This was published 11 months ago
The smart Melbourne home making the case for a monochrome palette
A three-storey home gets a bright and stylish update.
By Heather Nette King
The home
A contemporary three-bedroom home built over three levels in Melbourne’s inner eastern suburbs.
Who lives here
Lynda Newton, director of Lynda Newton Design, her husband Paul, a chief financial officer, and their West Highland terrier, Fergus.
What we did
“In 2018 we gutted the interior, redid the kitchen and bathrooms and extended to create a dining room and a butler’s pantry,” says Lynda.
Our favourite room
“Paul loves the outdoor spaces and tending to the low-maintenance garden, and I adore being in the lounge, which is always bright and light, yet cosy with a fire burning in winter,” she says.
The ’hood
“We’re within walking distance of a few great shopping and dining strips and love Bistro Thierry, Firebird, Neighbourhood Pizza and Toorak Cellars,” says Lynda.
Future plans?
“With the home complete I’ll be adding to my collection of contemporary art, including a piece by Antoinette Ferwerda,” she says.
Best advice
“Don’t just choose things that are on trend,” says Lynda. “Aim for a mix
of vintage and contemporary pieces that really resonate with you.”
A space upstairs has become an indulgently large dressing room. “The design brief was to make it look unlike a wardrobe,” says Lynda.Credit: Armelle Habib
“I think it looks beautiful with the bi-fold doors open, displaying small artworks and vintage glass as well as the necessities,” says Lynda of this kitchen cabinet.Credit: Armelle Habib
The large, vintage, conical pots were found at garage sales and at Mark Denver antiques, and the chairs were a roadside find that Lynda had powder-coated.Credit: Armelle Habib
Lynda in her favourite room, the lounge. The view is from the mezzanine, which wraps around and overlooks the ground floor. The timber floors are European oak.Credit: Armelle Habib
The spacious main bathroom is directly off the bedroom. Terrazzo tiles are from Tiento Tiles. Artwork is by Tane Ozlu.Credit: Armelle Habib
“I went with a neutral paint colour for a timeless look and for flexibility to add colour with art and furnishings,” says Newton. The vintage Fler ‘Idler’ chairs are from Smith Street Bazaar and are re-covered in fabric from Motivo.Credit: Armelle Habib
“I wanted a black and white themed gallery wall in the powder room to complement the cabinets and the Filigrana Beehive pendant light,” says Newton.Credit: Getty Images
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