Once upon a time, there was a dated single-storey house that was destined for knockdown. The land was perfect for a pair of semi-detached homes. Yet danger lurked — the owners were concerned about the rigidity and closedness that is often present in a semi. They wanted to ensure that their house felt entire and complete, and not like a cramped part of something bigger.

Enter Shona McElroy, the First Blush home’s fairy godmother. In collaboration with VRM Architects, this interior designer from Smac Studio helped create a romantic home that met the clients’ brief and that will certainly see the family living happily ever after.

This family consists of a husband and wife with their two young daughters. By the time the build was complete, the clients had a third daughter on the way, which meant that their vision for a light-filled open dwelling was more important than ever. The semi was to be spaced over two storeys and include four bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, as well as an enclosed garage and pool.

“The clients’ brief was to create a family home that felt bright and tranquil as soon as you entered the door,” Shona says. This was to include a layered sense of casualness paired with elements that would visually elevate the home and create a sense of designer style.

“As a growing family, they wanted the house to represent them but also ensure that it had longevity and a likeability so that eventually, when they did outgrow it, another buyer would fall in love with it,” Shona says.

As with any project, the First Blush build started with a lot of big dreams — especially considering the site’s 5.8m width. “The brief was to make the most of the space — in spite of not having a whole lot of it,” Shona says. “I flipped the layout of the typical duplex to incorporate the legal side passage and, in turn, visually enlarge and soften the interiors.”

A thoughtful entry foyer, which gave a separation to the staircase from the main living and dining areas, also helped make the house feel sequential and thus larger.

This idea of creating a sense of space that was larger than the actual footprint extended from the home itself and into the garden. “The house has been designed to innovatively defy its dimensional confinement at every turn,” Shona says. “With the help of Naomi Barin from Dangar Barin Smith, lush planting adorns the new side passage and the vast open windows provide clear connectivity with the landscaping and a sense of intriguing lightness.”

These windows are a key feature of the house that’s situated a few homes down from the end of a quiet cul-de-sac that overlooks the Dover Heights cliffs. The upper-storey bedroom at the front of the house now enjoys tranquil views of the Pacific Ocean, much to the owners’ delight.

But inside the home, there’s just as much to feast your eyes on as there is out. “The home has been principally designed with a nuanced approach to texture and colour,” Shona says. “As the clients have two daughters (and another on the way), the palette and softness of the home draws its influence from the family’s strong feminine energy. And the calm and welcoming presence of the space is undeniable from the moment of entry.”

Grecian-inspired white curvature forms the basis for many design choices. Sectional mirrors are dotted throughout the house, enhancing the sense of space and light and nodding to Parisian interior designers such as Joseph Dirand.

Both Shona and the clients fell in love with the Palladian marble used in the kitchen, which formed the basis for many of the other design choices. “For example, it has hints of rust, which we emulated in aged brass fittings,” Shona says, adding that pink pops in the marble were nodded to via the upholstery. Overall, though, a neutral style was selected to ensure the joinery and design were the heroes of the home.

Storage was paramount and a key design consideration. “As Samantha loves to showcase and collect things, we ensured that the home had plenty of space to display her items and tell their tale while still feeling considered and tidy,” Shona says.

Yet Samantha wasn’t the only family member to have special concessions incorporated into the design. Shona lists the girls’ bathroom as one of her favourite spaces in the house with its sectional panel of mirrors along the rear wall, Murano sconces and soft linen sheers. “I also love the custom-designed double-trough sink,” Shona says. “It’s cute and playful for the girls to share a large marble sink like that. To keep the room private, knowing that one day three girls will be sharing it, we added fluted glass to the shower and toilet areas.”

This article originally appeared in Home Design #24.4 – click here to SUBSCRIBE

The post Feminine Energy and Smart Design Create Love at First Blush appeared first on Completehome.

Originally from Home Design magazine, Volume 19 Issue 2
Edited by Holly Cunneen

The post Trend alert: Softly spoken appeared first on Completehome.

The Zendo sofa by Cosh Living is the ultimate “chill out” seating luxury. It features a powder-coated aluminium frame with upholstery available in nautic leather or fabric options.

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Keep your cool underneath the contemporary 350cm Riviera umbrella by Shelta.

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Rosslyn from Nina Campbell is a 100 per cent cotton print from Seneca Textiles. Cover your walls, sofas or cushions to introduce a touch of spring.

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Add a punch of colour and comfort with these stunning cushions by Bluebellgray.

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Your guests will love the Mirthe range by Tribu, available from Cosh Living in a range of luxury seating and tables, cushions and accessories including the Easy chair.

coshliving.com.au

Coral’s organic pattern is inspired by nature and manufactured from sustainable, often recycled materials and low-VOC finishes. Available in a range of sizes and colours from Arktura.

arktura.com

An icon of industrial aesthetics, Tolix is a popular choice for inside and out, available in myriad colours, including Racy Red and Icy White from Thonet.

thonet.com.au

The BigWire table by Arik Levy features a steel structure with a plate glass top. It looks great at any party in red, white or graphite. Available from Zanotta.

zanotta.it

The Coop occasional table by Altone from Fanuli is a modern and functional piece that looks great whatever the occasion.

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Dish up spring delights on trays by Bluebellgray.

jamesdunloptextiles.com

This great new 100 per cent cotton artisanal dyed Carmen velvet from Boyac’s Metaphores collection packs a punch of colour wherever it’s needed.

boyac.com.au

The Tess chair from Cosh Living in transparent finish is made from injecting moulded polyprop ylene with a high-resistant steel tube frame — a cool addition to your outdoor space.

coshliving.com.au

Edited by James Cleland

Originally from Home Design magazine Volume 17 Issue 5

The post Trend alert: Garden party appeared first on Completehome.

1. Iridescent green-coloured rooster feathers cover the Kubus H4 floor lamp, designed by German designer Heike Buchfelder and available from Textura. RRP $4650. textura.com.au

2. Night Bird, designed by Catherine Martin for Designer Rugs, is a magical collaboration of colours and weaves. RRP from $5940. designerrugs.com.au

3. The Black Mexican Otomi Cushion from The Toucan Shop is hand-embroidered folk art from the Otomi community of San Pablito, Mexico. RRP $59. thetoucanshop.com

4. The Feather Chair, designed by Ariane Irle, is elegant and soft. POA. arianeirle.com

5. Delicately adorning the wall, the RM 808 01 forms part of the new Volare collection from Élitis. POA elitis.fr

6. The 87cm-tall handcrafted driftwood table lamp from St Barts features natural feathers. RRP $495. st-barts.com.au

7. Ghostly in formation, the Artecnica Icarus pendant light is available from dedece+. RRP $245. dedeceplus.com

8. Fingers FBW-BB01, released by Signature Prints, uses original designs from iconic Australian wallpaper designer Florence Broadhurst. RRP $320. theelephantroom.com.au

9. The sculptural beauty of the Portrait of George I chair by Elyse Hochstadt is dramatic and arresting. POA. elyseh.com

By Alexandra Longstaff
From Home Design magazine Vol. 16 No. 4

The post Interior style: Birds of a feather appeared first on Completehome.