The East Hawthorn Warehouse of Lynda Newton and family – all photos by Rebecca Newman

Industrial details

Simple, stylish crisp white bedroom.

LOVE the rustic detail in this bedroom shot!  Lynda was actually keen for us to crop out the couch (in need of re-upholstery) but Lynda please forgive me I have left it in because I love it!   Brilliant eye-catching stripes in this white on white space.  Photography – Rebecca Newman.

Until seeing shots of Lynda Newton’s amazing warehouse conversion, I must say I would never have expected to see a family of four living in a NYC-style loft apartment in East Hawthorn!  Just goes to show what I know!

This is the beautiful home of Lynda and Paul Newton, their grown-up kids Tom (21 yrs) and Kat (19), Westie the west highland/canne terrier and Jack the ginger cat!   The busy Newton family have been here for just one year after lengthy renovations, but not surprisingly, they already feel right at home – in fact Lynda says Tom and Kat (both at uni) and have no intention of moving out – ever!  Perhaps it’s the lofty proportions, walk in robes, and private ensuite bathrooms keeping them here!  Sounds like a pretty good deal to me!

Lynda’s family rented for almost a year whilst builders gutted and renovated the enormous space. Internals were ripped out, steel girders were craned in to support the mezzanine, new walls erected, ceilings removed to expose beautiful original oregon beams and trusses, and a glass courtyard was added, along with new front porch entrance.  Whilst Lynda and Paul did enlist an architect for initial designs and plans, they then project managed the entire build themselves… jeepers creepers.  If  Grand Designs is anything to go by, that’s a big job for two busy working parents!

Lynda is a creative force from way back, having worked  for 10 years with Sheridan Australia as a visual merchandiser.  These days Lynda juggles freelance visual merchandising, consultations in home decoration and design, and her womens resortwear line Kitty Kat Design – which sees her travel to Indonesia twice a year to design and manufacture the range.  Lynda says she’s always had a passion for retail, clothing, homewares and design – she feels lucky now to have rolled all this into one very busy schedule!

Huge thanks to Lynda and family for sharing their unique family home with us!

*A note on the photography – all photos in this post were taken by the very talented Rebecca Newman, who I have enlisted on an occasional basis to take lovely photos for The Design Files!  Bec is a Melbourne-based photographer specialising in portrait, interior and landscape photography. After returning from a year in South America, she is currently assisting some of Melbourne’s top photographers whilst establishing her freelance photography business.   Outsourcing rocks.  Thanks Bec!

Kitchen / dining, and a special mention to Loom for that gorgeous patchwork Kilim rug!  (Does every house in Melbourne have a Loom rug  in it, or just all the ones I feature!?)

details details…

Outdoor details

Warehouse exterior