An East Designed House

An East Designed House PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACKLYN BARBER

As founders of real estate firm, The Richards Group, Selene and Mark Richards are no strangers to home redesigns and renovations. But when it came to the design of their latest house, they hit the proverbial and literal wall and needed some help.

SSELENE AND MARK first saw the house on Munro Park in the Beaches back in 2018, and they instantly knew it had incredible potential. “We set high expectations for this house, “ laughs Selene. “It is a special house on a special street.”

Even real estate agents need agents, and Jenny Simon found exactly what Mark and Selene were looking for. “It really was love at first sight,” recalls Selene. “The vibe of the house and view o f the lake from the porch put the property over the top. We made an offer even though Mark had only seen the property on FaceTime!” However, while the home’s structure was exceptional, the layout was dysfunctional, the decor was dated, and the exterior didn’t reflect the couple’s taste.

The dining room chandelier was purchased locally from Black Rooster and can be seen from the street.

We also knew we were too busy and too close to the project to manage it ourselves,” says Mark. “Fortunately, we knew the perfect person who could help us realize our vision.”

Mark met Shannon years ago when she was renovating her own homes. He admired Shannon’s approach and encouraged her to pursue her passion for design professionally. After several years helping clients of the Richards Group transform their homes to get maximum return, Mark convinced Shannon to join the team to manage the agency’s new Design Services division. The success of this collaboration inspired the launch of the interior design firm, East Design House.

“Experiencing the client-side of a renovation was new for us,” admits Selene. “But we quickly realized the value in having a professional challenge our thinking and keep us on track.”

“Even though we had renovated and designed our homes ourselves in the past, we quickly realized the difference a professional makes — she expanded our vision and elevated our home to new heights.”

For Selene and Mark, the collaboration with Shannon made the home something beyond anything they could have imagined on their own.

“Our initial plan was a ‘lipstick’ update until we figured out the long term plan ,” says Selene. “We were only going to focus on surface-level issues only.”

But as the planning progressed, everyone realized a full renovation just made more sense from the start. The result would be a house that felt entirely custom, with no room left behind.

An “Edgy Traditional” Design

Shannon started the Munro Park house project by redesigning the main floor living space. “Mark and Selene didn’t want one enormous great room, preferring a more traditional separation of spaces instead,” explains Shannon. “Dividing the space would honour the classic feel of the home, but we brought in bigger doorways and exaggerated windows to make the rooms more modern and liveable.”

They came up with the term “Edgy Traditional” to describe the approach. Maintaining the traditional bones of the house gave the team room to play with riskier, more playful choices when it came to decor.

Made-to-measure personal spaces

As the renovation on the main floor took shape, the ‘Edgy Traditional’ concept became the filter for design decisions for the entire house. “More traditional grasscloth wall coverings were paired with bolder, sculptural lighting in the master bedroom,” says Shannon. “The master bathroom was constructed in a classic marble material but applied unconventionally.”

Shifting a doorway opened up a walk-in closet for Mark while the home’s 4th bedroom was converted into a combo (closet/office), jokingly called the “Cloffice” for Selene, complete with a built-in desk and custom cabinetry.

“Both of the kids’ rooms were designed with their bathrooms and meticulously organized closets to maximize each child’s personal space. “After nearly a year of school-from-home, desks in each room became essential,” says Selene. Shannon also increased the size of the dormers to bring in more daylight and create bright, warm environments for the girls to study and hang out.

Bold and sculptural CB2 pendants give the bedroom a focal point and are a personal favourite of Selene’s.

The design is in the details

The “Edgy Traditional” design aesthetic made final details even more crucial. “Even though my family owned a blind and drapery business, I never invested in custom drapery in my own house before,” says Selene. “But as soon as we decided to invest in it, we knew it was worth it.”

Going through the process with Shannon solidified for Mark and Selene how valuable having a professional is for a renovation and the final outcome.

The project was a marathon, ebbing and flowing over two-and-a-half years. When design fatigue set in, Shannon’s advice kept everyone on course. “Sometimes you need to back off for a weekend to come back and realize how important a design element is,” says Mark.

“When you’re investing in a major renovation, it only makes sense to invest in someone whose profession is design. It makes all the difference.”