It was with a certain level of trepidation that I photographed the insanely cool home / workspace of Shauna Toohey and Misha Hollenbach (aka Perks and Mini) a few weeks ago, because I am very conscious that many of you will already have seen this house earlier this year on The Selby!! Agh! Oh well. Couldn’t possibly compete with the Selbs, but brand new shots have gotta count for something, I hope!? (do pop over and check out The Selby pics for the gorgeous shots of 2 yr old Odette though!)
Shauna and Misha originally bought this amazing 3-storey building in Cremorne as an empty shell just over 5 years ago, and commissioned Melbourne architect Kerstin Thompson to fitout the interior. ‘She did an amazing job!’ say Shauna – ‘we have a small tatami area which opens onto a balcony…..amazing!’. The result is an incredible multi-purpose space with three distinctly separate zones – the lower level is PAM warehousing / Misha’s art studio, middle level is PAM head office, and the top level (with the BEST views) is Shauna and Misha’s 1.5 bedroom apartment – the .5 is Odette’s bedroom!
OK so clearly, pictures speak a lot louder than words – and you don’t need me to tell you how freaking amazing this house is! SO SO AMAZING! The versatile layout of the space and those incredible views really make it unlike any home I’ve ever photographed. But as is so often the case, what really makes this home super special is Shauna and Misha’s amazing collection of stuff. I have truly never seen such cool stuff. It’s like a trend forecasting meets home decoration. Seriously.
Shauna’s favourite thing in the whole house is their growing art collection. Pieces by Claes Oldenburg, EYE Yamantaka, Chris Johanson, Rita Ackermann, and Jake Walker are prized possessions. There’s also a new collaborative painting by between Odette (2) and Shauna (pictured below) – which of course is Misha’s favourite….!
Shauna also loves the eclectic, creative neighbourhood – Cremorne is that small pocket squished between Church st, Richmond and Punt rd, where boutique industry meets tiny workers’ cottages, and little coffee shops are scattered all over the place to service all the buzzing businesses popping up in the area. Shauna also recommends some fab new eating spots which are closeby – Union Dining, Noir, and Demitris Feast, next time you’re in the area!
Shauna and Misha do have a very special reason to share their amazing pad with us today… after 5 years here, this creative little family have outgrown their much-loved space, and are looking to lease it out! If you or someone you know is looking for a unique home / creative workspace combo, email Shauna soon! A home like this really deserves someone special. And ultra cool :)
Massive thanks to Shauna T for sharing her home with us! Also big thanks to the very lovely Beci Orpin for the tip-off. I do love a good tip-off.