My Houzz: Family’s Lively Style Energizes a Beige Rental
Colorful art, mementos and thrift store finds turn a plain-vanilla Australian house into a family home
A low-maintenance house complete with all the conveniences of a new build can be a wonderful thing to experience. But for the Howards, the all-beige, newly built rental property that was to become the family’s new home was far from its first choice style-wise. However, once Eleesa Howard added her vibrant mix of vintage and crafty pieces, the house was transformed into a home that perfectly suits this busy, creative family.
After reluctantly agreeing to move in, Eleesa quickly saw the benefits of living in the newly built house, as it was easy to clean and well-heated and -cooled. But because it was a rental, the beige color palette couldn’t merely be painted over. So Eleesa decided to use the beige as a backdrop for the colorful decorative elements that represent her own personality and style.
“As a longtime renter, I can make any house my home,” Eleesa says. “I pop up my prints and add in my little collections, and five years later, we are still there!”
“As a longtime renter, I can make any house my home,” Eleesa says. “I pop up my prints and add in my little collections, and five years later, we are still there!”
One of the personal touches she added is this recycled-wood bench that husband Laurie made. It was intended for sale at the Howards’ new shop, Dorothybills, but when it was done, they decided they couldn’t part with it.
Dorothybills is named for Eleesa’s grandparents Dorothy and Bill, who instilled in her a love of vintage wares. The shop stocks locally sourced handmade vintage housewares, artwork, jewelry, books, cards and gifts.
Seen on the wall here is artwork from thrift shops mixed with new prints by Inaluxe, Studio Cockatoo and In My Backyard.
Dorothybills is named for Eleesa’s grandparents Dorothy and Bill, who instilled in her a love of vintage wares. The shop stocks locally sourced handmade vintage housewares, artwork, jewelry, books, cards and gifts.
Seen on the wall here is artwork from thrift shops mixed with new prints by Inaluxe, Studio Cockatoo and In My Backyard.
Eleesa was once the buyer and manager for Page 8, a shop in Mornington. There she acquired her collection of coffee table books and magazines, which she uses as decor around the house.
Eleesa describes her decorating style as “defiantly eclectic!” For her, the key is finding items she loves and making them work in her space. She follows the same rules when buying for the couple’s tiny store.
“I don’t really plan on designing my home, it just seems to evolve,” she says. “I find items I love, mostly at [thrift] shops, and mix them together. I find if you love something, you’ll find — or make — a space for it. I am constantly moving things around in the house.… I drive the family mad.”
“I don’t really plan on designing my home, it just seems to evolve,” she says. “I find items I love, mostly at [thrift] shops, and mix them together. I find if you love something, you’ll find — or make — a space for it. I am constantly moving things around in the house.… I drive the family mad.”
As in many family homes, the Howards’ kitchen is where all the action takes place. Blonde wood cabinets have been brought to life with a vibrant blue bench, another piece originally intended for Dorothybills. The bowl atop it was bought during Eleesa’s high school years. The orange jug (found on the side of the road) and beautiful gifted brown vase also help to enliven the space.
The top of the fridge acts as a display spot for more ceramics. Eleesa’s grandfather Bill was bathed as a baby in the blue and white bowl.
“Laurie says he really would love a minimalist house,” Eleesa says. “I just laugh, but I knew that he had the collector in him when he spotted a silver lamp around 16 years ago at a market. It is one of our favorite items that we bought together. It looks 1930s perhaps, and it always reminds me of the joy on his face when he spotted it.”
One of Eleesa’s favorite places in the house is the dining area. It’s used for family time as well as a quiet cup of tea. This is the most light-filled space in the house.
The outdoor space is a tiny courtyard off the dining area. Here, Eleesa has added low-maintenance plants to liven up the space and to give the family a view of greenery through the sliding glass doors.
The master bedroom is downstairs. It’s a combination of old and new, with gorgeous velvet Kip & Co pillows mixed with vintage quilts and pillows that Eleesa made. Mismatched wall decorations bring the bedroom’s style together, including a ceramic wall plaque that Eleesa’s grandmother Dorothy gave her when she was a teenager. It’s one of her most treasured possessions.
“I do love a story behind an item and can probably tell you where and how I came by everything in my home,” Eleesa says.
Eleesa studies interior design at her desk near the staircase.
The landing in the kids’ upstairs area is set up as a reading nook.
Nine-year-old Solomon’s bedroom features Star Wars decor, pizza-patterned sheets, a guitar and sports memorabilia.
Yoda print: Studio Cockatoo
A signed and framed Richmond Tigers 1973 collectible is Solomon’s most-loved possession. The Wild Thing print was found by his aunt at a market in Adelaide, and the vintage car belonged to Laurie.
Twenty-year-old Bonnie enjoys a more sophisticated style in her bedroom. She decorated it with favorite pieces, including artwork by A Mile in the Woods from Paper Empire and a wool wall hanging by Under and Over Design, which she found in Scout’s Honour, a store in nearby Dromana.
Bedding: Pony Rider
Bedding: Pony Rider
The home’s garage has been divided down the middle to become half workshop, where Laurie makes his creations for the store, and half living space, where 18-year-old Finn enjoys the semi-independence of having his bedroom outside the main home.
The garage is a great space for Finn to practice his music without too much disruption to the rest of the family.
The knight statue in Finn’s room is named George and was a gift from his grandparents. George’s belly holds two glasses and a bottle of whiskey.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Eleesa and Laurie Howard; their children, Bonnie, 20, Finn, 18, and Solomon, 9; and their dog, Alfie
Location: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia
Size: Four bedrooms (one in a converted garage), two bathrooms
The first thing that struck Eleesa Howard when she saw this house — one of the few on the market when the family was looking for a place to rent — was how beige it was. “Beige curtains, beige carpets, beige cabinetry, beige floor tiles” is how she describes the home.