Above & beyond This contemporary family home built from the ground up overlooks Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula

A GORGEOUS CONTEMPORARY ABODE ON THE VICTORIAN COASTLINE OFFERS A RESTFUL RETREAT FOR A HARDWORKING COUPLE AND THEIR FOUR SONS

Working long hours running their own underground drilling business, homeowners Kelly and David wanted a quiet place to come home to. They also craved a view of their surrounds, looking out over Victoria’s Port Phillip Bay. So when a house became available four years ago further up the hill from where they were living with their children, Lachlan, now 22, Riley, 20, Kynan, 18, and Logan, 13, in a coastal town on Mornington Peninsula, the couple decided it was now or never. “It’s very hard for us to get away with our business,” says Kelly. “Instead of holidays we put our money into houses, but we were getting to the point where we’d had enough. We knew sooner or later we had to stop, settle down and stay in the one spot.”

In order to create a contemporary family home, different to anything they had seen or built before and one that fitted elegantly in with its surrounds, they engaged Rod Hannah, of Rod Hannah Design, and designer Kate Walker for the interiors. “This is the dream home,” Kelly says simply. “You can’t plonk any old house on the side of the hill with a view like that. You’ve got to do it justice.”

Built high on the block, the elegant abode features square picture windows throughout to soak in the surrounds, with a deck suspended above to evoke a tree-house vibe that works beautifully for the family of six. An external material palette of ironbark timber cladding and concrete render also allows the home to sit harmoniously with the gum trees while the interiors draw inspiration from the natural environment, with an earthy combination of European oak floors, textured woods and subdued tones of green and blue. The result is a chic and contemporary home that hits a unique note. “We wanted it to fit right in but be different,” explains Kelly, who has a close connection to the area, having grown up just around the corner. “It fits into the bush but it also has completely its own look.”

Inside, all family members have a place of their own, with the kids’ bedrooms on the lower level along with a living room and gym, while the upper level comprises the communal living areas and main bedroom. “We wanted it to be a home where we didn’t live on top of one another but where we could come together without feeling too separate … it’s just the right size,” says Kelly.

Moving in just before the pandemic hit has made the family appreciate their home all the more. “It’s such a beautiful, quiet place,” reflects Kelly. “The wildlife, the birds, the koala who lives in the tree down the road, the cicadas in summer, even hearing the ships going through – it’s a little hidden gem. And how does the couple feel these days after a day at work? “You walk in the door and the house just hugs you,” she says. “It’s so homely and it’s got such a warm feeling.”

EXTERIOR Kelly and David started landscaping as soon as they bought the property so the plants, including native rosemary (above left) would be established by the time they moved in. Meanwhile inside, the doors painted in Dulux Black Caviar play beautifully against the ‘European Oak Bridgeport’ floors from KWD & Co (left). “They are the most hard-wearing, amazing floors you have ever seen,” remarks Kelly, pictured left with Nigel. LIVING ROOM On movie nights, the family sinks into the comfort of the sofa (opposite). A glass sculpture (try

‘Arc #03 Set’ from Greenhouse Interiors for similar) adds artistic flair. >

outside in, “IT WAS ALL ABOUT BRINGING THE LIKE A GLORIFIED CUBBY HOUSE - NOTHING LOOKS LIKE IT’S OVERDONE” ~ KELLY

“WE HAVE A HOUSE FULL OF BOYS AND I’M NOT MUCH OF A GIRLY-GIRL MYSELF SO WE WANTED masculine A HOME WITH A look ABOUT IT” ~ KELLY

POWDER ROOM The home’s understated elegance continues even in the smallest of rooms (left). “Powder rooms can often be forgotten but we wanted it to be a highlight of the house,” says Kelly. Here, square ‘Zellige’ tiles in Grey Tones from KWD & Co are a quiet backdrop to the ‘Bjorn Oval Matte Black’ mirror from Mirror Mirror, Apaiser basin and ‘Liaison Long Pendant’ in Bronze with Crackle Glass from The Montauk Lighting Co. A ceramic vase from Marmoset Found filled with native blue-gum leaves brings in a burst of nature.

VIEW FINDER One thing was missing from the previous home Kelly and David shared with their sons Lachlan, Riley, Kynan and Logan on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. “It didn’t have the view we wanted,” recalls Kelly. That was enough to make the couple commit to building for the fourth, and likely final, time. After securing a hillside property with bay views for days and putting their heart and soul into creating the home of their dreams, the family can now enjoy a magnificent outlook from almost every room in the home. Whether gathering around the sofa (below, try the ‘Vista’ modular sofa from Jardan for similar), dining at the ‘Ethnicraft’ oak table from Globe West (matched elegantly with ‘Husk’ chairs from Zuster) or sipping wine at the bar table on the deck (get the look with the ‘Addis’ bar table with ‘Wye’ barstools from Cosh Living), there is no shortage of places to sit back, relax and breathe in the salty sea air. “The kookaburras sit in the tree right in front of us and go off, it’s amazing,” says Kelly. >

softening fabric A touch of softness goes a long way in functional spaces such as the kitchen. Here, floor-to-ceiling Nettex ‘Cannes’ sheer curtains in Pewter from Curtain Court filter light and add cosiness, and can then be tucked away to reveal the outlook. “It makes the room so soft and homely,” says Kelly. Visit curtaincourt.com.au.

KITCHEN, DINING & LIVING AREA Before meeting designer Kate Walker, Kelly was afraid to use colour throughout her home. However, after seeing the uplifting impact a splash of green here and a pop of orange there had on the interiors, she was sold. “I love the colour,” she says. “When I saw how they used it, I just wanted more.” In the living room (opposite), cushions by Bonnie and Neil and Tigger Hall Design turn up the dial on both style and comfort. The textured ‘Weathered SLAB’ cabinets from Farmers Doors painted in Dulux Black Caviar sit against the ‘Elba Marble’ stone benchtops and splashback in the kitchen, below, adding contrast and balance. ‘Katie Conical Pendants’ in Bronze from The Montauk Lighting Co offer an elegant and unobtrusive lighting solution, while ‘Vivid,’ an original artwork by Anna Cole, and pieces including a bright Le Creuset pot add a splash of colour to what is one of Kelly’s favourite spaces in the home. “We often sit at the bar with the windows wide open eating breakfast on a beautiful morning,” she says. >

BATHROOM On the lower level of the home, Kelly wanted the bathroom, used by her four sons, to have a neutral appeal. “It needed to be not too girly but not too boyish, either,” she says. Olive green 75mm x 150mm ‘Airdrie’ subway tiles combined with 400mm x 400mm ‘Terrazzo Belfast’ floor tiles from KWD & Co and a Laminex ‘Elegant Oak’ vanity with Caesarstone ‘Raven’ benchtop nail the brief. The ‘Etta’ organic cotton bath towel from Mookah and a ‘Cylinder Vase’ by Iggy and Lou Lou from Greenhouse Interiors also add a not-too-feminine touch.

RILEY’S BEDROOM The one thing Riley really wanted for his bedroom was dark walls, so Kelly opted for Porter’s Paint Atlantic to set the moody and oceanic tone for the room. “There is plenty of light pouring in so it doesn’t feel too dark,” says Kelly. A palm-tree print from Coastal Living ups the beach vibes, while a colourful throw (try the ‘Casa Linen Throw’ from Città for similar) creates a welcoming feel. >

BUILDING DESIGNER Rod Hannah, Rod Hannah Design, rodhannahandassociates.com.au. BUILDER Graham Gower, Working Dog Construction, wdconstruction.com.au. INTERIOR DESIGNER Kate Walker, KWD, katewalkerdesign.com.au. MAIN BEDROOM A floor-to-ceiling glass wall and the scenery beyond is a show stopper in Kelly and David’s bedroom. “We leave the curtains open and can see the bay, the stars and the lightning storms,” says Kelly. Key pieces to imbue comfort and style include a custommade bed with leather insert by Sorrento Furniture and timber bedside tables and white lamps from Coastal Living. Softness comes courtesy of bed linen from The Sheet Society, cushions from Bonnie and Neil and a ‘Masala’ wool throw from Mookah, which reflects the earthly surrounds.