Welcome to my home
“We
wanted to create a home that looked cool but felt
in” loved and lived
THE PROPERTY
A three-bed detached modernist new build in Barwon Heads, near Melbourne, Australia.
THE VALUE
The land and build cost Aus$780,000 (£427,850). It’s now worth around Aus$1.9m (£1.04m).
Deciding to build a home and raise a family in the buzzy Australian coastal town of Barwon Heads paid off for Emma and Simon O’meara. Having spent 15 years as locals, they found a plot of land in 2011 and six months later were the proud owners of a striking modernist home.
‘I always knew I wanted a black house,’ says Emma.
‘It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I personally love a strong and dramatic exterior. It makes it really easy when giving directions on how to find us too!’
The large deck positioned off the kitchen, featuring low-maintenance succulents and native plants, is used all the time. ‘When the sun hits that deck of a morning, you’ll find me there with my magazine and coffee,’ she says. ‘It’s a great spot to chill out while the girls play.’
Emma has added colour to the backdrop of concrete floors and earthy cypress boards. ‘I love to pop just a little colour into a space, to make it come alive,’ she says. ‘Having chosen good basic materials for the house means I can change up the style with soft furnishings very inexpensively. I love investing in larger, more expensive pieces, but then equally I love finding a car boot sale bargain. It’s the mix that makes it interesting.’
Despite its summery beach location, the house works well in winter too, with a roaring fire in the living room. ‘Even though we love our house in summer, we still beachcomb throughout winter,’ says Emma. As strong advocates for building your own home, the pair would happily embark on another project. ‘We’d always lived in prebuilt structures – living with decisions that had already been made for us, or simply renovating an existing house,’ says Emma. ‘We found it incredibly liberating to have the final say over every single aspect of our home, and tailoring it to our exact needs.’
Dining area
White porcelain lights contrast with the black ceiling and allow the rug to dominate.
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Yolo walnut extending dining table, £899, La Redoute, has this look. Larger Goodhew pendant, £126, Pooky, is a similar style
“Our motto was to have room for a growing family, that still allowed each one of us space without being under each other’s feet”
Kitchen
A brightly coloured canvas by Ali Mcnabney-stevens decorates the wall. ‘I also love my pantry door painted in blackboard paint where I can write reminders,’ says Emma.
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Vitra Hal High bar stool, £264, Heal’s, is similar. For colourful artwork, try Los Angeles Fine Art Print, from £75, Kitty Mccall
“The black exterior was the first thing we decided on, while concrete floors and breeze blocks were materials we’d dreamed of using”
Living area
‘We love the finish of breeze blocks. They don’t show marks like painted walls, and come alive when a punch of colour is applied, like this canvas by Clare O’donoghue.’
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Rainbow ink colourful abstract canvas, £115, Surface View, would work here. Fairtrade recycled plastic basket, £15.50, RE Found Objects, is similar
Sun trap and decking
The late morning sun floods this part of the garden. ‘We use this space a lot,’ says Emma. ‘The kids can often be found out here, playing puzzles.’
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Try Driade Roly Poly armchair in Ochre, £422, Made in Design. Monks concrete plant pot, £155.99, Wayfair, is similar
Living area
A favourite spot to perch is on the dramatic concrete hearth. ‘The velvet mustard chair was a lucky second-hand find,’ says Emma.
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Baron armchair, £439.99, Woods Furniture, is a good match. Braida jute lampshade in Natural, £150, Vaunt Design, would work here
Living area
Floor-to-ceiling windows allow light to fill the room, while making the garden feel like an integral part of the styling. ‘The succulents and yuccas contrast well against the black exterior.’
BUY THE KEY PIECES Coffee table in resin and black, £215.50, Maisons du Monde, is similar
“I’m not sure I’ve aspired to any one style. I just collect pieces that speak to me, and that I know will work with what I already have”
WHAT I’VE LEARNED “We would take a little longer on the planning side. Although it was a seamless build that ran to schedule, I would have loved to have spent more time on the amount of light entering the house from the front”
Main bedroom
Black panelling echoes the exterior of the house, with brightly patterned bedding creating a stark contrast.
BUY THE KEY PIECES Try Scion Lintu Marina duvet cover, £52, Amara. Sunburst cushion, £25, John Lewis & Partners, is a good match. Edge Air bedside table in Black, £189, Royal Design, would work
Bedroom
Ginger loves her pretty and whimsical bedroom, which features handmade paper garlands.
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Wire cage novelty lampshade in Blue, £19.99, Wayfair, has this style. Party Pieces has similar paper lantern lights, from £2.99. Melissa metal bed frame, £124.99, Memory Foam Warehouse, is similar
Bathroom
‘We used wooden offcuts for the door knobs,’ says Emma. ‘They’re just long pieces of untreated scrap wood that were glued on but look very effective.’
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Pegase Grey terrazzo washbasin, £185, Tikamoon, has this look. House Doctor Kalyan stool, £55, Royal Design, would work here