Home design:
My Kitchen Rules guest judge Darren Robertson and his partner Magdalena Roze have created a relaxed beachy sanctuary, finds Hande Renshaw.
a beachy, tropical-style sanctuary
Creating a home wasn’t a task Magdalena Roze took on lightly. The Australian media personality and former TV weather presenter went to great lengths to create a beautiful, simple and considered space for her family – My Kitchen Rules guest judge Darren Robertson and their 14-month-old son, Archie. The couple purchased the home just over a year ago, in the height of summer, when Magdalena was 39 weeks pregnant.
“I’ve heard of so many couples renovating and buying a home around the same time – it must be the primal ‘nesting’ thing,” says Magdalena.
The two-level, three-bedroom home is in Byron Bay, New South Wales, where Darren co-owns the Three Blue Ducks restaurant.
“There’s something magical about this place that draws you in – the connection with food, nature and the land, the beaches, community, as well as the nourishing lifestyle,” says Magdalena.
Fortunately, the home was in great condition when the family moved in, having been renovated a few years earlier. “There was a lot to do interiors-wise to make it our own, but it was all cosmetic,” she says.
The couple painted the dark floorboards white, installed plantation shutters and added linen curtains.
“We did a lot of work to the kitchen, which is a focal point for us – the original kitchen was completely brown and blue,” says Magdalena.
They retiled the kitchen walls with white subway tiles, added a recycled timber shelf, painted the cabinets white and replaced the stainless-steel handles with recycled timber. “We wanted to use lots of white mixed with timber and hanging plants for an earthy and fresh feel,” she says.
The kitchen best encapsulates Magdalena’s clean and relaxed style, and is where she perfected her recipes for her book Happy and Whole.
“I am clearly in complete denial that I have a baby and surfer partner, with all the white in my house!” she says.
“Surrounding yourself with things you love, like plants, or creating a nook with a lovely cushion for reading, is enough to create space for a moment of happiness every day.”