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Australian houses, from architectural masterpieces to suburban family homes, Victorian terraces, mid-century marvels, coastal shacks, city apartments, and everything in between.
Award-winning Australian architecture, inspiring homes, and interviews with Australia’s top architects.
Award-winning Australian interior design, inspiring homes, and interviews with Australia’s top designers.
In depth features on Australia’s most beautiful gardens and landscape design.
Studio visits with Australia’s most talented creatives, from artists to architects, ceramicists to stylists, furniture makers to lighting designers.
Studio visits with Australia’s top artists, and unmissable art exhibitions in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and beyond.
Weekly recipes and meal ideas from our favourite cooks, authors and foodies.
Unique travel destinations, design-led accomodation and day trip ideas in Australia and New Zealand.
Australian houses, from architectural masterpieces to suburban family homes, Victorian terraces, mid-century marvels, coastal shacks, city apartments, and everything in between.
Award-winning Australian architecture, inspiring homes, and interviews with Australia’s top architects.
Award-winning Australian interior design, inspiring homes, and interviews with Australia’s top designers.
In depth features on Australia’s most beautiful gardens and landscape design.
Studio visits with Australia’s most talented creatives, from artists to architects, ceramicists to stylists, furniture makers to lighting designers.
Studio visits with Australia’s top artists, and unmissable art exhibitions in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and beyond.
Weekly recipes and meal ideas from our favourite cooks, authors and foodies.
Unique travel destinations, design-led accomodation and day trip ideas in Australia and New Zealand.
Today’s Melbourne home belongs to events manager turned designer Jenna Spence, her partner James and Hugo the dog. Their 2 bedroom home is nestled in lovely Williamstown – an underrated suburb if ever I knew one. ‘I love living in Williamstown because it reminds me of living in a daggy country town’ explains Jenna. ‘Things happen a little slower in Williamstown and I love that – although it is only 10 minutes from the city!!’ This sweet pocket of Melbourne certainly does have such a friendly, ‘village’ feel, not to mention the very best views of the CBD across glistening water, with bobbing boats in the foreground. Postcard perfect.
Jenna and James purchased their home two years ago. ‘We thought we would do a simple renovation that would take around 3 months’ says Jenna. ‘One stressful year later and we finally had a home!’ she recalls. When they took possession, Jenna says the house was a typical 70’s home, with dark tiles, purple and yellow walls, a dark timber kitchen and lino-clad bathrooms. The pair enlisted the help of their friend Penny Wheeler of Penny June Interiors to tackle the renovation. ‘With Penny’s assistance we changed the interior dramatically to create an open plan living area where we could cook and entertain all in the one space’ explains Jenna. The bathrooms and kitchen were also completely updated, and bi-fold doors added along the full length of the living area to really open the home up to the generous garden.
This busy young couple are thrilled with the results of their renovation. ‘I love the outdoor area for entertaining, and the kitchen – I can never have enough bench space!’ says Jenna. This bright new open plan space is also the perfect spacious setting for Jenna’s growing business, currently based from home. After many years working in advertising and then events, Jenna took a leap of faith and launched her own little business in April this year. Mister Moss is the moniker of her fledgling design studio, and under this name Jenna currently makes the sweet hanging plants you see throughout her home, using various indoor and outdoor plants, wrapped in distinctive neon twine. Mister Moss plants can be purchased on Jenna’s website and are also available at Aero Design on Collins Street & A Quirk of Fate in Northcote. Jenna is currently working on expanding the Mister Moss range to furnishing and homewares… I’ll keep ya posted!
Big thanks to Jenna for sharing her home with us today! Do share the love with a little visit to the Mister Moss website – there is much cuteness to admire over there!
The Design Files acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.
First Nations artists, designers, makers, and creative business owners are encouraged to submit their projects for coverage on The Design Files. Please email bea@thedesignfiles.net
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