Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Modern Melbourne Home Finds Its Soul
A scattering of animal prints, organic decor and generous helpings of wood bring personality to an Australian couple's modern home
Interior designer Andrew Mitchell toes the fine line beween design constraint and generosity in this Brighton, Australia, home. Called by clients who wanted to inject their home with more warmth and character, the designer brought in texture and materials without layering in too much old with the new. "Achieving balance between the sleek, modern bones of the house and adding character and soul is not an easy thing to do," says Mitchell. A slow and deliberate introduction of natural materials, including recycled Australian hardwoods and fabrics, softened what used to be a slightly steely interior.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple
Location: Brighton, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia
Size: 3,660 square feet
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple
Location: Brighton, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia
Size: 3,660 square feet
The modern house gets a surge of warmth from hardwood floors and a rust collage rug. A built-in TV panel hides unsightly wires and cables, minimizing attention on the appliance. Logs add a touch of rustic elegance and some textural contrast in the streamlined, modern room.
Here we see how the collage rug coexists nicely with the floors. The designer opted for just one area rug in this high-traffic entertainment area. "We avoided layering in too many rugs on top of the gorgeous hardwood floors, which we wanted to highlight. They really warm up the space," he says.
From the outside, the home fits neatly into the Brighton area, exhibiting a modern aesthetic with sharp lines and simple materials. "But inside, the house breaks away from the bleakness of a typical minimalist interior with the addition of animal prints, recycled wood and highly textured fabrics," Mitchell says.
The exaggerated bottom lip of this chair's seat makes the piece part furniture, part sculpture.
Bar stools with natural-weave seats, indoor plants and a tropical leaves wallpaper print lend an organic feel to the sleek contemporary kitchen and the connected living room area.
Outside, the clients filled in a plunge pool in the rear garden in favor of landscape architect Jack Merlo's bluestone water feature — a stunning curved wall fountain that provides both privacy and serenity in the garden area.
Australian native spotted gumwood was used extensively throughout the garden design, including for the decking and the wall paneling.
Australian native spotted gumwood was used extensively throughout the garden design, including for the decking and the wall paneling.
A custom-designed barbecue hutch made of spotted gum conceals appliances.
Bocci pendant lights dangle above a luxurious marble dining table.
Look down and notice how the floor's wood grain also delights.
Mitchell designed this screen, also made of spotted gum, to gently divide the lounge area from the formal dining table.
Carefully selected artwork throughout the house reflects the owners' personalities and taste. Included in their eclectic collection is this original David Bromley oil panting, along with traditional artwork sourced from central Australia as well as prints and sketches by John Lennon.
Vast amounts of north sun flood into the house in winter, keeping all areas of the house — including this master bath — full of as much natural light as possible.
A plank tray and a few sprigs in a jar warm up a sleek bath, complete with a flush-mounted plasma TV.