KERRIE & SPENCE

Apartment 1

The South Australian pair created a very conventional retreat within their ‘corporate chic’ living area. The TV, located behind the sofa in the far left-hand corner, is almost a forgotten element as the orientation of the room is geared towards conversation. This can work well in a home, but you do need the option to sloth it out and indulge in a bit of binge-watching every now and then. The dining area design was near perfect, with a luxuriously bold table in stained black timber and elegant, emerald-green velvet chairs adding a vibrant touch. The living room had a very constrained feel, and the judges scored the couple quite low, blaming the stiff lounge area and the 1990s-esque styling, but the couple bounced back, injecting plenty of character and fun through bold, colourful and playful artworks. The hero of the space is definitely Spence’s meticulously hand-crafted coffered ceiling, which presents an unmatched level of finesse.

What works: Kerrie and Spence have a fine eye for detail, and it shows in every room they present. Here, the living space encourages interaction by virtually ignoring the TV, and a recessed electrical outlet in the floor is a great solution to messy floor lamp power cords. It’s a streamlined look with no eye-catching faults.

My hero: After a scalding from the judges, Kerrie splashed out on an original Joan Blond artwork, Daybreak at the Oasis, which is a whimsical play of colour and contrast. A vibrant take on life and nature, this piece lifts the look and brings the level of homeliness that the space originally lacked.