DAWN TO DUSK

"ONCE YOU’VE MET SOMEONE, YOU NEVER REALLY FORGET THEM. IT JUST TAKES A WHILE FOR YOUR MEMORIES TO RETURN."

- SPIRITED AWAY, STUDIO GHIBLI

 

A SOFTLY TEXTURED, LAYERED HOME NESTLED ON THE NORTHERN BANKS OF THE MERRI CREEK, MELBOURNE

With a palette of rendered gentleness, the language of colour and detail is revisited in each room, leading to a meandering sense of discvoery and a luxurious invitation to self care.

Home to a creative mum and her teenage son, this Californian bungalow had undergone an unsympathetic double storey post-modernist extension, leaving it feeling cold, masculine and strangely voyeuristic (hello glass wall to ensuite!). Engaged initially to furnish and decorate the interiors, the scope of works expanded to the redesign of all bathrooms, laundry and bespoke joinery, complemented by the curation, and styling of the entire home.

Inspired by the evolving landscape on the train journey in Studio Ghibli's legendary film 'Spirited Away', the home meanders from a dynamic, eclectic family room onto a pastel, dreamscape bathroom; across a serene open-plan living zone and upwards into the textured, sensory clouds of the main bedroom suite as dusk settles for the day.

The hand of the local maker can be felt in all touch-points of this renovation - curved rendered walls complemented with handmade tiles, custom mirrors, raw brass and mineral-rich stones. Mindful of waste, we resurfaced the kitchen and select wardrobe joinery and updated the hardware to be custom brass handles.

Dip-dyed curtains, hand painted wallscapes and touches of hollywood glamour add a grounded luxury to these immersive, lush spaces. 

COLLABORATORS

DESIGN TEAM: KIM KNEIPP, PAIGE RHODES
LOCATION: FITZROY NORTH, VICTORIA
YEAR OF COMPLETION: 2023


BUILDER: FRIZCO SHOPFITTING
JOINERY: MR JOINERY
PHOTOGRAPHER: LISA COHEN

A table with a black and beige striped surface holding a bouquet of purple flowers, a stack of books including 'bauhaus', a small candle, a black bowl with chalk or sticks, a seashell bowl with various seashells, a blue glass vase, and a green-covere
A bar of soap in a small decorative bowl on a gray stone countertop with a textured towel hanging on the drawer handle.
Close-up of a modern green cushioned window seat with a cylindrical pillow, wooden and metal accents, and a window overlooking a garden.
Interior bathroom vanity with a marble countertop, a green bowl sink, a pink flower vase with peonies, a pink perfume bottle, a wall mirror, and built-in wall shelves with decorative bottles, one pink and one green, and a round wall light.
Interior of a cozy dining area with a marble-top table, two wooden chairs with cane backs, one with a sheepskin seat cover, a large vase with greenery, and a wall-mounted shelf with bottles and decorative items. There is also a modern chandelier with
A flower arrangement with green leaves and purple flowers on a small pedestal, with a pink face sculpture mounted on the wall behind them.
Close-up of a pink bed with textured bedspread and a pink pillow against a pink wall.
Open bathroom drawer with jars and items inside, next to patterned bathroom floor and tiled wall.
Pink bathroom wall with built-in shelves holding soap bars and a soap dispenser, featuring a brass faucet handle.
Bathroom vanity with a green vessel sink, gold faucet, pink peonies in a dark green vase, a perfume bottle, and a mirror with a pink backlit LED frame. There are small shelves with toiletries on the right side.
A small kitchen workspace with a peach-colored counter and pink backsplash, with bottles of cleaning products and a wooden brush on the countertop, partially visible door with pink and green knobs.
Decorative shelf corner with a brown vase and white flowers, a small teacup, and a bowl on the wooden countertop below. Two books are on the shelf to the right.
Interior decor with pink and brown color scheme, a marble top sideboard, decorative pink flower in a white vase, and pink curtains.
A wooden shelving unit with geometric-patterned storage boxes and drawers, and a wall sconce in the background.