Living rooms

Living rooms are the space we should feel most comfortable at home, whether that’s binging a TV series at the end of the day, or hosting guests for drinks on a Saturday night.

‘It’s a moodier feel, as most of the time you are watching television and don’t want the glare on the screen,’ explains Mandi Kontos, architectural lighting designer at The Beacon Design Studio.

With that in mind, living room lighting is all about creating ambience through soft and warm styles, achieved with a combination of ceiling pendants and floor lamps. ‘I would look at washing light against the walls to help highlight features like trim or art,’ says Mandi.

Look for pendants and lamps with transparent shades that allow light to easily pass through and illuminate the space in a balanced manner. Think paper, cotton, linen and silk, rather than stone, metal, or glass styles that can provide a harsh ‘spotlight’ effect.

If working with a large living area or high ceiling, this is an opportunity to play with scale and introduce one or multiple statement lights that double as a design feature.

Since this room is the most on-show area of the house, applying attention to detail to smaller elements, such as light switches, can really elevate the space. The MFL Forge range by Beacon Lighting is a premium collection of customisable switches expertly crafted from high-quality stainless steel with painted matte and electroplated brushed finishes. Beacon’s MFL Axis collection offers large-format switches and powerpoints made for modern interiors.

Kitchens

We love a beautiful looking kitchen, but they are first and foremost a practical space, and should be treated as such when it comes to lighting.

Mandi says, ‘The lighting that is the most important in the kitchen is that which is task orientated. Putting lighting over your bench that shines directly down is the best for prepping food, and using undercabinet lighting next to your stove top is also a great option.’

If you have an island bench, hanging a linear style pendant above is a practical choice that also helps visually elongate the space. Incorporating dimmable settings will ensure this area feels atmospheric when hosting guests, or brighter for children who may be doing homework at the counter before dinner.

A common kitchen design mistake is over lighting the space with too many downlights. To avoid this, Mandi suggests, ‘Look at how you will use the space and work back from there.’

Bathrooms

Perhaps the most practical room of all are bathrooms, which require great natural light, as well as good artificial lighting for applying skincare and makeup at any time of day.

To achieve this, ‘Ensuring that there is enough light in front of you as you get ready is a must,’ says Mandi. ‘We recommend putting your lighting either side of your mirror or at the top. This will ensure that you have precise light every time.’

Wall lights and sconces in easy to clean materials such as glass and metal are your best options in this space. Think of two lights one either side of a mirror as the jewellery this space needs to complete the outfit.

Bedrooms

Bedrooms are where we start and end the day, so the lighting in this space needs to promote calm and relaxation above all.

Mandi adds, ‘‘This is a respite from the whole day. Our circadian rhythm needs cues that it’s time for bed, or to wake up, as a reminder to function at our best.’

You want to avoid having direct lighting in your eyes before you go to sleep. That’s why it’s important to group overhead lighting, like downlights, towards the end of the bed. Or, table lamps, wall brackets, or pendants are a perfect way to add a bit of a softer glow, without going over the top.

Discover Beacon Lighting’s range online or at a store near you

‘Tassie forces you to slow down and pay attention,’ ceramic artist Kate Bowman says.

Originally from Melbourne, Kate moved down to Hobart about two years ago, when her partner was offered a new job.

‘I’ve been coming to festivals and gigs in Hobart for years, so it already felt familiar. Some places just click, and I didn’t overthink the chance to give it a crack.’

It turned out to be a perfect match — both for her lifestyle and creative practice, which turns materials from the local geology, or post-industrial by-products, such as quarry dust, volcanic rock, and even hospitality waste into experimental ceramics.

‘The landscape is wild, the materials are literally under your feet, and there’s a deep respect for craft here,’ Kate says fondly of Hobart.

‘Instead of ordering materials from across the world, I can go for a walk with the dog and collect what I need.’

She’s also found herself at home within the city’s strong creative community: ‘People here are experimenting, pushing boundaries and genuinely invested in making things that matter.’

In addition to running hand-building courses and glaze workshops at her Hobart studio, Kate is currently in the middle of a 12-month residency with Design Tasmania and Regional Arts Australia.

The collaborative project explores how hospitality waste (think eggshells, bricks, glass or fryer oil) from local restaurants Dier Makr, The Agrarian Kitchen and Scholé can be reimagined as ceramic forms, like tableware or tiles.

Not only does this process give discarded material newfound purpose, but there’s an added layer of meaning, anchored by a connection to place.

‘When a piece contains materials from a local landscape or a venue people know, it carries a different kind of weight. It becomes more than just a nice object,’ Kate adds.

Having seen what makes Hobart so special first-hand, we asked Kate to share some of her favourite spots so you can experience Tassie like a local.

Explore all her recommendations in her own words below!

Westside Laundry Cafe

Westside is my local and a bit of a second living room. Most mornings start there with coffee, and by Friday, it’s more likely a cocktail and dinner at the bar. I love that they do a changing cocktail each day using fruit from their own backyard. Very Hobart! The chicken and waffles are also worth rearranging your day for!

Learn more here.

Lavada Day Spa

Whenever I visit Lavada Day Spa, it feels like a full reset. They really know how to bring Hobartians’ winter-weather-affected skin back to life, whether that’s with a body treatment or a massage, and their facials feel less like maintenance and more like a full nervous-system repair. You might come in for a quick treatment, but the calming interiors will make you want to stick around and soak up the full experience.

Learn more here.

Ranita Ramen

Ranita Ramen is tiny, thoughtful and insanely delicious. Javier and Zoe have created one of those places that feels generous in every sense. It’s become a fave for a solo lunch, though I’m just as likely to bump into a pal while there!

Learn more here.

Lucinda Wine Bar

Lucinda is one of my regular haunts for date night with mates! The wine list, the snacks, the mood, it all just hits. I also make tableware for the bar, so it feels personal in more ways than one.

Learn more here.

Skyfarm Retreat

While this one is actually less than an hour south of Hobart, Skyfarm Retreat is an off-grid retreat worth travelling for. Perched high above the folds of Tasmania’s Huon Valley, the house in Upper Woodstock has floor-to-ceiling windows, capturing all-day sunlight and panoramic views of lush rolling hills. With a firepit and outdoor bath, the accommodation has everything you need for a cosy getaway.

Learn more here.

Got a taste for Hobart? There’s more to dig into. Discover Tasmania has the experiences, restaurants, events and local tips you didn’t know you needed. If you’re craving a regular dose of trip-planning intel, subscribe to their newsletter.

Back in the 1880s, the MacRobertson confectionery complex in Fitzroy was the birthplace of the first Freddo Frogs and Cherry Ripes — before the business was later sold to Cadbury.

Now, it’s home to some of the city’s coolest converted warehouse apartments, where exposed bricks meet expansive steel-framed windows. And on the top floor, there’s an incredible three-bedroom penthouse that’s just been listed for sale.

At an impressive 300 square metres, the residence at 46/183 Kerr Street was originally two separate apartments until a masterful redesign by Andrew Simpson and BSG Constructions created the singular, two-storey home.

The building’s unique history was one of the main things that drew the owners to purchase the property about five years ago.

‘From the moment I walked in, I was struck by the volume, the light, and the sense of history embedded in the space. It immediately felt like somewhere with a story to tell,’ the vendor says.

‘It’s completely unique, there’s nothing else quite like it, and that sense of owning something one-of-a-kind really stood out,’ the vendor says. It also reminded me of living in New York and Singapore, while still feeling distinctly Melbourne.’

Original details like the soaring four-metre high ceilings and Oregon timber beams fill the interiors with industrial flair, as the flexible floor plan offers modern inner-city living at its best.

The ground floor contains the three bedrooms, alongside a study, a second living room, and a private retreat. A sculptural timber stairwell leads to the bespoke kitchen upstairs, complete with Carrara marble benchtops, and custom timber joinery.

This open-plan zone also features a dining room and living space, forming a light-filled hub for entertaining with views of the city skyline. Sliding glass doors frame views of the impressive 80-square-metre terrace — an epic balcony space that highlights the apartment’s unique location in the heart of Fitzroy.

‘Being situated between Brunswick and Smith Street means everything is within reach, from cafés to galleries, Lune (what I think is Melbourne’s best croissant), jazz clubs and some of the best restaurants in Melbourne,’ the owner adds.

Talk about a rare opportunity to own a piece of Melbourne’s history!

46/183 Kerr Street, Fitzroy, VIC is listed for private sale with David Sanguinedo and Alicia Cannizzaro from Jellis Craig. Expressions of interest ending May 27.

Located in a heritage-listed ‘Garden Suburb’ precinct of Newcastle, this 1930s brick house in Merewether was largely untouched when builder Guy Bunder purchased the property a few years ago.

The director of Made Homes admits it was in ‘extremely poor condition’. But the opportunity to reinvent one of these beautiful homes — complete with many original, albeit dilapidated, features — was too good to pass up.

After purchasing the property at auction in 2024, Guy and his wife Madeline engaged Curious Practice to transform the house on an expedited timeline, so the family could move in as soon as possible. Impressively, the entire design was completed and approved within the three-month extended settlement, and construction was completed in just six months.

‘The addition was to include an extra bedroom, separate living and lounge rooms, a new kitchen, dining and outdoor entertaining with a swimming pool as well as a double garage,’ Curious Practice director Warren Haasnoot says.

It also had to adhere to the ‘incredibly tight’ heritage controls, which generally requires new work to remain concealed behind the existing dwelling.

As a result, the renovation takes its cues from the original single-storey home, with its terracotta tiles and gabled roof forms. It’s not until you turn the corner that the full scope of the new works is revealed, with distinctive, deep red Colorbond cladding that both complements, and clearly distinguishes, the different eras of the house.

‘The scale of the addition is broken down into smaller pavilions arranged under separate roofs,’ Warren says.

The new living space, kitchen and dining are captured under a singular volume that opens expansively onto the pool and landscaping, while a second pavilion hides the double garage and utilities at the opposite end of the courtyard.

‘Rather than trying to replicate the existing built fabric, the addition mimics the lightweight batten detail in a refined uniform silhouette, maintaining the existing building as a whole.’

Inside, restoring and maintaining the home’s original decorative ceilings also became a big focus: ‘These ceilings carry a strong sense of character and craftsmanship, which would be difficult to replicate today.’

In contrast, the ceiling of the new addition becomes its own defining feature, with dramatic proportions and a skylight that allows glimpses of the changing weather throughout the day, and across each season.

There’s an understated elegance that stretches across both the original and new interiors, united by a restrained palette of spotted gum flooring and wall linings, Breccia Rosso marble, and Japanese glazed tiles.

‘These materials were selected for their ability to balance darkness and light, texture and refinement, bringing a warmth, depth and sense of calm to the spaces, while giving the house a timeless and enduring quality,’ Warren adds.

It’s a masterful reinvention, that proves how old and new can coexist without imitation.

It’s easy to see why this charming beach shack on the Mornington Peninsula caught the eye of its current owners on their first drive-by, five years ago.

Tucked away on a quiet one-way street, the original weatherboard home, which at the time was owned by an Italian couple who had lived there for 60 years, came with an established vegetable garden and mature fruit trees.

‘It’s so quiet and peaceful, being in the backyard that backs onto the wetlands feels like a sanctuary,’ says the owner.

The property itself had equally strong foundations. But while the setting was idyllic, the original floor plan wasn’t making the most of it.

To reimagine the home, the owners enlisted Olaver Architecture to overhaul the interiors while carefully retaining the original character of the facade and front rooms.

‘Functionally, the plan wasn’t well connected to the rear garden — a missed opportunity — and there was not much flow between spaces,’ explains Emlyn Olaver, director of Olaver Architecture.

The renovation, completed in 2023, replaced the rear section of the house with a generous open-plan kitchen, living, and dining area, alongside a more private main bedroom suite.

Just 20 square metres was added overall, but the impact feels far greater. New decks extend from either side of a small courtyard, creating effortless indoor-outdoor flow, while a study, updated laundry, and improved side entry make the home feel quietly practical as well as beautiful.

Most importantly, Olaver designed these new spaces to capture the home’s prized north-westerly aspect, whilst avoiding the temptation to overbuild.

‘We didn’t want the architecture to be the hero,’ explains Emlyn. ‘The gardens and the life around and within the architecture are important.’

Inside, the palette is calm and tactile, with light oak flooring and joinery, natural stone, raked ceilings, and expansive windows that frame the surrounding coastal-meets-Mediterranean garden — a nod to both to the home’s seaside location and its original Italian custodians — designed by Peachy Green.

It’s a home that feels embedded in its environment, and true to its beginnings.

Now, the current owners have made the difficult decision to put it on the market. When asked what they’ll miss most about living here, their answer is immediate: ‘Everything!’

12 Tern Avenue, Capel Sound, VIC, is listed for sale with Jake Egan and Lilli McMillan from Marshall White. Expressions of interest close 2pm AEST, May 19, 2026.

Alyssa Nuttall took an untraditional path to ceramics via a degree in psychology with a minor in music, which had her yearning for a hands-on creative practice.

She came across a ceramics class at Slow Clay Centre in Collingwood, and in Alyssa’s words, she ‘never really left.’ She now teaches wheel throwing at Slow Clay Centre, while maintaining a dedicated studio practice at Lygon Street Pottery.

Like many students, Alyssa’s initial works were guided by repetition, observation, and guidance from teachers and other artists. Over time, she’s learned to trust her own instincts and ongoing interest in fragile ecosystems, such as coral reefs, eroding coastlines, and drought-affected landscapes that hold life while remaining inherently vulnerable.

‘That direction emerged gradually, and quite frankly, out of frustration and a ‘mistake’ with a piece. I saw an interesting direction I’d not observed before and that excited me,’ Alyssa says.

Her current works are organic-shaped, coral-like forms developed through processes of erosion, growth, and pressure. They’re visually beautiful, but also conversation starters, as Alyssa explains, ‘I’m interested in embedding ecological concerns into everyday lived spaces, so they are not held at a distance, but encountered through physical, daily interaction. This allows for a quieter, more accessible awareness to sit within domestic or familiar contexts, and hopefully opens up conversation around what endures, and what is at risk.’

Each piece requires constant negotiation with the material, and not everything resolves as intended.

‘I spend a lot of time recycling materials,’ Alyssa says. The sweet spot lies in controlling the controllable, while allowing the uncontrollable to play an equally important role. She explains, ‘I spent so much time trying to be “the boss of the clay”, but sometimes it’s so beautiful to have it direct me and to follow it.’

It’s a constant learning process, and one that Alyssa hopes never stops. ‘I think it’s deeply personal work, and it feels important to stay open to that ongoing shift. I love the idea that our best work may still be ahead of us, at any age.’

See Alyssa Nuttall’s work during Melbourne Design Week 2026 at the following events: Tall Poppy at Kelli Lundberg; 100 Chairs at Abbotsford Convent; Relics and Remains at Nord; and Finite at Dowel Jones. 

When you’re afforded a ‘blank canvas’ with spectacular views, it’s the duty of any good architect and designer to make the most of them.

Fishharven by Neil Architecture and Nicole Bell Design not only allows the landscape to shine, but the new building feels anchored within the rolling hills of Fish Creek — almost like it had always been there.

Having previously worked with Neil Architecture on the design of their Melbourne family home, the clients again turned to the team to create a multigenerational retreat on this sprawling hectare in South Gippsland.

‘As this was a vacant block subdivided from a neighbouring property, there was no existing house or architectural style to respond to,’ studio director Will Phung says.

‘While this provided a blank canvas and greater design freedom, it also meant the project needed to carefully establish its own identity and respond sensitively to the surrounding rural context.’

A key requirement was to avoid a single large, dominant building. Instead, the resulting dwelling appears more like a cluster of smaller, interconnected forms clad in galvanised steel — reminiscent of local farm outbuildings.

Distinctive gabled roofs give each section of the home a sculptural edge, as the floor plan itself is neatly arranged to accommodate various multigenerational living arrangements and visits from extended family.

With the main bedroom located at one end of the central living area, the additional bedrooms are nestled on the opposite side of the property for privacy.

This also affords each room its own unique outlook, thanks to expansive windows capturing 360-degree views from Corner Inlet to Wilsons Promontory and Bass Strait.

Inside, polished concrete floors are met with timber joinery, terracotta-coloured tiles and silvertop ash timber cladding that cloaks the entire house in a feeling of warmth.

For the interior styling, Nicole Bell was also careful not to overshadow the immersive setting of the undulating hills.

‘The home’s exposed location called for a cocooning retreat with a cosy atmosphere that would resonate with the dramatic landscape,’ she adds.

‘The colour palette is reflective of the surrounding nature; rolling hills of rich soil and lush grass, dusty roads, muted wind-warped trees, foliage and rocks, wide silvery skies and glassy waters. All dialled up to “rich” and down to “muted” to suit the scale and use of each room.’

It’s a perfect haven — a true retreat from the world outside.

While Sally Tabart and Jeremy Barr love their Thornbury weatherboard for all of its heritage charm, the old-school features also play a big role in why the property often feels like a ‘wooden tent’.

‘Our home was renovated just before we moved in [about seven years ago], but still retained many heritage features, such as the windows, which all have many gaps and thin glass that leaves our home exposed to the elements,’ Sally adds.

‘You really feel both the heat and the cold here, and there aren’t many days where we don’t have to use either the heating or the cooling.’

But when the couple had their first child, Lila (15 months), it encouraged them to make some cosmetic and functional changes — including installing three new split systems and some much-needed insulation in the roof.

While Sally and Jeremy still have their sights set on a major renovation down the track (including exploring solar panels one day), energy and home comfort advisor Tim Forcey says there’s still some low-cost updates that can make a big difference in their home’s efficiency in the meantime.

Heating and cooling

Tim says the couple have ‘done the right thing’ by installing the split systems in the main bedroom, Lila’s room, and the living room: ‘these electric reverse-cycle systems are about a third of the cost of running gas heating’.

Sally explains these have been life-changing for cooling in summer, but her goal is to stop using the gas heating entirely and sometimes the split-systems don’t feel powerful enough for the whole home.

Upon taking a look at the filter, Tim shows how much dust has become trapped, which would significantly impact the unit’s efficiency. It also means dust is circulated around the home every time they are in use, so it’s ‘absolutely critical’ to check the filter every few months and give it a quick hand-wash and gentle vacuum.

The house also has a central gas heating system, however, Tim says it’s best to avoid using this in favour of the split-systems both for heating and cooling. Any ducted vents also require similar maintenance to the filter; however, Sally and Jeremy’s vents are actually missing the filter and are full of dust inside.

‘This is another motivation to encourage you not to use the gas heating and seal these up,’ he tells the couple. ‘Not only because of the cost but the health impact.’

Since the house doesn’t have a door between the hallway and the kitchen-living-dining room, Tim suggests something like a Japanese noren curtain could also ‘zone’ the space and help better retain heat in the central area.

Draught proofing and insulation

The home is very prone to draughts in winter, with the family noting they often feel cold air from kickboards in the kitchen, the skirting boards, and between the floorboards.

Tim says these little gaps causing air leaks can be easily filled with a caulking gun, while also recommending getting a big piece of foam or a purpose-fit draught-stopper from EcoMaster to plug up the chimney.

The evaporative cooling vents on the ceiling are currently already loosely covered by plastic coverings, but Tim suggests going one step further by using a clear contact or plastic film wrap to seal them up further: ‘There’s plenty of DIY videos and hacks available online,’ he adds.

One of the updates Sally and Jeremy made before Lila was born was getting new insulation in the roof — something that’s made a ‘massive difference’ in the home’s comfort. Using his temperature gun, Tim can tell there’s currently no insulation in the floors or walls, which could benefit from being filled by blow-in insulation at a later date.

Windows

Sally asks if it’s worth upgrading to double-glazed windows at this stage, or if they can hold off until they tackle their big renovation in future.

Tim explains while they are the gold standard, he acknowledges it’s a huge financial investment that can set you back a few thousand dollars per window.

‘It’s better to tackle the insulation and draught proofing as the priority,’ he adds. For now, he suggests further sealing up the windows with adhesive draught proof strips, especially around the French door in the living room.

There’s also a clear contact film from businesses like ClearComfort that you can cover the existing windows with to mimic the effect of double-glazing for a fraction of the cost.

Cooking and hot water

Both the stove and hot water systems are currently powered by gas. Sally and Jeremy are keen to get off fossil fuels eventually, and given the age of the current cooktop, they anticipate making the switch to an induction one in the coming years.

‘While you do have the gas cooktop, it’s important to use the extraction fans to keep the air quality healthy,’ Tim says.

The water system from 2017 is ‘not old, not new’, so it’s not a huge rush to have it replaced. But Tim says it’s worth looking into the current federal and state government rebates available to make installing an electric heat-pump hot water system more achievable.

He suspects it would cost around $2000-$3000 to upgrade, but these units are far more efficient and could end up paying a third of the cost of their current water bill.

Overall assessment

Tim’s unofficial rating for the house sits around three stars out of 10, as per the Victorian residential efficiency scorecard. This is at the average of most homes in the state, largely due to their current use of gas ducted heating.

Looking at the household’s energy bills also reveals they are paying for power all through the night, which Tim says could come down to something simple like their fridge running at a high speed constantly — when a more efficient model should actually be switching between on and off to maintain temperature.

Getting a smart meter, such as a PowerPal, is an easy way to help Sally and Jeremy better understand their energy usage and decide what upgrades to make next.

Next steps

Sally says they are keen to take up most of Tim’s recommendations, including installing a little curtain in the main living space, and only using the split-systems for both heating and cooling as they look towards getting the rest of the house off gas in future.

‘I’ll also be looking into closing up some of the gaps in our doors and windows, and potentially putting a contact film over the coldest windows in our house to act as DIY double glazing,’ Sally says.

‘The most surprising takeaway we got from Tim was how surprisingly cost-effective transitioning away from gas would be. Last year, we had to have our gas pipes replaced, and the cost of that would have been about the same as getting a heat pump for our water and an induction stovetop. I wish we’d done that instead!’

Momentum Energy is 100% owned by Hydro Tasmania — Australia’s largest generator of renewable energy. Find out more about signing up to an energy retailer that supports the transition to renewables.

It’s sadly rare to hear a Melburnian say they’re completely happy with their rental property, let alone use the word ‘love’ 13 times when describing their home.

‘Every part of this house is wonderful,’ says artist Abbey Rich, waxing lyrical about the apartment they’ve lived in with their partner, photographer Sam Biddle, for five years. ‘Whenever Sam and I get a day to ourselves and we’re just hanging out, or even just dinner at home on a weeknight, one of us always remarks how happy we are to live here. It’s perfect for us.’

The couple are the first people to live in the new-build apartment, which they moved into upon completion mid COVID. They were initially hesitant, having previously lived in larger houses, but were soon won over by the community and mod cons that come with a well-designed, well-insulated building. Abbey explains, ‘It sounds so cliched, but the community in this building is the thing I love most about it. It also is gas free, and stays cool in summer and warm in winter, because the building was actually built well.’

Everyday tasks such as hanging washing, taking out the rubbish, and picking herbs from the rooftop veggie patches are now everyday joys, says Abbey. ‘Sam and I both travel so much for work and when one of us is home alone you never feel lonely because you have so many incidental meetings throughout the evening when you get home from work.’

Having visited other apartments in the building, Abbey has realised their style leans more on the maximalist side. ‘Everyone else’s [apartment] feels much more refined perhaps, and ours definitely has the feeling of being an artist’s home!’ they say. ‘There isn’t so much a vision but instead a life that keeps growing and shifting.’

While there’s definitely plenty of ‘stuff’ on display, the home has been styled with the intention of regularly hosting guests. ‘We just want our home to feel inviting, to feel comfortable sitting for hours on end over dinner no matter the season,’ Abbey says. ‘Our living room needs to do a lot; it needs to hold a lot of people often, but it also has to feel relaxed when it’s just the two of us, so we’ve made choices that allow for this: a big comfy couch and skinny long table to fit many chairs around.’

Several pieces were sourced in Japan, where Abbey has worked many times over the past few years; the dining table, bookcase and bedroom bench were made by their dad; and the M.A Estudio rug from Mexico City was their first big household purchase seven years ago. ‘It was a huge deal for us and it fits our style perfectly,’ Abbey says.

Blues, oranges and reds feature consistently across the artwork on display, matching the vibrancy of the existing terrazzo benchtops, and warmth of the timber floors. The only thing Abbey would change: the white kitchen cabinet doors!

Sam and Abbey feel they have almost everything they need within their small home filled with colour, art, books, and all the spices and sauces to make a delicious dinner. Anything else can be found within a 15 minute commute on foot, bike or public transport from their beloved pocket of Brunswick.

‘I love sitting on the balcony watching the wild sunsets chatting with Sam in the evening’ muses Abbey… ‘I love one of us cooking while the other sits on the couch finishing off some work. I love sitting at either end of the couch on the weekend reading our books and drinking a coffee, or heading up to the rooftop to do the same.’

In case we hadn’t made it clear – this is a very, very well-loved home!

Husband-and-wife team Bowen Jessup of Cotter Reid Architects and Irene O’Sullivan of Mokk Studio knew exactly what they wanted in their Ocean Grove home on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula.

Designed for a subdivided block, the home needed efficient planning to ensure no wasted space and bloated floor plans; a balance of intimacy and scale; privacy, robust materials and landscaping; and a sense of fun.

‘Playful elegance is a good way of describing what we wanted to achieve,’ says Bowen.

The couple decided on a two-storey floor plan reminiscent of architect Nino Sydney’s beachcomber design that positions utility spaces below and living areas on the upper level, which became a way of creating privacy and security for the home from the busy street.

The garage itself gets its own design moment, particularly at night, when its polycarbonate cladding (inspired by Cotter Reid Architects’ work in the educational sector) is lit from within by an RGBW LED lighting system.

Bowen explains the design intent, ‘The polycarbonate is an extremely robust, prefinished cladding. Being the garage, there is no requirement to line and insulate the walls, so it was also very cost effective.

‘We use the garage for a lot more than parking cars: a home gym, [space for] kids to do basketball dribbling drills, surfboards, and a bike workshop. Polycarbonate means that the space is flooded with natural light,’ Bowen says.

‘The idea of illuminating it with an RGBW LED lighting system was an added bonus and some fun that just reflects our personality. Architecture does not have to be serious all the time.’

The remainder of the house exterior features concrete blockwork, fibre cement weatherboards, and grooved fibre cement sheets.

‘There is a bit of timber at the entry on the soffit and main front door, but this is south facing and undercover, so protected from the weather.’ says Bowen. ‘Being so close to the ocean it was important we used materials that would hold up in that environment.’

The grey-green used externally and internally throughout references the fibro shack beach house that Bowen’s grandparents previously owned. ‘The orange and mint was really just a bit of retro fun, using bright accent colours in small ways to make a big impact.’

Complementary internal finishes are all about the textures: more timber, grooved panels, carpet, OSB panels, terrazzo tiles, stone.

‘It was important that the main green colour be brought through the interior,’ says Bowen. ‘Having a coherent dialogue between inside and outside is important to us.’

Bowen and Irene are most proud of the playful energy they’ve been able to inject into normally utilitarian spaces throughout this house. Coming home at night to a bright pink garage, and a monochromatic orange laundry, provides them with everyday moments of joy.

There’s also a surprising level of privacy for a home located on a relatively busy street.

‘Opening all the doors in the main living space during summer, you just feel like you are in a private green oasis,’ says Bowen. ‘Likewise, the lower courtyard on a hot day is a lovely spot to relax and hang out.’