City Beach Homecoming

‘Beach not Bold’ and ‘no clutter’ were asked for when Rowan and Fi reached out for help decorating their home. After living interstate for 7 years, they were bringing their children, Piper and Sienna, home to Western Australia to live. Living away from family for so long meant they were looking forward to inviting a lot of people over. So the home needed to be stylish but able to stand up to the bumps and knocks that go with entertaining young families.

On a quiet day you can hear the waves on the beach and Fiona adored the light shades of Coastal Style. My challenge was to make this practical. I used white for hard surfaces such as the roomy shoe rack at the front door. Beige leather gives a light touch but still can be wiped down with a cloth. The rug has a nubby pattern and a coloured nuetral fleck, making it the perfect dirt hider.

This ‘formal dining’ is about as relaxed as it gets. The smooth and softly rounded oak chairs and tables play off the rustic pendant and sideboard, a perfect perching place for art. With windows catching the sea breeze the semi translucent blind is hardly ever drawn. Walls are Dulux Casper White which reads as a soft grey against the WA black butt floors.

The kitchen still functioned well, but was dark and dingy 90s style. Now handmade subway tiles replace orange glass and give a fresh contrast to the new Bodega Oak cupboards. Light grey grout instead of white makes the tiles pop and also easy to clean and the corner is a perfect sunny spot to make coffee in the morning.

The budget had to encompass renovations as well as furniture but I asked if we could stretch to include some high quality touches and Fi and Rowan agreed. Handmade tiles with uneven edges, woven wool rugs from artisans in India and furniture with timber detailing all combine to give the home a air of timeless quality.

The children’s study and the pool area were decorated in shades of deep blue, one of the family’s favourite colours, while the bedrooms have soft natural shades to promote calm. To reduce clutter, wall hung bedside tables and lights were sourced. Lifting furniture up on legs lets the eye ‘see through’ the furniture, making rooms seem more spacious.

The living room upstairs has views to the Indian Ocean and the leafy street canopy and being a ‘grown ups area’ softer finishes were used. The chenille covered sofa is large enough (and soft enough!) to sleep on and the handmade rug’s pile is just high enough to be luxurious. ‘In Our Backyard’ by Sara Adams echoes the view outside. Though given the transformation this house has seen, it’s likely to be one of neighbors hoping for a look in!

Photography Carla Atley Creative / Styling Storyteller Design / Design Adela Design