hello.insiel@gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikayla-johnston-4796211b4/ @in.siel
MIKAYLA JOHNSTON
Mikayla Johnston is a Melbourne-based interior designer whose practice is rooted in soulfulness and presence. She explores how interiors can be felt before they are seen, creating spaces that invite stillness and emotional connection.
Balancing creativity with functionality, she ensures every project is both purposeful and enriching. Her ideas speak through colour and materiality, while adaptability guides her approach to spatial planning. Her work moves beyond surface-level wellness to embrace interiors as lived experiences shaped by daily rhythms and human rituals. Mikayla’s design identity unfolds at the intersection of artistry and humanity, crafting environments that are quietly powerful and deeply human.
REVIVAL
Revival is imagined as a site of healing. This is an interior that responds with care to both the emotional and spatial needs of its inhabitant. It is a gentle companion for the client, Eli Jensen, a landscape photographer who has chosen Bright as a place of permanence. So the residence embodies slow living and solitude, offering a quiet retreat where the rhythms of nature guide daily life.
The design takes its cues from the surrounding environment and shifting seasons, framing these landscapes as living artwork within the home. It is a retreat that listens; where walls and windows do not close off the world but instead frame it, honouring the mountains and the river. Natural materials like timber and stone form a grounded
palette that celebrates the notion of aging gracefully. The spaces are intentionally pared back to allow atmosphere, light, and views to become the focal points in order to encourage stillness.
Seasonal adaptability is important as the design acts as a cocoon in winter with warmth and intimacy; then opening to air and light in the summer, maintaining a close relationship with the outdoors.
More than a residence, the home is a sanctuary where solitude becomes restorative, and where design facilitates a deeper connection to Bright’s landscape.
Located in Bright, 43 Walkers Lane is the project’s site. Bright is a small alpine town in north-eastern Victoria within the Alpine Shire, known for its dramatic mountain landscapes and distinctive four seasons. The town has become a popular destination for both permanent residency and visitors/tourists drawn to its natural beauty; particularly in autumn when the town is alive with colour and celebrates the annual Bright Autumn Festival, as well as in winter when snow transforms the region. Walkers Lane is a quiet residential street that is still within reach of Bright’s centre township. The property is part of a neighbourhood of many lots with established vegetation which further embeds it within the natural environment.
Bright’s population is around 2,600 people (2021 Census). The community is characterised by a relatively older median age of 49, with many residents drawn to the town for its lifestyle and natural setting. Geographically, Bright lies in the Ovens Valley on the banks of the Oven’s River and Morses Creek, framed by the surrounding Victorian Alps. Key nearby landmarks include Mount Buffalo National Park, the Canyon Walk along Oven’s River and alpine destinations such as Mount Hotham, which support Bright’s reputation as a year-round destination for cycling, hiking and nature-based tourism.
LOCATION: 43 Walkers Lane, Bright VIC, 3741
SITE AREA: 3,476m²
TRADITIONAL LAND OWNERS: Dhudhuroa, Taungurung, Waywurru, Gunaikurnai and Jaithmathang peoples
LIVING AREA REVIVAL in.siel
DINING AREA & KITCHEN
REVIVAL in.siel
PRIMARY BEDROOM SUITE REVIVAL in.siel
PRIMARY BATHROOM REVIVAL in.siel
HOME OFFICE REVIVAL in.siel
OUTDOOR POOL REVIVAL in.siel
UPSTAIRS LOUNGE & BAR REVIVAL in.siel
SECONDARY BEDROOM REVIVAL in.siel
SECONDARY BATHROOM REVIVAL in.siel
ENTRY
GROUND FLOOR
1ST FLOOR
NEUTRAL
#b8b6a7
R184 G182 B167
C29 M23 Y33 K0
DARK NEUTRAL
#282b10
R40 G43 B16
C67 M57 Y84 K70
MAIN #ae6036
R174 G96 B54
C24 M68 Y87 K12
ACCENT
#a96260
R169 G98 B96
C29 M68 Y55 K10
MAIN #520006
R82 G0 B6
C41 M91 Y80 K64
THE BRIEF
The client seeks a permanent residence that will act as both a companion and a sanctuary, supporting the client’s life and work as a landscape photographer. More than a residence, the house is to be an environment that nurtures creativity, honours solitude and maintains a deep connection to the natural landscape of Bright, Victoria. The design should reflect the rhythms of slow living, offering spaces that encourage stillness and focus while also accommodating moments of gathering and connection.
The home’s interior is to feel consistently warm and welcoming. Natural materials are to be central to the palette, ensuring both a timeless look and durability. These materials should not be overrefined, but instead utlised for their textural appearance and ability to age gracefully. Light will be a key design element and must be used to frame views of the outdoor landscape like photo frames.
Therefore, the house must respond sensitively to the changing seasons of Bright. Summer should allow for openness and airflow, while winter must embrace cosiness and warmth. The interior should be adaptable, supporting the photographer’s work cycles.
The design must include framed views to the outdoors that treat the changing landscape as part of the interior experience. Windows should be carefully composed to highlight the beauty of Bright’s natural environment, allowing the client to feel connected to the land even while indoors.
The home is to balance solitude with connection. It will do this by offering private corners alongside shared areas where the client can welcome friends and family, or collaborators. Largely, this home is to be a tangible expression of the client’s values: warmth, focus and harmony with nature.
THE CLIENT
The client, Eli Jensen, is a landscape photographer whose. Having spent years travelling for work, Eli developed an intimate understanding of how landscapes shift over time and how these rhythms shape mood. Eli has decided to settle in Bright because they are drawn to the mountains and the shifting of seasons. Here, they desire a slower pace of life that contrasts with years of constant travel.
The site selected for this project is located near Oven’s River with views of the surrounding mountains. For Eli, this setting offers not only a visually rich environment but also a daily invitation to engage with the subtleties of nature. Eli values connection and greatly appreciates areas that allow for sharing meals and moments of togetherness.
The client aligns strongly with my design approach, which is shaped by slow living, sensory engagement and the creation of atmospheres that are felt before they are seen. Just as Eli’s photography captures the presence of landscapes, my design aims to extend this into the built environment.
Eli is therefore an ideal client for this project because their lifestyle and values directly mirror the intentions of my design formulae. Their emphasis on solitude and observation reflects my own interest in how interiors can slow time and create opportunities for deeper connections. The design for this home is not only about meeting practical needs but about creating an environment that embodies Eli’s philosophy of living and seeing.
All interior, rendering and graphic design by Mikayla Johnston. All rights reserved.