Trad-meets-mad in this Edwardian house in Melbourne

last updated 3 May 2022

The property

An extended Edwardian house in Melbourne, Australia. On the ground floor of this modern home (opens in new tab), there’s an open-plan kitchen/dining/living room, as well as a pantry (opens in new tab), utility room (opens in new tab), master bedroom (opens in new tab) with en suite and dressing room, a guest bedroom (opens in new tab)/music room, bathroom and study. The first floor has two bedrooms, a playroom and a bathroom.

Entrance

The brilliant blue of the doorway and glorious wood pendant light tell you you’ve arrived!

A little trad, a little mad. That was the thinking when it came to doing up this Edwardian suntrap, tucked into a leafy corner of Melbourne.

Living room

When they bought the house 12 years ago, neither of the ownershad experience in property development – she was working in PR and he is a lawyer. What they did have was a love of architecture, a serious auction habit anda beady eye for good design.

At the time, the Edwardian part of the single-storey property had been split into two apartments, with two more bedsits tacked on to the rear of the building.

Over the past ten years, as well as having three boys, the couple have totally re-imagined the house. The family moved from room to room as the ground floor was renovated, culminating in the looks-like-it’s-been-there-forever extension that contains the kitchen and living area.

A stone fireplace creates a focal point at the centre of the open-plan space and is the ideal chill-out zone, come rain or shine. In a simple decorating scheme, pops of colour provide impact – here, it’s the glow of the teal footstool against the charcoal sofas.

living room/shelf detail

For tradition with a twist, you can’t go wrong with this Fornasetti wallpaper.

See Also: Living room ideas (opens in new tab) - 24 decorating tricks to inspire

kitchen-diner

Despite its contemporary feel, the kitchen is filled with touchstones that add a note of history and tradition. The white china was a gift from the owner's mother-in-law, who runs a cookery school, while the pendant light was brought back from a trip to France.

Utility room

Like ghosts of scullery maids past, faces gaze down from the utility room (opens in new tab) walls

Guest bedroom

Friends of the family say this Aussie house has an English feel. The embroidered cushion was brought back from London by the owner's sister.

Guest bedroom/ music room

The furniture and artwork inherited by both owners helps to ground the house, adding depth and narrative.

BOY'S BATHROOM

This room has a contemporary feel, but careful use of materials links it with the more traditional elements elsewhere – the metro tiles match those in the utility room and the natural wood of the cabinets mirrors the furnishing throughout.

Photography / Lisa Cohen

See Also: Small bathroom ideas (opens in new tab) - 22 super chic ideas for bijou bathrooms

Shining a spotlight on the now and the next in home design and decor, Livingetc is the UK's best selling high end and contemporary home design magazine. As a brand, Livingetc showcases the world's very best homes, breaks and makes the trends, and has access to leading international designers for insight and ideas. It was first published in 1998, and is currently edited by Pip Rich.