Coastal Homes
Melbourne stylist Kim de Winter wanted a beachy bolthole but wasn’t sure where to look, then a friend suggested Blairgowrie…
Blairgowrie is a rare gem on the Mornington Peninsula, directly across Port Phillip Bay from Melbourne. Only 87km but a world away from the city’s busyness, the area is known for its rocky outcrops and deep natural pools, all that remains of an ancient volcano. Over the years it has attracted many artists and creatives, among them interior designer and stylist Kim de Winter and her family: husband Peter and children Sacha, 24, Luke, 22, and Isabella, 17.
Their discovery of the region was a complete fluke. “Peter and I were having lunch with friends one day in 2013 when Blair gowrie was mentioned,” says Kim. “One of the couples described this beautiful strip of land that had the bay to one side and the beach on the other. We drove up and looked at five houses in one afternoon – this was the one we fell in love with.”
The house they chose was a three-storey ‘beach shack’ built in the 1960s. It came with 2000m2 of land on a sloping block, an established garden on one side and room for a pool on the other. Five bedrooms gave them one extra to turn into a new ensuite bathroom. As well as reworking the floor plan a little, their renovation (by Sorrento-based S Smith Builders) called for new flooring, bathrooms and a fireplace. Kim had a clear design in mind: “The house is clad in timber and surrounded by large, drooping moonah trees so we wanted a beachy theme. I chose colours from nature and used timber and rattan throughout.”
Post-renovation, the house delivers relaxed family living on three levels: the main lounge and main bedroom on the ground, the kitchen and dining upstairs, and the kids’ bedrooms on the top level – with their own living space and bathroom. “We call it the kids’ retreat,” says Kim. “When Peter and I go to the house alone, we don’t ever need to visit the third level.”
Early in her career, Kim worked in retail design, before moving into hotels and residential projects while living in Tokyo, Singapore and London. Her children were born overseas but have lived back in Melbourne with Kim and Peter since 2008. These days, Kim does a lot of editorial styling and is renovating a London apartment remotely, with the help of a UK project manager.
This means the downtime Kim and the family spend at their holiday home is precious. “As we enter the house, my whole body goes into ‘relax’ mode,” she says. “I’ve made the living room especially comfy, with extra-soft sofas and loads of cushions and throws. It also has windows on three sides so it takes in the beautiful greenery outside.”
Myles Broad from Eckersley Garden Architecture was behind the garden design. “He helped find the best location for the pool and loggia, and made the area work just as we had dreamed,” says Kim .“Now the pool and drive way are complete, we’ ll entertain a lot more. We can’t wait to have parties this summer.”