Bonnie and Neil of Bonnie and Neil!
The colourful Brunswick cottage of Bonnie Ashley and Neil Downie of Bonnie and Neil. LOVE Bonnie's amazing vintage tapestry wall! All photos by Armelle Habib, styling by Lucy Feagins and Bonnie Ashley.
Dining details - close up of the amazing Tapestry wall! Also one of Armelle's signature overhead shots(!) - handcrafted coffee table by Neil Downie, plywood placemat by Bonnie and Neil, handpainted ceramics by Bonnie! All photos by Armelle Habib.
Dining room. All photos by Armelle Habib.
Today I am super excited to share a gorgeous local home I have been chasing for some time - the colourful cottage of Brunswick-based design duo Bonnie & Neil!
Bonnie Ashley and partner Neil Downie have lived here for around 7 years - that makes these guys true Brunswick veterans! Given their design credentials - Bonnie as a textile designer and screenprinter, and Neil with his handy carpentry skills, it's not surprising this creative couple have made a few cosmetic changes to their place. When they first moved in Bonnie says 'every surface in the whole entire house was covered in pale blue paint - skirtings included... oh and the bathroom AND kitchen were bright yellow/electric blue. So gross!'. Needless to say, they re-painted! The house also needed re-stumping, and a new kitchen was installed.
Bonnie says the attraction of this house initially was it's amazing light and beautiful established trees, including large jacaranda, fig and olive. 'Plus we love Brunswick!' Bonnie adds! I shall try to maintain some kind of impartiality here but you know being a fellow Brunswickian I can only share Bonnie's enthusiasm for this much loved and ever eclectic Northside suburb!
Favourite household possessions for Bonnie include her impressive tapestry collection, brilliantly displayed on one entire wall of the dining room. Artwork by Sally Smart, a close friend, is another fave - I was seriously impressed by this one! Paintings from Bonnie's Grandmothers house, and furniture Neil has made over the years also score a mention :)
Massive thanks to Bonnie and Neil for sharing their home with us, and for generously feeding us Phillippa's pecan brownie during our shoot! Thanks also and to Armelle Habib for coming down at the drop of a hat, photographing the home for us and turning the shots around in record time! Thanks Armelle! So speedy!
Loungroom details. LOVE that cushion! (We still have a few available online at TDFOH until end of this week !)
Loungeroom details
Sally Smart original artwork in the loungeroom - tres posh!
Mantle details
Loungeroom details - gorgeous rug!
Bedroom, showcasing Bonnie & Neil's stunning shadow boxes on the wall
Bonnie & Neil's shadow boxes
Bedroom and one of my favourite spring flowers - gorgeous DOGWOOD (in season now!)
Guest bedroom details. Cockatoo lamp from Bonnie & Neil
Gotta love a man who lets his wife paint the front door pink!
Back patio details
