Mid Century

Annie Price and Jamie Paterson

This vibrant, joyful family home in Beaumaris has been a labour of love for mid century design enthusiasts Annie Price and Jamie Paterson, and their gorgeous daughter Dorothy (Dottie), aged 5.

Written
by
Lucy Feagins
Supported by Dulux

Shelving details including Wooden Danish viking from Annie’s Mum, little wooden mice made by Annie’s dad when she was a child. Other bits and pieces are gifts, garage sale and op shop finds. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The incredible Beaumaris home of Annie Price and Jamie Paterson. Above – kitchen and dining area. TH Brown stools, Rosando dining suite, Hans Agne Jakobsson light ($4 from church fete!), Piggy jar was Annie’s mum’s, bowls by Nina Van de Goor, Apple canisters from a friend, and original 1960’s wall tiles rebacked by Urban Edge Ceramics in Richmond. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Dining area.  Planter from Glen Waverley Vintage shed, and Tretchikoff prints (one was Annie’s parents, the other was a gift). Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Living room detail.  Embroidery art from a garage sale, reframed, flying ducks were Annie’s nan’s, Holmesgaard vase, children’s saucer chair from St. Vinnies, Parker sideboard from Tangerine & Teal Vintage in Sydney. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Looking from the kitchen onto the dining area. Shag print from Outre Gallery. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Living room.  Milo Baughman swivel chairs and Cadovious shelving from Grandfather’s Axe, coffee table came with the house, Kartell stool from eBay with a cushion that Annie made. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Kitchen and dining area. TH Brown stools, Rosando dining suite, Hans Agne Jakobsson light ($4 from church fete!), Piggy jar was Annie’s mum’s, bowls by Nina Van de Goor, Apple canisters from a friend, and original 1960’s wall tiles rebacked by Urban Edge Ceramics in Richmond. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Bathroom details – tiles from Urban Edge Ceramics, flying copper and wooden birds from US eBay. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Dottie’s bedroom! Wallpaper from Patternlike, a Danish Etsy Wallpaper Store, Hans Wegner bed from Grandfather’s Axe, vintage print from Galerie Montmartre in Fitzroy. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Dottie playing in her room! Annie’s dolls house from the 1970’s, Gummy Bear light from a garage sale, curtains from IKEA, vintage school desk from eBay, and prints from Etsy and Ebay. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Vintage Wallpaper from The Bitch is Back in St Kilda, Divan couch by Anderson Furniture Australia (Designer: Gerard Dubey) upholstered in vintage fabrics. Cushions made by Annie from Jamie’s Nan’s old curtains, and actual curtains from eBay. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Master bedroom. Orla Keily bedspread, vintage lamps were originally an engagement present to Annie’s parents in the 1950’s. Orange and white canister, stool, capital A and lips telephone are all garage sale finds. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Vintage Dutch wallpaper from Etsy, fibre optic lamp from garage sale, print and cushions from an op shop, curtains and small teak table from eBay, and Modular chairs from Charles’ Chairs. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Outdoor balcony details. Outdoor bar and stools from Smith St Bazaar, vintage eskies used as planters from hard rubbish, banana lounge from a garage sale, and macrame made by Jamie’s mum Helen. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Front entrance area featuring pots from car boot sale and painted by Annie, planter from Glen Waverley Vintage shed, MAD letters from Annie’s Dad, Robbie, and Tretchikoff prints. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Jamie, Annie and Dottie at home. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Writer
Lucy Feagins
27th of May 2015

This cheerful 1960’s house in Beaumaris has been home to Annie Price, Jamie Paterson, and their daughter Dorothy for the past three and a half years.  Mind you, a good chunk of that time has been spent renovating and restoring their beloved mid century pad – they even spent one full year holed up as a family in a single room underneath the house whilst completing the works!

Annie and Jamie’s home was in need of serious repair when they first took possession.  The house had to be basically stripped back to the framework, even the roof was replaced. ‘It was probably more work than a new build’ says Annie in hindsight, though nothing would have deterred her from retaining the home’s original features.

‘We really wanted to restore it to its former glory, saving all the good bits, like the crazy block work, and fixing the ‘not so nice’ bits… but in a sympathetic mid-century style’ says Annie.

The family retained what they could, including the original Oregon beams, handrails and even the ceramic kitchen cupboard doorknobs.  What couldn’t be salvaged was replaced with carefully sourced details, like the original 60’s tiles for the kitchen, which were found as ‘new old stock’, and required remeshing where the backing paper had disintegrated. ‘It wasn’t an easy route, as most tradies don’t get it and favour modern fixtures & fittings, but it was a labour of love for us and well worth it in the end’ says Annie.

Absolutely everything here has a story. ‘Most things we own are from op shops and vintage stores, or trawling the local garage sales every Saturday morning – there are no sleep-ins at our place!’ says Annie.  Finding their Hans Agne Jakobsson timber veneer light fitting was a proud moment… $4 from a local church fete!  In contrast, the Milo Baughman swivel chairs were an indulgent and impulsive splash-out from Grandfathers Axe. Other treasured favourite finds include Annie’s Tretchikoff Blue Lady print, which belonged to her parents in the early 70’s, and a brass monkey sculpture from a talented friend, Arne Grosskopf. Annie also loves being surrounded by her Dad’s artwork and handiwork, he sadly passed away before the house was finished.

Annie and Jamie love colour and character, but they’re not purists when it comes to modernist design. Their home celebrates their love of all things mid century, but it’s also relaxed and fun, full of quirky, sentimental pieces, and odd bits thrown in that simply took their fancy at garage sales, op shops or hard rubbish piles.  ‘Lots of timber, lots of colour and lots of humour’ Annie summarises, when asked to describe her home. ‘There’s no point living somewhere that doesn’t make you smile’.

Recent Mid Century