With an exterior as bold and eye-catching as this, creating a wall-to-floor interior fitout is the only course. Here I resolved capturing the essence of this beachside retreat – freedom, relaxation, openness, and minimalism – in all forms possible.
I met with the client and house architect before beginning design on this home so we could all properly understand how the interior and exterior design schemes would coalesce. Resultantly, I was commissioned to design and fit out the kitchen, dining room, sitting room, all bathrooms, all bedrooms, and the study.
Storage was a primary design mandatory for the kitchen. The client and I exhaustively mapped out the storage requirements and intended usage of individual drawers and cabinets, and I designed them to those specifications. Every pot, plate and appliance was considered and I provided cabinet makers with all measured drawings. That aside, we spent a great deal of time sourcing items. I sourced bench top stone from local suppliers and we sourced old railway nails to be used as drawer handles. Antique Indian iron cooking pots were repurposed into pendant lights and hung above the island bench, and to complete the design, we sourced elderly timber & iron stools from a local supplier further down the coast.
For the dining room, I had a dining table custom-made from recycled wood and sourced recycled chairs, which were re-upholstered as dining chairs.
The sitting room now features custom-made sofas complete with a pair of stylish swivel chairs and a locally-sourced side table. I designed a timber storage unit, manufactured with steel, and placed it beside the hearth. Finally, we selected an imported rug from a selection brought to the site for approval.
I designed the entire layout of all bathrooms, including the selection of tiles, tap ware and fittings. For decoration, we added locally-sourced antique mirrors and vibrant lighting. In the master bedroom ensuite I designed a pull-out storage unit which would also serve as a divide between the toilet and main bathing area.
For the bedrooms I felt furniture should be kept to a minimum. Australian-made timber-framed beds were paired with odd bedside tables sourced by the client. I fitted decorative shelving units to the walls – for storage purposes, primarily – and added various pieces of furniture able to hang clothes. I opted for natural linen-coloured blackout curtains which hang from the ceiling to the floor.
After considerable planning and client consultation, I designed all built-in desks and shelving units for the study to suit the specific needs and purposes of the space. I added heavy linen curtains to provide privacy, and furnished the room with a bold antique leather sofa, an antique leather armchair with an ottoman and eclectically-matched side tables.
Location: Flinders, Mornington Penninsula
Photographer: Derek Swalwell
