Houzz Tour: A Spacious, Light and Luxurious Home in Melbourne
This Australian holiday home fuses breezy coastal style with luxurious touches to create a laid-back family space
Interior designer Diane Bergeron had some convincing to do with this project – a weekend home for a large family who use the house year-round. The project architect had proposed a departure from a cosy coastal home: a slick interior with a glass staircase and contemporary furnishings. ‘But I told him, “The traditional bones are already there. Why tear them down?’’ she says. ‘It just made sense to work with the architectural bones of the house and go from there.’
Bergeron applied her design knowledge of traditional American coastal homes throughout the project. ‘They liked images of summer homes in the Hamptons and the warmth and airy feel of Californian coastal homes,’ she says. ‘So we opted for a soft, neutral base and layered on patterns and colour.’
The clients turned away from what a lot of people in these parts are doing: ‘Lots of ultra-contemporary houses with a glass-box architecture that would’ve certainly carried into the interiors and furnishings,’ Bergeron says. And did they like the final result? ‘My clients are used to nice surroundings,’ says the designer, ‘and they already have a great city home. But there were tears during the big reveal. They’re just in love with this house.’
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here This is a weekend home for Jack and Diane Gringlass and their four grown-up children
Location Mornington Peninsula, Melbourne, Australia
Designer Diane Bergeron Interiors
Design challenge Transforming a dark, lodge-like country house into an airy and bright coastal home
Bergeron applied her design knowledge of traditional American coastal homes throughout the project. ‘They liked images of summer homes in the Hamptons and the warmth and airy feel of Californian coastal homes,’ she says. ‘So we opted for a soft, neutral base and layered on patterns and colour.’
The clients turned away from what a lot of people in these parts are doing: ‘Lots of ultra-contemporary houses with a glass-box architecture that would’ve certainly carried into the interiors and furnishings,’ Bergeron says. And did they like the final result? ‘My clients are used to nice surroundings,’ says the designer, ‘and they already have a great city home. But there were tears during the big reveal. They’re just in love with this house.’
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here This is a weekend home for Jack and Diane Gringlass and their four grown-up children
Location Mornington Peninsula, Melbourne, Australia
Designer Diane Bergeron Interiors
Design challenge Transforming a dark, lodge-like country house into an airy and bright coastal home
A photo shot at sunset lets us see into the front-facing interior rooms of the house: three bedrooms, the study, a card room and a billiards room. Motorised Roman blinds can be controlled with ease for privacy.
John Himmel’s woven rope furniture adds richness, texture and warmth to the living room. A vintage Lucite coffee table doesn’t take attention away from the rich patterns of the window shades, upholstery and rug. Bergeron paired couture Quadrille China Seas fabric in the rope chairs with a striped cotton dhurrie, which ties the space together.
Floors: stained European oak; empire stools: Jonathan Adler; sofa: custom in camel linen, Diane Bergeron Interiors
Floors: stained European oak; empire stools: Jonathan Adler; sofa: custom in camel linen, Diane Bergeron Interiors
The designer loves the all-white walls and trusses. ‘The house used to be a bit dark and cabin-like, and now you feel as if the whole place is breathing, which is a quality I associate with Californian coastal homes or summer homes in the Hamptons,’ Bergeron says. ‘I’m happy this cosy coastal style has found its way here to Melbourne.’
Sofa: custom in cotton twill, Diane Bergeron Interiors; side table: vintage French; Roman blinds: custom, Diane Bergeron Interiors; pendant lights: Ralph Lauren
Sofa: custom in cotton twill, Diane Bergeron Interiors; side table: vintage French; Roman blinds: custom, Diane Bergeron Interiors; pendant lights: Ralph Lauren
Windsor chairs make a surprise pairing with a Lucite table in the games room. Lulu DK wallpaper swathes the walls and continues to the backs of custom shelving units, giving the space a harmonious flow.
A rustic farmer’s table from Boyd Blue surrounded by Windsor chairs adds warmth and contrasts with the all-white kitchen and metallic sheen of the fixtures and Ralph Lauren pendants.
See more white kitchens
See more white kitchens
Bergeron turned a mostly white and metallic powder room into a jewel box with art deco Scalamandre wallpaper in Zanzibar Gold.
‘If done right, layering on pattern and colour can add a lot of verve to a house without being garish or too over the top,’ says Bergeron.
Mirror: custom, Diane Bergeron Interiors
‘If done right, layering on pattern and colour can add a lot of verve to a house without being garish or too over the top,’ says Bergeron.
Mirror: custom, Diane Bergeron Interiors
Bergeron created a comfortable space by mixing vintage fabrics and furnishings with new décor.
Custom-stacked curtains and orange Roman blinds dress up the built-in bunk beds. An alpaca wool rug softens the crisp whites and tailored stripes of the bunks beds’ window treatments. Under-bed drawers keep guests’ things tucked away.
Check out more versatile bunk beds
Check out more versatile bunk beds
A home cinema hosts the entire family on movie night, with custom reclining chairs and equally luxurious chocolate brown linen walls. ‘A French artisan came in and stitched all the linen together by hand,’ Bergeron says. ‘It was an amazing process to watch and really adds this gorgeous, touchable quality to the walls.’
Discover how to host the perfect film night
Discover how to host the perfect film night
Grass cloth wallpaper in sage covers the study walls and pays tribute to the client’s love of green. A dark Roman blind adds a masculine touch. ‘He loves this room,’ she says. ‘It’s his little sanctuary within what’s already a calming weekend home.’
Wallpaper: Diane Bergeron Interiors; executive chair: vintage Eames; sofa: custom, Alan Campbell
What do you like about this home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Wallpaper: Diane Bergeron Interiors; executive chair: vintage Eames; sofa: custom, Alan Campbell
What do you like about this home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.