AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN |

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H G AT HOME WITH

2 10

3

9

LIFE & ST YLE Michelle shares some firsts and favourite things.

FIRST ADULT HOME? A share apartment in Balmain [in Sydney’s inner west]

8 7 “I CAN LIVE WITHOUT MY PHONE BUT NOT WITHOUT ITS CAMERA!” Michelle

that overlooked the water. It was pretty basic, but we had lots of fun.

BUCKET-LIST DESTINATION? The Top End and WA (2).

DREAM RESTAURANT TABLE? Lunch at a little restaurant called Da Ö Batti in Portofino (1), Italy. No need for the menu, just order the scampi and pasta Genovese.

DREAM CAR? Cars aren’t really my thing, but if I had to pick something for fun, I’d go for a VW Karmann Ghia in Polar Blue (5).

FAVOURITE ARTISTS? Mark Rothko or Anish Kapoor. I also love the colour and sense of fun in artworks by B.D Graft (9).

FAVOURITE FASHION LABELS? I am a bit disloyal on the fashion front...

Usually Bassike (8) or Comme de Garçons on weekends; Paul Smith or Camilla and Marc for work. Prada for heels (7) and Common Projects sneakers.

FAVOURITE SCENT? Le Labo Bergamote 22 (10).

FAVOURITE MOVIE? Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. And Crazy Stupid Love, which I watch every Christmas Eve while wrapping presents.

WHICH DESIGNERS INSPIRE YOU? I’ve always loved Patricia Urquiola – she’s a total powerhouse and has designed a few of my favourite pieces from B&B Italia (6). I also love Paola Navone. She made my day when she and her friends hung out at the SP01 exhibit, hosted by Space, in Milan one year.

FAVOURITE DOWNTIME PURSUIT? Hanging out with my family up the coast – swimming, playing cards/games and eating.

A DREAM PURCHASE FOR YOUR HOME? A designer armchair for my bedroom (4). And some Paola Paronetto ceramics (3). #

6 5 32 |

AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN

4

Morning Light artwork by B.D Graft reproduced courtesy of the artist. Photography from Getty Images (1, 2).

1

5171 Arabetto™

Whitelight Collection

caesarstone.com.au

Bring the earth into your home with our 2021 new designs

A series of four nature-inspired lighter colours that are washed in the purity of white and wrapped in the smoothness of a stone.

It’s a mark of our craftsmanship and care, carefully passing from us to you.

FURNITURE & HOMEWARES | INTERIOR DESIGN | PROPERTY STYLING | DESIGN SCHOOL WWW.COCOREPUBLIC.COM.AU

Styling by Sophie Wilson. Photograph by Kristina Soljo.

$279, Hale Mercantile Co. Hardwood plantation shutters, POA, Wynstan. Foliage from Poho Flowers. Thea stoneware urn, $99, Papaya. Linen curtain (140x300cm), $180, Cultiver. ON BED From left Linen pillowcases, $120/pair, In the Sac. Flocca linen flat sheet in Dula, $429/king size, Hale Mercantile Co. Maison Vintage linen-cotton quilt cover in White, $229/queen size, Aura Home. Linen Euro pillowcases in Pinstripe, $100/pair, and matching sheets, $425/queen-size set, Cultiver.

St Albans alpaca wool throw in Heather, $350, Tara Dennis Store. Farrow Lantern linen cushion, $99, Canvas+Sasson. Waffle cotton throw in Limestone, $169, Aura Home.

HIT REFRESH ON YOUR BEDROOM STYLE

D e c or at i ng

FROM LEFT Basix linen curtain (145x300cm),

Bedded BL I S S With a statement bedhead, sumptuous linen and a few key accessories, that tired bedroom will soon be a suite sensation.

STY LI NG Sophie Wilson | P H OTO GR A P H Y Kristina Soljo | FLOW ERS Poho Flowers

L I G H T FA N T A S T I C

Stylist’s assistants Kate Lincoln, Nonci Nyoni, Steph De Nobile, Pavarne Lambert.

For a great night’s sleep, choose bedlinen made from breathable natural fibres. Layer up to keep you in the Goldilocks zone – not too hot, not too cold, but just right.

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CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT Cabana footstool

with sheepskin upholstery, $2595, Coco Republic. Custom curtain, Wynstan. Beatrix bedhead, $1299/queen size, and Teddy terracotta vessel, $79, both McMullin & Co. Tony side table with mirror top, $1945, Coco Republic. Keepall 50 Bandoulière canvas weekend bag, $3150, Louis Vuitton. Vintage armchair, $5800, Conley & Co. Lanerossi ‘Rossi Story’ wool-mohair throw, $699, Polite Society. Palmer room divider, $499.95, Pillow Talk. Linen robe, $135, Carlotta+Gee. Solomon teak coffee table, from $899, McMullin & Co. Hamptons rug in Sky, POA, Cadrys. Wall painted Eggshell Acrylic in Alpen, $130/4L, Porter’s Paints. ON FOOTSTOOL La Maison d’Armorine salted butter caramels, $10.30, Simon Johnson. Trudon ‘Spiritus Sancti’ room spray, $299, Libertine Parfumerie.

Tula shallow serving bowl, $59.95, Papaya. ON BED From rear Linen pillowcases (top), $120/pair, In the Sac. Linen pillowcases, $425/queen-size sheet set, Cultiver. Linen quilt cover, $220/queen size, In Bed. Anjuna cotton quilt in Chalk (234x224cm), $345, Walter G. Linen valance, $190/ queen size, In Bed. ON COFFEE TABLE Trudon ‘Alabaster Hemera’ candle, $299, Libertine Parfumerie. Oscar travertine footed bowl, $2030, Greg Natale.

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H G decorating FROM LEFT Rupert reversible bedhead, $1860/ queen size, Heatherly Design. Adnet-style vintage floor lamp, $2750, The Vault Sydney. French demilune console with faux-marble top, $12,800, Conley & Co. Wall painted Eggshell Acrylic in Black Blue, $130/4L, Porter’s Paints.

Persian Fine Loribaft rug (200x300cm), $5000, Cadrys. ON BED From left Bishop microfibre Euro pillowcases in Diesel, $34.95 each, Provincial Home Living. Linen quilt cover set in Navy, $365/queen size, Cultiver. Natural linen cushions, $155 each, Tara Dennis Store. Linen pillowcases in Dove, $90/pair, In Bed. Venezia velvet cushion in Nero, $279, Polite Society.

Claude cotton blanket in Graphite, $269/king size, Papaya. Lanerossi ‘Rossi Story’ wool-mohair throw in Blue, $699, Polite Society. ON CONSOLE From left Moon Flower vessel by Katarina Wells, $750, Curatotial+Co. Niemeyer Nero marble bowl, $890, Greg Natale. Flowers and vase from Poho Flowers. >

I N T O T HE DE EP Dive into darker hues for a room that invites cocooning. Turn up the luxe with velvet, cashmere or mohair cushions and throws.

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H G DECORATING Dancing Crane wallpaper in Ink/Ivory, $142/10m roll, Wallpaper Direct. Eto compact desk, $2150, King.

French wrought-iron stool with custom cushion, $2640, Tamsin Johnson. Fulham bedhead in Bonnie Bouclé, from $1470/queen size, Heatherly Design. Shimmer Diamonds rug inTaupe, POA, Cadrys. ON DESK From left Thea stoneware urn, $99, Papaya. Personalised full-cover journal, $90, and buffalo-leather journal, $110, both Hardtofind. Rifle Paper Co ‘Fable’ wrapping paper (left) and ‘Hydrangea’ wrapping paper, $7.95/sheet, Milligram. Rifle Paper Co ‘Floral’ graphite pencils, $37.95/set of 12, Hardtofind. Vintage Wedgwood urn, $185, Becker Minty. Il Papiro monogrammed notecards and envelopes, $69/set of 10, Ithika Gifts+Lifestyle planner, $32.95, Gracious Minds ‘Reflections’ journal, $49.95, and Fox+Hind monogrammed leather notebook cover, $45.95, all Hardtofind. Martha terracotta table lamp with linen shade, $299, McMullin & Co. ON BED From rear Antwerp linen Euro pillowcase in Cloud, $59.95, Provincial Home Living. Linen pillowcase in White, $90/pair, In Bed. Como linen cushion in Laurel, $79.95, Tara Dennis Store. Kristine linen flat sheet with ruffle in Fog, $429/king size, Hale Mercantile Co. Yali Tobacco linen cushion, $139, Tara Dennis Store. Linen quilt cover in White, $270/queen size, Carlotta+Gee. Marzotto ‘Zaffiro’ alpaca-cashmere throw in Navy, $1299, Polite Society. Flocca linen flat sheet in Fog, $429/king size, Hale Mercantile Co. >

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H G DECORATING CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Marbella linen cushion in Azure, $169,

Walter G. Lanerossi ‘Dioniso’ wool throw, $699, and Coruche White Marcella cotton-polyester bedspread, $919/king size, both Polite Society. Penhaglion’s ‘Halfeti’ eau de parfum, $349, and Trudon ‘Révolution’ eau de parfum, $299, both Libertine Parfumerie. Teak plate, $165, Water Tiger. Veniani dal 1875 Brutti e Buoni, $13.50, Simon Johnson. Rope Bianco marble bowl, $950, Greg Natale. Capri satin pyjamas, $149, Jasmine and Will. Flocca linen blanket, $409, Hale Mercantile Co. Ponza linen cushion in Azure, $139, Walter G. >

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my blue heaven!

wallpaperdirect.com Make your home your own Arthouse 297203 LLB Club Tropicana LLB6005 Coordonne 9200042 Sandberg 831-36 Main: 1838 2109-153-02

FROM LEFT Vintage Sunflower chair with woven

seat, $7260/pair, Tamsin Johnson. Shell rattan bag, $59.90, See-ya suitcase in Sage, $139.90, and Casa rattan clutch, $69.90, all Olli Ella. Stella king-single size bedheads in Avery Oyster Linen, $880 each, Heatherly Design. Twister plaster table lamp, $1250 (shade sold separately), Sophie Davies. Biscayne cane bedside table, $499/pair, Naturally Cane.

Trinka seagrass baskets, $49.90/set of 2, Olli Ella.

Muse ‘Jenner’ sherpa ottoman, $199.95, Pillow Talk.

Colorscope ‘Elements’ rug in Navy (160x230cm), $1316.70, Cadrys. ON LEFT BED From left Checking wool-blend throw in Sage, $159, Canvas+Sasson.

Bureneer cotton-blend quilt cover, $179/double-size quilt cover set, Freedom. Sanganori Buta cotton mini pillowcase, $54, Pigott’s Store. Venezia velvet cushion in Midnight Blue, $399, Polite Society. Linen Euro pillowcase in Blue Stripes, $90/pair, and matching flat sheet (used as valance), $195/queen size, both Carlotta+Gee. ON RIGHT BED From left Checking wool-blend throw in Blue, $159, Canvas+Sasson. Uluwatu linen cushion in Riviera, $154, Walter G. All other bedlinen as before. ON WALLS From left Night Sky Hills painting by Amber Hearn, $1700, Curatorial+Co. Eggshell Acrylic paint in Newport Blue, $130/4L, Porter’s Paints.

Buttercup wallpaper in Blue, $79/m², Luxe Walls.

For Where to Buy, see page 192. #

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L I T T L E WON DE R S In children’s rooms, opt for big-ticket items in timeless colours and shapes. Go to town on the accessories, which can be more easily changed in line with their tastes.

Our rugs lie lightly on this earth.

A R M A D I LLO - C O.C O M

UPCYCLE CHIC H G

Styling by Sophie Wilson. Photograph by Kristina Soljo. For Where to Buy, see page 192.

SHOPPING LIST Side table, roadside find.

Wicker day bed, $320, Your Display Gallery. ON SIDE TABLE Blue Fluted Mega high handle mug, $99.95, Royal Copenhagen. Australian House & Garden: Great Australian Gardens Volume 2 (Are Media Books). Wendy Whiteley and the Secret Garden

by Janet Hawley (Penguin Australia). CUSHIONS From left Idalinnea cushion, $5, Ikea. Bleu Nuit cushion, $195, Tigger Hall Design. Cushion in Pierre Frey ‘Fleur de Chine’ fabric, POA, Milgate. For similar seat cushion fabric, try Warwick Fabrics. Concrete planter, roadside find. Olive tree from Garden Life.

About a

GRA ND DESIGN Ready to showcase your upcycling handiwork? A verdant garden backdrop is a gorgeous natural stage for your set design.

W

e love the challenge of mixing new pieces with vintage and serendipitous finds. The garden, courtyard and outdoor entertaining areas are perfect places to mix these items – when you’re at one with nature, pieces with a slightly more ‘rustic’ feel are a natural fit. If you look around at roadside clean-ups, charity

and vintage stores you will find the most amazing pieces for alfresco elegance. Get clever with baskets too. They won’t last forever in the elements, but they will look great with potted greenery for quite some time. Embrace the existing rusty patina on metal items or use a protective spray to stop further corrosion on side tables and chairs. > AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN |

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UPCYCLING CHIC SHOPPING LIST Tables and chair, roadside finds. Zinc planter and striped wicker planter are old light shades. Monet cushion, Foret Tableware ‘Fox’ jug and ‘Pheasant’ tray, all Parterre.

Bee white-wine glasses in Emerald, Mosaique. #

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Styling by Sophie Wilson. Photograph by Kristina Soljo. For Where to Buy, see page 192.

H G UPCYCLE CHIC

H G DECORATING

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8 On trend

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N E ON For an instant room – and mood – lift, step into the bright.

1 Driade ‘Roly Poly’ chair by Faye Toogood, $1550, Hub Furniture. 2 Wave wool rug by Verner Panton (240x170cm), $3060.60, 1stDibs. 3 B&B Italia ‘Camaleonda’ sofa by Mario Bellini, $36,645, Space. 4 Sheer acrylic coffee table by Carnevale Studio, $1779, 1stDibs. 5 Lastframe ‘Stripe’ knitted tote, $376, MatchesFashion. 6 Splash vase in Lemon Swirl, $117, Hay. 7 Varier Ekstrem occasional chair by Terje Ekstrøm, $5015, Entwined Design.

8 Bon Bon blown-glass coupe by Helle Mardahl, $451, MatchesFashion. 9 Glas Italia ‘L.A. Sunset’ coffee table with glass top by Patricia Urquiola, $4545, Space. 10 Kartell ‘Cindy’ table lamp by Ferruccio Laviani, $470, Space. 11 Flower gold and enamel earrings by Bea Bongiasca, $553, MatchesFashion. 12 Desert Bungalow visualisation by Alyssa Ramstetter. For Where to Buy, see page 192. #

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Produced by Saffron Sylvester.

9

For more inspiration visit polyfor.com.au Polysafe Stone fx: 6011 Jurassic Stone & Polysafe Wood fx: 3375 Roasted Limed Ash

H G DECORATING

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On trend

BE L L E S F L EU R S You’ll never go wrong with homewares inspired by the jewels in nature’s crown.

1 Cole & Son ‘Camellia’ wallpaper in Coral & Duck Egg, $338/10m roll, Radford. 2 Muuto ‘Strand’ pendant light, $1447 (80cm) and $1247 (60cm), Surrounding. 3 Romy brass and resin cabinet knob, $70, James Said. 4 White Shadow limited-edition art print by Jiwoon Park, $1049 (framed), Lumas Gallery. 5 Gubi ‘Bestlite BL1’ table lamp by Robert Dudley Best, from $1040, Cult Design. 6 Cher Blanc porcelain cake plate, $106.25/set of 4, Noritake. 7 Valero occasional chair with bouclé upholstery, $2495, Coco Republic. 8 Flower resin ring in Sandalwood, $85, Dinosaur Designs.

9 Knoll Studio ‘Tulip’ side table by Eero Saarinen, from $1441, Dedece. 10 Cire Trudon ‘Joséphine’ floral-scented candle, $129, Libertine Parfumerie.

11 Botanica Wattle silk linen organza gown, $1950, Zimmermann. 12 De Gournay ‘Magnolia Canopy’ silk wallpaper in Orchid Tint, as shown in the

de Gournay showroom in Beirut. For Where to Buy, see page 192. #

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AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN

Produced by Shayne Burton. Photograph by Rebecca Reid (12).

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HARVEY NORMAN PRESENTS

WE LOV E

COLOUR WELCOME TO THE COLOUR BOUTIQUE, WHERE EVERY ONE OF THE 15 SHADES OF BELLING MULTI-CAVITY RANGE COOKERS WILL MAKE A STATEMENT IN YOUR KITCHEN – AND YOUR COOKING.

BELLING 1100MM RICHMOND DELUXE INDUCTION RANGE COOKER BRD1100IPB

PEACH BLUSH $11029 HARVEYNORMAN.COM.AU

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H A R V E Y N O R M A N BELLING COLOUR BOUTIQUE

MOJITO MINT 1100MM DUAL FUEL RANGE COOKER

FOUR INDEPENDENT OVENS IN THE ONE RANGE COOKER MAKE IT EASY TO COOK A MULTITUDE OF DISHES AT ONCE.

HUGE CAPACITY For the ultimate in flexibility, the combined oven capacity of 224L offers plenty of cooking options.

QUAD OVEN TECHNOLOGY With four convenient oven cavities in every 1100mm Belling Richmond Deluxe Range Cooker, you’ll have more than enough room and independent functionality to cook multiple dishes at once – or alternatively you can utilise specific oven cavities for a far more energy-conscious cooking style.

DUAL FUEL Get the best of both worlds with the Belling Richmond Deluxe Range Cooker's Dual Fuel advantage. Cook like a true chef with the intense heat and precise temperature control of a gas cooktop, and be inspired by the flexibility and even heat distribution of the multifunction electric oven cavities. A baker's dream come true!

BELLING 1100MM RICHMOND DELUXE DUAL FUEL RANGE COOKER BRD1100DFMM

MOJITO MINT $10499

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H A R V E Y N O R M A N BELLING COLOUR BOUTIQUE

CHILLI RED 900MM GAS-THROUGH-GLASS RANGE COOKER

GIVES YOU THE DISTINCT ADVANTAGE OF COOKING WITH GAS, WHILST ENJOYING THE SLEEK STYLE OF A GLASS SURFACE.

WOK BURNER The 5kW PowerWok Plus™ burner provides both rapid, intense and even heat over a large area and can also produce a very low heat with the dual flame technology.

Perfect for preparing your favourite stir fry or gently simmering your favourite pasta sauce.

PROFLEX SPLITTER

TM

For space and flexibility when you need it, you can easily transform the tall oven in the 900mm three-oven Richmond Deluxe Range Cooker into a four-oven marvel with the handy Proflex Splitter™.

Using this ground-breaking feature, the right-hand oven effortlessly becomes two separate Equiflow fan ovens, allowing you to control and prepare separate dishes.

GAS-THROUGH-GLASS Cook with confidence and wipe clean with ease thanks to the smooth, ceramic glass surface of Gas-ThroughGlass. Its elegant look makes a stylish statement in any kitchen, while retaining all of the benefits of a powerful gas cooktop.

BELLING 900MM RICHMOND DELUXE GAS-THROUGH-GLASS RANGE COOKER BRD900GTGCHR

CHILLI RED $7999

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H A R V E Y N O R M A N BELLING COLOUR BOUTIQUE

COUNTRY BLUE 1100MM INDUCTION RANGE COOKER

FEATURING THE MODERN CONVENIENCE AND CONTROL OF AN INDUCTION COOKTOP TEAMED WITH A MULTI-CAVITY OVEN.

INDUCTION TOP Providing rapid heat and precise temperature control to help you get the best possible results in the kitchen, the Belling Richmond Deluxe Range Cooker’s 5 Zone Induction Cooktops feature convenient touch control sliders and are available on both the 900mm and 1100mm models.

MULTIPLE OVENS

COMPACT OVEN GRILL The Maxi-Grill’s deep, full-width pan and smooth, double-extension telescopic rails allow safe and easy access to food, even with large and heavy dishes.

With a maximum of four oven cavities – including a Maxi-Grill/Conventional Oven, a Multifunction Oven with 11 different cooking functions, an Equiflow Fan Oven, and Slow Cook Electric Oven (only on 1100mm models) – the Belling Richmond Deluxe Range Cooker is a dream for any true culinary enthusiast.

BELLING 1100MM RICHMOND DELUXE INDUCTION RANGE COOKER BRD1100ICB

COUNTRY BLUE $11029

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H A R V E Y N O R M A N BELLING COLOUR BOUTIQUE

PORCINI MUSHROOM 900MM DUAL FUEL RANGE COOKER

ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF A LUXURY MULTI-CAVITY RANGE COOKER WITH THE BENEFITS OF A GAS COOKTOP AND ELECTRIC OVENS IN A CLASSIC, TIMELESS DESIGN.

MULTI-CAVITY OVENS For more flexible and energy-efficient cooking, multi-cavity ovens allow you to prepare several dishes at once, or only operate the ovens you need. In the 900mm Range Cooker above, three convenient cavities are at your disposal: the top left featuring a Maxi-Grill and Conventional Oven; the bottom left a Multifunction Main Oven; and the entire right side a Tall Twin Fanned Oven with Proflex Splitter™. The larger 1100mm Range Cookers boast four cavities, with the addition of a Slow Cook Electric Oven.

BELLING 900MM RICHMOND DELUXE DUAL FUEL RANGE COOKER BRD900DFPM

PORCINI MUSHROOM $6499

WHY BUY A BELLING? BELLING IS ONE OF THE MOST LOVED AND TRUSTED COOKING BRANDS IN AUSTRALIA. WITH 100+ YEARS OF PROUD BRITISH HISTORY, BELLING KNOWS WHAT IT TAKES TO BRING STYLE AND TECHNOLOGY TO THE HEART OF ANY KITCHEN.

SEE FOR YOURSELF Keep an eye out on Belling’s social channels for a brand new Instagram filter, so you can bring the Colour Boutique range into your home and style it your way! #@BELLINGAU #@HARVEYNORMANAU

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CL ASSIC BOUTIQUE COLLECTION

DAY'S BREAK

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PEACH BLUSH

ALSO AVAIL ABLE IN

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SHOP ONLINE WITH YOUR LOCAL STORE HN.COM.AU OR CALL 1300 464 278 Harvey Norman® stores are operated by independent franchisees. Advertised prices are valid at NSW stores only.

Prices may vary between states due to additional freight costs. Promotion ends 04/08/21.

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Ask an expert

ORDER IN THE HOUSE

Interior design by Studio Amble. Photograph by Lillie Thompson.

Superb storage is the key to clutter-free spaces, writes interiors editor Kate Nixon.

Storage is built into every available space in this Melbourne apartment by Studio Amble, including a nook near the doorway and along the length of the hall outside.

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H G DECORATING

Where to buy Zuster Lots of lovely storage solutions, including the elegant Issy collection for bathrooms, exclusive to Reece. zuster.com.au. MadeMeasure Leather cabinet pulls, loops and door handles. mademeasure.com. Fanuli Customised wardrobe solutions crafted and made in Italy. fanuli.com.au. Hepburn Hardware Classic, affordable handles and knobs in bronze, brass, nickel, glass, chrome and rope finishes. hepburnhardware.com.

House of Bamboo Woven panels in rattan and cane webbing for joinery door inserts. houseofbamboo.com.au. Ikea Affordable, customisable and upgradeable storage for every room. ikea.com/au.

Standalone heroes

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1 Nate vanity with integrated resin basin and benchtop, $1199, Early Settler; earlysettler.com.au. 2 Kaspar oak bedside table with three drawers, $399, Freedom; freedom.com.au. 3 Portman birch dresser with tempered-glass top, $6795, Max Sparrow; maxsparrow.com.au. 4 McQueen walnut tallboy by Matthew Hilton for De La Espada, $11,695, Spence & Lyda; spenceandlyda.com.au. 5 Caledonia mangowood and rattan wardrobe,

$2299, Brosa; brosa.com.au.

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Room deisgn by ACV Interiors (this page). Interiors opposite designed by Chelsea Hing (top left), Ariel Ashe & Reinaldo Leandro (top right), Steven Volpe (bottom left), Salt and Bones (bottom right). Photography opposite by Rhiannon Taylor (top left), Shade Degges (top right), Thomas Loof (bottom left).

S

torage is essential to a well-resolved interior. When done well, it’s the perfect marriage of form and function. When planning yours, first consider what type of storage is needed and what is practical within the layout of the room. Where space is at a premium – such as in powder rooms and studies – shallow, easily accessible cupboards and drawers are essential. Wardrobes can be compact or sprawling but should always offer a combination of drawers, half- and full-height hanging and open shelves. Utilise hallways and landings for full-height cabinetry and bespoke bedheads for built-in bedside storage. Draw inspiration for details and materials from a room’s existing finishes, with a careful edit of tones and textures. >

LEFT For optimum functionality, include

hanging rails at half- and full length.

THIS IMAGE Make a feature of storage by using interesting materials such as burl timber. BELOW RIGHT A slimline desk can function as a bedside, dressing table and charging station in one.

BELOW LEFT Personalise minimalist joinery with eye-catching pulls.

OPPOSITE A mixture of open and closed shelving delivers on looks, storage space and flexibility.

Consider both what type of storage is needed and what is practical given the size and layout of the room.

H G DECORATING

Fresh ideas & easy updates Consider contrasting door treatments for visual interest – think mesh, woven rattan or inlays. ● Interesting knobs and pulls can refresh joinery without the expense of new furniture. ● A combination of both open and closed storage enables you to hide clutter and add personality with select objects on display. ● Add sensor LED strips inside wardrobes and under overhead cabinets in kitchens and bathrooms for ambient light when and where you need it.

Open-weave inserts on wardrobe doors ensures air can circulate, preventing musty-smelling fabrics. #

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Room designed by Lambs and Lions Berlin. Photograph by Georg Roske & Ana Santl.

●

Stylist’s assistant Kate Lincoln.

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9 by design

Candles Get your glow on with these delightful finds.

ST Y L I N G Sophie Wilson | P HOTOG R A P H Y Kristina Soljo

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t c eliqui andles, $earin a Col 3 lectiv 9/set e.

TRA Aeyre DIT wax t plant-ba IONA sed s aper L o

f 3, R

Keystone beeswax bowl candle, $200, The Raconteur.

3

1

CENTREPIECE

2

FLUTED

Bella soy wax candle, $35, Studio Billie.

4

SCENTED

Diptyque ‘Baies’ outdoor candle, $459 (1.5kg), Mecca Cosmetica.

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7 EYE-CATCHING

De Crecy beeswax taper candle, $135, Tow and Line.

Blobbies Tulum soy-blend candle, $90, XRJ Celebrations.

For Where to Buy, see page 192.

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ORGANIC

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ELEGANT

Margot plant-based stearin wax candle, $19, Maison Balzac.

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TEXTURED

New Moon sphere candle, $49/set of 3, Candle Kiosk. #

NATURAL

Apiary Made beeswax pillar candle, $50/pair, Hardtofind.

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A BRAND OF

Styling by Alexandra Gordon. Photograph by Kristina Soljo.

TRANSFORMING HOUSES INTO FOREVER HOMES

Hou se s

Drawing on inspiration from the owners’ travels, this smart renovation in Sydney blends international elements beautifully. Turn the page to take a tour.

Pendant light, Anna Charlesworth. Plates and platters, Alex and Trahanas. Antique Spanish dining chairs, The Vault Sydney.

Breath of fresh air Moving from Hong Kong to Sydney presented quite the lifestyle shift, but the owners of this beachside property wouldn’t have it any other way.

STO RY Judy Pascoe | ST YLI N G Alexandra Gordon PH OTOGR A PHY Kristina Soljo

REAR BALCONY The extendable

table from Woodbury can seat larger groups for summer evening meals. Director’s chairs, Ici et Là.

MAIN ENTRY The home’s corner block allowed the owners to relocate the entrance to the north, creating space for sitting areas at both the eastern and western aspects.

In time, the banksia will grow to create a privacy screen.

Landscaping by Terralha.

houses H G

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H G houses KITCHEN Victoria dining table and Charlot chairs, all Sika Design from Domo. Paonazzo marble

benchtop and island, Granite & Marble Works. Qasair ‘Lismore Executive’ under-mount rangehood and Blanco ‘Silgranit PuraDur’ under-mount sink, both Winning Appliances. Lacanche ‘Cluny’ cooker, Manorhouse Lacanche. Custom ceiling lights, Ferro Artistico. The lattice-front joinery is custom-made and handpainted for a rustic feel. Custom barstools, Chatsworth Fine Furniture.

Vintage Murano vase, Conley & Co. Copper pots, The Bay Tree. Paddle boards, Parterre.

Two Jugs artwork by Clara Adolphs, Edwins Corlette.

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THIS IS THE LIFE

The owners relish the spaciousness of their new home, a welcome change from their former Hong Kong apartment. They also adore their outdoor spaces with ocean views. The east-facing balcony is a favourite spot to dine on summer evenings. When it’s cooler, they gravitate to the west-facing alfresco area. “When we have friends over we’ll often have a drink here when the sun is setting and the light is so pretty,” says the owner. >

“ W E C H O S E TO I N V E RT T H E T Y P I C A L F L O O R P L A N A N D P O S I T I O N T H E L I V I N G , D I N I N G A N D K I TC H E N O N T H E F I R S T F L O O R TO C A P T U R E T H E V I E W.” TA N I A H A N D E L S M A N N , I N T E R I O R D E S I G N E R

KITCHEN A Bosch Series 8 dishwasher and Fisher & Paykel fridge

are concealed behind joinery, while the pantry includes a Vintec wine cabinet. All appliances from Winning Appliances. Brodware ‘City Plus’ mixer tap, Sydney Tap and Bathroomware. Paonazzo marble benchtop, Granite & Marble Works. Lacanche ‘Cluny’ cooker, Manorhouse Lacanche. Artwork by Tomislav Nikolic, Fox Jensen. DINING Custom dining table, Chatsworth Fine Furniture.

Tableware, Alex and Trahanas. Antique Spanish dining chairs, The Vault Sydney. Pendant light, Anna Charlesworth.

espite its location moments from the beach, this is anything but a typical beach house. Once a California bungalow, it is now a contemporary two-storey home that exudes an international sensibility with its blend ofdisparateculturalinfluencesandunexpected features that form a new coastal vernacular.

One of the owners was born in Hong Kong and had grown up in Sydney; the other spent their early years in France. They had been living in Hong Kong when they found this house, in Sydney’s east, during a brief visit in 2014. With a beachside location and water views from its level corner block, it embodied the Australian coastal lifestyle they were after – a complete contrast to their high-density urban existence in Asia. Not quite ready to move to Australia permanently, the couple rented out the property for the next few years.

On their return, it was clear the house needed a major overhaul. As it happened, one of the owners was a childhood friend of interior >

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LIVING Above and below left The Børge Mogensen chairs are part of the owners’ existing collection. Travertine coffee tables. Ottomans, Atelier

Furniture. Sofa upholstered in Westbury Textiles Washed Luxembourg linen with custom cushions in Schumacher fabric with fringing by Samuel & Sons, all Ambience Upholstery. The 18th-century Chinese altar table is from Art Treasures Gallery in Hong Kong. Assorted ceramics, pagoda and temple jar, all Orient House. Murano glass vase, Conley & Co. Amazon rug, International Floorcoverings. Custom shelf unit, Camberwell Cane.

Artworks by Gina Bruce from Robin Gibson Gallery (above) and Tomislav Nikolic (below). POWDER ROOM Gubi ‘Randaccio’ mirror by Gio Ponti, Cult Design. Brodware ‘City Plus’ tapware, Sydney Tap and Bathroomware. Paonazzo marble benchtop, Granite & Marble Works.

STAIRWELL Below right and opposite The balustrades are finished in Rockcote otsumigaki plaster and painted Dulux Natural White.

Oak floorboards, Enoak (throughout). Vintage Gabriella Crespi console, Conley & Co. >

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THE PALET TE Porter’s Paints Vintage Blue Half (exterior shutters, fence)

Oak flooring (throughout)

Paint colours are reproduced as accurately as printing processes allow.

Dulux Natural White (main interior walls)

T H E C O N T E M P O R A RY T W O - S TO R E Y H O M E E X U D E S S O P H I S T I C AT I O N W I T H I T S B L E N D O F E C L E C T I C C U LT U R A L I N F LU E N C E S A N D U N E X P E C T E D F E AT U R E S .

H G houses

“ T H E M I X T U R E O F D I S PA R AT E E L E M E N T S M E A N S I T D O E S N ’ T L O O K C L I C H É D .”

TA N I A H A N D E L S M A N N , I N T E R I O R D E S I G N E R

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MAIN ENSUITE Above left and left Bella

Varigato Piccolo terrazzo wall and floor tiles, Inigo Jones & Co. Casa zellige tiles (on benchtop), Onsite Supply+Design.

Brodware ‘City Plus’ tapware, Sydney Tap and Bathroomware. TERRACE Above right Dawn sofa and armchairs and Susy side table, all Sika Design from Domo. MAIN BEDROOM Opposite Society Limonta bedlinen, Ondene. Wiggle bedhead with upholstered bed base in Westbury Textiles ‘Classic Ticking’, Atelier Furniture. Custom bedside table, Chatsworth Fine Furniture. Oriental Sisal ‘Boheme’ carpet in Grey Ash, Artisanweave Flooring Co. W102 Chipperfield wall light, Euroluce. >

H G houses designer Tania Handelsmann of Handelsmann+Khaw, so they knew just who to call to mastermind the makeover.

“The house had a jumbled floor plan and dated interiors,” says Tania. A second-floor extension had been added, possibly about 30 years ago, so the accommodation was adequate – it just needed to be reconfigured. With two sons aged 13 and 11, the owners were seeking easy living with a relaxed vibe and a layout that maximised the views from key areas.

“We chose to invert the typical floor plan and position the living, dining and kitchen on the first floor to capture the views,” says Tania. The main entry was relocated so visitors immediately connect with a new staircase leading to the upper level. A sculptural design finished in otsumigaki polished plaster, the staircase is a standout, providing a subtle visual separation between the living room and kitchen/ dining area. “By inserting new, symmetrically placed doors and windows on all four sides, we’ve created a feeling of being completely surrounded bythe ocean,” saysTania. Twogenerous balconies bookend the living space.

Downstairs are three bedrooms, a study, two bathrooms and a laundry, and self-contained guest accommodation adjacent to the garage does double duty as a retreat for the boys. An outdoor shower and space to store surfboards speaks to the family’s active, beachy lifestyle.

The aesthetic is eclectic, reflecting Tania’s description of the owners as “well-travelled and worldly”. “We wanted to draw on these varied cultural references and it was an exercise in editing and curating these elements,” she says.

To eliminate any residual bungalow influence, adjustable Bahama shutters were added, giving privacy from neighbours. Internally, zellige and terracotta tiles from Morocco and shaped marble splashbacks were inspired by Mediterranean architecture. Timber lining boards on the firstfloor ceiling add to the coastal ambience, as do lattice-fronted joinery and sisal flooring. “The mixture of all these disparate elements means it doesn’t look clichéd,” says Tania. The furnishings are a mix ofcustomandvintagepieces;atreasuredpairofBørgeMogensen armchairs join Oriental artefacts and antique altar tables the owners brought with them from Hong Kong.

The owners asked for a low-maintenance garden in keeping withtherestofthehome,solandscaperPeterMcGrathofTerralha chose hardy coastal species including banksia, westringia, gazania and pandanus. Sandstone flagging from the original garden was repurposed to create a path leading to the herb garden and studio, and is softened with Dichondra repens. Two large boulders were repositioned to provide seating around

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the Corten steel firepit, while fountain grass (Pennisetum) blurs the access to the outdoor shower and garage.

Therenovationproceededthroughout2020andtherestrictions of the pandemic meant the owners were only able to join site meetings with builders Verdecon via Zoom. The first time they saw the house, completed and furnished, was on the day they finished quarantine and moved in. > Handelsmann+Khaw, Woollahra, NSW; 0428 066 000 or handelsmannkhaw.com. Verdecon, Bondi and Byron Bay, NSW; (02) 6680 9525; verdecon.com.au. Terralha, Collaroy, NSW; 0408 565 557 or terralha@outlook.com.

REAR GARDEN Hardy coastal plants frame the Corten steel firepit.

MAIN ENTRY Opposite top The side entrance is now the main entry.

The tongue-and-groove front door was custom-made by Verdecon with a round Niki handle by Designer Doorware. Quadro wall light

by Il Fanale from LightCo. FACADE Opposite bottom Bahama shutters painted Porter’s Paints Vintage Blue Half.

THE LAYOUT Wardrobe

Entry Bath Bed

Dining Bath

Ground floor

STUDIO The path is made from sandstone repurposed from the old garden, with kidneyweed planted between the steppers.

Balcony

Bath Retreat/ guest suite Kitchen

Entry

Terrace Study

Laundry

Bed

Living

Balcony

Bath Garage

Bed

Kitchen First floor

Pantry

Living Studio

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Produced by Saffron Sylvester.

THE SOURCE

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Touches of timber and a cheery colour palette say ‘here comes the sun’ all year round.

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8 1 C.1880 Dutch ladderback chair, $4464/set of 8, 1stDibs. 2 Slimtech Delight porcelain surface in

11 10 9

Invisible Light, $544.50/120x120cm panel, Signorino. 3 Natural rattan wall light, $389, Lighting Collective. 4 Coogee outdoor shower, from $1390, Brooklyn Copper Co. 5 Untitled artwork by George Tjungurrayi (2005), $25,000, Michael Reid.

6 Kamp folding chair in Talc/River Rock, $1350, Janus et Cie. 7 Linen fabric, $220/m, Lucy Montgomery. 8 Dhow 2-door cabinet by Bethan Gray, POA, Living Edge. 9 Plantino Wide Board engineered-oak flooring in Smoked Oak, from $111.65/m², Choices Flooring. 10 1960s Rostrato Murano glass table lamp, $5280, Tamsin Johnson.

11 Stripe Indent Square tabouret, $550, Worn Store.

12 Lido totem, $2695, Coco Republic.

For Where to Buy, see page 192. #

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Large A S LIFE As its family grew so did this Sydney house – expanding from a two-bedroom cottage to a three-level masterpiece that’s perfectly planned for the six people who call it home.

STO RY Sarah Pickette | PH OTO G R A P H Y Sevak Babakhani

LIVING Custom joinery lined with

Campos linen from Rossetti Fabrics conceals the TV in the living area.

Capitola lounge chairs, Palecek. Finn console with marble top, Boyd Blue.

Sofa, ottoman and bronze wall lamps, Natasha Levak Interior Design.

Captiva gas fire, Real Flame. Artwork

by Conchita Carambano from Art2Muse Gallery.

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FRONT DOOR A pergola-style structure links the carport and the front door.

Weathered-brass wall lights, Dunlin. Cobblestone pavers in Forest Grey, Surface Gallery. Indian terracotta planters sourced by Natasha Levak Interior Design. LANDING Opposite, top Vintage plates adorn the wall. Rattan and leather bench seat sourced by Natasha Levak Interior Design.

Turkish pot, Manyara Home. ENTRY FOYER Cote Couler Tunisian stone mosaic tiles from Earp Bros.

THIS IS THE LIFE

“We were both drawn to this part of Sydney’s inner west for its great parks, the Bay Run and its proximity to the city,” says homeowner Kristian. “It’s one of the few inner-west suburbs with substantial land sizes that suit a growing family like ours.” He and his wife Jackie had long dreamed of creating a family home where their younger children could grow up “in a safe, fun environment that will function well for them as they enter the teen years.”

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Paint colours are reproduced as accurately as printing processes allow.

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ommunication has the power to make or break a major renovation – Kristian and Jackie, the owners of this home in Sydney’s inner west, know this to be true. Over a period of about five years they worked with interior designer Natasha Levak on an extensive overhaul of their bayside home. “Natasha is an exceptional listener,” says Kristian. “Very early on in the process she paid close attention to our wishes and the brief we put to her. She provided us with consistently great guidance and never once tried to push her own style agenda. It’s Natasha’s approach that has ultimately delivered us the home we have now.”

Today, the couple and their four children – Elijah, 20, Boston, nine,Lily,seven,andKingston,four–liveinathoughtfullyplanned five-bedroom home that sprawls over three levels. It’s vastly different to the simple single-level 1950s red-brick bungalow (two small bedrooms, one bathroom) they bought back in 2012.

“We moved in after Boston was born, then Lily and Kingston came along and Elijah was returning from the US to live with us,” says Kristian. “We needed to embark on a substantial renovation to accommodate our growing family.”

Spotting Natasha’s work in a magazine, Jackie and Kristian weredrawntoherclassic-meets-contemporarystyleandengaged the designer to take on their renovation, which at that point was at the concept and planning stage. “We wanted lots of functional spaces as well as quiet places,” says Jackie. “Bay windows in all the children’s rooms and ‘breakout’ areas for them to have their own space, plus a parents’ retreat with a walk-in wardrobe.”

Also on the wish list were wall panelling and detailed cornices; a bar and kitchenette on the basement level for indoor/outdoor entertaining; and an open-plan kitchen, dining and living space on the top level that would take advantage of the home’s lovely water views. This was a full-service job for Natasha, who took on the design direction and documentation for the entire project.

She advised Kristian and Jackie on everything from windows and carport materials through to tiles, furniture and fabrics.

The front door of the house opens onto an expanse of bold Tunisian stone tiles. “Jackie and Kristian absolutely adore those tiles,” says Natasha. “They’re cheery, fun and welcoming. Perfect foranentryway.”Wallpanellingsurroundsthecentralstaircases, which lead up to kitchen and living zone, and down to the entertaining area in the basement.

The stairs and flooring throughout are solid Tasmanian oak and this beautiful timber also plays a prominent role in the kitchen. “There’s not a lot of wall space, so my thinking was that timber joinery should be the hero of this space,” she says.

Hardy, family-friendly Corian was Natasha’s suggestion for >

THE PALET TE

Murobond Paint Vital (interior walls)

Porter’s Paints Dew (island bench)

Dulux Milton Moon (exterior)

KITCHEN Mont Blanc quartzite from CDK Stone tops the island bench while Corian in Glacier White is used on the rear benches.

Still-life painting by unknown artist. Agedbronze wall lights, Natasha Levak Interior Design. Ilve freestanding cooker, Winning Appliances. Cabinet doors made from Tasmanian oak; surrounding cabinetry painted Porter’s Paints Pumice. Theodore Alexander ‘Norfolk’ stools, Laura Kincade. Perrin & Rowe ‘Io’ sink mixer, The English Tapware Company.

the kitchen’s rear benches, while striking quartzite was reserved for the island’s benchtop. “The blue of the island bench was inspired by flecks in the terrazzo tiles on the floor,” says Natasha.

“All the elements of this room relate back to each other.”

Flowing off the dining zone is the living room, where a touch of warmth is cleverly added with Belgian linen behind glass doors in the joinery that conceals the TV. Highlight windows allow more light into the room while also creating character.

Natasha’s approach to the home’s bathrooms was that they should be “clean, simple and open”. The powder room’s glosswhite mosaics quietly complement its wall panelling while the ensuite’s stretches of blue terrazzo offer a nod to the kitchen tiles. “Both the ensuite and the main bedroom each open out to a large rear balcony that has views over the garden,” she says.

A little fun has been factored into this house – the internal doors are a soft mint colour – but never at the expense of its more refined details (custom panelling, solid-timber floors). “From the minute the front door is opened, there’s a sense that this is a comfortable home where the focus is on family,” says Kristian.

“It’s full of details that make it unmistakably ours.” > Natasha Levak Interior Design, Paddington, NSW; natashalevak.com.

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THE LAYOUT

Living

Retreat

Bed

Wardrobe Bath

Bath Family

Kitchen

First floor

Laundry

Bath

Dining

Family/ guestroom

Bed

Bath Bed

Entry Ground floor

Bed Lower ground

H G houses

“ I N T H I S H O U S E , T H E M AT E R I A L S A N D J O I N E RY W O R K H A R D TO C R E AT E I N T E R E S T A N D R E F I N E M E N T.” N ATA S H A L E VA K , I N T E R I O R D E S I G N E R

KINGSTON’S BEDROOM

A loop-pile carpet custom-made from sheep and yak wool creates a cosy base for this room. Window seat upholstered with GP & J Baker ‘Threads’ fabric in Rexford Indigo.

POWDER ROOM Above right

White mosaic tiles, Teranova. Neu England tapware and shower in Platino Matt finish, all Brodware.

ENSUITE Right Custom vanity in Murobond Paint Just White with aged-bronze handles and Mont Blanc quartzite benchtop, Natasha Levak Interior Design. Blue terrazzo floor tiles, Surface Gallery.

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1

1 Maradii armchair, $790, MCM House. 2 Trio of Fish artwork by B. Ghent, $589, 1stDibs. 3 Heirloom ‘Agra’ wool rug in Moonstone (2.4x3m), $4500, Armadillo.

4 Vintage rocking horse, $5887, 1stDibs. 5 Maland bench, $549, Living by Design. 6 EMM1418 terrazzo tile, $170.50/m², Signorino. 7 Ilve 90cm single oven freestanding cooker, $3999, Harvey Norman.

8 Diaz travertine table lamp, $755, Coco Republic.

9 Morgan & Finch ‘Claude’ cushion in Rust, $59.95, Bed Bath N’ Table. 10 Morgan & Finch ‘Flinders’ cushion in Saffron, $69.95, Bed Bath N’ Table. 11 Sika Design ‘Salsa’ barstool, $425, Domo. 12 Nostalgia Lever Exposed shower set, $917.40, Phoenix Tapware.

For Where to Buy, see page 192. #

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THE SOURCE

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Strike a balance between refinement and fun by mixing timeless materials and vintage finds.

12 5 6

Produced by Saffron Sylvester.

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GENTLE T OUC H A thoughtful upgrade to this early 1900s sandstone villa delivers the light-filled spaces and sense of serenity its owner dreamed of.

STO RY Georgia Madden | ST Y L I N G Georgie Fried & Georgie Shepherd P H OTO GR A P HY Christopher Morrison

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STREET ENTRANCE Warm white feature brickwork complements the sandstone and works as a unifying element throughout the home.

Landscaping by Habitat Landscaping Services.

Corrugated-metal roofing by Revolution Roofing.

THIS IS THE LIFE

Michael admits that he told the designers he didn’t really need ‘any fancy kitchen stuff’ since he wasn’t much of a cook, but the new space has proven transformative – in more ways than one.

“Cooking is my new passion!” says Michael.

“The old kitchen was small, with a galley-style layout and a freestanding oven in the corner under a brick chimney – it wasn’t very functional and didn’t offer much inspiration. I mostly entertain outside, with the garden and century-old brickwork as backdrop.”

DECK AND LINK Old and new are neatly connected by a passage

that opens to landscaped courtyards on both sides. Sliding doors, Southern Joinery. LouvreTec operable roof system (over deck). Jak dining chairs and Linear dining table and bench seat, all Tait.

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ocated on a picturesque tree-lined street in North Adelaide, surrounded by a mix of beautiful heritage and contemporary homes, this turn-of-the-century sandstone villa was easy to fall in love with. “It was just a picturebook image of ‘home’,” says Michael, who bought the property in 2015. Inside was another story, however. It was dark and cramped, with a kitchen that was awkward to cook in and an uninviting living area in a 1980s extension at the rear. “Although the front bedrooms enjoyed beautiful northern light, the living areas just felt sad,” says Michael.

In 2018, Michael enlisted the help of architect Tim Evans to reimagine the house with a new layout, more space and lashings of light. It took a couple of years to find the right builder, but work finally got underway in 2020 and was completed in early 2021.

Key to the reconfigured layout was a larger main bedroom and spacious new ensuite, and replacing the original kitchen with a more generous main bathroom.

At the rear of the home, the dated extension made way for a 115-square-metre addition that accommodates an open-plan kitchen/dining/living area. The old and new parts of the house are cleverly connected by a >

H G houses KITCHEN Easycraft Easy VJ panelling on the upper part of the wall

THE PALET TE Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter (throughout)

Dulux Black Caviar (front door and iron lace)

Porter’s Paints Rattan

Paint colours are reproduced as accurately as printing processes allow.

and rangehood imbues the space with a farmhouse feel. Zellige tiles on splashback from Cerbis Ceramics. Whitewashed American oak veneer joinery. Benchtop in Elba marble from CDK Stone.

Appliances, all Miele. MC5 Solo stools, Mattiazzi. Novi double butler’s sink, Turner Hastings. Olde English tap in Charcoal Bronze finish, Astra Walker. Deep Star downlights, Insight Lighting.

Muuto ‘Ridge’ vase (on buffet), Oscar & Willow. Artwork by Simon Bajada. Arbon tumbled-limestone flooring, Eco Outdoor.

glass-walled link that fills the back of the house with natural light from every angle. Sliding doors on both sides of this passageway open to a covered deck and landscaped courtyard by Habitat Landscaping.

Interior designer Georgie Shepherd, principal of GSID and her team stepped in to give the revitalised villa the “Zen feel” Michael yearned for. “He wanted everything to have a bespoke, handcrafted feel, with tactile finishes and plenty of personality. He didn’t want anything shiny or clinical.

Charm,textureandwarmthwerethepriorities,”saysGeorgie.

“The architecture was beautiful, light and quite simple in form, and it gave us a great foundation to work upon.”

For the new open-plan area, the GSID team specified an earthy, tonal palette: tumbled-limestone tiles (with underfloor heating) teamed with pale Elba marble benchtops and whitewashed American oak for the joinery and nearby furniture. “We chose finishes that already looked slightly lived-in,” says Georgie. “Since they’re natural materials, they will only look better over time.” >

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The kitchen is the undisputed hero of the space, defined by a marble-topped island that resembles a stunning piece of bespoke furniture. “The design of the kitchen originated from Michael’s love of farmhouse style. We wanted to draw inspiration from this look, but make it more current in form and materiality.”

To give Michael the extra storage he needed without detracting from the kitchen’s characterful feel, Georgie and her team designed a built-in buffet that extends the length of the dining zone. Touches of woven cane add texture and softness to the piece – a charming feature that is carried through to the built-ins in the living area and laundry.

“It’s a deceptively simple house but a lot of thought has gone into the detailing,” says Georgie. For example, the tiled splashback in the kitchen is recessed so that it sits flush with VJ panelling on the adjoining wall, and the dining table and chairs were custom finished the perfect shades to go with the floors and leather joinery handles,” she says.

An Escea gas fireplace turns up the cosiness in the living area and low-slung seating, in shades of pumice and mustard, creates an idyllic spot to curl up with a book or watch television. “We wanted colours that connect indoors and out without bringing in the usual greens – this palette takes the space in a different direction,” says Georgie.

A striking handwoven rug grounds the space, while >

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THE LAYOUT

Laundry

Kitchen Dining

Bath Sitting

Bed

Link

Entry Bath

Living Bed

Bed

LIVING This page and opposite top Outdoor furniture, Tait.

Bandy stool, Nook sofa, Wilfred chair, Alice coffee table, Dari Camel rug, all Jardan. Scatter cushions (on sofa), Eccola. Austral Bricks ‘La Paloma’ bricks (on chimneybreast), Brickworks. Gas fireplace, Escea. Wall and ceiling cladding, Easycraft. Banquette cushion upholstered by Pelle Leathers.

DINING AREA Dining table and custom pendant light, both Agostino & Brown. Mattiazi ‘Leva’ dining chairs, Aura Objects. Terracotta bowl, Eccola. Shorebirds ornaments, Oscar and Willow. Artwork by Simon Bajada. Custom webbing (on buffet) from House of Bamboo.

H G HOUSES MAIN BATHROOM “The slab of stone behind the vanity adds depth

and drama to the bathroom without complicating the design,” says Georgie. Bianco wall tiles, Italia Ceramics. Calacatta Arabescato marble benchtop and splashback, CDK Stone. Terrazzo Treviso 879 floor tiles, Signorino. Tapware and heated towel rail, all Routleys Bathroom Kitchen Laundry. Studio 650 freestanding bath, Argent.

Custom vanity and mirrors by GSID. Alby stool, Jardan. Towels, Eccola.

Shutters made by builder. Bathroom accessories, The Eco Warrior.

the television is positioned to one side of the fireplace to keep the focus on connection and conversation.

The new main bedroom, ensuite and main bathroom are located in the original part of the house. “The bathrooms reference the new extension, while at the same time making their own unique statement,” says Georgie. The decorating scheme here was adapted from the concept of ‘yin and yang’ – a light and bright ensuite adjoining the main bedroom, and a more formal look with darker tones for the main bathroom. Natural stone stars in both spaces, paired with terrazzo flooring and custom vanities.

The result is a home packed with character that effortlessly blends old and new – and Michael couldn’t ask for more. “Georgie and her team quickly picked up on my vision and made it come to life. Giving them complete creative control after the initial brief was a fantastic decision,” he says. “The stone floors and fireplace are two of my favourite features, and I love spending time in the kitchen. I wouldn’t have this amazing home without the help of such wonderful designers.”

GSID – Georgie Shepherd Interior Design, Beulah Park, SA; www.georgieshepherd.com.au. The Building Company, Glenelg, SA; thebuildingcompany.net. Habitat Landscaping Services, Adelaide, SA; 0410 884 743 or @habitat_landscaping.

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THE SOURCE

4

Seek organic shapes and soft silhouettes to weave a sense of serenity through the home.

9

5 6 Produced by Saffron Sylvester.

1 Italian terracotta pendant light, $2499, Lighting Collective. 2 Barbry loom and teak

dining chair, $329, Living by Design.

3 EasyGroove panelling, $35/m², Easycraft.

8 7

4 Dandelion jute rug (2.15m diameter), $895, Armadillo. 5 Elvire freestanding bath, $4959, Caroma. 6 Morgan & Finch ‘Falzon’ vase, $29.95, Bed Bath N’ Table. 7 Amantii Inside Outside electric built-in fireplace, $2540, Winning Appliances. 8 Sarah Ellison velvet armchair in Caramel, $1595, Life Interiors.

9 Riva 1920 ‘Vivo’ coffee tables, from $1150 each, Fanuli. 10 Andaman Islands photo print by Sean Fennessy, from $510, Modern Times. 11 Zaza Deep 2 Flex AB 3-seater sofa, $5421, King. For Where to Buy, see page 192. #

Welcome return Works were well underway when Melbourne’s lockdown turned one couple’s interstate sojourn into an extended stay. But the renovation team rallied – and the homecoming was all the sweeter.

STO RY Jackie Brygel | ST Y L IN G Belle Hemming | P H OTOG RA PH Y Marnie Hawson

STREET FRONTAGE The hedge, an existing feature, provides privacy from the street while adding to the character of the cottage. Path made with bluestone pavers. REAR GARDEN Opposite Homeowners Nirangjan and Tracy with their baby son Ashton and Khan the Rhodesian

ridgeback. Lux outdoor sofa and Tresse ottoman, both Osier Belle. Mystic outdoor tiles, CDK Stone. Landscaping by Inge Jabara Landscapes.

HOUSES H G THIS IS THE LIFE

The success of this renovation lies in the fact that the century-old cottage now celebrates light, space and liveability – thanks to a more sustainable redesign.

“The home has introduced environmental upgrades, with new underfloor insulation, larger windows and skylights to increase both ventilation and natural light,” says architect Kurt Crisp. “It’s now zoned for heating and cooling, with a set of internal doors that can be closed to separate the communal and private areas of the home.”

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t wasn’t, shall we say, the most typically travelledroadtorenovationglory.Yet,taken in truly unprecedented times, it proved a surprisingly smooth journey – one that culminated in the happiest of outcomes for Melbourne coupleTracyand Nirangjan.

Not simply because the completion of the projectlatelastyearcoincidedwiththelifting of the city’s extended stage-four lockdowns, but also because it marked a particularly joyous life event: the birth of the couple’s first child, son Ashton. “Ashton arrived just as the renovation was finishing,” says Tracy, “And somuchhadhappenedinthemonthsbefore!”

Indeed, when Tracy and Nirangjan packed up their car and headed to Sydney to visit Nirangjan’sfamilyearlierintheyear,theplan was to stay “only a few weeks”. At the time, the transformation of the couple’s quaint Edwardiancottageonasnug417-square-metre block in Melbourne’s inner north-east was already well underway.

MastermindedbyarchitectsBuck&Simple, the renovation was designed not only to dramatically reimagine the core living zones, but to forge a far more congenial relationship between the house and its garden.

“We’re based in Sydney and loved the idea of a Melbourne project,” says Buck & Simple director Kurt Crisp. “We had a few video calls with Tracy and Nirangjan to discuss how we would manage the process for design and construction.Wewerewillingtoworkthrough even the most unconventional solutions.” >

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KITCHEN/DINING/LIVING Custom dining table, BA Furniture. Elford dining chairs, Temple & Webster. Orient P2 pendant light, Danish Red. Paul Agnew Designs ‘Siena Seven Fifty’ freestanding wood heater, Living Fire. Custom concrete plinth, Kyash Cubes.

Velux skylight. The kitchen joinery, by Phelan Interiors, is feature-grade blackbutt. The benchtops are Neolith Beton from CDK Stone.

Sling barstools, Obodo. Kingston brass ceiling lights, Tovo Lighting. Custom steel-framed doors, Skyrange. Armchair, Osier Belle.

Jasper II sofa, King. For similar rug, try Choices Flooring. Terrazzo floor tiles, Fibonacci Stone.

H G houses THE AIM WAS TO REWORK THE LIVING ZONES AND TO FORGE A FAR MORE CONGENIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HOUSE AND GARDEN.

Andthatwasjustaswell.Foronlyweeks after Tracy and Nirangjan crossed the border into NSW, their home town was plunged into a 111-day lockdown.

“We found ourselves in a situation with no client and no architect in the state where the renovation was taking place,” says Kurt. “Fortunately, the builder was extremely responsive and we were able to carryoutgeneralinspectionsandmonitor the progress over video calls.” In fact, with Momentum Building Group doing such a great job, Tracy and Nirangjan were able to extend their interstate stay.

The project never faltered.

“Momentum was super-impressive at managing and keeping everything on track, as was Kurt at translating our

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garbled thoughts of what we wanted into a final design outcome,” says Nirangjan.

To Kurt, however, the vision was always clear. “The weatherboard cottage was becoming quite tired. Nonetheless it had loads of charm,” he says. “But a cluttered previous add-on was confirmation that we had to give the rear half of the home a clean slate.” Certainly, Buck & Simple did that – and so much more. What was once a dysfunctional mishmash of poky rooms is now a light, airy and eminently liveable domain. It’s also one in which style forms a bold and beautiful partnership with practicality.

“The design combines the rear living rooms into a single open space for the kitchen, dining and living zones,” says

Kurt. “This area includes a feature doublesided fireplace, glass doors to stop the warm air escaping in winter and a circular skylight to bring in much-needed natural light. We also created a new bathroom, laundry and ensuite.”

When it came to the materials, organic colour and texture were prioritised in the formoftactilestoneandtimbersetagainst a crisp white base. “Terrazzo is used throughout the living areas to ground the palette, with blonde timber boards laid in a herringbone pattern creating warmth intheoriginalpartofthehome,”saysKurt.

“Thecentralhallwayhasalsobeenslightly embellished and modernised with black steel-framed doors and a black ceiling, while most of the back wall of the house was replaced with sliding glass doors.”

Withthegardenatlastreceivingawarm welcome into the home, landscape designer Inge Jabara got to work granting it a leafy new life. A lushly layered landscape envelops the home providing a verdant sanctuary for all – the clan’s Rhodesian ridgeback, Khan, included.

Indeed,thecompletedhouseandgarden, says Kurt, is living its best life. As is the family that calls it home. “It’s even better than we ever imagined,” says Tracy. > Buck & Simple, Manly, NSW; buckandsimple.com. Momentum Building Group, Melbourne, Victoria; momentumbuildinggroup.com.

Inge Jabara Landscapes, Caulfield South, Victoria; (03) 9046 1966 or ingejabaralandscapes.com.au.

OUTDOOR LIVING Opening the

stacking doors at the rear of the home expands the living space exponentially.

KITCHEN The freestanding wood heater, set on a custom-made plinth, doubles as a room divider in the open-plan area.

Asko stove and oven, both E&S.

THE LAYOUT Bath Laundry

Bed

Living Dining

Garage

Entry Bed

Bath

Kitchen

Study

Bed

houses H G MAIN ENSUITE Left Wall mirrors,

Temple & Webster. Custom vanity, Phelan Interiors. Nero Marquina marble benchtop, CDK Stone. Tapware, Astra Walker. Roca ‘Inspira’ basins, Reece.

Nextone Grey wall/floor tiles, Signorino.

Custom sliding door, Skyrange. MAIN

BATHROOM This image and below left

Aura bath, Caroma. All tapware and towel rail, Astra Walker. Limestone wall/ floor tiles, Signorino. Kado ‘Lussi’ basins, Reece. GUESTROOM Below Artwork from Rodwell and Astor. Bed, Koala. For similar chevron flooring, try Royal Oak Floors.

MAIN BEDROOM Opposite Sunrise bed and Inkster ‘Flashlight’ pendant light, all Yard Furniture. Joinery, Phelan Interiors. >

THE PALET TE Dulux Black Caviar (exterior walls and fences)

Dulux Dieskau (front facade)

Paint colours are reproduced as accurately as printing processes allow.

Dulux Lexicon Half (interior, throughout)

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BACK GARDEN An existing hedge

of evergreen Ficus hillii ‘Flash’ forms a backdrop for the new garden by landscape designer Inge Jabara, who enlivened the limited footprint with a layered arrangement of lush plantings including ornamental pears (Pyrus calleryana ‘Aristocrat’). Spring-flowering coastal rosemary and pretty pink Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ hug the sitting area, while a potted Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Blood Good’) is a focal point. Mother of thyme (Thyme praecox) surrounds Oasis steppers from Outdure.

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Outdoor furniture and garden-inspired hues add up to a tranquil interior that’s easy care too.

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11 1 Lux outdoor sofa, from $5980, Osier Belle.

2 Black Bull framed print, $112.95, Freedom.

3 The Elemental bioethanol suspended fireplace, POA, Aurora Suspended Fires. 4 Bjorn wall mirror, $397, Life Interiors. 5 Rogue faux oriental ficus, $169, Freedom. 6 Obelli planter, $9.95, Freedom.

7 Morgan & Finch ‘Andorra’ cushion, $59.95, Bed Bath N’ Table. 8 Sika Design ‘Monet’ footstool, from $489, Domo. 9 Herringbone Block engineered-oak flooring, from $110/m², Royal Oak Floors. 10 Linen

quilt cover set in Bluestone, $365/queen size, Cultiver. 11 Axia wall basin/bath mixer set, $855.35, Phoenix Tapware. 12 Sedona outdoor dining table, $2299 (includes 8 chairs), Domayne. 13 Terra ‘Ceramic Licht’ pendant light in Yanadah, $385, Koskela. For Where to Buy, see page 192. #

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H G houses STREET FRONTAGE The restored facade is painted Dulux White on White with Dulux Black Ace trims.

Tessellated tiles with bluestone edging from Olde English Tiles.

BACKYARD Homeowners Lisa and Adam, with their Boston terrier Chloe.

Regent concrete dining table, Coco Republic.

Custom cushions in Dedar Milano fabric from South Pacific Fabrics. Earth bowl, Dinosaur Designs.

Garonne paving, Eco Outdoor. Garden designed

by Bates Landscape.

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PE R F E C T U N ION

For this architect and heritage expert, renovating a Sydney terrace presented the opportunity to walk the talk – and live the dream.

STO RY Chris Pearson | STY L I N G Atelier Lab | P H OTO GR A PHY Dave Wheeler

H G houses FORMAL LIVING This page and

opposite, top right Minotti ‘Angie’ armchair and ‘Grant’ side table, both Dedece. Cassina ‘Sengu’ coffee table, Mobilia. Alfred sofa, Jardan. Rug, Armadillo. Moooi ‘Cocktail’ chair, Space. Flos chandelier, Euroluce. Semblance artwork by Jasmine Mansbridge, Curatorial+Co (this page) and Bush Plum Dreaming artwork by Bessie Pitjara (opposite). HALL Opposite, top left Arflex ‘Botolo’ chair, Space.

Reflections of Spring artwork by Peta Morris, Curatorial+Co. DINING Opposite, bottom left Hudson dining table, MCM House, Grace chairs, Poliform. The Party artwork by Rachael McCully Kerwick, Curatorial+Co.

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“ T H E H O U S E P R OV I D E D U S W I T H A N O P P O RT U N I T Y TO M E R G E H E R I TAG E A N D C O N T E M P O R A RY A R C H I T E C T U R E .” A D A M H A M P T O N , A R C H I T E C T A N D O W N E R

arrying old and new, this Victorian terrace in Sydney’s inner east is the ideal metaphor for the talents of its owners, Adam and Lucy Hampton, an architect and a heritage consultant, respectively. Not only is it a comfortable family home for them and their daughter Alice, four, it showcases their individual skills while proving that two wide-apart eras can cohabit in blissful harmony.

But an earlier renovation was sadly not simpatico. When the couple bought the three-level house in 2016, it had the proverbial “good bones”, but a 1960s renovation had stripped out its period

detailing, with the original facade having been erased under aluminium windows and a closed-in balcony. Since then, the terrace had been virtually untouched and the intervening years as a rental property had not been kind.

“It was in desperate need of attention,” says Adam, who, with Lucy, could see plenty of potential. “The house provided us with an opportunity to merge heritage and contemporary architecture, and to contribute to the area by enhancing the streetscape.” And, a huge plus with future familylivinginmind,itboastedagenerous backyard – a rarity in this densely built-up heritage conservation area.

In a renovation that began in 2019 and took 10 months, the couple had wanted >

to “restore the home’s historic character at the front while seamlessly joining it with a contemporary, warm and elegant rear extension,” says Lucy. Generous natural light and sightlines from one end of the house to the other, culminating in walls of glazing to soak up district views, would create a sense of flow and airiness.

They shaved off the hapless facade as well as the awkward additions at the back, leaving little more than the brick party walls on two sides. Wrought-iron balustrades, sash windows and tessellated tiles were reinstated at the front, so at

first glance you could be forgiven for thinking this home is an original Victorian.

But walk in and uninterrupted sightlines from the front door take in old and new at one glance. The entry, on the home’s middle level, includes the living room to the right of the hall with the dining room and kitchen leading out to a terrace beyond. The lower-ground level accommodates one bedroom and the family room, which connects with the backyard and Adam’s studio at the rear of the block. The first floor contains three more bedrooms and a family bathroom.

THIS IS THE LIFE

A strikingly modern staircase forms the functional spine of the home. “Floating and with screening attached to the treads, and a skylight above, it’s certainly not a traditional Victorian staircase,” says Adam. Concealed storage and sliding doors that disappear into wall cavities ensure clean lines and uninterrupted flow between the spaces.

An artisan’s touch, typical of Victorian homes, pervades throughout. With Adam working on many period properties and Lucy being a heritage expert, it could never be otherwise. “We were ready to give it >

Without fail, the kitchen sits at the heart of Adam’s designs. “It’s always the starting point,” he says. In his own home, Adam has placed it on the entry level, which means it misses out on a connection with the backyard on the level below. Despite the couple’s initial misgivings, this positioning had an unexpected upside. “We use the kitchen more than anticipated. With its lovely views and proximity to the dining area, it’s become the focus of family living,” says Lucy.

houses H G THE PALET TE

Dulux White on White (throughout)

Dulux Black Ace (fence)

Porter’s Paints Scarlet

Paint colours are reproduced as accurately as printing processes allow.

MAIN BEDROOM Sandhills artwork by Lily Kelly Napangardi, Lawsons Auctioneers. Victorian-era fireplace with Carrara mantel from Chippendale Restorations. Bedlinen, In Bed. LOWER-GROUND FLOOR BATHROOM Above Kit Kat wall tiles and terrazzo floor tiles, all Surface Gallery.

FIRST-FLOOR BATHROOM Below Icon tapware, Astra Walker. Carrara benchtop, Granite & Marble Works. GROUND FLOOR LANDING Pureplank flooring in Alban, Havwoods International.

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H G houses FAMILY ROOM Joy chair,

Sunny sofa and Alice coffee table, all Jardan. Mohana side table (black), B&B Italia ‘Frank’ side table (white) and Moooi Signature ‘Eden Queen’ rug by Marcel Wanders, all Space. Songs of Shrieking Branches artwork by Sophie Cape, Olsen Gallery. Bowl on coffee table, Ondene.

the attention to detail it needed, with no cutting corners,” she says.

In the original section – which takes in the formal living room, dining room and main bedroom upstairs – the couple reinstated traditional architraves, cornices, ceiling rosettes, panelled doors and fireplaces. Contemporary materials, such as Carrara marble mantels and oak floors throughout, create visual links between old and new, while scale (in the form of tall doorways and deep skirtings) in the extension echoes the front.

“We wanted a neutral palette for the decorating, complemented by colour in the art and furnishings,” says Adam, with the starting point the show-stopping kitchen benchtop. “The Brescia marble is an eye-catching material that draws attention,” he says. “The warm palette

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within the stone – plum, grey, black, white, rust – guided other colour decisions, including the merlot sofa, burgundy rug and the pale-grey joinery.”

While most furnishings are refined to echo the home’s provenance, the couple also selected a few out-there pieces for an element of surprise, including a Moooi occasional chair in an animal print for the upstairs living room and a vibrant circular rug for the family room on the lower-ground floor. “The chair brings character and flair to the formal living room, while the rug adds colour and fun to the lower level,” says Lucy.

That rug is in tune with the garden beyond,whichincludesasweepofcircular lawn and bold burgundy foliage that adds some ‘zap’ to the dense greenery. “Careful plantings connect the interior and exterior

spaces and the circular pattern softens the home’s right angles,” says Adam.

At the far end of the garden is one of the home’s most-used spaces: Adam’s studio.

“We wanted the architecture business to be part of the home and, because of Covid-19, Lucy works from home too,” he says. The project was completed in February 2020, just before the pandemic hit. The studio’s garden setting neatly separates home and work environments.

This terrace displays Adam and Lucy’s talents to the full – what better proof of whattheycanachievefortheirclientsthan this highly personal case study, blending old and new, work and family living? > Hampton Architecture, Sydney, NSW; hamptonarchitecture.com.au. Revolution Building & Construction, North Narrabeen, NSW; revolutionbc.com.au.

THE LAYOUT

First floor Balcony Ground floor

Bed

Bed Bed

Entry Living

Dining

Bath

Kitchen

Lower ground

Bath

Family Studio Courtyard

Kitchenette

Bed

Laundry

Bath

Terrace

H G HOUSES

A DA M ’ S S T U D I O, AT T H E FA R E N D O F THE GARDEN, IS ONE OF THE HOME’S M O S T- U S E D S PAC E S .

STUDIO Top and right SP01 ‘Michelle’ chair and Foscarini ‘Buds 3’

table lamp, Space. Saarinen ‘Tulip’ marble table and Minotti ‘Cesar’ side table, both Dedece. Dream and Language series artworks (above Tulip table) by Antonia Mrljak, Curatorial+Co. Artwork on bench by Marika Varady. Decanter, Ralph Lauren.

Cube vase, Dinosaur Designs. REAR EXTERIOR The beautiful garden was designed by Bates Landscape.

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THE SOURCE

Crisp white creates a gallery-like canvas for a moveable feast of fabulous pieces.

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1 Boudoir artwork by Diana Miller, $3500 (framed), Modern Times. 2 Vintage French side chair with

Icelandic sheepskin upholstery, $4087/pair, 1stDibs.

3 Moooi ‘Coppélia’ suspension light, from $4660, Space. 4 Dome marble box, $235, Coco Republic.

5 Regent dining table, $2395, Coco Republic.

6 Calacatta Viola marble, POA, Signorino. 7 India Mahdavi ‘Bishop’ stool, POA, Studio ALM. 8 Milo nesting coffee tables, $1795, Coco Republic. 9 Ligne Roset ‘Paipaï’ sofa, from $8095, Domo. 10 The Broadsheet Italian Cookbook by Patrick Boyle, $49.95, Broadsheet. 11 A Room of Her Own: Inside the homes and lives of creative women book by Robyn Lea, $65, Thames & Hudson. 12 Foscarini ‘Buds 2’ table lamp, $1850, Space. For Where to Buy, see page 192. # AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN |

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PR ESE N T FOR M The work of a renowned local architect, this Melbourne home is brought into the now with a carefully considered update to ensure a bright future.

STORY Stephen Crafti | P HOTOG R A P H Y Hilary Bradford

EXTERIOR “The new roof of the extension (seen at rear) was

clad in recycled roof tiles, to give it an aged appearance that blends in with the rest of the house,” says architect David Neil. Timber detailing of existing house painted Dulux Domino. Landscaping, Eckersley Garden Architecture.

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“IT WAS IMPORTANT TO RETAIN THE FEEL OF THE ORIGINAL ARCHITECT’S WORK, BUT ALSO CREATE SPACES THAT WERE MORE CONNECTED TO THE GARDEN.” David Neil, architect

houses H G LIVING Fork floor lamp by Diesel for Foscarini. B&B Italia ‘Tufty-Time’ sofa, Space. Molteni&C ‘Glove Up’ armchairs and Moroso ‘Net’ side table, all Hub Furniture. Tom Dixon ‘Flash’ coffee tables, Living Edge. Note Design Studio ‘Vinge’ table lamp (on windowsill), Great Dane. Bench seat cushions by Camm Upholstery. Custom rug by Simône Serle Design, The Rug Establishment. Parquetry flooring, Eco Timber (throughout).

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KITCHEN American-oak joinery painted Resene Stack. Silver Ash marble benchtops and

splashback, G-Lux. Hay ‘Revolver’ barstools and Nau ‘Bell’ pendant light, Cult Design. Delta Light ‘Spy Trimless’ downlights, Inlite. Gaggenau cooktops, steamer and ovens, and Qasair rangehood, all available from E&S. Tapware, Brodware. Sofa, Jardan. Parquetry flooring, Eco Timber.

THIS IS THE LIFE

“The owners were delighted with the transformation of what was quite a dark and sombre house into a spacious, light and practical family home,” says architect David Neil. “Reorienting the family living space so it faces north has had a significant impact on the look and feel of the house.” The homeowners also report that the improved visual connection with the garden and the creation of a ‘children’s zone’ (which now has its own bathroom and study) have proved to be great assets.

houses H G THE PALET TE

Paint colours are reproduced as accurately as printing processes allow.

Dulux Haast Half (kitchen)

Dulux Domino (living room)

he heritage of a home can sometimes be its greatest asset – but a storied past can go handin-hand with problems that need addressing. In the case of this Melbourne house, its owners sought the creature comforts and better access to natural light that simply weren’t designed into homes in the 1920s.

The work of architect Robert Hamilton, this Tudor Revival house is one of many he designed during the 1920s and ’30s. It has a lovely country ambience, despite its location in an innercitycul-de-sac.“ItwasimportantthatweretainthefeelofRobert’s work, but also create spaces that were open and light filled, and more connected to the garden,” says David Neil, co-director of Neil Architecture.

Surrounded by lush grounds that have been expertly delivered byEckersleyGardenArchitecture,thethree-storeyhousefeatures distinctive Tudor-style detailing – herringbone-patterned brickwork,timberstrapping,a steeply pitched roof and elongated, elegant brick chimneys.

Resene Stack (joinery)

Most of the rooms were in almost-original condition, with the only significant changes being an open-plan kitchen, dining and family area that had been added to the rear of the property in the 1990s. “The kitchen had been positioned in what must surely have been the darkest part of the house,” says David. “You could also say that it lacked the type of architectural details Robert Hamilton was known for.”

Those details encompass a terracotta-tiled roof, a vaulted tiered-brick canopy over the front door, deep bay leadlight windows and exposed-brick fireplaces. The passages also have timber-lined walls and niches/doorways that create a level of separation not often found in homes today.

There’s a beautiful sense of privacy as well. “We can only see oneneighbourwhenwepassthroughthegatehouse,eventhough we’re so close to the city,” says the owner, who shares this house with her husband and their three children. “We have one child currently living at home, and the other two come and go.”

This is the third project Neil Architecture has undertaken with these particular clients, so a sense of trust had already > AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN |

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THE LAYOUT Ground floor

Garage Pantry

Laundry

Dining Family

Sitting

Entry

Bath Bath

Bed

Bed Living

Dressing

Study

Billiards

Kitchen Gym

Study

Living

Study

Store

Bed Bath

First floor

houses H G beenestablished.“Davidisexceptionalwithdetailsandmasterful when it comes to creating subtle shifts in light,” says the owner who, like David, was keen to ensure the original rooms remained fairly dark and moody. To achieve this effect, walls are painted a dark grey-blue colour. These spaces sit in striking contrast to the new kitchen and living areas that have been stitched onto the rear of the building.

The extension’s elongated form and angular ceiling take their cues from Robert Hamilton’s initial design. “We wanted to bring in the northern light, but also to create a form that felt nestled into the original home,” says David. Although the new kitchen, dining and family areas share a lighter palette – pale painted-oak cabinets and silver-ash marble island bench and splashbacks – the detail this space enjoys is something David feels Robert would have added, had he been practising today.

Large glass sliding doors, for example, include steel framing on the lower panels. Likewise, the Japanese-style, brick-style tiles used above the fireplace in the family room evoke the sense of craftsmanship popular in the 1920s. “I was keen to build on the way bricks were used in the past, but to give them a lighter, more contemporary feel,” says David.

Neil Architecture also trod lightly regarding the upgrading of the ensuites and the bedrooms on the first and second floors.

There are two bedrooms in the attic, including a guestroom, and on the first floor are three bedrooms, including the main, all with ensuites. Silver Ash marble also features extensively in the bathrooms, accompanied by the fine crafted-oak joinery for which David is renowned. Interior designer Simône Serle was enlisted for the soft furnishings and feature lights.

Robert Hamilton was also known for creating intimate spaces that are not often found today. An example is a circular room that flows off the main living area and acts as a sun-drenched nook oriented to the north and framed by deep garden beds.

“There’s a continual play of light throughout this house,” says the owner, pointing out the floor-to-ceiling mirrors in the main entrance. “Some rooms borrow light while others reflect it,” says the owner, pointing out the floor-to-ceiling mirrors in the main entrance. “These days, family and friends gravitate to the island benchinthenewkitchenwhentheyarrive.Thewayweliketodine is fairly informal and the mood in that space is very relaxed.” > Neil Architecture, Richmond, Victoria; neilarchitecture.com.au.

Eckersley Garden Architecture, Richmond, Victoria; e-ga.com.au.

FAMILY This north-facing room is part of the extension. Vista sofa, Jardan. B&B Italia

‘Husk’ armchairs, Space. Minotti ‘Duchamp’ coffee tables, Dedece. Custom rug by Simône Serle Design, The Rug Establishment. Delta Light ‘Spy Trimless’ downlights, Inlite. Flos ‘265’ wall light, Euroluce. Easygroove wall panels painted Dulux Haast Half, Easycraft. Fireplace re-used from existing house. Silver Ash marble on fireplace hearth, G-Lux. Inax ‘Hikkaki’ tiles above fireplace, Artedomus. Steel-framed sliding doors painted Resene Charcoal. BeefEater barbecue in outdoor area.

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H G HOUSES

ENSUITE Above American-oak veneer vanity. Silver Ash marble

benchtop, G-Lux. Porcelain floor tiles, Lifestiles. Falper ‘Quattro Zero’ freestanding bath, Vitra ‘Water Jewels’ basins and Eccentric tapware, all Rogerseller. CHILDREN’S BATHROOM Left The finishes and fittings are as for the parents’ ensuite. Inax ‘Jimon’ wall tiles, Artedomus. WALK-IN WARDOBE This image Joinery finished in Resene Stack. Envelope folded brass handles, Auhaus Architecture. Sherpa carpet in Doma, Prestige Carpets.

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1 Vintage overdye rug in Charcoal, from $4195, Coco Republic. 2 B&B Italia ‘Husk’ armchair by

1

Patricia Urquiola in Astro Rope, $6050, Space.

3 &Tradition ‘Flowerpot VP1’ pendant light by Verner Panton, from $500, Cult Design. 4 Vivid Slimline floor-mounted bath mixer, $1492.15, Phoenix Tapware. 5 Koto oak side table, $249, Life Interiors. 6 Sub-Zero 147-bottle integrated wine cabinet, $18,995, Winning Appliances. 7 Ocean Tides artwork by Ria Green, $1300, Modern Times.

8 B&B Italia ‘Tufty-Too’ modular sofa by Patricia Urquiola, $18,215, Space. 9 Chloé ‘Darryl’ handbag, $1430, MatchesFashion. 10 Jerusalem cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi (Random House), $49.99, Booktopia. 11 Gubi ‘Grasshopper’ floor lamp, from $1200, Cult Design. For Where to

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THE SOURCE

Clean-lined furniture in neutral tones ease the transition between design styles and eras.

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ST Y LE A sophisticated yet characterful interior – and an eye on the future – were key to the owner’s brief for his penthouse home.

STO RY Georgia Madden | ST Y LI NG Samantha Torrisi P H OTOGR A PHY Sue Stubbs

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THIS IS THE LIFE

Homeowner Jordan describes his pocket of Sydney’s inner west as a “hidden gem”. “With the sprawling greenery of Sydney Park across the road you feel like you’re out of the hustle and bustle of the city, while you’re only a short drive to amazing cafes and restaurants as well as boutique breweries and distilleries,” he says.

Jordan has a private rooftop terrace with a pool and views out to Botany Bay. “It’s the ultimate sanctuary.”

LIVING/DINING Prestige Oak

engineered-timber flooring in Straw, Flooring Xtra. Island benchtop in Caesarstone Piatto Black. Langdon stools, Ownworld. Dining table, Interior Secrets. Bow vase and Earth bowl (on table), Dinosaur Designs.

Cire Trudon candle, Becker Minty.

Dining chairs, Zaffero.

You Break My Heart artwork by Eva Frengstad, from Sibu Gallery.

Julian planters, Coco Republic.

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houses H G

rooftop pool and entertainer’s terrace, views across Sydney Park and all the mod cons imaginable: this 553-square-metre penthouse inSydney’sinnerwesthaditall.Except,possibly, character. “The interior was rather grand and cameacrossassterileanddated,”saysitsowner, Jordan. The other issue was the scale of some rooms. “For such a huge place, the kitchen and main bedroom were seriously undersized,” he says.

But as an experienced renovator, Jordan could see beyond the negatives. “I’d been exploring real estate for a while and this penthouse was like nothing I had seen before – let alone on the fringe of one of the inner west’s coolest areas. While the style was definitely not mine, I could see the potential and within a week I had made an offer and bought it.”

Jordan wasted no time finding the right design team to bring his vision to life; two months after moving in, he brought on board building and interior designer Harmony Varley of Progressive Plans and her co-director, Leon Varley, who has 19 years’ experience in trades, new builds and home renovations.

High on Jordan’s wish list were an improved layout, a bigger master suite and a timeless and sophisticated feel. “I wanted

KITCHEN Dogal marble splashback and rear benchtop, Surface Gallery.

Barazza cooktop, Winning Appliances. Oven, Bosch. Faucet Strommen ‘Zeos’ mixer tap, Bathroom Collective. Large vase (on island), Trit House. Eva white vase by Katarina Wells, Curatorial+Co. LIVING/DINING Sofa, King. Alec and Ode cushions, L&M Home. Throw, Adairs. Zest side table, Trit House. Rug, Unitex. The Frame TV from Samsung looks like an artwork when not in use.

to create a sense of originality you wouldn’t normally find in an apartment,” he says. “I entertain a lot and wanted to enhance that lifestyle with open-plan living spaces that morph into garden balconies. And although I don’t have kids at this stage, the brief was also to ensure the penthouse offered good functionality for a family.”

“We asked Jordan to collate images that he liked and the look was fairly consistent – dark, moody and masculine. But, surprisingly, there were a few Scandi references thrown in too,” says Harmony. “Our goal was to soften that dark and moody look while giving it something of a Scandi touch without losing that luxurious penthouse vibe.”

The design team started sketching some initial ideas for the two-level, three-bedroom, four-bathroom home in March 2020.

Work started in September that year and it was completed in December – just in time for summer.

To improve the home’s sense of flow and make space for a proper main-bedroom suite, Harmony and Leon revised the layout to create an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area to the southeast of the apartment that flows onto two expansive balconies. They also opened up the entry by removing a nib wall and a bank of built-in cupboards. >

H G houses

A simple palette of oak, marble and dark-painted VJ panelling in tones of black, white and grey throughout creates a warm and inviting feel while delivering the modern Scandinavian vibe Jordan was looking for.

But it’s the dramatic curved wall that greets guests at the entry and runs right around to the sofa that is the star of the show.

Crafted from plywood with timber beading and a black japan stain, it manages to add texture and impact without overwhelming the interior. “The apartment was originally quite boxy, with lots of sharp edges, and the curve allowed us to add a lot of movement to the space,” says Harmony. It also cleverly conceals a door (next to the fireplace) that opens into a generously sized main bedroom, walk-in wardrobe and luxurious ensuite.

“We had a fairly tight budget to work with and the curved wall took up a large portion of it,” says Leon. “Jordan was on board with the concept straight away, but it meant we had to make some smart budget choices elsewhere to accommodate it.”

To keep costs in check, the team chose to upcycle the wardrobe doors and to update the bathroom vanities with a fresh coat of paint and new handles. In the kitchen, they opted for simple painted-polyurethane cabinetry. They had planned to refinish the travertine tiles to keep costs down, but, happily, discovered that replacing them with engineered-oak floorboards was only slightly more expensive.

Some things, however, the team wasn’t willing to compromise on. “Real stone in the kitchen and bathrooms, and quality tapware and fittings were must-haves,” says Harmony. “It’s a luxury penthouse, so it needed to have a high-end feel – not just in terms of looks, but how things feel to the touch.”

And their satisfied client clearly agrees. “I absolutely love what we’ve achieved,” says Jordan. “I have renovated previously, but this has by far been my biggest and best project. The curved wall that separates the apartment into distinct yet flowing living areas is my favourite feature; I haven’t seen anything like that before. Plus it has created a hidden and private main bedroom retreat with both size and sophistication.” > Progressive Plans, Mona Vale, NSW; 0400 699 850 or progressiveplans.com.au. DMR Carpentry & Building, Northern Beaches, NSW; 0401 757 031 or dmrbuilding.com.au.

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THE LAYOUT

Balcony

Bed

Bath Media

Bed/study

Wardrobe

Bath

Entry

Laundry

Balcony

Bath

Kitchen Living Dining

Bed

Balcony

Paint colours are reproduced as accurately as printing processes allow.

THE PALET TE Dulux Domino (island cabinetry)

Dulux Natural White Quarter (walls, ceiling, wardrobes)

Dulux Black Caviar (VJ panelling, vanities, feature walls)

“IT’S A LUXURY PENTHOUSE, SO IT NEEDED TO HAVE A HIGH-END LOOK AND FEEL.” H A R M O N Y VA R L E Y, P R O G R E S S I V E P L A N S

MEDIA ROOM Above Sofa, King. Loft striped cushion and Etro round

cushion, L&M Home. Coffee table, Zaffero. Floor lamp, Aldi. Mr Pinchy & Co brass crab, Becker Minty. Vase, Dinosaur Designs. Olek sculpture

by Kristiina Engelin, Curatorial+Co. PORTRAIT Homeowner Jordan in his fabulous new kitchen. LIVING AREA Opposite The curved wall is made from plywood and screens off the main bedroom. It’s finished in Feast Watson Black Japan. Console table, Interior Secrets. Large glass vase, Country Road. Temple vases in Abalone, Dinosaur Designs. Julian planter, Coco Republic. Lovers artwork (above console) by Anna Curnuck from Sibu Gallery.

MAIN BEDROOM Extract I artwork by

Anna Curnuck at Sibu Gallery. Existing pendant lights. Bedlinen, In Bed. Throw, Freedom. WARDROBE Below left Mirror, MCM House. Joinery by DMR Carpentry & Building. MAIN ENSUITE Below right Bjorn mirrors, Print Decor. Basins, Just in Place.

Caesarstone Intense White benchtop.

Faucet Strommen ‘Pegasi’ showers and ‘Zeos’ basin sets, Bathroom Collective.

Grey terrazzo wall tiles, Evo Tile+Stone.

HOUSES H G 1 Love Story artwork by Diana Miller (130x150cm), $5500 (framed), Modern Times. 2 Cora cushion in Amber, $200, Jardan. 3 Himolla ‘Aura’ recliner, from $3200, Luduco Living. 4 Chiles floor lamp, $295, Domo. 5 Flexform ‘Magnum’ 3-seater sofa, POA, Fanuli. 6 Lanerossi ‘Ulisse Bruciato’

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wool throw (130x180cm), $699, Polite Society.

7 Altone ‘Roy’ coffee table, from $3950, Fanuli.

8 Julian ribbed-concrete planter, $435, Coco Republic. 9 Earth bowl in Snow Swirl, $90, Dinosaur Designs. 10 Flexform ‘Joyce’ dining chair, $4060, Fanuli. 11 Arnold terracotta vessel, $79, McMullin & Co. 12 Offering vessel in Dark Horn, $280, Dinosaur Designs. 13 Nebula ‘Capsule’ smart projector, $699, Harvey Norman. For Where to Buy, see page 192. #

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Spice up a neutral interior with warming bursts of turmeric and terracotta.

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W INDSOR Heritage-loving renovators transformed a classic Victorian home in Melbourne, tying old and new together perfectly.

STO RY Carli Philips | P HOTOG R A P H Y Jenah Piwanski

EXTERIOR The porch was levelled and resurfaced

with new tiles from Victorian Mosaic Tiling, a company that specialises in Victorian and Edwardian English tessellated styles.

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HALLWAY Some period plaster details were replicated using latex moulds.

French-oak chevron flooring, The Good House. Muuto ‘Strand’ pendant lights, In Good Company. Menu ‘Echasse’vase, Designstuff. DINING Opposite top Ben made the sideboard from American oak. The Undergrowth artwork by Susan Trigg is from Forman Art & Framing. LIVING Opposite bottom Cuddle lounge chair, Trit House. Vittoria ‘Iris’ sofa, Globe West. Woud ‘Sentrum’ side table, In Good Company. Grapetree Hill artwork by Lise Temple, Forman Art & Framing.

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arah and Ben Harris had just wrappedupaheritagerenovation when they found themselves bidding on yet another period home.“Wehadn’texpectedtobuy againthisquickly.Wehadn’teven settledonourotherplaceandthis was the first auction we had been to since selling,” says Ben. But for this Melbourne couple, the opportunity to get their hands on adouble-frontedVictorianintheinnersuburb of Windsor was just too good to pass up.

“Usually, by the time we sell, we’ve forgotten all the pain and stress,” says Ben. “It’s always hard to leave, but we start designing ASAP, so there’s something new to focus on.”

This time around, they were hell bent on transforming a dilapidated old rental into a beautiful home for themselves and their toddler, Louis, to enjoy. “There were vines everywhere and the carpet was pretty much the only thing holding the floorboards together,” says Ben, who undertook his first renovation with Sarah, a graphic and interior designer, in 2012. “It looked much better online. The vendors had spent about $30,000 trying to fix it up for sale but it clearly needed to be gutted, which I think put a lot of people off. But that worked well for us!”

They began documenting some of their personal renovation projects on social media and eventually launched their company, Resident House, in 2017, aimed at bridging thegapbetweendesignandconstruction.The couple’s experience with older homes left them with a ‘hope for the best, plan for the worst’ mentality, but despite all the work involved it was pretty smooth sailing aside from some inclement Melbourne weather and manageable flooding.

Theheritagepartofthehousewasindecent condition, but the rear had to be demolished and rebuilt: it was in a state of complete disrepair.Onthedayofsettlement,thecouple ripped the house apart, essentially taking it back to its dirt foundations. Nothing was left untouched.Theylaidnewstumps,replastered, restored fireplaces, removed smoke stains, rendered walls and replaced verandah tiles. >

“ T H E R E ’ S A L OT W E P U L L E D O U T A N D P U T TO G E T H E R AG A I N .

W E J U S T R E A L LY WA N T E D TO D O I T P R O P E R LY.” BEN HARRIS, OWNER AND BUILDER

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And while this was happening, Sarah and Ben lived in the front half of the house, using one of the original bedrooms as a kitchen.

Key to the brief was replacing a 1980s lean-towith a new extension and reviving the tired period rooms. The house had a typical Victorian floor plan, with a central corridor and rooms branching off either side.

Movingthroughthehouse,theoffice/spare bedroom and Louis’ bedroom share back-tobackmarblefireplaces.Ineachoftheserooms the decorative skirtings and cornices were kept to retain the home’s character.

Across the hall there was a bedroom so generous that Sarah and Ben think it may have been two rooms at one point. It was left in place, but its size enabled them to create anarchwayanddividethespacetoincorporate a walk-in wardrobe, ensuite and bathroom that can be accessed from the hallway.

The existing house stopped at the end of the hallway, so they extended it slightly to create a transitionary walkway with two new courtyards on either side. These pockets of nature are wedged between the old house and the new extension.

Over the threshold of the addition, there’s apowderroomimmediatelytotheleft.Onthe right is a study with double-glazed doors that provides an enclosed space to work in but with an unobstructed view through to the > KITCHEN Joinery painted Porter’s Paints

Sediment. Astep ‘Model 2065’ pendant light, Hub Furniture. Benchtop and splashback in Caesarstone Excava. Tiles on pedestal from Artedomus. Hee barstools, Hay. Cabinetry handles, Linear Standard. Pull-out mixer, Brodware. Iittala vase, In Good Company.

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THE LAYOUT

Bed

Bath

Courtyard

Wardrobe

Bath

Pantry/ laundry

Kitchen Dining

Bed Office

Courtyard

Verandah

Entry Study

Living

THIS IS THE LIFE

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Dulux Natural White (walls)

Porter’s Paints Sediment (kitchen cabinetry)

Dulux Tranquil Retreat (study cabinetry)

Paint colours are reproduced as accurately as printing processes allow.

Sarah and Ben say their home’s location, in the inner-Melbourne suburb of Windsor, is as appealing as the house itself. “We have the most beautiful neighbours,” says Sarah.

“The community is so welcoming and we have everything we could want on our doorstep. Ben and Louis go to the amazing cafe over the road every morning. We walk everywhere and are close to the beach, which Louis loves.”

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kitchen, living and dining areas. The handsome kitchen features an elegant island with lots of space for entertaining and traditional-style cabinetry painted Porter’s PaintsSediment.They’ddesignedafewwhite kitchens in the past and wanted to try something new.

Given that Ben is a carpenter by trade, he was personally on the tools during his time off from working as a helicopter pilot.

“From the moment we laid the slab, I was on site working. Once a carpenter, always a carpenter!” he says. This hands-on approach meant the couple had more money to spend on other things such as the coloured-ceramic basins in the bathrooms, which they had spotted on Instagram.

“WeorderedthemfromItalydirectly,which was a real risk both because of delivery and because we were selecting colours from afar,” Ben says. “It also wasn’t cheap. But we really just wanted to do something different that wasn’t everywhere.” A couple of years later and the couple is already eyeing off other houses. “Each site and property is so different,” says Ben. “We could do a hundred and still learn new things each time.” > Resident House, Windsor, Victoria; 0437 981 494 or residenthouse.com.au.

MAIN BEDROOM Bedlinen, Cultiver. Cushions,

Bonnie and Neil. Bedside table, En Gold. W102 Chipperfield table lamps by David Chipperfield for Wastberg, Euroluce. Bolia ‘Balloon’ pendant light, available from Arrival Hall. Blueberry Afternoon artwork by Marika Borlase from Forman Art & Framing. Vases, Love Tree Interiors. Tretford carpet in Silver Birch, InnerCity Floorworld.

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H G HOUSES LOUIS’ BEDROOM Left Bed, Domayne. Bedlinen, Adairs. Cushions, Bonnie and Neil. Normann Copenhagen side table, Designstuff. Print by Billie Justice Thomson from Forman Art & Framing. Curtains, Caribbean Blinds & Shutters. GUESTROOM Below right Medusa dining chair, Love Tree Interiors. The Fallen Aristocrat artwork by Nunzio Miano, Fenton & Fenton. AYTM vase, available from Designstuff. Artemis bust, En Gold. STUDY Bottom right The desk, designed by Ben and Sarah, is in Polytec ‘Angora Oak Woodmatt’.

Sunday chair, Jardan. Bloom artwork by Rebecca Kate. ENSUITE Bottom left Showerhead and tapware, Astra Walker. The Box mirror and Catino Doppio washbasin by Cielo Ceramica were imported from Italy.

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Velvet, brass and marble combine to create a deeply luxurious and urbane feel.

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1 Astep ‘Model 2065’ pendant light, $3300, Hub Furniture. 2 Arava Light I print by Designer Boys Art, $715, Living by Design. 3 Aleka table lamp, $695, Coco Republic.4 Leone Strap wall mirror, $219, Domayne. 5 NX Quil shower arm and rose, $418, Phoenix Tapware. 6 Leuca indoor/outdoor barstool, $129, Living by Design.

7 Linen quilt cover set in Forest, $365/queen size, Coco Republic. 8 Gubi ‘5321’ table lamp, $889, Cult Design. 9 Como side table, $1195, Coco Republic. 10 Tubby occasional chair in Caramel Velvet, $1649, Attica House. 11 Evocative Style book by Kelly Wearstler, $120, Manyara Home.

12 Couture cabinet in Black/Ash, $6890, Living Edge. For Where to Buy, see page 192. #

Salt of the earth Built as an ode to its seaside location, this home is as robust as it is tranquil and timeless.

STORY Elizabeth Wilson | STY L I N G Jess Kneebone | P HOTOG R A P H Y Shannon McGrath

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TERRACE/GARDEN

Conceptualised by Bower Architecture & Interiors, this home was designed to ‘drape’ over the landscape. A cantilevered concrete patio extends into a gently terraced garden featuring concrete walkways with gravel inserts, reflection ponds and a mix of native and coastal species.

Landscape design by Andrew Laidlaw of Laidlaw & Laidlaw Design with Andrea Proctor Landscapes.

H G houses

fter more than 40 years of living and farming on the southern tip of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, Peter and Michelle knew it was time to downsize. But they didn’t want to move far fromthe rolling hills andclifftops thathad been the constant backdrop to their lives. They had always loved the wildness of the place and especially adored the panoramic views of the dramatic seascape below, where the waters of Western Port Bay collide with the swells of the Bass Strait.

Their priority was to find a block and build a futureproofed home in a nearby township. “They were tied to that landscape and the community they love,” says architect Chema Bould, codirector of Bower Architecture & Interiors. “They wanted a good-size block close to town where they could create a beautiful garden, a sense of calm and stay connected to nature.” Michelle and Peter were introduced to Bower through longtime friends whose new home was designed by the team. “They enlisted us early on and I visited a few sites with them. It was very special to be involved in that way,” says Chema.

The block they purchased was a 1920-square-metre vacant corner site, located within a neighbourhood of classic 1960s and ’70s timber cottages a short walk from the beach. It was also over the road from a new vacant subdivision, a factor thatwastoinformthedesignoftheirhome.“Giventhisunknown future context, we wanted to create a generous set-back from the corner and make sure the house was very private along the street-facing sides,” she says.

Michelle and Peter’s brief was for a timeless and tranquil home filled with natural light, warmth and texture. They also wanted its design to prioritise accessibility and be low maintenance, to allow them to stay living there through their post-retirement years.

A five-metrefall across the site posed a challenge to the design of a single-level dwelling, but Chema and her team came up with a unique solution: an L-shaped descending floor plan that follows the contours of the site, with gently sloping internal ramps to negotiate the changes in level. “The idea was we wanted to drape the building over the site, working with the flow of the land rather than against it,” says Chema. The result is a timber-clad house built on concrete platforms that appears to float over the landscape.

The longer side of the L houses the north-facing dining/living areaandthemainbedroomsuite;theshorterlengthencompasses two guestrooms, a bathroom, double garage and laundry. The kitchen – in dark, cocooning, moody tones – is at the nexus of the two wings. The corridor-like ramps, or “gallery spaces”, as Chema calls them, are strategically placed to connect the three main zones of the house. From the entry hallway, the left-hand ramp leads up to the guest quarters, while the right-hand one heads down to the main living area. From this central living zone another ramp leads down to the main bedroom suite and adjoining study. “The ramped gallery spaces flow down the site, creating a sense of journey through the house,” says Chema.

The materiality of this house is as important as its ease of flow. Drawing on Michelle and Peter’s love of timber – their >

TERRACE Homeowners Michelle and Peter on the generous concrete terrace off the living room. This home was all about “making the house

and landscape talk to each other,” says architect Chema Bould. It’s a perfect arrangement for Michelle, an enthusiastic gardener, who loves the home’s easy connection with the garden. KITCHEN Opposite top left and bottom A colourful collection of heirloom and collected plates. Ventech timber-veneer joinery in Ebon. Island and rear benchtops are Cosmic Black granite from KWD & Co. Side benchtops are Caesarstone Raw Concrete.

Splashback in by Mutina ‘Mews’ tiles in Soot, Urban Edge Ceramics. Blade pull door handles, Designer Doorware. Kitchen stool, House of Orange.

Polished concrete floors (throughout). Teknobili mixer tap from Reece. AEG cooktop and oven.

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H G houses LIVING The blockwork walls are finished with a crushed limestone and white cement render. The ceiling is lined with

European oak boards in Bridgeport from KWD & Co. Ventech timber-veneer joinery in Ebon. The concrete bench was formed on site. Radiante 873 2V fireplace, Cheminées Philippe. The armchair is by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, a vintage classic Michelle has held on to for 45 years. Jasper sofa, King. Zig Zag stool, Mark Tuckey.

“ T H E R A M P E D G A L L E RY S PAC E S F L O W D O W N T H E S I T E , C R E AT I N G A S E N S E OF JOURNEY THROUGH T H E H O U S E .”

CHEMA BOULD, ARCHITECT

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THE LAYOUT Kitchen Study

Bed

Bath

Wardrobe Livin Dining Terrace

Laundry

Garage

Entry Bed Bath Bed

MAIN ENSUITE Vein-cut silver travertine floor and wall tiles, KWD & Co. Bath, vanity, basin, mirror cabinet and tapware, all Rogerseller. EXTERIOR Opposite, top left A spiral staircase leads to a rooftop platform with ocean views. ENTRY Opposite, top right Silvertop ash cladding stained Porter’s

THE PALET TE

Murobond Paint Mist (study)

Porter’s Paints Palm Beach Black (entry cladding)

Wattyl Orchid (main bedroom)

Paint colours are reproduced as accurately as printing processes allow.

Paints Palm Beach Black perfectly frames the view of the garden. Michelle and Peter have owned the rug for 45 years. Artwork by P. Morris. STUDY Opposite, bottom Joinery in American-oak veneer by Ventech. Custom blackbutt desk. The couple bought the Industrie Divani e Poltrone armchair about 20 years ago. The hide rug was purchased directly from a farm near the Yarra Valley. >

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“ C A R E F U L LY F R A M E D V I E W S CAPTURE LIGHT AND LANDSCAPE THROUGH THE SEASONS. WE KEPT GLAZING TO T H E S O U T H M I N I M I S E D AND MAXIMISED THE W I N D O W S TO T H E N O RT H , L O O K I N G O N TO T H E P R I VAT E G A R D E N .”

CHEMA BOULD, ARCHITECT

former farmhouse was timber – the home is clad in locally grown silvertop ash. “We wanted the material choices inside and out to be earthy, in sympathy with the surroundings,” says Chema.

The floors are polished concrete throughout except for the bedrooms, which are carpeted in wool. The living area ceiling is lined in oak and all internal walls are made from concrete blockwork rendered in a textured-limestone finish. “Not only is itatexturalmaterial,ithasall-importantthermalmass.Combined with an insulated concrete slab and passive ventilation, it means it’s a low-energy house that is cost-effective to run,” says Chema.

The shape of the house acts as “protective edge to the two street frontages”, says Chema. The street-facing walls have minimal glazing and are instead punctuated with high and low slot windows and timber-screened indents containing garden pockets. Meanwhile, inside the shielding arms of the L, it’s a different story. Here, the home salutes light and air. Sliding doors on one wall of the north-facing living zone open up completely, connecting to a large, private cantilevered concrete patio and stepping down to a garden designed by landscape architect Andrew Laidlaw of Laidlaw & Laidlaw Design with Andrea Proctor Landscapes. The garden celebrates the local landscape, providing Michelle and Peter with their own private patch of coastal bushland to tend: there are ‘wild’ elements featuringloose,riotousplantingsofindigenousspeciescombined with geometric pathways, reflective ponds and a firepit. It’s nirvana for avid gardener Michelle.

A surprise feature outside is a spiral staircase leading to a rooftop terrace, where Michelle and Peter can soak up those beloved sea views. “The home and garden work together to give them all the things that were important to them – a connection with the landscape, privacy and calm,” says Chema. “It’s a special house, very relaxing and unique.” > Bower Architecture & Interiors, Collingwood, Victoria; bowerarchitecture.com.au. Laidlaw & Laidlaw Design, Hoddles Creek, Victoria; laidlawlandscape.com.

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MAIN BEDROOM The wall of glass brings greenery right into the room. Curtain made from James Dunlop Textiles ‘Laconia Air’

linen. Vintage Nore dining chair by Norman Archibald. Eggcup stool, Mark Tuckey. Manhattan carpet in Beige, KWD & Co.

H G HOUSES THIS IS THE LIFE

Michelle and Peter wanted the home to tread lightly on the earth and to reflect the hues of the environment.

The exterior is clad in shiplap silvertop ash, its tones harmonising with the surroundings, while the garden of grasses reinforces the sense of being in the landscape. Windows are minimised on this side, replaced with timber slatting and pocket gardens, adding a sense of mystery to the street presence, says project architect Chema Bould. >

FACADE The house, clad in shiplap silvertop ash,

presents a guarded exterior to the street. Roof in Colorbond Monument. Window frames by AWS. There are 12 different indigenous grasses planted here, including golden-toned Austrostipa stipoides (under the tree), green strappy Dianella brevicaulis and Poa poiformis (between path and driveway) with yellow-flowering everlasting (Chrysocephalum apiculatum). Locally sourced granitic gravel.

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“ THE CEILING COMPRESSES AND O P E N S U P A S YO U M OV E T H R O U G H T H E H O U S E , M A K I N G E V E RY R O O M A D I F F E R E N T E X P E R I E N C E .”

CHEMA BOULD, ARCHITECT

REAR TERRACE Above Purpleflowering Alyogyne ‘Blue Heeler’ and grapevines (Vitis vinifera) hug the back terrace. Barwon chairs, Eco Outdoor. SIDE PASSAGE Above right A low slot window offers a glimpse of the internal ramp leading from the living area to the main bedroom; a tall feature window frames the garden views. GARDEN Right Giant slabs of recycled timber create seating around the firepit.

Plants here include prostrate rosemary, mountain cabbage tree and clay wattle. In the background is a row of distinctive silk floss trees.

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1 Belling ‘CookCentre Deluxe’ 900mm dual-fuel range cooker, $6499, Harvey Norman. 2 Cheval D’Orient platter, $4975, Hermès. 3 MissoniHome ‘Yailin’ acrylic-wool throw (140x190cm), $810, Matchesfashion. 4 Hadley 4-seater modular sofa, $6595, Coco Republic. 5 Seletti ‘Hanging Monkey’ outdoor lamp, $672.95, 1stDibs. 6 Gubi ‘Croissant’ lounge chair, from $5080, Cult Design.

7 Nanimarquina ‘Hayon x Nani’ wool rug (80x240cm), $3350, Cult Design. 8 Wire sphere sculptures, $1505.65/pair, 1stDibs. 9 Hew walnut side table, $1990, Living Edge. 10 By Walid 18th-century Aubusson tapestry cushion, $670, MatchesFashion. 11 Miran ceramic planter, $1595, Coco Republic. 12 Hallie wool blanket in Sand & Olive (122x210cm), $400, Jardan.

For Where to Buy, see page 192. #

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G a rden s Photograph by Sue Stubbs.

Stepping through this coastal garden is testament to the beauty of native plants. Gems here include morning iris (Orthrosanthus multiflorus) and copper-leafed tea tree (Leptospermum ‘Copper Glow’). Groundcovers include Lomandra ‘Little Con’ and blue chalksticks (Senecio serpens).

Turn the page to discover more...

P L A N T- F O C U S E D S PA C E S T H A T I N V I T E A N D D E L I G H T

H G GARDENS

The pool was designed with an infinity edge on three sides to maximise its reflective qualities. The adjacent embankment is planted with layers of natives including Hardenbergia violacea ‘Happy Wanderer’, Lomandra ‘Nyalla’, creeping boobialla (Myoporum parvifolium var. purpurea) and bronze-tipped Digger’s speedwell (Veronica perfoliata). The rust-coloured reeds along the pool edge are Elegia tectorum; a cluster of English lavender is a pretty counterpoint.

C OA S TA L C RU S H Using a palette of native plants that are capable of tolerating both strong onshore winds and clay soils, a landscape architect has shaped a garden to match its breathtaking location.

STO RY Elizabeth Wilson | P HOTO GR AP HY Sue Stubbs

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Feature plants _______ TREES Dwarf eucalypt (Corymbia ficifolia ‘Precious Pearl’) Tea tree (Leptospermum ‘Copper Glow’) Drooping she-oak (Allocasuarina verticillata) SHRUBS & GRASSES Sticky hop bush (Dodonaea viscosa) Coastal rosemary (Westringia ‘Aussie Box’) Lomandra ‘Nyalla’ Aulax cancellata ‘Bronze Haze’ Correa alba Digger’s speedwell (Veronica perfoliata) Morning iris (Orthrosanthus multiflorus) Hardenbergia violacea ‘Happy Wanderer’ GROUNDCOVERS Creeping boobialla (Myoporum parvifolium) Prostrate correa (Correa reflexa var. nummulariifolia)

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ife for residents of Flinders, on the southern edge of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, is an exhilarating conversation with the elements.

Only 90 minutes’ drive south of Melbourne, it’s a windswept, world-away place of rugged cliffs, rock platforms, pristine surfing beaches and hardy coastal bushland – a combination of natural wonders embraced by homeowners Lizzie and Wes, and their sons Elliot, 10, and Angus, eight.

When the couple built their home here, on a bluff overlooking the ocean, they wanted a dwelling and garden that would speak to that sense of place. The house, designed by architect Rob Kennon, is a timber and glass pavilion with walls that fold back and an underground basement that anchors it deep into the escarpment. “This means that the house nestles into the environment and doesn’t dominate the landscape,” says Lizzie.

“And this allows the garden to become the most important focus.” Knowing that the garden was absolutely integral to

the couple’s vision, Rob brought in landscape architect Robyn Barlow at the early planning stages. “We wanted to do a native garden that was low-maintenance, but still had personality,” says Lizzie.

For Robyn, the brief and location were close to her heart.

Working with native plants is her passion and – as a Mornington Peninsula local herself – she has a special interest in the species indigenous to this part of the world. She and Lizzie, a fashion designer, hit it off immediately. Robyn describes the location as “second line coastal”, being one rung behind the frontline rim of sandy soils and grasses that bear the brunt of the wind and ocean mist. “Being in the second line means you can introduce a few more shrubs and a variety of species,” she says.

The soil in this particular part of the peninsula is wet, heavy and clayey, which gave Robyn her starting point: “Having soil like this made it perfect for a coastal woodland-style garden,” she says. >

Coppery tones recur throughout the garden. In the poolside embankment, these hues appear in the foliage tips of the shrub Digger’s speedwell (Veronica perfoliata) and the spires of Bronze Haze featherbush (Aulax cancellata). The lime-coloured shrub in the foreground is bower wattle (Acacia cognata). OPPOSITE Clockwise from top left The side path is edged in Lomandra ‘Little Con’, Lomandra ‘Tanika’ and paper daisies (Xerochrysum bracteatum ‘Lemon Princess’). English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). At the front, the house opens up to the view and bracing breezes; clifftop plantings include Lomandra confertifolia ‘Little Con’, Lomandra ‘Tanika’ and tea tree (Leptospermum ‘Copper Glow’).

The pretty paper daisies are Xerochrysum bracteatum ‘Lemon Princess’.

H G GARDENS The steps to the house are lined with compact gum trees (Corymbia ficifolia ‘Precious Pearl’), which explode with pale pink flowers in summer. The path is fringed with a mix of natives and exotics including prostrate correa (Correa reflexa var. nummulariifolia), purpleblooming Plectranthus argentatus, pink-bloomng Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, spiny saltbush (Rhagodia spinescens) and Lord Howe wedding lily (Dietes robinsoniana).

OPPOSITE Clockwise from top

The mirror-like pool surface captures the many moods of the garden. One of the starring natives is Digger’s speedwell (Veronica perfoliata). The tapestry of plants next to the pool includes paper daisies, billy buttons and Lomandra species.

“I really wanted the garden to look comfortable in its place. I spent a lot of time studying what thrives naturally and locally.”

Robyn Barlow, landscape architect

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For cues on the plant palette, she looked to the local scenery, includingthenaturallyoccurringembankmentsaroundFlinders and the dense thickets of coastal bushland at local landmark Cape Schanck. “I really wanted the garden to look comfortable in its place,” she says. “I spent a lot of time driving around, studying what thrives naturally and locally, and took a lot of inspiration from the coastal woodland around Cape Schanck, with its layerings of low grasses, acacias and banksias.”

Robynhasemulatedtheselayers,plantingnaturalisticswathes of trees, shrubs and grasses that encircle the home. There’s a two-metre level change across the 2000-square-metre site, but rather than use retaining walls she has worked with the undulations, creating lovely, gentle rolls of vegetation dissected by a series of concrete steps and gravel pathways. It’s a garden of muted greens and wheaten hues with silvery-grey and copper tones sprinkled throughout.

Robyn’sprioritywastouseendemicspeciesasmuchaspossible, supplemented with other natives and a few exotics. Because of the strong onshore winds, she decided to plant mostly tubestock so that the plants had the opportunity to develop strong root systems without becoming too dependent on irrigation.

“Irrigation was set up only for establishment and times of drought,” she says. “The aim was to have a garden that was not reliant on a potable watering system.”

Along the property boundaries, the priority was to create screen planting without blocking the view, so along one side Robyn planted sticky hop bush (Dodonaea ‘Viscosa’) and tea tree (Leptospermum ‘Copper Glow’). On the other side, alongside one of the pathways, she planted pink-flowering dwarf eucalypts (Corymbia ficifolia ‘Precious Pearl’) combined with banksia (Banksia blechnifolia) and prostrate correa.

There were lots of beautiful existing gum trees on site, which both Robyn and Lizzie were keen to keep. The trick was to come upwithaplantpalettethatwouldgrowunderthesetrees.Robyn’s answer was to plant copses of shade-tolerant wattle (Acacia cognata) and swathes of kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra).

These plantings merge with more mass plantings of Banksia marginata, Lomandra ‘Tanika’ and Correa ‘Chef’s Hat’ among many others. “I love Correa ‘Chef’s Hat’ and I’ve never done >

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a garden without it,” says Robyn. “It’s reliable, a good background shrub and it loves shade but will take a bit of sun.” Scattered throughout these grasses and shrubs Robyn has planted native wildflowers including paper daisies (Xerochrysum sp.), which add colour when they pop out in late winter/early spring.

Sitting quietly at the centre of the rear garden is the raised infinity-edge pool, clad in sheets of dark granite and reflecting the gum trees in its mirror-like surface. Along one length of the poolRobynhascreatedasteepembankmentcoveredinflowering native plants including Westringia ‘Aussie Box’, Lomandra ‘Nyalla’, creeping boobialla (Myoporum parvifolium purpurea), Hardenbergia violacea ‘Happy Wanderer’, Aulax ‘Bronze Haze’, Digger’sSpeedwell(Veronicaperfoliata)andGymealilies.Mingled with these natives are clumps of reeds (Elegia tectorum) which have rust-coloured heads and are perfect in boggier patches.

Lizzie loves the way her garden unfolds and reveals itself. “The garden is constantly coming alive with different things and it’s now my favourite part of the house,” she says. “I love the journey up the stairs, via the pool. And then there’s the pathway lined withthebeautifulfloweringgums–theirflowersareaniridescent baby pink and it’s like walking through an aisle of amazingness.

Then you get to the top and look over the whole garden. I feel an enormous sense of relief walking through it.”

Achieving this sense of contentment and calm on a windswept bluff is no accident. “Robyn is an amazing landscape architect,” says Lizzie. “She’s so humble and low-key, and that’s reflected # in her design – her work is beautiful and gentle.

Robyn Barlow Landscape Architect, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria; robynbarlow.com.

TOP AND RIGHT Along the boundary,

rows of sticky hop bush (Dodonaea viscosa) and tea tree (Leptospermum ‘Copper Glow’) provide screening without blocking the view.

ABOVE Swathes of kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra). OPPOSITE The distinctive silhouette of drooping she-oaks (Allocasuarina verticillata) against a silvery sea and sky. They’re underplanted with hardy old man saltbush (Atriplex nummularia), coastal spear grass (Stipa stipoides), Lomandra ‘Nyalla’, Correa reflexa var. nummulariifolia, westringia and Olearia lanuginosa.

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I N DUS T R I A L E VO L U T IO N a courtyard garden in the heart of sydney provides a welcome inner-city retreat for its owners while honouring its hard-working past.

STO RY Jane Rowley | P H OTO G R A P H Y Brigid Arnott

Part of a converted factory space, this garden and pool were designed to conjure a moody, industrial feel. Alongside the pool, landscape designer Hugh Main planted a layered garden bed featuring rough maidenhair fern (Adiantum hispidulum), Brazilian walking iris (Neomarica gracilis) and Crassula undulatifolia under a tropical birch (Betula nigra). In front of the wall cut-out is a Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’. The pool, installed by Land Forms, is tiled in grey slate. Sandstone coping from Gosford Quarries.

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teadfast city dwellers Nik Auzins and Emma Shearer value the eclectic buildings that define Sydney’s innercity suburb of Annandale. New-build high-rise apartments jostle with 1970s offices, while narrow terraces and ageing warehouses spill down to the harbour. “The heritage of the area and its industrial past is visible not only in the architecture but also in the remnants of old machinery along the waterfront,” says Emma.

Charmed by the character of the area, the couple bought an abandoned warehouse that had been weathered by 90 years of manufacturing and trade. They converted the vaulted spaces, rough brick walls and exposed timber into a stunning home.

Then,tocompletethebuild,theypurchasedtheadjoiningdisused courtyard and commissioned landscape designer Hugh Main from Spirit Level to transform the 100-square-metre space.

Theywantedagardenthatwouldhonouritsindustrialheritage while also providing them with sanctuary and catering for their beloved Portuguese water dogs, Issy and Bica.

To fulfil the brief, Hugh chose hardscaping materials that matched the existing palette. “I didn’t want to create a meadow – it’s a former factory and the design is unapologetic about that,” he says. A timber deck extends the living area into the outdoor space, shaded by a steel-framed timber pergola. Weathering >

Emma and Nik commissioned local artist Daniel O’Toole to paint a graffiti-style mural for the wall facing their living space. Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) creates a living frame. OPPOSITE TOP LEFT Rough maidenhair fern (Adiantum hispidulum). OPPOSITE TOP RIGHT Resident pooch Bica. OPPOSITE BOTTOM Water gums (Tristaniopsis laurina ‘Luscious’) and tropical birch (Betula nigra) line the boundary, a wall made from recycled Waterloo blend bricks from The Brick Pit. The sandstone bench being engulfed by Mexican sage (Salvia leucantha) once formed the base of a park fence. Water plants include calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) and dwarf papyrus sedge (Cyperus haspan).

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steel, with its red rusted finish, was used to construct planter boxes that overflow with a collection of succulents including the quirky ripple jade plant (Crassula undulatifolia ‘Max Cook’).

To reinforce the raw industrial vernacular, the swimming pool is reminiscent of an abandoned factory pit filled with water. It’s tiled in slate grey, creating a dark reflective surface that mirrors the sky. Despite its industrial appearance, this is a chemical free pool; the water is cleaned via a series of filters including a water garden that runs the length of the main pool and acts as a firststage biological filter. The ultimate comfort for sensitive human (and canine) skin.

The planting here creates the feel of a disused building slowly being reclaimed by nature. “You walk into an old factory and things are still alive and thriving. Things are coming up through the cracks or growing on the walls,” says Hugh. In keeping with this theme, trees are randomly planted in the space as if birds had dropped the seeds. The glossy leaves and strong vertical lines of the Australian native water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina ‘Luscious’) provide a foil for the original brick walls with their horizontal stretcher bond pattern, as does the tropical birch (Betula nigra) with its papery red-brown bark that flakes to reveal a grey trunk. An underplanting of mixed perennials and grasses billow from a curvaceous bed threatening to engulf a solid sandstone block that serves as a bench seat and focal point.

Dating from the early 20th century and weighing more than a tonne, the reclaimed stone displays evidence of the original stonemason’s craft, with arrow-shaped depressions (originally designed to hold mortar) still visible on either side.

To further honour the building’s industrial origins, Nik and Emma chose to make a feature of a difficult space. One side of the main living room looks onto a narrow passage hemmed by the two-storey brick wall of an adjoining building. Local artist Daniel O’Toole was commissioned to create an eye-catching mural in a graffiti style. To integrate the mural into the garden, Hugh added narrow weathering steel planters filled with Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata).

The original plan called for the ivy “It’s a former factory and the design is unapologetic about that.” to creep over the image, leaving Hugh Main, landscape designer only sections of colour peeking through, but once the artwork was finished, Emma couldn’t bear the thought of covering it. Instead, stainless-steel wires were added to train the ivy into a frame. “The creeper on the wall gives this space a lot of life and with a bit of street art it’s the perfect solution to finish off the garden,” says Emma.

Today, the raw materials from the site’s industrial past are complemented by the informal, untamed nature of the garden, creating a lush, enveloping, private retreat in the heart of Australia’s busiest city. # Spirit Level, Surry Hills, NSW; (02) 8399 0660 or spiritlevel.com.au.

For Where to Buy, see page 192.

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The heart-shaped leaves of a Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ are a perfect foil for the bond-patterned brick wall.

The tree is underplanted with Plectranthus nico and dwarf tree ferns (Blechnum gibbum ‘Silver Lady’). Through the wall cut-out is a row of Himalayan weeping bamboo (Drepanostachyum falcatum).

OPPOSITE TOP Boston ivy climbs the wall of the pergola. Jak chairs and Jil table, Tait. Barbecue, Rinnai. Concrete bench by Able Concrete. Iron Deck recycled hardwood decking, Ironwood Australia. OPPOSITE MIDDLE From left Emma and Nik with their Portuguese water dogs, Bica (left) and Issy.

Strobilanthes gossypinus and seaside daisies (Erigeron karvinskianus).

OPPOSITE BOTTOM From left A rusted-steel planter filled with ripple jade (Crassula undulatifolia). Landscape designer Hugh Main of Spirit Level.

SEE MORE!

Nik and Emma’s garden will feature on the ABC TV series Dream Gardens, hosted by Michael McCoy, on Friday July 9 at 8pm.

Season 3 premieres on Friday July 2 on ABC TV and ABC iview.

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In the name of the rose a husband-and-wife team in country Queensland has just won the equivalent of the Olympics in the rose-growing world.

J

STORY Helen Young

ohn and sylvia Gray live quietly, surrounded by a flower-filled country garden, near Toowoomba in Queensland. It’s been both home and business for the past 30 years. Yet this modest couple are stars on the world stage of rose breeders, having recently won an unprecedented trifecta of awards at what might be called the Olympics of garden rose trials.

One of their roses, ‘Purple Prince’ (pictured), was a winner at the 2020/21 american rose Trials for sustainability, perhaps the most demanding garden rose trial ever established. next, it won at the american Garden rose selections Trials 2021 and also won a Fragrance award, one of only six ever given. It beat entries from all the famed rose breeders in France, Germany and england and confirms the Grays’ belief that this is a garden rose that anyone can grow almost anywhere.

“It has all the worthy traits we were looking for to meet the needs of gardeners from Geelong to Cairns, plus a modern colour and a fragrance that is frankly astonishing,” says John.

In australia, this rose is sold as ‘Brindabella Pride’.

John’s background as an agronomist and his interest in crop genetics gave him the knowledge to draw from, but the drive for breeding fragrant, fuss-free roses, came from wanting to give customers good plants. He and sylvia established a retail nursery on the 2-hectare site they bought in the early 1990s, making a garden for themselves but also planting display gardens for the nursery. at an altitude of 720 metres, they’re on the margins of a cool climate, which lets them grow a huge range of plants including, of course, roses.

“But as I added more roses, the problem of black spot quickly became obvious,” says John of the fungal disease that afflicts most roses, especially in humid areas, causing black splotches and defoliation. The breakthrough came in 1999 when he found a rose with beautiful fragrance and incredible resistance to black spot. “It stood out like a beacon,” John recalls. “It was a bushy, rounded shrub and never had a mark on it. We knew what we were looking

at and what it meant.” They released it in the early 2000s as ‘Brindabella Bouquet’, a prolific, repeat-flowering cream rose, and went on to use it as the ‘stud parent’ of their breeding program.

It has great vigour, allowing its progeny to be grown on their own roots rather than being grafted as so many roses are. each year, John and sylvia make hundreds of crosses between selected roses, taking the pollen from one flower to the ovary of another. “sylvia has an unbelievable knack for this because she has such dextrous, artist’s fingers,” says John admiringly. They sow the seeds from the resulting rose hips in October, which germinate through summer into autumn and amazingly grow quickly enough to flower the following spring. The best are selected and trialled over several years, resulting in perhaps six varieties being judged good enough to release to the public each year. “We want to produce fragrant and beautiful garden roses that flower well and retain their foliage right through the growing season,” says John.

“They can change the perception of roses being difficult.”

The Brindabella range, now extending to about 50 varieties, includes roses for shadier spots, hot regions and for pots. There’s also the fascinating Tiger series with striped and variegated blooms, on which no two petals are identical.

The pandemic meant their lovely garden and nursery was closed to visitors but John and sylvia hope to reopen this spring for pre-booked tours. However, rose sales have boomed over the past year, despite the move to online sales only. “The awards have really given an impetus to sales here and in the Us,” says John, who has licensed growers for the overseas markets.

There will be more new roses to come from the pair. “You get the bug,” says John, laughing. “We talk all the time about what we might create because there’s two of us – it’s very much a partnership.” # Brindabella Country Gardens, Toowoomba, Queensland; (07) 4696 8440 or brindabella-gardens.com.au.

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CREATE YOUR FOREVER HOME TODAY Winning Appliances helps you live your best life at home. We have the technologies that will elevate your entertaining to a level in which your culinary dreams come true. Discover state-of-the-art kitchen appliances across our range of world leading brands. Be inspired and experience unrivalled service, as our dedicated team caters to your specifc needs.

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Pure magnificence

At this time of year, one plant reigns supreme. Behold, magnolias.

They’re big, beautiful and every garden should have one, writes Tammy Huynh.

I

f you have ever stopped in your tracks to admire a flowering tree, it was most likely a magnolia.

Their large, goblet- or star-shaped blooms appear on foliage-free stems from late winter and are the epitome of elegance and grace. The flowers may be white, pink or purple and are wonderfully perfumed, adding to their charm. They’re mostly deciduous, but there are evergreen species, too. Part of their appeal is their ability to suit any garden style and almost every requirement – feature trees, in pots, privacy screens, clipped into a hedge or avenue plantings.

Photograph from Getty Images.

VARIETIES

Tulip or saucer magnolias (M. x soulangeana) and their various cultivars are considered to be the most beautiful of the deciduous magnolias. The velvety, tulip-like buds open to large, cup-shaped blooms, glowing at winter’s end. The flowers can grow up to 25 centimetres wide, are perfumed and may be white, pink, purple and various shades in between.

The tree can reach up to eight metres tall, so it will need plenty of room to grow.

The Jury magnolias, created by New Zealand breeder Mark Jury, are more compact, growing 3.5-4.5 metres tall, but do not compromise on the profusion of blooms. ‘Vulcan’ has deep-magenta flowers and is 4.5 metres tall, while ‘Black Tulip’ has smaller blooms and grows to only 3.5 metres tall.

One of the oldest forms of magnolia, Yulan magnolia (M. denudata) has masses of ivory-white flowers from late winter. This deciduous tree is slow growing, eventually reaching 5 metres.

For an evergreen alternative, the bull bay magnolia (M. grandiflora) grows into an attractive domeshaped tree with glossy green leaves that have russet-toned undersides. Elegant creamy-white flowers up to 20 centimetres across appear in spring and summer. It grows to 10x8 metres; ‘Teddy Bear’ is similar, but more compact (4-6 metres). Also available is ‘Fairy Blush’, a magnolia hybrid with lilac-pink flowers, that grows to 3 metres.

CARE

Magnolias prefer temperate climates with cool winters and warm summers. Plant them in a sunny spot, with shelter from the afternoon sun. In cooler climates, protect young plants from frost for the first few winters. The soil should be well drained, slightly acidic and enriched with plenty of organic matter.

Protect their shallow roots from drying out with a dressing of well-composted cow manure or sugarcane mulch around the base of the plant.

Water well during the warmer months, especially during the first couple of years, and top up the mulch as needed. If your soil is not suitable, grow dwarf or small varieties in pots using a quality potting mix.

Feed magnolias in spring and summer with an organic-based fertiliser suitable for acid-loving plants. You can supplement with a liquid feed high in potassium during the flowering season to encourage blooms. To keep evergreen varieties bushy, tip prune from spring to summer. If they’re looking sparse, cut back hard to 1 metre and feed well. Avoid pruning deciduous varieties except to remove deadwood or poor growth.

Star performer

Unlike most magnolias, star magnolia (M. stellata) has dainty, star-shaped blooms in white or pink, as shown on this page. The flowers are smaller, growing up to 10 centimetres wide, but what this species lacks in size it makes up for in abundance – hundreds of blooms cover the bare branches from late winter or early spring. It’s the perfect candidate for smaller gardens, growing into a compact tree or large, spreading shrub 2.5 metres tall. Ideal for pots or garden beds.

USES

To highlight the magnificence of the magnolia, use it as a feature tree. They are available as a singleor multi-stemmed trunk, so consider which shape is best for your garden style. Evergreen magnolias make beautiful informal flowering hedges along a fence or driveway. For a more formal look, pleach the trees or espalier them against a wall. In smaller gardens and courtyards, use a compact form as a specimen plant in a large pot. #

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HOW T O M A N AGE Y O U R R E NO BU D GE T Staying on top of costs is key to a successful – and profitable – home renovation.

Here’s how to do it from start to finish, writes Georgia Madden.

Photograph by Maree Homer.

R

enovating is a great way to add value, but it’s important to track the numbers as you go along.

“Winging it is the worst thing you can do – before you know it, you’re at the end of the project and you’ve spent twice as much as you’d intended,” says Cherie Barber, founder and CEO of Renovating For Profit.

“Renovating TV shows make it look easy, so people set out thinking it’s going to be a walk in the park,” she says. “They often don’t know how long things take, how much tradies cost or what can slow a reno down. The key is to take the time to do your research before you start, put together a solid budget – and stick to it!”

Doing due diligence also helps you figure out if you can actually afford what you want to achieve, says Naomi Findlay, renovating expert, designer and educator (www.naomifindlay.com).

“The last thing you want is to run out of money and end up with a half-finished room or home. If that’s the case, you will have technically devalued your property as not many people will want to buy a house that’s not deemed liveable.”

“A property surveyor or experienced designer will be able to give you a realistic sense of the costs involved in your planned project,” says Cherie.

“If you decide to cost it yourself, make sure you research it thoroughly.”

The budget should be broken down into three parts: materials, trade costs, and incidentals. “People typically neglect to include costs such as tip and skip fees, holding costs, temporary fencing and extra electricity, but they can really add up,” says Naomi.

Get three quotes for every job to give yourself a benchmark for the budget, then try and negotiate fixed-price quotes from trades (be sure to check licenses!), says Cherie. Also make sure you’re using the right tradie for the job – don’t hire a carpenter for $75 an hour to put up a shelf when a handyman can do it for $50 an hour.

When comparing quotes, remember that cheapest isn’t always best. “Compare all aspects within the quote, not just the dollar value. Factor in the materials, the quality of the work, insurances, and the timeline,” says Naomi.

A contingencies fund is crucial too.

“A buffer of 10-20 per cent of the overall budget is ideal, but if you’ve done your due diligence, you can probably get away with 10 per cent,” says Cherie.

Once work is underway, stay financially fit by keeping a firm eye on the budget. “Use a spreadsheet that lists everything that needs to be done per room and update it as you go,” says Cherie. “Keeping track of the costs this way means you can make little nips and tucks to accommodate larger unexpected bills.”

Tempting as it may be when the budget is tight, don’t try to do every job yourself. “DIY-ing everything is a false economy,” says Cherie. “Use your brain to keep the budget and timeline on track, not your brawn to do jobs that are better outsourced to licensed tradespeople. It also makes your renovation far more enjoyable.” #

Bringing a renovation in on budget ensures you can enjoy your dream home without the stress of excess debt.

Join Cherie Barber on her next free live property webcast. Visit renovating forprofit.com.au.

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Wallpaper has the power to add personality and flair to any space. From striking and colourful designs to neutral and textured patterns, Wallpaper Direct has a range of looks you’re sure to love. wallpaperdirect.com/au

When you buy a Sleepmaker® mattress you can sleep soundly in the knowledge that you’re helping support a local business. See the range at HarveyNorman. harveynorman.com.au

H&G ESSENTIALS The ‘Dune’ swivel chair from ContentsID is made-to-order in Australia from any upholstery fabric.

It’s a visually low, comfortable occasional chair that’s versatile and practical. contentsid.com.au

Create a beautiful lifestyle and home with these must-have products.

Designed by Kelly Wearstler, the Minimalist table lamp, $2079 from TheMontaukLightingCo,celebrates the purity of simple, geometric forms and the void between them. montauklightingco.com

The CocoRepublic ‘Isabella’ desk has distinctive arches and strong angles. It’s made from a matt-black steel frame and fluted glass. Make an impressive statement in your office with this designer desk. cocorepublic.com.au

The ‘Bella’ sofa, $7390, from Fanuli is Australian made and features generous proportions while maintaining a contemporary aesthetic. It’s available in a wide range of size and finish options. fanuli.com.au

Luxury furniture brand JANUSetCie is hosting a showroom sale (until June 30). Visit its flagship store in Sydney’s Rushcutters Bay for special discounts on stock and floor samples. janusetcie.com

Cooking is always a pleasure with the Miele HR 1956 G 122cm dual-fuel freestanding cooker in stainless steel, $32,999 from Harvey Norman; harveynorman.com.au

The Polyflor MiPlank and MiPlank Acoustic ranges are designed for busy Australian families. MiPlank flooring is available in a wide variety of shades, plus it’s easy to install and quiet underfoot. polyflor.com.au

The new Emma Bridgewater collection of window furnishings from Tuiss Blinds Online features hand-painted designs inspired by nature.

From $56. blindsonline.com.au

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W H E R E T O BU Y

Locate your nearest stockist by contacting the following suppliers. # 1stDibs 1stdibs.com A ACV Studio acvstudio.com Adairs 1300 783 005; adairs.com.au AEG 1300 363 640; aegaustralia.com.au Agostino & Brown agostinoandbrown.com Alex and Trahanas alexandtrahanas.com Ambience Upholstery (02) 9669 2669 Andrea Proctor Landscapes andreaproctor.com.au Anna Charlesworth 0412 288 111; annacharlesworth.com.au Are Media Books aremediabooks.com.au Argent Australia 1300 364 748; argentaust.com.au Armadillo (02) 9698 4043; armadillo-co.com Arrival Hall arrivalhall.com.au Art Treasures Gallery www.art-treasures-gallery.com Art2Muse Gallery art2muse.com.au Artedomus (02) 9557 5060; artedomus.com Artisanweave Flooring Co 0414 634 074; artisanweave.com.au Asko 1300 002 756; asko.com.au Astra Walker (02) 8838 5100; astrawalker.com.au Atelier Furniture (02) 9810 4408; atelier.com.au Attica House 1300 754 700; www.atticahouse.com.au Auhaus Architecture (03) 9410 4733; auhaus.com.au Aura Home 1300 304 269; aurahome.com.au Aura Objects (08) 8340 3303; www.auraobjects.com Aurora Suspended Fireplaces aurorasuspendedfires.com AWS 1300 026 189; www.awsaustralia.com.au AYTM aytmdesign.com B BA Furniture (03) 9555 3105; bafurniture.com.au Bates Landscape (02) 9818 6666; bateslandscape.com.au Bathroom Collective (02) 9011 5711; www.bathroomcollective.com.au Becker Minty (02) 8356 9999; beckerminty.com Bed Bath N’ Table (03) 8888 8100; bedbathntable.com.au BeefEater Barbecues 1800 356 660; beefeaterbbq.com Bonnie and Neil (03) 9384 2234; bonnieandneil.com.au Booktopia booktopia.com.au Bosch 1300 368 339; bosch-home.com.au Boyd Blue (02) 8338 8113; boydblue.com Brickworks brickworks.com.au

Broadsheet shop.broadsheet.com.au Brodware (02) 9421 8200; brodware.com.au Brooklyn Copper Co 0423 888 213; brooklyncopper.com.au C Cadrys (02) 9328 6144; cadrys.com.au Caesarstone 1300 119 119; caesarstone.com.au Camberwell Cane (03) 9809 1723; www.camberwellcane.com.au Camm Upholstery (03) 9555 7580 Candle Kiosk (02) 9918 3105; candlekiosk.com.au Canvas+Sasson (03) 9790 1266; canvasandsasson.com.au Carlotta+Gee www.carlottaandgee.com Caroma 131 416; caroma.com.au Castle castleandthings.com.au Caribbean Blinds & Shutters cbs.sydney CDK Stone (03) 8552 6000; cdkstone.com.au Cerbis Ceramics (08) 8262 3639; www.cerbis.com.au Chatsworth Fine Furniture (03) 8360 9697; chatsworthfinefurniture.com.au Cheminées Philippe (03) 9417 3315; chemphilaust.com.au Chippendale Restorations (02) 9810 6066; www.chippendalerestorations.com.au Choices Flooring choicesflooring.com.au Claremont Joinery (02) 9153 6011; www.claremontjoinery.com.au Coco Republic 1300 000 220; cocorepublic.com.au Colorbond 1800 022 999; colorbond.com Conley & Co (02) 8065 9411 Corian 1800 267 426; corian.com.au Country Road 1800 801 911; countryroad.com.au Cult Design 1300 768 626; cultdesign.com.au Cultiver cultiver.com Curatorial+Co curatorialandco.com D Daniel O’Toole danielotoole.com.au Danish Red (03) 9822 8869; www.danishred.com.au Dedece (02) 9360 2722; dedece.com.au Deiji Studios deijistudios.com Designer Doorware (03) 9300 8888; designerdoorware.com.au Designstuff (03) 8598 9700; designstuff.com.au Dinosaur Designs (02) 9698 3500; dinosaurdesigns.com.au DMR Carpentry & Building 0401 757 031; dmrbuilding.com.au Domayne domayne.com.au Domo (03) 9277 8888; domo.com.au Dulux 132 525; dulux.com.au Dunlin (02) 9907 4825; dunlinhome.com.au

E E&S (03) 9034 9503; eands.com.au Earp Bros (02) 9410 3222; earp.com.au Easycraft (07) 3906 7200; easycraft.com.au Eccola eccola.com.au Eckersley Garden Architecture (03) 9421 5537; www.e-ga.com.au Eco Outdoor 1300 131 413; ecooutdoor.com.au Eco Timber Group (03) 9421 6866; www.ecotimbergroup.com.au En Gold engold.com.au Enoak 0476 239 799; www.enoak.com.au Entwined Design (03) 9314 2899; entwineddesign.org Escea 1800 730 140; www.escea.com Euroluce (02) 9356 9900; euroluce.com.au Evo Tile+Stone (02) 9949 5354; evotile.com.au F Fanuli (02) 9908 2660; fanuli.com.au Faucet Strommen 1800 505 116; faucetstrommen.com.au Feast Watson 1800 252 502; www.feastwatson.com.au Fenton & Fenton (03) 9533 2323; fentonandfenton.com.au Ferro Artistico @ferro_artistico_au Fibonacci Stone 1300 342 662; fibonaccistone.com.au Fisher & Paykel 1300 650 590; fisherpaykel.com.au Flooring Xtra flooringxtra.com.au Forman Art & Framing www.formanartandframing.com.au Fox Jensen Gallery (02) 8084 4298; jensengallery.com Freedom 1300 135 588; freedom.com.au G Gaggenau 1300 170 552; gaggenau.com.au Garden Life (02) 9517 3633; gardenlife.com.au Globe West 1800 722 366; globewest.com.au G-Lux (03) 9429 4589; www.glux.com.au Gosford Quarries (02) 8585 8282; gosfordquarries.com.au Granite & Marble Works (02) 9519 9900; granitemarbleworks.com.au Great Dane (03) 9417 5599; greatdanefurniture.com Greg Natale (02) 8399 2103; gregnatale.com H Habitat Landscaping Services @habitat_landscaping Hale Mercantile Co halemercantilecolinen.com Hardtofind hardtofind.com.au Harvey Norman 1300 464 278; harveynorman.com.au Havwoods International 1300 428 966; havwoods.com.au

Hay (02) 9358 0855; hayshop.com.au Heatherly Design (03) 5772 2089; heatherlydesign.com.au Hermès 1300 728 807; www.hermes.com House of Bamboo 1300 665 703; houseofbamboo.com.au House of Orange (03) 9500 9991; houseoforange.com.au Hub Furniture (03) 9652 1222; hubfurniture.com.au I Ici et Là (02) 8399 1173; icietla.com.au Ikea (02) 8020 6641; ikea.com.au Ilve 1300 694 583; ilve.com.au In Bed inbedstore.com In Good Company ingoodcompany.com.au In The Sac (02) 8323 5789; inthesac.com.au Inartisan 0411 944 234; inartisan.com Inge Jabara Landscapes (03) 9046 1966; ingejabaralandscapes.com.au Inigo Jones & Co www.inigojones.com.au Inlite (02) 8384 1000; inlite.com.au InnerCity Floorworld (03) 9416 1888; www.floorworld.com.au Insight Lighting (08) 8362 5993; insightlighting.com.au Interior Secrets 1300 668 605; interiorsecrets.com.au International Floorcoverings 1800 339 379; interfloors.com.au Ironwood Australia (02) 9818 1166; ironwood.com.au Italia Ceramics (08) 8336 2366; italiaceramics.com.au J James Dunlop Textiles jamesdunloptextiles.com James Said jamessaid.com.au Janus et Cie janusetcie.com Jardan (03) 8581 4988; jardan.com.au Jasmine and Will 1300 078 378; www.jasmineandwill.com JD Lee Furniture jdleefurniture.com Just in Place justinplace.com.au K King 1300 546 438; kingliving.com.au Koala au.koala.com Koskela (02) 9280 0999; koskela.com.au KWD & Co kwdandco.com.au Kyash Cubes KyashCubes.etsy.com L L&M Home (03) 9419 6800; lmhome.com.au Land Forms (02) 9138 0644; landforms.com.au Laura Kincade (02) 9667 4415; laurakincade.com Lawsons Auctioneers (02) 9566 2377; www.lawsons.com.au Leaf Supply leaf-supply.com Libertine Parfumerie (03) 9661 1258; www.libertineparfumerie.com.au Life Interiors (03) 9005 8303; lifeinteriors.com.au

stockists H G

Lifestiles (03) 9889 4950; lifestiles.com.au LightCo 1300 795 548; www.lightco.com.au Lighting Collective (02) 6685 5744; lightingcollective.com.au Linear Standard linearstandard.com.au Living by Design (08) 8399 1250; livingbydesign.net.au Living Edge 1300 132 154; livingedge.com.au Living Fire (03) 9977 7888; livingfire.com.au Louis Vuitton 1300 883 880; www.louisvuitton.com LouvreTec 1300 613 662; louvretec.com.au Love Tree Interiors thefamilylovetree.com.au Lucy Montgomery lucymontgomery.com Luduco Living (03) 5973 4899; www.luduco.com Lumas Gallery (03) 9421 3525; au.lumas.com Luxe Walls 1300 588 526; luxewalls.com.au M Maison Balzac 1300 342 662; www.maisonbalzac.com Maison et Jardin (02) 9362 8583; www.maisonetjardin.com.au Manorhouse Lacanche (03) 9972 7938; manor.com.au Manyara Home (02) 9997 4462; www.manyarahome.com.au Mark Tuckey marktuckey.com.au MatchesFashion matchesfashion.com/au Mattiazzi, available from Dedece (02) 9360 2722; www.dedece.com.au MCM House 1300 997 975; mcmhouse.com McMullin & Co mcmullinandco.com Mecca Cosmetica 1800 007 844; mecca.com.au Michael Reid (02) 8353 3500; www.michaelreid.com.au Miele 1300 464 353; shop.miele.com.au Milgate (03) 9421 2122; milgate.com.au Milligram milligram.com Mobilia (08) 9284 5599; mobilia.com.au Modern Times (03) 9913 8598; moderntimes.com.au Mosaique (02) 9953 9091; mosaique.com.au Murobond Paint 1800 199 299; murobond.com.au N Naturally Cane (02) 4948 2829; naturallycane.com.au Noritake (02) 9316 7123; noritake.com.au

O Obodo (02) 8399 1416; obodo.com.au Olde English Tiles Australia (02) 9519 4333; oldeenglishtiles.com.au Olli Ella olliella.com.au Olsen Gallery (02) 9327 3922; olsengallery.com Ondene (02) 9362 1734; ondene.com Onsite Supply+Design (02) 9360 3666; onsitesd.com.au Orient House (02) 9660 3895; orienthouse.com.au Oscar & Willow (08) 8357 3718; oscarandwillow.net.au Osier Belle (02) 9949 9466; www.osierbelle.com.au Outdure (02) 9098 8250; www.outdure.com Ownworld (02) 9358 1155; ownworld.com.au P Palecek www.palecek.com Palmer & Penn (02) 9328 4800; www.palmerandpenn.com.au Papaya (02) 9386 9980; papaya.com.au Parterre (02) 9363 5874; parterre.com.au Pelle Leathers (02) 9460 9222; pelleleathers.com.au Phelan Interiors @phelaninteriors Phoenix Tapware (03) 9780 4200; phoenixtapware.com.au Pigott’s Store (02) 9362 8119; pigottsstore.com.au Pillow Talk 1800 630 690; pillowtalk.com.au Poliform (02) 8339 7570; www.poliformaustralia.com.au Polite Society www.polite-society.com.au Polytec 1300 300 547; polytec.com.au Porter’s Paints 1800 656 664; porterspaints.com Prestige Carpets (03) 9708 6913; prestigecarpets.com.au Print Decor (03) 9576 1566; printdecor.com.au Provincial Home Living 1300 732 258; provincialhomeliving.com.au Q Qasair condari.com.au R Radford 1300 692 393; radfordfurnishings.com Ralph Lauren ralphlauren.com.au Real Flame (03) 8706 2000; realflame.com.au Reece 1800 032 566; reece.com.au Reliquia Collective reliquiacollective.com Resene 1800 738 383; resene.com.au Revolution Roofing (08) 8352 0911; revolutionroofing.com.au

Rinnai 1300 555 545; www.rinnai.com.au Robert Gordon Australia (03) 5941 3144; robertgordonaustralia.com Robin Gibson Gallery robingibson.net Rockcote 1300 736 668; rockcote.com.au Rodwell and Astor (03) 9024 0080; rodwellandastor.com.au Rogerseller 1300 559 759; rogerseller.com.au Rossetti Fabrics (02) 9968 3774 Routleys Bathroom Kitchen Laundry (08) 8291 3000; routleysonline.com.au Royal Copenhagen royalcopenhagen.com Royal Oak Floors (03) 9826 3611; royaloakfloors.com.au S Samsung 1300 362 603; samsung.com.au Samuel & Sons, available from South Pacific Fabrics (02) 9327 7222; southpacificfabrics.com Schumacher, available from Orient House (02) 9660 3895; orienthouse.com.au Secateur Me Baby www.secateurmebaby.online Sibu Gallery sibu.gallery Signorino (03) 9427 9100; signorino.com.au Simon Johnson (02) 8244 8255; www.simonjohnson.com Skyrange Windows (03) 9480 2066; www.skyrange.com.au Society of Wanderers societyofwanderers.com Sophie Davies sophiedavies.com.au South Pacific Fabrics (02) 9327 7222; southpacificfabrics.com Space spacefurniture.com.au Studio ALM (02) 9363 1459; studioalm.com Studio Billie studiobillie.com Surface Gallery (02) 9566 2002; surfacegallery.com.au Surrounding (03) 9005 6253; surrounding.com.au Sydney Tap and Bathroomware (02) 9550 4628; sydneybathroomware.com.au T Tait (03) 9419 7484; madebytait.com.au Tamsin Johnson tamsinjohnson.com Tara Dennis Store taradennisstore.com Temple & Webster templeandwebster.com.au Teranova (02) 9386 0063; teranova.com.au

Thames & Hudson Australia (03) 9646 7788; thameshudson.com.au The Bay Tree (02) 9328 1101; thebaytree.com.au The Brick Pit (02) 9681 7666; thebrickpit.com.au The Eco Warrior theecowarrior.eco The English Tapware Company 1300 016 181; englishtapware.com.au The Good House (03) 9421 3400; www.tgh.com.au The Little Interior thelittleinterior.com.au The Raconteur theraconteur.co The Rug Establishment (07) 5450 6230; therugest.com The Vault Sydney thevaultsydney.com Tigger Hall Design (03) 9510 2255; tiggerhall.com Top3 by Design top3.com.au Tovo Lighting (02) 9939 1122; tovolighting.com.au Tow and Line towandline.com Trit House www.trithouse.com.au Turner Hastings 1300 002 284; www.turnerhastings.com.au U Unitex unitex.com.au Urban Edge Ceramics (03) 9429 2122; urbanedgeceramics.com.au Urban Lighting urbanlighting.com.au V Velux 1300 859 856; velux.com.au Ventech 1300 714 105; ventech.com.au Victorian Mosaic Tiling 0449 684 310; victorianmosaictiling.com.au Vintec 1800 666 778; www.vintec.com.au W Walter G walter-g.com.au Water Tiger watertiger.com.au Warwick Fabrics 1300 787 888; warwick.com.au Wattyl 132 101; wattyl.com.au Westbury Textiles (02) 9380 6644; westburytextiles.com Winning Appliances 1300 050 050; winningappliances.com.au Woodbury 1300 887 289; woodburyfurniture.com.au Worn Store wornstore.com.au Wynstan 1800 157 622; wynstan.com.au X XRJ Celebrations xrjcelebrations.com.au Y Yard Furniture (03) 9480 6171; yardfurniture.com.au Your Display Gallery (02) 9906 7556; yourdisplaygallery.com.au Z Zaffero 1300 233 071; zaffero.com.au Zimmermann 1800 738 895; zimmermannwear.com

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AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN |

193

H G the creative type

Lauren Camilleri & Sophia Kaplan A mutual love of plants led art director Lauren and florist Sophia to launch indoor-plant business, Leaf Supply.

They’ve since co-authored three books on plant care.

P H OTO GR A P HY Kristina Soljo

Lauren (left) and Sophia. Artwork by Elizabeth Barnett. Flying ducks (on wall), Robert Gordon Australia. Shelf unit, Koala.

Plants, Stockholm planter and Oslo planter, all Leaf Supply. Zakkia ‘Tower’ pot, Secateur Me Baby. Plant stand, JD Lee Furniture.

194 |

AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN

Photograph from Alamy (Millennium Garden). Pink Horizon produced courtesy of the artist and Edwina Corlette; edwinacorlette.com. For Where to Buy, see page 192.

“Seeing people genuinely love our books is something I’m super proud of.” Lauren

Lauren: My parents instilled a strong work ethic in me. Dad is very creative and I think, subconsciously, I was inspired by that. It certainly led me down a creative career path.

Sophia: My parents always encouraged us to try everything. They were very open-minded and supportive of whatever we chose to pursue.

Nonno grew lots of herbs and vegetables and I really enjoyed spending time gardening with him.

L: The variety of the work is probably one of the most appealing aspects of running Leaf Supply. Between updating our socials, creating marketing material and getting my hands dirty potting up plants, it’s a nice change for someone who used to be pretty much chained to a computer. S: I love that no two work days are the same. We might be visiting nurseries to select plants, shooting products for the website, putting visuals together or writing copy for our books.

L: Working with plants is inherently therapeutic and encouraging others to bring plants into their lives is a genuinely lovely pursuit. The opportunity to be creative – whether that’s styling plants in a space, creating beautiful content, collaborating with amazing brands or producing our books – also makes me happy.

S: Music always makes me happier. When I’m working, I love listening to podcasts – favourites include Conversations, The Daily, All in the Mind, and Ladies, We Need to Talk. L: I’ve always loved having music playing while I work, except if I’m writing. Classic soul is the perfect vibe when I’m designing. I’m also a sucker for a true crime podcast or The Junkees podcast for a laugh and some nostalgia.

S: Finding the balance between being creative and the nitty gritty of the business can be challenging. We’ve just celebrated 100k copies sold of our books. I never thought I’d be an author, so this feels like quite an achievement, and I’m very proud of us both. L: Publishing our books was something we never expected to do but producing them and seeing people genuinely love them is something I’m super proud of. Our latest book, Plantopedia, recently won an award and Sophia and I were seriously chuffed not just for ourselves but all of the awesome people we worked with to create it.

S: Having your own business can be overwhelming at times, but I try to make sure we take a good break every year. I’m getting better at switching off from work without feeling guilty. It’s easier now that I have a toddler and there’s not much choice but to focus on him when we’re together. L: Finding balance is a perpetual struggle, but I’m trying to implement a few things to improve it. Exercise is a big one.

Fridays are my day with my daughter, Frankie, and I switch off from work on that day and

just focus on her. Not that she’d let me get any work done anyway!

S: Working with creative friends is always a big source of inspiration. As is wandering through beautiful gardens or spending time in the bush.

L: Collaborating with people from different disciplines is always very nourishing and can lead to incredibly creative outcomes. I find that really exciting and rewarding.

S: I have a long list of people who inspire me!

I love the grassy perennial landscapes of designer Piet Oudolf, the Brutalist architecture of Ricardo Bofill, the garden musings of Alice Vincent and Monty Don, indoor plantspeople like Anno Leon and Jane Lloyd, and floral wonders like Ruby Barber, Amy Humphreys, Jardine Hansen and Eliza Rogers. L: I love the work of Australian artist Lucy O’Doherty and the sculptural and stunningly textured architecture of Sydney’s Smart Design Studio.

The biophilic design of Conservatory Archives in London is divine.

S: My favourite plant has to be Monstera deliciosa, aka Swiss cheese plant. A fastgrowing, easy-care, graphic beauty that’s a great place to start. I also have a thing for cardboard palms (Zamia furfuracea) and Australian native elkhorn ferns (Platycerium bifurcatum). L: Monstera deliciosa got me hooked on indoor plants and I have many in my collection but I’m yet to find a philodendron I don’t love.

S: My idea of luxury is a wild but well-tended garden, both indoors and out. L: Luxury? I’d be happy with a night in a hotel on my own.

S: In terms of travel destinations that have inspired my work, I love the verdant, rambling gardens of the English countryside, and the incredible floral foraging in the French Alps.

L: Travel is a huge inspiration for me. When I lived in London, I loved visiting the Barbican Centre for the exhibitions, the architecture and the plants. The opportunity to shoot there for our second book was a dream come true.

S: A dream project for us would be to make a TV show. Something fun and casual. Perhaps an excuse for us to peek at the plants and spaces of cool creative people.

L: There is no shortage of great cafes and restaurants in my area [Alexandria, NSW].

Mecca or Welcome Dose in nearby Rosebery would be my pick for coffee/brunch. For dinner, it’s Pino’s Vino et Cucina, hands down.

S: Where I live [in Sydney’s Annandale], Cornersmith makes great coffee and has a beautiful food ethos; Cherry Moon is my pick of the bakeries. Close to our studio in Marrickville, Double Tap Coffee has great service, good coffee and simple, yummy food. #

leaf-supply.com

LAUREN AND SOPHIA’S FAVOURITE THINGS From top

Plantopedia book by Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplan.

Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa). Pink Horizon artwork

by Lucy O’Doherty. The Millennium Garden designed

by Piet Oudolf.