This Adelaide Home Is Full of "Collar-Flick Moments" — Those Unexpected Twists That Add Instant Sophistication

Decorator Simone Haag was brought in to elevate this historic home with carefully curated design choices

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Living room with light beige walls, khaki sofa, toucan artwork, taupe velvet ottoman and ceramic totem-style sculpture
(Image credit: Lillie Thompson)

When the Australian decorator and curator Simone Haag opened Livingetc’s September issue with an essay on what the word "style" means today, she talked about approaching interiors in the same way you would an outfit.

She said that sometimes an unexpected twist, like the up-flick of a shirt collar, is all you need to look more sophisticated, and that the same attention to detail could elevate a space.

So what are the "collar-flick" moments of this three-bedroom modern home that she decorated in Adelaide?

Living room with light beige walls, khaki sofa, toucan artwork, taupe velvet ottoman and ceramic totem-style sculpture

"The living room was an exercise in working with existing pieces and figuring out how to reroute," says Simone of the sofa and chairs that had already been bought by the architects. Subtle "lifting moments" came from the gold flecks in the rug she added in. (Image credit: Lillie Thompson)

"Well, there is a lot of heavy timber — floorboards and ceilings — so the collar flicks came from softening them with the rugs, the curtains, and using a different fabric for every single chair," says Simone. "And, of course, the graphic carpet that we covered the staircase with."

Entrance vestibule with stained glass window, pink and red tope chair and totem sculpture

"You immediately walk into this entry vestibule and get amazing sight lines into the dining room," says Simone. (Image credit: Lillie Thompson)

This wasn’t your usual designer project, as, in fact, Simone was hired to turn up the metaphorical collar of a home that had already been architecturally and structurally designed by local studio Architects Ink, with many of the bigger pieces of furniture already bought.

Dining room with beige walls, high gloss cherry wood table, black dining chairs upholstered with yellow patterned fabric, striped artwork and red marble fireplace

"The super-high gloss table makes the centre of the dining space the focus, bringing people together around it, despite the very theatrical art," says Simone. (Image credit: Lillie Thompson)

"I approached it in the same way anyone might who was trying to update their home without totally overhauling it — looking for ways to add to the existing curations, to layer textures and patterns, not just to work with what I inherited with it, but to bring out a more artistic flavor," Simone says.

Library with mid green walls, green leather armchair, beige curtains and marble and brass floor lamps

"The library is only big enough for one person to sit in, so we made it really sumptuous to allow the owners to have some quality time by themselves," says Simone. (Image credit: Lillie Thompson)

Being a historic terraced house, this meant decorating with earth-tones, forging a chocolatey, mustardy palette that played into its coziness.

"These older houses are never light and bright, and while so many people paint them white to try to enhance what light they do get, I find that’s the wrong approach," says Simone.

"In fact, the quality of light that does filter in from the park nearby is really lovely, and while we didn’t want to go gothic, we also didn’t want to try to make it feel too light indoors, instead creating subtle moments that lift each room."

Staircase with black and white striped runner

"The stair runner was a beautiful addition, like having art on the floor," Simone says. "It felt in keeping with the clients’ already-modern approach to art." (Image credit: Lillie Thompson)

She says that the rug with gold flecks in it that she found for the living room felt like "a stroke of genius, the way those metallic threads catch the afternoon sun".

Bedroom with cream walls, teal upholstered bed and accent chair, sculptural chandelier, abstract black and white artwork and teal rug, with sculptural floor lamp

"It was all about getting the light right," says Simone of the main bedroom. "It had been lit by a trad crystal chandelier but the wall light has the most incredible glow." (Image credit: Lillie Thompson)

And, of course, there is the art, such as the Phantom mirror by Fiam at Fanuli above the fireplace in the living room and the graphic artwork by Caroline Walls in the dining room, both of which were already installed when Simone came on board.

Dressing room with wall bookcase displaying handbags with a long-pile sheepskin style accent chair

In the dressing room, "We added layering with carpet and wallpaper — the texture of the walls and the soft color make it a flattering space to do make-up in," says Simone. (Image credit: Lillie Thompson)

"I had to bond with them, to find ways to make them work," she says. "But now I see them as tone setters — you walk into those spaces, and instantly your shoulders go a little straighter, they make you sit up and pay attention.

Then you can relax into the earthy tones I’ve added in." It all adds up to the proverbial collar flick to a perfectly cut classic shirt.

Pip Rich
Executive Editor

The editor of Livingetc, Pip Rich (formerly Pip McCormac) is a lifestyle journalist of almost 20 years experience working for some of the UK's biggest titles. As well as holding staff positions at Sunday Times Style, Red and Grazia he has written for the Guardian, The Telegraph, The Times and ES Magazine. The host of Livingetc's podcast Home Truths, Pip has also published three books - his most recent, A New Leaf, was released in December 2021 and is about the homes of architects who have filled their spaces with houseplants. He has recently moved out of London - and a home that ELLE Decoration called one of the ten best small spaces in the world - to start a new renovation project in Somerset.