The Home of Beatrix Rowe

from est Magazine | Issue #36 | In the Mood

by est magazine

est style | Set the Scene

LABOUR OF LOVE

DESIGN Beatrix Rowe Interior Design | PHOTOGRAPHY Shannon McGrath | WORDS Melia Rayner

The home of Beatrix Rowe and family is a reflection of the designer’s trademark design philosophy.

**Custom ceiling mounted towel rail and Afteroom Coat Hanger in Black by Menu.**

Having faced many design challenges over the years, the complete renovation of her own 1919 single-storey weatherboard home was perhaps Beatrix’s biggest yet. Taking more than six years to complete, the renovation was carried out by Beatrix and her builder husband over holidays and weekends. With the original home having no features worth retaining, Beatrix overhauled the home with a new, modern design including a complete replan to optimise flow and function.

Working from the mantra of ‘simple details, executed beautifully,’ the design is well-planned and thoughtfully considered, with every space maintaining connection to the rest of the home. Glass doors and windows offer an expanse of light, tracking the path of the sun through the day.

The home reflects Beatrix’s pared-back, modern approach to materiality, building on the neutral colour palette with quality natural materials used for visual impact as well as utility. “This is a good expression of my design philosophy, where aesthetics are important but are nothing if not teamed with functionality,” Beatrix says.

**Beatrix designed custom joinery to conceal the television. A fervent collector, a Kerryn Levy ceramic sits on the top left shelf, while Beatrix’s J19 sculpture sits behind.**

“The black slatted joinery around the wine storage and adjoining the kitchen is a design feature to create texture in the room, carrying from the ground floor to become the balustrade for the floor above,” she adds. It’s also a functional use of space under the staircase to house a cellar and music hub, hidden away.”

Delivering a composition of thoughtfully considered and connected spaces, the home is not only a reflection of Beatrix’s own design philosophy, but a functional family home for the long haul. As Beatrix says, “it’s taken patience, but we finally made it!”