Cool & calm
White floors, grey ceilings and vintage furnishings combine in this ever-evolving home on Sydney’s northern beaches
EASY STYLE This renovated home, shared by fashion creative Liz, her partner Mitch and her sons Dylan and Casey, is a celebration of coastal life. The living area (this page) features seating and a coffee table, all from MCM House, with vintage oars. “I found them at a local store that sells pots and cactus and decorator items,” says Liz. “They were the owner’s personal item, and I asked if she would part with them – and she did!” The ceiling in Dulux Accord is a consistent element throughout. “There was nervousness that it might close the ceiling in, but it looks amazing,” says Liz. Dulux Lexicon Half was used for all the walls and Dulux Vivid White for the timber floors. A dining table on the front porch (opposite) offers one of many entertaining spaces. >
relaxed vibe. “I’M ALL ABOUT A I THINK THAT IS DEFINITELY A CROSSOVER FROM MY FASHION STYLE TO MY LIFESTYLE” ~ LIZ, HOMEOWNER
The ever-enduring tone of this sun-soaked bungalow on Sydney’s northern beaches is set by a punchy Blacklist Studio artwork that hangs in the main entry. Titled Family Mantra, the wording on the print commences, ‘This is us. We are bold & strong – loyal and loving to all.’ Liz, owner and CEO of fashion label One Teaspoon, saw the piece online and knew it had to feature in the household she shares with her partner, Mitch, and her sons, Dylan, 19, and Casey, 18. “I love to have pieces like this, to remind us of what is really important,” says Liz.
While their home is a stylist’s dream, with gallery-white floors, grey ceilings and a confident blend of styles, how it makes everyone feel is what really counts. “I’m not OCD about the presentation of the house,” says Liz. “It’s where we relax and hang out. It’s here to be lived in.”
Since buying the Seventies-era property in 2004, she has worked on a series of updates to make the spaces more family friendly. The most significant occurred in 2010, when the layout was reinvented for enhanced indoor/outdoor living, to make the most of the corner block location and a sun-trap of a north-facing backyard. “We decided to put a new roof on the house that would extend out over the new wraparound porch and expanded living areas,” says Liz.
In 2018, the family decided on another refresh. “We wanted more of a sophisticated space that reflected how we spend time together as adults,” says Liz. Decking was added to connect the home to the back studio (now Dylan’s pad), the pool area received a facelift and a fire pit and outdoor shower were installed.
The interiors also received a shake-up, guided by Sally Rhys-Jones of Rhys-Jones Interior Architecture. “We have known each other for 20 years, so Sally really understood my aesthetic,” says Liz. The result is a little bit coastal with a lick of rock-and-roll and a dash of refined country, injected with pieces that she treasures. “Luckily, most of my vintage pieces look refreshed,” she says. “I’m not a hoarder, but if you have a meaningful piece, you can make it work by giving it a new spot.”
Liz approaches interior design the same way she tackles fashion and life – trusting her instincts and collaborating with like-minded people. The outcome says it all. “I don’t overthink it,” she says. “It’s more about how you feel, and that’s whether it’s with clothes or your home life.”
KITCHEN “Liz wanted the kitchen to be striking in black and white, but not boring or stark,” says interior architect Sally. The engineered stone of the benchtop and splashback (‘Statuario Venato’ by Smartstone) “gives the look of the marble without the upkeep”, adds Sally. Custom cabinets by Captive Cabinet Making are finished in Dulux Lexicon Half, with Hepburn Hardware ‘Sydney’ handles. Old stools were sprayed in Dulux Black to match the barn doors while Liz (pictured opposite, with Texas the groodle in her former studio, now son Dylan’s room), continued to use her creativity to keep things sustainable and fashionable in this spot. The couch here was reupholstered in denim offcuts sourced from her fashion label One Teaspoon. “We recycle old jeans and cut them into shorts, so the legs are then left over,” says Liz. “I had them made into this sofa cover to not waste the leftover fabric – and they also look super-cool!” A rug by Art Hide adds warmth. >
striking contrast “I LOVE THE OF THE HOME. IT’S UNAPOLOGETIC!” ~ SALLY, INTERIOR ARCHITECT
ENTRY A vintage cane chair found on eBay and a faded flag-motif cushion (for similar, try Coco Republic) sit by a healthy prickly pear in a basket from Freedom (top left). The framed artworks are vintage photos Liz bought in Byron Bay, while, nearby (above left), the Family Mantra print by Blacklist Studio hangs above a sideboard sourced on eBay. DINING AREA Ornate cornices imbue a polished look (top right & opposite) and draw the eye to the grey ceiling. Liz has a confession about her ‘Global’ oak dining table and ‘Maki’ ash chairs, all from MCM House. “They rarely get used!” says Liz (although it appears Texas, pictured above right), remains hopeful. “We always entertain guests in the outdoor living space.” The ‘Corbelle’ pendant light is from Beacon Lighting.
LIVING AREA A peace sign from Mark Tuckey and coral once owned by Liz’s mum adds texture (above right). >
change things up “IT’S GOOD TO AT HOME. YOU DON’T NECESSARILY HAVE TO REPLACE EVERYTHING TO GET A NEW LOOK”~ LIZ, HOMEOWNER
very settled “I FEEL WHEN I AM AT HOME. WE CAN HAVE OUR OWN SPACE, AND THEN COME TOGETHER WHEN WE WANT” ~ LIZ, HOMEOWNER
MAIN BEDROOM
Liz and Mitch’s bedroom (opposite & below) features a linen headboard from Create Estate, ‘Molly’ bedside tables from MCM House and a textural cotton pendant light. Gypsy the spoodle is often found in front of the ornate mirror (try Maison Living), on his custom-made patchwork denim dog bed.
CASEY’S BEDROOM
In a clever hack by Liz, a coffee table top from MCM House became a rustic headboard in her son’s room (right), while the artwork by One Teaspoon adds a monochromatic edge.
BATHROOM
A facelift of the original bathroom produced a fresh look (far right). The key additions were cabinetry by Captive Cabinet Making, Hepburn Hardware handles and a tap from Phoenix Tapware. >
DECK
Tailor-made for year-round relaxation and entertaining, the deck by the pool captures the sunshine and ocean breezes that kiss the corner block. “Who doesn’t want to feel like they are on holidays even when they are at home!” says Liz. Daylight bounces off hardwood decking painted in Dulux Vivid White, while a ‘Cannes’ outdoor sofa set from Freedom is the preferred location for coffee in the morning and sundowners as evening falls.