A Home for all Seasons
Photography by Tony Potter
Styling by Kirstin Randl-Katalinic
Contemporary living is a breeze in this relaxed family home.
The potential of this rambling Vaucluse home was obvious when Megan and Blake moved in, but they wanted to change its elaborate style of floral wallpaper, ornate brass chandeliers and deep colours to a more casual feel for everyday living.
When a friend introduced Megan to Nellie Tilley, an interior designer with Fresh Look Interiors, things started to come together. "Nellie had the same vision for the house as I did," says Megan. "I wanted the house to look relaxed and liveable, and she helped make it happen. We started working from fabrics and the look developed from there."
"Megan had a very clear idea of what she wanted," Nellie affirms. "First we chose a colour palette. I laid out lots of fabrics, all linens, so that we wouldn't get distracted with textures. From those, Megan's heart and instinct drew her to the shades she liked best. I simply gave her the tools for choosing them."
The ones she selected were subtle neutral hues, given depth by dark timber furniture and floorboards. "I love hints of blue green with a freshness that makes you feel you're near the sea," says Megan. "I also like giving the rooms dimension with elements of dark wood, rather than just using a single tone."
Once the colour scheme was established, Megan and Nellie worked through the place room by room, reupholstering where necessary, choosing fabric for curtains and couches, and sourcing new pieces to complete the look. Nellie worked with some of the furniture Megan already had, staining the wood of two couches a dark chocolate brown to coordinate with the rest of it. The great benefit of tackling the job in one go was that the house flowed well as a whole. "We gave it continuity throughout," says Nellie, "each room has something in common with the next."
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