My Home

Coastal, calm and curated. The Wilsons love everything about their contemporary Marsden Valley new build. And Christmas provides a time to accentuate their style with matching decorations.

Tessa Jaine

Where is your home and how long have you lived here?

We have lived in the beautiful Marsden Valley for more than ten years, most recently moving into our new build just over twelve months ago.

What’s your decorating style?

I love interiors and have been influenced by modern minimalist styles in the past, lots of black with hard edges and high gloss surfaces. This home has a more relaxed, effortless feel that incorporates aspects of what I would consider ‘California cool’ and ‘Australian coastal’ design. I’ve used copious amounts of white with more natural tones, materials and textures like linen, rattan and wool, to create a light and airy interior. By repeating these elements, I feel like we have a consistent and cohesive look throughout. Where do you shop for homewares?

Everywhere and anywhere. I like to mix pieces from a range of price points, although I try to be really considered with my purchases to ensure I maintain only a curated collection of items in a move to become more minimalist.

What inspired your look?

I wanted to create a calm and relaxing retreat that brings a resort-style feel to everyday life. Bali is one of our favourite places, and after all that time spent in lockdowns, we have now created our own holiday lifestyle at home. What should every home have?

A four-legged family member - Atlas has been with us for nearly nine years and is definitely the most spoilt little dog. But she is great company and gives the best cuddles.

Best budget tip?

If you have to ask what the price is then you definitely can’t afford it. Best money spent?

Without a doubt, the heated pool has made our house into an incredible retreat. It has changed the way we live in summer as we swim multiple times each day regardless of the weather. We look forward to getting home so we can swim plus everyone wants to come to our place. It becomes the centre of our entertaining and it’s so enjoyable watching the kids getting in and enjoying it. Do you have any tips on how to keep your home orderly?

I am naturally a highly organised and tidy person. Over time I have been further working towards a minimalist lifestyle, removing the unnecessary so we just have what we need, use and love. It makes it easier to keep the house clean and tidy as everything has a place it belongs. I also enjoy the aesthetics of an organised space without any unnecessary clutter on surfaces. We have a variety of storage bins in our cupboards and wardrobes to ensure that everything remains organised - it also looks beautiful every time I open a cupboard or drawer. Additionally, this helps maintain the calm in our house. I have also found this incredibly practical with a child, as they know how to put things away where they belong and can do it more independently the older they get. Mitchell thinks I should turn my hobby into a business organising other people’s homes, so maybe that will be my next venture. Do you have a favourite Christmas decoration?

We have quite a few special Christmas decorations that we have collected over time from our travels, but more recently our son Hudson has chosen a special decoration each year which adds another element of tradition and nostalgia as we place each one on the tree.

Where do you find your Christmas decorations?

Our collection has definitely grown over time, and I’m not afraid of wielding a can of spray paint to help create a cohesive colour palette, or a hot glue gun to make my own. Farmers has a good selection of quality glass and ceramic ornaments at a reasonable price point, whilst a few rolls of inexpensive wide ribbon add another texture. Recently I’ve tried to buy in multiples so that there is a relatively even distribution of each ornament around the entire tree but adding in a second tree this year might mean we need to get a few more…

What tips do you have for decorating a home for Christmas?

Be creative… my collection has grown over time since our first Christmas tree sixteen years ago when we first got married. Each year I try to add something new but lots of things aren’t necessarily Christmas decorations - but a little hot glue, or spray paint can make anything fit with your theme. I personally like a theme that runs through all the decor items, just like I do with interior design, making the tree and additional pieces cohesive and like they belong together. I originally started off with everything silver, but since moving into this house I have begun to echo the interior by adding more neutral elements in white, wood and hessian. What Christmas traditions do you have at your place?

I’ve always been a big event decorator, but since having Hudson it’s kicked into overdrive - I love decorating for everything from Easter and Halloween to Christmas. As well as decorating our house together whilst playing Christmas music and singing and dancing, we also have a cheeky elf that comes to visit for the month of December which is a whole lot of fun. We have a reusable advent calendar that I fill with different activities for us to do in the countdown to Christmas day. It could be anything from putting up the tree on Dec 1, a family Christmas movie night, a board game battle, a Christmas craft, a family picnic at Rabbit Island, Christmas Carols at the park or visiting the Christmas trees at the Cathedral. One of the activities usually involves a trip out to Eyebright for Hudson to choose a special decoration to add to our collection. Simple wholesome fun that doesn’t need to cost much at all. We also do the traditional leave-out of milk, cookies and carrots in the hope that Santa and his reindeer might find our house and pop a treat or two into our stockings - and yes, Atlas has her own stocking too.

What is your favourite Christmas memory in your home?

This will be our second Christmas in this house, and I loved being able to host our Christmas Eve barbecue and Christmas Day last year. We had the doors open wide creating the optimal indoor/outdoor space for everyone to flow in and out of whilst the kids were in the pool, the roast in the oven, and everyone just chatting and enjoying the festive season. We created one long outdoor table to have everyone sit around and enjoy their feast until it was time for a final swim before bed. What is your favourite part of decorating for Christmas?

Turning the Christmas music up loud, to sing and dance whilst we decorate the tree is always a big highlight, and I love the final moments of turning on the Christmas lights as we put on the top star. It’s a family affair and Hudson loves being involved with every aspect. When we moved in last year, it was definitely special being able to hang our homemade stockings over the fireplace and waiting to see if Santa would fill Hudson’s Christmas stocking.

Unique glass art for everyday use at affordable prices. It’s what we have been making as a family, for the past four decades.