As you will probably recall if you are a loyal daily reader (thankyou!), I recently had the incredible opportunity to meet one of Australia's most celebrated artists - Cressida Campbell. Sean Fennessy and I had the great pleasure of photographing Cressida's workspace and home in Sydney’s Bronte a few months back - a wonderful morning spent chatting to Cressida, learning a little more about her life and work, and ambling around her amazing home taking this shots whilst she worked. We ran the resulting interview, accompanied by Sean's studio shots back in September, and finally today we're sharing Cressida's beautiful home with you!
Cressida has lived in this beautiful timber Victorian home in Bronte for 12 years. She shares the home with her tortoise shell cat Kinta, and a number of goldfish! As we explained in our recent interview with Cressida, the past few years have been a difficult time, as she suffered the very sad loss of her husband Peter in 2011, after 29 years together. Cressida is also quite a private person, and so we feel especially lucky to have had the opportunity to visit her home and capture a little of the magical world within!
As with so many homes of this era, when Cressida and Peter first purchased this home, at the time a modest timber cottage, it was in need of a little love. 'It was a kind of wreck, and clad in metal' Cressida recalls. Peter took on the challenge of renovating the home as owner / builder, and the couple's close friend, architect Espie Dods was their advisor. 'We changed nearly everything, but kept the front weatherboards and the proportion of two main bedrooms' explained Cressida. Amongst the many improvements, the house was enlarged and opened up at the rear, French doors added to many of the rooms, the living room and kitchen clad internally with timber lining boards (we SO love a timber lining board around here...!), and a new Colour Bond roof was installed.
Much of the inspiration for this renovation came from Cressida and Peter's previous home in Avalon. Before purchasing their Bronte home, Cressida explains that she and Peter spent a couple of years living in a Walter Burley Griffin house on Sydney's northern beaches, and were very inspired by some of it's design. Their treatment of the main living room here in Bronte was particularly influenced by their previous home, which had five narrow sets of French doors, divided by large cement sewer pipes. 'The pipes broke up the view, creating elongated glimpses of the bush, rather than a complete panoramic vista' explains Cressida, in a way that only an artist would! 'It felt more like a Japanese screen, in that the landscape was divided into beautiful details'. Inspired by this simple effect, Cressida and Peter ensured that their new home retained solid sections of wall between the wooden french doors, rather than employing the usual wall to wall french door effect. Their use of timber lining boards in the main living and dining room was planned to further enhance this division, highlighting the contrast of the interior walls against the busy garden view.
Cressida is a collector of many beautiful things, and is particularly fond of her art collection, and key pieces of furniture collected over the years. 'I have many favourite pieces collected since I was quite young' she says. 'The first thing I bought was an antique pine sea chest for $28.00 when I was 8 years old, to put curious treasures in. I remember going on what seemed like a huge adventure over the Sydney harbour bridge to Paddington to an Antique shop to find a suitable treasure chest. I had saved up very carefully for it in 1968'. The second piece Cressida recalls collecting was when she was an art student, at the age of 16, and bought a beautiful New Guinean woven Mudman's Mask for $45.00, also in Paddington. A slightly more recent, but no less treasured acquisition includes a Chinese Regency chair, made in Satin wood. 'It has curled arms that are very drawable, and I have put it in quite a few pictures over the years' says Cressida.
Aside from her many treasured possessions, loved for both their beauty and nostalgic appeal, being someone who spends long hours working from home, Cressida also greatly appreciates the simple, functional pleasures of her home - the tranquility here, and the convenience of her purpose built studio in the back garden. 'I use every part of the house, nothing is not loved' says Cressida, in her typically endearing and matter of fact way! 'I am very lucky that it is usually very quiet, and apart from the charm of the house and the garden, my studio has very good light'. She also loves her garden, which extends from the house up 13 steps to the elevated studio beyond, and feels almost like an extended room of the house.
HUGE thanks once again to Cressida for sharing her home with us, and responding to all our nosy questions so graciously, again!
Cressida Campbell is represented by Sophie Gannon Gallery in Melbourne, Philip Bacon Galleries in Brisbane, and Olsen Irwin in Sydney.
What a beautiful environment to work and live in.
I esp love that last photo looking down, feels like this home and surrounds would be very loving and healing
Love her art work and LOVE her house. Absolutely divine.
A harmonious blend of beautiful treasures and artwork with plenty of breathing space to allow each piece to shine.elegant yet homely and inviting.beautiful!
Fascinating observation from Cressida about ‘space’ between the french doors and it’s effect on the view. The ‘column’ effect also tempers the light which often improves the ambience. The perspective on the garden from the dining table is just gorgeous, imagine it at dusk!
what a beautiful home and studio – art, plants, architecture all coordinated with a painters eye
This is such a beautiful home. I love that it doesn’t feel overly styled or decorated – it seems to have developed organically over time to reflect the owners’ interests, hold their collections and suit the way they live and work. It has real character.
What a find! Not overly styled, comfortable, homely and filled with treasure. Love this one. Thank you once again for such a special glimpse into a beautiful home TDF!
Thank you so much Cressida, appreciate you sharing your home with us. It’s certainly not for everyone. I have to admit, I was scanning the book shelves for a spare copy of your book…. damn it I couldn’t find one and there are none ANYWHERE in Melbourne town! It’s become a life mission now…
(thanks again TDF). x
What a refreshing change! A beautiful home with a lovely collection of personal objects. Love it.
Oh my goodness, what a gorgeous home! Full of personality without feeling cluttered…such a liveable home!
A lovely home with soul and character. Would love a studio like Cressida’s. Our fortune that she was generous to share it with us. Thank you.
Cressida – is my first and so far only.. proper artist crush, I actually got a bit sweaty just opening the TDF today and reading the title. I feel a bit like a stalker looking at her home but I know I will keep coming back and back to these pictures. Thanks heaps.
A beautiful home from a beautiful person who paints beautiful paintings of which I dearly hope to buy one one day!! Have had the absolute pleasure of meeting Cresida and so sorry to hear about her Husband.
She’s a great talent – a living National Treasure – I think!
Kind regards
Thanks for sharing this beautiful home filled with meaningful treasures. Loved the garden, the steps and their story as wells as Cressida’s studio with more treasures.
Wow! What a beautiful beautiful home. I just adore it. Thanks for sharing your home Cressida!
Charming and welcoming interiors and gardens- clear proof that a home can be a reflection of its owners without the need to spend big $’s on grand spaces, furniture and fittings.
Favorite house ever. Ever.
Artist’s homes are always the best! Cressida surely is Australia’s best print maker. Great story Lucy!
Calmness. And beauty. Love the shelves and backyard.
Love all the artwork…such a beautifully curated home.
This is an amazing way to showcase how to display a love of all art genres. So amazing. I would love to share this with my Artists and Art Lovers with your permission.
True design, warming and such beautiful artwork. This is what a design blog should feature, unique homes and individuality. So good to see a change from a bloody Rachel Castle filled house with neon colours and overpriced Mark Tuckey!!!! Thank you for showing such a beautiful home
It’s so bright and lively concept! I have to say That I love how those things was put up altogether, I mean all of those materials and the calmness and the beauty which co-inside in one thought… Simply amazing.. Two thumbs up!
Beautiful house. Great kitchen and bathroom. Not usually my style but love how these are traditional and vintage yet still super modern!
What an awesome place. Love the artwork and especially love the studio. Jealousy levels, increasing..
What a beautiful home! Love the marble in the kitchen. All the finishing touches turns it into a home. The studio looks like the perfect working space!
Good job artist.
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Wow the paintings are great
Wow, what a treat to get a glimpse into Cressida’s world. The beautiful studio ! Cressida’s world of nature flows through her home and work area. I really enjoyed seeing her collection of artworks, exquisitely displayed. A feast for the eyes and the soul.
Very interesting subject, thanks for posting.
I like this blog so much, saved too my bookmarks.
Yeah bookmaking this wasn’t a speculative decision outstanding post!