Photography: Hannah Puechmarin / Styling: Hayley Jenkin
When entering the Brisbane home of Lloyd Hodgkinson and his husband David, there are no prizes for guessing the couple aren’t minimalists. Greeted with a jungle of indoor plants, colourful walls, a profusion of pattern and antique finds, their personalities and passions shine within their cosy Queenslander.
“It’s maximalist, biographical, classic and, most importantly, comfortable,” says Lloyd, who’s known for the bright, individualised homes he creates as principal of Oliver Mark Interiors. “This is our first home and, incredibly, it was the first home we inspected when we began searching. We instantly fell in love with the charm of the period detailing and unique character that can’t be replicated in newer constructions.”
Who lives here?
Interior designer Lloyd Hodgkinson, his husband David, who owns a salon, the couple’s 20-year-old Cockatiel Muffy, and chickens Gilma, Vernal, Joyce and Elva.
Best decision you made? Lloyd: “Renovating our kitchen. It not only significantly improved the aesthetic appeal but also the functionality and overall comfort. It has become another room we now dine and entertain in.”
Biggest renovating splurge? “Most definitely the kitchen and bathroom! We both had a very hard time compromising, so the investment was significant. But we don’t regret any of it. Each space brings us so much joy.”
What’s next on the agenda? “The laundry and some light landscaping at the front of the property.”
The home’s bones were solid, but the kitchen and bathroom needed an update, as did the beige-on-beige interior. Although eager to add their own stamp, the couple took a gradual approach over nine years as their time and budget permitted.
“When we first moved in, the only furniture we owned were two terribly uncomfortable suede sofas, a bed, bookcase and a $30 plastic folding table from Bunnings, which sat in our dining room for six years until we could afford the antique table that we truly desired,” recalls Lloyd.
Living room
One of the first steps was painting the interior white to create a fresh canvas, which helped Lloyd and David assess each space and consider how they wanted to live and feel within them.
Injecting personal style was also paramount for the avid collectors. Every window presented an opportunity for drapes, with lampshades, bedheads, chairs and cushions also avenues for textures and prints.
It took about 15 sample pots before the couple spotted Dulux Sunbound – the perfect golden hue for the living area. “Yellow can be a divisive colour, but I’ve found it’s a very easy colour to live with,” shares Lloyd. “It is like a neutral in the sense that you can add almost any accent colour.” Doing just that, the space is boldly furnished with a custom fringed sofa by Wills Bisgrove in ‘Sahara’ Racing Green from Kirkby Design.
Kitchen
On the cusp of their kitchen renovation, a pivotal moment was visiting Anna Spiro’s Melbourne home, which Lloyd says solidified his “design DNA”. “Anna’s kitchen is painted pale yellow, with an incredible bright purple island bench and orange internals. As soon as we saw it, we knew committing to bold colours was what we wanted to do.”
Inspired to create a home that sparked joy, a vibrant fitout followed, with a glorious green kitchen, sunny living area, moody bedrooms, a blue-infused office and a bathroom in soft pink.
“Beyond the physical comfort, it really encompasses a sense of emotional wellbeing and contentment that comes from surrounding yourself with elements like textures, lighting, patterns, books and flowers,” says Lloyd.
Dining room
A Hudson Furniture hutch painted in Dulux Bengal Blue is a stately feature in the dining space. It is joined by an antique English oak sideboard, which sits below a decoupage artwork with majolica plates grouped on either side.
“Entertaining friends and family is a great passion of ours. David cooks and I set the table.”
Lloyd
One of the couple’s favourite settings is their Il Viaggio di Nettuno tableware and Serenk napery from Peter’s of Kensington.
Guest bedroom
Far from an afterthought, visitors are treated to their own cosy room clad with VJ-panelled walls in Porter’s Paints Braidwood. A bedhead upholstered in Braquenié ‘Le Grand Corail’ in Rouge Fond Crème offers an explosion of pattern.
From bold geometric shapes to quirky motifs, stripes and florals, the abundance of pattern adds interest and depth. “For us, spaces that are vibrant and expressive – filled with the richness of colour, texture and pattern – bring a sense of joy, comfort and inspiration,” says Lloyd. “While some people may not take such a heavy-handed approach, we’re maximalists so the more layers, the merrier.” For a range of fabric, visit Elliott Clarke.
We love… pattern play
Main bedroom
Walls in Dulux Ceylon Tea cocoon the couple’s retreat. The feast of fabrics includes a throw from Slowdown Studio, a bedhead in Jim Thompson ‘Garden Party’ in Orangerie, and a Roman blind in Rubelli ‘Quatrefoil’ in Lavender.
“Most artworks are antique engravings that we have collected over the years. We commissioned the large nude artwork above the bed by Brisbane artist Sheryl Whimp,” shares Lloyd.
Bathroom
The home’s original bathroom was “beige-on-beige and depressing,” recalls Lloyd, who transformed the space. “Rather than a glass shower screen, we felt a cotton embroidered shower curtain was beautifully soft and chic,” he says of the addition from Annie Selke.
Calacatta Oro subways line the walls, with Syvota marble floor mosaics and a border of Indian green marble, all from Urban Tile Company.
The bathroom vanity is topped with Calacatta Viola marble from SNB Stone, with Brodware tapware in Brushed Nordic Brass adding to the luxurious ambience.
Study
Each room has its own personality and in the office, walls in Dulux Black Drop create a calming canvas. “It’s a jacaranda blue,” says Lloyd.
“I feel truly connected to our home and what we’ve created, and for the time being it’s more than enough,” adds Lloyd.
Interior design: Oliver Mark Interiors, olivermark.au.
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