Home renovation: Liveable luxury

Green and open, lush foliage spills into the sunny courtyard of the beachside Melbourne home. The kitchen, hub of the home, is stylish and sophisticated as it is family friendly and functional. Honed marble on the central island brings an element of luxury to the zone and provides a contrast to the inky-hued timber cabinetry below, while robust stainless steel gleams on the side workbench.

It’s in the kitchen that a dramatic wall of blonde timber joinery extends up and across the ceiling, raising the room to showstopper status. A base palette of whites, moody greys and pale timbers provides a pure, simple backdrop for hints of copper, pink and duck-egg blue.

When it came to decorating the lounge room, a wallpaper-swathed feature wall was a must-have. A richly golden-hued Elitis ‘Narco Flowers’ wallpaper was chosen for its look and feel it brought to the room. The Ivory Tower stocks the French wallpaper range and will order styles by request. 

The living room is closed off from the rest of the house. A retro chest of drawers is complemented by a reconfigured Angelucci 20th Century wall lamp and a leather armchair from Arthur G Furniture.

The colour scheme was chosen based on the artwork that spans the living and dining room. Smoked and limed floorboards enhance the organic, pared-back vibe in the house. Not only is it beautiful, it also doesn’t any dirt. In the airy living room, mid-century design devotees chose a replica Eero Saarinen ‘Tulip’ marble side table from Matt Blatt and a black Bernard-Albin Gras ‘No. 214’ Wall Lamp, found at Luke Furniture.  On the wall, a beautiful duck-egg blue painting by artist Jenny Rodgerson claims pride of place.

Who wouldn’t feel like a bathing beauty in this sumptuous sanctuary? The striking white with black-surround freestanding Kado ‘Lure’ bath from Reece was chosen and large-format matt-finish floor tiles in Arc Green from G-Lux for a luxe feel. A towel from Ninnho brings colour to the neutral space, while a striped drum from Hermon & Hermon adds a textural touch.

Soothing teal-tinged walls set a relaxing tone in the couple’s blissful bedroom.The idea behind the wall was to ‘dress’ it in a different colour. While the striking Catherine Hiller painting takes centre-stage, a timber pendant found at Beacon Lighting (for similar try Beacon’s ‘Kiel’ light) is a neutrally toned touch. Next to the bed, adorned with a throw and cushion from Luxe By Design, a drum from The Natural Room doubles as a side table and hosts a white ‘Osca’ lamp from Clickon Furniture.

In one of the kid’s bedroom, a bright colour mix helps to create a girly, fun space. A green Freedom floor lamp is a clever style match with Adairs bedlinen, a multi-hued ‘You & Me’ Lisa Lapointe cushion and a pink faux fur from Society Of Wanderers. On the wall is a framed dream-catcher print found at Forty Winks.

Texture and quirky shapes reign in the entrance hall, from the ornate ceiling and pressed-metal feature wall to a stand-out hexagonal copper mirror from Zachloe Lifestyle.