Decorating Around the World: Easy Living in Australia
Indoor-outdoor living, mid-century accents and coastal touches exemplify design Down Under
I am a proud new mama in the process of creating a home I love on a tight budget, squeezing in design classes on the side. You can find me on my blog Lolalina (http://www.lolalina.com/), where I share inspiring interiors, design finds, cute baby pictures, and updates on my own progress in decorating my first house.
I am a proud new mama in the process of creating a home I love on a tight... More »
It's mid-winter in New England, and I am craving the sunshine and wide open space of Australia. Pulling ideas from sleek, architect-designed homes and bloggers' abodes with that personal touch, there is something to tempt every taste.
Come with me on this virtual tour of fresh, inspired homes from Brisbane to Melbourne, and be sure to check back for the next in this new series when we explore the creative flats of Amsterdam!
Come with me on this virtual tour of fresh, inspired homes from Brisbane to Melbourne, and be sure to check back for the next in this new series when we explore the creative flats of Amsterdam!
This coastal Sanctuary Cove home has a perfect balance of mid-century pieces and fresh handmade accents. A zing of lemon zest is just the thing to wake up an interior filled with warm woods and white, and a graphic print is always a welcome touch.
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Vibrant aqua paired with red, dark wood and hammered pendant lights makes a bold statement in this Port Melbourne kitchen designed by Camilla Molders. The large windows let in a flood of light from the gardens and beckon you to carry your meal outdoors.
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| Take a cue from Brisbane-based blogger Beach Vintage and frame a collection of vintage swimming costumes. It's quirky and charming and would certainly make any visitor smile! Or, put your own spin on it by framing whatever personal mementos you have on hand; matchbooks or coasters from vacations would have a graphic appeal when framed in a grid. Private Comment
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This Sydney home has that indoor-outdoor living thing nailed. French doors leading onto a patio? Check. Cool, modern seating, outdoor fireplace and spacious yard? Check, check and check!
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This Melbourne kitchen is a Mid-Century Modern lover's dream. Eames chairs, a marble-topped Saarinen dining table, and groovy wallpaper that echoes the design of the classic pendant light.
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| This porch in Sydney is so inviting, it makes me want to kick off my shoes and settle in with a stack of fresh design magazines and an icy drink. Private Comment
This is a simple look to recreate at home: collect a few vintage furniture finds (leaving some with worn wood and giving other pieces a lick of white paint), toss in a few striped cushions and a row of Ikea lanterns, and you are set! |
The beachy vibe continues into the bedroom of this Sydney home, with vintage trunks painted white standing in as a bedside table, a linen-covered director's chair, and old fashioned bedstead. Fresh flowers in a pitcher add a hint of color and create a welcoming mood.
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| Sydney-based architect Sam Crawford created a feeling of free flowing movement between indoors and out by installing a wall of windows and large open doorway in this home. And I love the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves with library ladder; what a great use of vertical space! Private Comment
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A view of the same home in the evening shows how the space flows seamlessly from one end to the other. The large, open area keeps from feeling at all cold through the use of chunky wooden beams, warm tones in the concrete floors, and aged brick on the exterior.
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| Secret Gardens of Sydney is a creative landscape design firm, and if you are looking for outdoor inspiration, their portfolio is a great place to start. Note how they have repeated the color from the flowers in the foreground in the striped cushions of the outdoor armchair above. I know I will be keeping this tip in mind while updating my porch this spring! Private Comment
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Paula Mills lives in a sunny Melbourne home filled with thrifty finds and handmade flair. I love the quirky mix in this dining room; from the vintage table and chairs to the eclectic art display, it is inviting and creative.
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| Every room in designer and blogger Vivian Mansour's Sydney home is covetable, but I am drawn to her kitchen most of all. The open plan, large windows, and lovely tile work create a clean, spacious feel, while the single wallpaper accent adds a playful note. Private Comment
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Julie of the lovely blog Olive & Joy is a new mom and online shop owner. I am completely smitten with Julie's home, which is located on the coast in Sanctuary Cove.
Her style runs towards clean Mid-Century Modern finds and graphic art, all kept within a fairly strict color palette of black and white, charcoal and lemon yellow. I love the vintage bus roll hung on the wall here!
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Her style runs towards clean Mid-Century Modern finds and graphic art, all kept within a fairly strict color palette of black and white, charcoal and lemon yellow. I love the vintage bus roll hung on the wall here!
That brings our tour of Aussie style to a close, but now I would love to hear from you.
Tell us: Which was your favorite space? What do you think of when you think of Australian style? Did you find any ideas here you would like to put to use in your own home?
Browse more Australian home design:
Sydney | Melbourne | Brisbane
More: 20 Spectacular Beach Houses
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Tell us: Which was your favorite space? What do you think of when you think of Australian style? Did you find any ideas here you would like to put to use in your own home?
Browse more Australian home design:
Sydney | Melbourne | Brisbane
More: 20 Spectacular Beach Houses
Comments
Love the turquoise kitchen. A welcome alternative to the often sterile designs we see over and over.
4 months ago ·
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PollyG says:
I loved the Camilla Molders Port Melbourne kitchen - its warm yet light, clean with a cottage yet modern feel. Meanwhile I would also like to have the kitchen chairs in the Sanctuary Cove house for their apparent comfortableness...
The wallpaper inside the shelves of Vivian Mansour's Sydney home, that would look great in any room.
The wallpaper inside the shelves of Vivian Mansour's Sydney home, that would look great in any room.
4 months ago ·
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marylouburton says:
BEACH VINTAGE LOL small, medium and large....definately could be vintage at my house. Just don't think I would want to portray them on the wall.
4 months ago ·
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Laura Gaskill says:
@ Juli & Paula Grainger - I usually go for white kitchens, but that turquoise kitchen is making me rethink things! :)
@ marylouburton - Ha ha! Too funny. :)
@ marylouburton - Ha ha! Too funny. :)
4 months ago ·
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Chelsea says:
Life is too short for "same ol same ol" in the kitchen. Why do people insist on white, neutral BORING kitchens ! I love this one in Melbourne. The colour and 'the heart' of it. Thank you for inspiring me.... I'm currently building my dream in the Aussie Bush, 10 mins from the beaches of the SUnshine coast and I am NOT going to be boring in my kitchen... bring on the colour!
4 months ago ·
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mjbevilacqua says:
im australian-i live in melbourne.
for me aussie style is about where ever you originally come from. because unless your indigenious, your family has come from eslewhere-and that affects our style choices. im 3rd gen aussie but i still lean towards my european style influences. i LOVE the mix being aussie means. oh and yes we love outdoor living!! that turquoise kitchen made me smile..ill never have boring white...NEVER!! ;)
for me aussie style is about where ever you originally come from. because unless your indigenious, your family has come from eslewhere-and that affects our style choices. im 3rd gen aussie but i still lean towards my european style influences. i LOVE the mix being aussie means. oh and yes we love outdoor living!! that turquoise kitchen made me smile..ill never have boring white...NEVER!! ;)
4 months ago ·
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Cynthia Taylor-Luce says:
I agree with the comments about the turquoise kitchen. What an inviting room. It makes the usual white kitchens, though beautiful in their own way, look soulless.
3 months ago ·
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