Inside Out, July 2017

Bright colour punctuates the minimalist makeover of a family’s unique period home in Melbourne WORDS & PRODUCTION CARLI PHILIPS STYLING RACHEL VIGOR PHOTOGRAPHY DEREK SWALWELL

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TOM DIXON ‘TANK’ LOW BALL GLASSES, SAFARI LIVING, SAFARILIVING.COM. COTTON THROW, SPACECRAFT, SPACECRAFTAUSTRALIA.COM. B&B ITALIA COFFEE TABLES, SPACE FURNITURE, SPACEFURNITURE.COM.AU

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cheat sheet Who lives here: Stay-at-home mum Tam Lasky; her husband, Wayne, who works at a funds management firm; their children, Zoe, 8; Frankie, 7; and Halle, 16 months; and schnoodle, Jess.

Style of house: A 1930s Spanish Mission-style house in Prahran East with a renovated interior, rear extension and upstairs addition.

The build spanned 18 months.

LIVING AREA The huge open-plan space was part of Tam (pictured) and Wayne’s brief, but it was a challenge finding a sofa to fill it. The B&B Italia ‘Tufty’ sofa fits the bill, with extra modules for comfort. A vivid Jacqueline Tiepermann artwork brings bold freeform colour to the mix with subtle tones via cushions from Safari Living.

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or years, Tam Lasky would drive by this

Spanish Mission-style house in Prahran East.

“I always cut through the street,” she says of the 1930s property in a quiet, leafy backstreet.

She loved the humble facade and could see the potential past its salmon-pink front. Tam and her family weren’t looking to move, but when she chanced upon a tiny ad in the neighbourhood magazine announcing that the deceased estate was for sale, serendipity stepped in. “We looked at it, loved it, and bought it,” she says. The whole street has a heritage overlay and the same elderly Italian couple had owned the house for more than 40 years, cultivating a beautiful garden full of fruit trees.

The interior was a different story though, and while the bones were strong, it was damp, musty and covered in flowered carpet.

Nevertheless, Tam set about making it livable until the time was right to renovate. The carpet was ripped up, the floor stained, walls painted white and a flat-pack kitchen installed as a temporary measure. The family lived there for three years before demolition and refurbishment began in early 2012. As the unofficial project manager, Tam worked closely with the builder, Team Building, and interior designer Davina Shinewell. Fresh from a stint in New York with design firm Yabu Pushelberg, Davina was Tam’s first pick for reviewing the space planning, joinery and furniture

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scheme. Close friends for more than 15 years, the two had shared bridesmaid duties, babysitting roles and even lived in the same street until Davina moved to Sydney mid-renovation. “We had a similar vision. She knows my colours and we had a lot of fun,” says Tam. The pair continued to send pictures to one another and met up for showroom visits in Sydney.

“Tam is firm and knows what she wants, but was open to new ideas,” says Davina. “The brief was for a minimal look with a comfortable feel. Tam and Wayne didn’t want to have a pretty picture of a home; they wanted it to be livable.” This involved choosing textures like Patricia Urquiola’s slouchy ‘Gentry’ sofa from Hub Furniture in a pacific blue and the big quilted B&B Italia ‘Tufty’ sofa in the living area. While white and children don’t normally go hand-in-hand, a paler palette didn’t concern Tam – she’d lived with “dreary, dark floors” in the past and wanted a lighter environment for her three girls. “So many people tried to talk me out of getting that light Elba marble on the kitchen island. They said ‘It’s the softest marble, it will stain, don’t do it,’ but we did and I’m so glad!” So far, Tam says that it has been surprisingly easy to keep clean. Throughout the house, storage is hidden behind seamless cabinetry and in the den and living areas, masterfully planned joinery ensures that all games and cords are neatly contained. In the dining room, a bespoke unit opens up to reveal a drinks cabinet with smoky glass and

an internal mirror positioned to reflect the garden through the windows. “There’s a place for everything,” says Tam. “The brief for a ‘light-filled blank canvas’ meant that colour could be introduced by way of homewares and art,” says Davina of the cushions, accent pieces and vivid paintings, such as the work

by Jacqueline Tiepermann in the living area. “The custom bed in the master bedroom was designed in a soft grey velvet to work with the subtle palette, which means that Tam can dress the bed in an array of coloured linens,” says Davina. Upstairs, the rumpus room and girls’ bedrooms are sweet and soft with powder-coated lavender furniture and in Frankie’s room, a green upholstered bedhead.

When an astronomical quote seemed to quash Tam’s plans for internal panelling, Davina came up with a more economical idea.

“There was all this leftover external cladding so we asked the builders why we couldn’t use it inside and just paint it white.

It had already been custom sized with a shadow so they were cutting it to size for weeks – needless to say, they weren’t very happy. It was a nightmare, but worth it!” Wrapping the downstairs bathroom and linen closet, the panelling creates a seamless wall so doors sit flush from floor to ceiling. “The idea was to create depth that was flat-walled throughout but also anchors the central core of the house,” says Davina. “I think it works really well.”

Get in touch with Davina at davinashinewell.com. Go to teambuild.net.au to find out more about the builder.

FACADE (opposite left) Homeowner Tam saw past the salmon-pink exterior, which was transformed with paint in Dulux Lexicon Quarter. Matt black detailing adds depth and interest.

ENTRY (opposite right & above) Zoe stands at the arched doorway.

Pale timber flooring creates a calming mood. A floating console visually increases floorspace, while the white Serge Mouille wall light draws attention to the striking Valerie Sparks artwork.

A peek into the master bedroom reveals a plush Arflex chair.

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“ The brief was for a minimal look with a comfortable feel.

Tam and Wayne didn’t want a pretty picture of a home; they wanted it to be livable”

10. Sitting room 11. Powder room 12. Butler’s pantry 13. Mudroom 14. Landing 15. Frankie’s bedroom 16. Bathroom 17. Halle’s bedroom 18. Zoe’s bedroom 19. Rumpus room

bright idea Hide clutter using built-in joinery. Here, a handy bar is tucked away behind cabinet doors in joinery

by Michael Schiavello.

When opened, an interior mirror is revealed to reflect the garden opposite.

TOM DIXON ‘TANK’ DECANTER, SAFARI LIVING, SAFARILIVING.COM

DAVINA SHINEWELL, INTERIOR DESIGNER

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1. Entry 2. Master bedroom 3. Walk-in robe 4. Ensuite 5. Laundry 6. Study 7. Kitchen 8. Living area 9. Dining area

KITCHEN (opposite) Tam and Wayne went with CDK Stone’s white Elba marble for a refined elegance in the kitchen. Hay stools create an eat-in spot, while white cabinetry provides plenty of storage. DINING AREA The Roll & Hill pendant light is a dramatic addition above the B&B Italia table and chairs from Space Furniture. Greenery and ceramics from Safari Living add texture.

TIMELINE 2009

Design drawings are completed. Some drawings are re-done to pass council approval.

2012 Feb The back part of the house is demolished and new foundations laid.

Oct Interior designer Davina Shinewell comes on board to work on the joinery, space planning and furniture.

2013 July The family moves back into the home. Some jobs still need to be completed.

August The finishing touches are completed.

LESSONS LEARNT “ NOT EVERYTHING GOES TO PLAN. YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT THINGS WILL CHANGE – JUST DON’T COMPROMISE ON QUALITY!” TAM LASKY, HOMEOWNER

The biggest challenge? “The company we bought our floorboards from was sold during construction and nobody was getting back to us. It was very stressful – especially as we had already paid for them.

We were left without part of the floor for a while!”

Anything you’d change? “Nothing major. We lived in the house before the renovation, which helped us determine the light and space needed for our family.”

Best surprise? “We tried to keep the pressed-metal ceiling and cornices in the entryway, but to transition seamlessly to the hall something had to give. In the end we gained 3.2 metre-high ceilings and kept the details in the front two rooms.”

SITTING AREA (opposite) A large House Of Orange rug adds warmth beneath a bright Moroso ‘Gentry’ sofa topped with a textural Cakebread cushion from Fenton&Fenton. ENSUITE (above) A floating vanity with mirrored cabinets echoes the cabinetry in the rest of the home, with Signorino Tile Gallery tiles adding texture. MASTER BEDROOM (left) A leafy outlook makes for a peaceful sleeping zone.

WALK-IN ROBE (right) Solid oak wardrobes keep clutter tucked away.

GUTTER CREDIT

April Wayne and Tam purchase the property.

May They undertake a cosmetic update, ripping up the carpet, staining the floorboards, painting and installing a flat-pack kitchen and bathroom.

2011

MOROSO ‘NET’ COFFEE TABLE, HUB FURNITURE, HUBFURNITURE.COM.AU. WHITE BIRD BOWL SCULPTURE (ON TABLE), EMMA DAVIES, EMMADAVIES. COM.AU. GREY CUSHION, SOUTH VILLAGE TRADING, SOUTHVILLAGETRADING.COM.AU. WHITE CUSHION, HOUSE OF ORANGE, HOUSEOFORANGE.COM. AU. BLACK-AND-WHITE ARTWORK (IN BEDROOM), KATI LANSELL, KATILANSELLARTIST.COM. ARTEK ‘E60’ STOOL, LUKE FURNITURE, LUKE.COM.AU

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5 GREAT FINDS

Dramatic pieces meet natural tones in this comfortable home. Add a hint of colour in the form of muted green and violet for a relaxed look

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Hartô ‘Gaston Wall Secretary’ desk, $1070, Clickon Furniture, clickon furniture.com.au.

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Fervor 2 limited-edition giclée print by Rowena Martinich, $925 (unframed), Greenhouse Interiors, greenhouseinteriors.com.au.

Hay ‘Dot’ cushion, from $170, Cult, cultdesign.com.au.

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B&B Italia ‘Tufty-Time’ sofa, from $20,366, Space Furniture, as before.

Artek ‘60 Paimio’ stool, $370, Anibou, anibou.com.au.

ADDITIONAL PRODUCT SOURCING: NATALIE JOHNSON. THROW (IN BEDROOM), SAFARI LIVING, SAFARILIVING.COM. LET’S FLY ART PRINT (ON SHELF), TIGEROY, TIGEROY.COM. BASKET AND THROW (ON DECK), SOUTH VILLAGE TRADING, SOUTHVILLAGETRADING.COM.AU. PLANTS, GLASSHAUS NURSERY, GLASSHAUS.COM.AU

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FRANKIE’S BEDROOM (opposite left) The girls’ domain is upstairs with all three bedrooms and a rumpus room.

A colourful Rowena Martinich artwork sets the tone in this space. ZOE’S BEDROOM (opposite right) A Hartô desk folds away to save space and displays treasured items. DECK The weathered Victorian ash timber deck by the pool has a relaxing feel when teamed with the Gloster sofa and blue Paola Lenti chair.