Vanessa Partridge of Prunella
Homes
11th April, 2012
The Kyneton home of Vanessa Partridge. Photo – Nik Epifanidis.
Kitchen looking out onto garden and rambling hills beyond. Photo – Nik Epifanidis.
Kitchen / deck details – love those fab mosaic tiles! Photo – Lucy Feagins, styling assistant – Marni Kornhauser.
Dining to pantry. Photo – Nik Epifanidis.
I went for a little daytrip to Kyneton recently and I must say although it is teeny tiny there are some seriously gorgeous places and talented people squirrelled away up there! Quite a few creative Melburnians seems to be moving out this way in search of a tree change and more relaxed way of life – I think they might be on to something! If you’re in Melbourne, I definitely recommend a little daytrip… only an hour and a half from the city, it really does feel a million miles away.
One clever Kyneton local is Vanessa Partridge, who left a career in PR in Melbourne to move here four years ago, and has since established her wonderful floristry business, Prunella, with business partner Caris Haughan. Vanessa lives in this beautiful Victorian farmhouse with her new husband (of two weeks! – congrats!) Richard, their two cats Oscar and Little Kitty.
The move to Kyneton wasn’t such a big decision for Vanessa and Richard. Whilst living in St Kilda, the pair visited Kyneton one weekend to meet friends for lunch at much-loved local eatery Annie Smithers, and the seed was sown. ‘We thought Kyneton was a wonderful town – our home was the very first house we looked at!’ recalls Vanessa.
After falling in love with their pretty weatherboard at first sight (and ignoring the warnings of their ‘sensible’ parents!), the pair soon discovered a few surprises in the weeks after moving in. ‘The white washed floors were painted around the furniture, kitchen cupboard doors swung precariously from their hinges and the rangehood circulated cooking odours back into the kitchen’ recalls Vanessa. Architraves needed replacing, the bathroom tiling was only half finished, and house also needed completely re-wiring. This in addition to particularly unfortunate interior colour treatment that required immediate attention – pistachio green and rose pink, with ‘country’ stencils lining the walls in each room!
After a minor clean-up and paint job, Vanessa and Richard approached their friend, talented interior designer Chelsea Hing, and a major renovation was planned. ‘Chelsea helped us work out how we could best utilise the space – we had a good idea of what we wanted to do, but she really helped us by looking at ideas we hadn’t considered and ensuring everything we did was functional’ says Vanessa.
All in all, the kitchen was moved, walls were knocked out to open up the space and centralise the fireplace in the main living area, and Chelsea also designed a few genius storage solutions for the kitchen and pantry space. During the build, Vanessa and Richard threw a spanner in the works by falling in love with a stunning bath from amazing local company Boyd Alternatives. I must admit it is SERIOUSLY beautiful! Of course, it didn’t fit into the bathroom, so it was decided this would need to go into the bedroom, to take advantage of the lovely view out the bay window. GENIUS! Of course it’s now become a major focal point of the house.
Favourite features of the home for Vanessa include that incredible bath, plus artworks from many dear friends – talented artists including Miranda Skoczek, Peter Cole, Helen Cole, Oliver Cole, Lucy James, John Lloyd, Tony Flint. Vanessa is also very fond of ‘Fritz the deer’ and ‘Jeff the goose’, who she met at excellent Kyneton vintage store Kabinett!
But whilst it certainly is pretty as a picture, it’s not just the sweet styling that makes this home special – Vanessa says it’s the ‘feeling’ of this home that she was first drawn to, and that she still loves the most. ‘Our home feels warm and friendly like a hug, and now we have a kitchen, the smell of Richard making something yummy for dinner in his new kitchen is my favourite thing!’ Awww. So romantic. Newly-weds. Love it! :)
If you love Vanessa’s home you will most certainly also love her beautiful shop Prunella on Piper st, Kyneton. I will feature this and a few other Kyneton shops here very soon! In the meantime do pop by and visit the Prunella website. In addition to their floral creations and styling services, Vanessa and Caris run fabulous seasonal events and floral workshops – make sure you signup to the mailing list to stay in the loop!
Massive thanks to Vanessa for sharing her beautiful home with us today, Chelsea Hing and Anne-Claire at CHDC for the tip off and for supplying many of these photographs, and Marni Kornhauser for her assistance during the shoot.
Looking through living to kitchen – Fritz the deer cuts an impressive profile! Photo – Nik Epifanidis.
Living room. Photo – Nik Epifanidis.
Living room details. Photo – Nik Epifanidis.
Master bedroom. Photo – Nik Epifanidis.
Master bedroom details – rose painting by Helen Cole. Flowers by Prunella. Photo – Photo – Lucy Feagins.
Master Bedroom. Photo – Lucy Feagins, styling assistant – Marni Kornhauser.
AMAZING bath from Kyneton based Boyd Alternatives. Photo – Nik Epifanidis.
Bedroom. Photo – Nik Epifanidis.
Guest bedroom. Photo – Nik Epifanidis.
Hallway – love that timber panelling and sweet chandelier light fitting! Photo – Lucy Feagins.
Front verandah. Photo – Nik Epifanidis.
Rear deck / dining. Photo – Lucy Feagins
Sweet gorgeous home!
Incredibly inspiring!!! Especially the guest bedroom. Love the combo of the colours in that room.
Wow!
Looking good Vanessa! xxx
Gorgeous! Do you know where the beautiful vase is from that is sitting near the bath?
Absolutely amazing! Love it, love it, love it!
Hi Anne,
If I’m not mistaken that vase is from Ikea – but it’s from their designer series, and is designed by superstar European designer Hella Jongerius. Not sure if they still have them here but perhaps you can find a way to buy one online…!
so lovely! what a bath tub!! and the sweetest hallway entrance.
What a gorgeous home! Lucky! I love the architecture in Australia, so different from here in the States! ;-))
Stunning in all ways! The home itself, the decoration and location! Vanessa, I am rarely moved to envy, but I am so very close!! Let me know if you ever need a sitter for your spare room :)
i love prunella – i happened to pop in just this weekend gone! it was a given that vanessa would also have a beautiful home. all gorgeous :)
I was in Kyneton just last weekend too – I’d move there in a heartbeat if I could! What a beautiful home!
Beautiful hallway and how gorgeous to be able to soak in the tub in the bedroom. Love it.
Holy moly, just when I thought I couldn’t find yet ANOTHER favourite home featured…
This is gorgeous!! Major home envy!
Great job Vanessa! And congrats on getting married. X
Vanessa, may I ask which white/s you used to paint the interiors? So lovely with the dark floorboards. Such a bright beautiful house :)
There aren’t any words. Fantastic home. (Turns out there are words)
ahhhhh so lovely.
our house going on the market in two weeks and we are off to Kyneton – can everyone else please wait until after we have bought…….
A beautiful home. Is there a budget for a copyeditor? I’d highly recommend one for a more professional finish to the writing (there are a lot of exclamation marks). Otherwise, I love your blog and the work you do.
Any idea where the lovely rug/wall hanging on the first image is from?
Lucy, I’m really interested in the floor lamp pictured in the living room. I don’t suppose you can give me a follow-up lead please?
Love Prunella and love this country home! Such a cosy kitchen.
More house envy!! One day…
Thanks for all the lovely comments guys!
Julia – not sure about the floor lamp! Sorry… perhaps Vanessa will leave a comment and let us know.. looks antique / vintage though unfortunately.
Issey – Thanks for your kind words about the site. Nope no copy editor around here… is it that obvious? I am definitely prone to exclamation marks, smiley faces, excessive CAPS.. I guess it’s not everybody but it’s kinda my signature thing to write the way I talk :)
gorgeous gorgeous stuff! Love the green lockers in the bedroom AND the back deck. What’s sooo good about this is all those fabulous textures – brick walls, heaps of fabric, and lots of timber. x
Love the way you write Lucy. Don’t go changing’ xo
Ooh I’m loving the Kyneton posts as I’m a big fan of the area – and it’s definitly on my moving house list! Lovely to know there are so many creative peeps there, and that house-reno disasters aren’t limited to Coburg!!
Lucy, I love how you write as its so personal, relaxed and informal. I’m a big fan of exclamation marks too :) x
I love you guys
Thankyou! x
Wow – this has to be my favourite home yet!
Beautiful home. Well done to the owners and Chelsea Hing.
The green lockers in the bedroom must be from Kabinett? Oui?
Love Kabinett and Stockroom http://www.stockroomkyneton.com
Love Kyneton.
Hi Lucy,
Wow you guys do such an amazing job of photographing homes. This home looks amazing, and your photography work is too. I love all the simple, vintage touches – so cosy, intimate but still with a minimalist feel. I don’t mind your exclamation marks at all – it makes me feel like I’m actually hearing you! (I’m probably biased cause clearly I like exclamation marks myself…)
Ronnie xo
Lucy, please don’t ever go “professionalising” yourself :) It’s completely refreshing to hear your enthusiasm through your posts. It kinda makes what can be at times seem a ‘snobby’ profession into something more accessible for all of us and it sets you apart. Charming, gorgeous, smiley-face Lucy, keeping it down-to earth, keeping it real :)
Yet another Kyneton Stunner!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE your relaxed conversational writing style.
Your blog is perfect as it is- complete with exclamation marks!!
N x (!!!!!!) so there!!!
Adore those middy sized pea green lockers. M
Hi guys! Sorry it’s taken me so long to post back!!! To answer questions the lamp is yes a retro base but I got the shade from somewhere like freedom many moons ago, the rug on the wall came from a friend’s mothers overseas travels and yes the vase is an Ikea classic! Kyneton is just as you’ve mentioned and we LOVE it here!!! :) (Capitals, smily face and exclamation marks) Thanks Lucy xxx
Love this house, gorgeous and the turquoise door is too lovely ! (lots of exclamation marks )
Such a gorgeous house, especially love the round bath in the masterbedroom! And the entrance hallway with the old door and stained glass and the chandeleer together so charming and chic!
divine home by a lovely woman. i was fortunate enouogh to meet the amazingly talented vanessa and caris at prunella for one of their flower arranging workshops. it’s interesting how you get drawn to a certain style. I admired prunella’s style online for a while and then was enchanted by the ladies and their beautiful shop. it carried through to vanessa’s home – just stunning. thanks for the ongoing inspiration !
This place is perfect. I just love it
I fell in love instantly with their chandelier in the master’s bedroom. I’m also loving the round, white bathtub. The only decoration I didn’t like was the head of the deer Fritz hanging on the living to kitchen wall.
Vanessa’s home is so beautiful! I’ve met the woman of Prunella, and I adore their shop, so it’s great to have a peek into how they live and where they live. Great post.
Merely a smiling visitant here to share the love (:, btw outstanding style and design. “Better by far you should forget and smile than that you should remember and be sad.” by Christina Georgina Rossetti.
Love love love..would live to share this with my love x
Lovely design ideas! Definitely worth looking into for inspiration. I love the bathroom design, especially the circular tub. How much does this tub cost and where did you buy it?
Lovely designs! Thanks for sharing these designs. The chandelier light fitting looks too good in the pictures.
Such a gorgeous house!!! The kitchen, bathroom and even the doors are so well furnished. I really loved your designs. Great work.
I think it’s great that each design reflects the personal style of the designer. There is no one design that will be appealing to all, yet if you’re looking to sell your property go for a more neutral design that can be adapted depending on personal taste.