Victorian

An Eclectic Shopfront-Turned-Sharehouse in Collingwood

As TDF’s very own  Sally Tabart has shown us, share house living need not be about milk crate seats and sad threadbare couches! Today’s rental dream home is shared by Camille Moir-Smith (of Carpenter’s Daughter ), Layla Cluer, Phoebe Ryan and Ru the pooch.

The Victorian era home in Collingwood is owned by Camille’s uncle, and layered with family history, and a life-time of collected artworks, books and curious accoutrements. As Camille delightfully describes, the vibe of this special home is ‘Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley meets antique store’!

Written
by
Lucy Feagins

Inside the Collingwood shopfront-turned-sharehouse of Camille Moir Smith, Layla Cluer, Phoebe Ryan and Ru the pooch. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

The study was built by Camille’s uncle, Kim Moir, with a vast bookshelf wall. Books belong to all members of the house. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Vignettes of collected artworks give this house a sense of eclectic refinement. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

‘Living amongst so much art, thoughtfully designed furniture and objects opens up conversations about history, people and periods of time. Not only verbally but wherever you look around, there is always something to question,’ Camille explains. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Housemates (from left to right) Phoebe Ryan, Layla Cluer and Ru the pooch and Camille Moir-Smith. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

The house fosters a sense of community that is encourages friendship, creativity and shared meals! Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

The beautifully layered kitchen. Every room in the house was designed individually yet work together cohesively. The housemates love how Layla’s Richard Sapper kettle sings in the notes ‘mi’ and ‘si’ in the morning! Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

The AMAZING kitchen, featuring a copper sink. Everything has been made by Camille’s uncle, Kim, who owns the house. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Incredible windows that wrap around the back of the house and ceiling usher the outside, inside. ‘When it storms the back of the house is like behind behind a waterfall,’ Camille says! Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Almost everything in the house holds sentimental value to those who live there. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Pottery by Camille and Layla and artwork by mystery artists! ‘There isn’t a signature and we have tried to work it out for years’, says Camille. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

It’s hard to imagine this house is in the heart of Collingwood! Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

A look into the incredibly ornate bathroom. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Everything in the house is a mix of op-shop finds, the work of friends or made and designed by Camille’s uncle and auntie Kim and Maria Moir. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Camille’s room fuses a sense of modern minimalism with classic, vintage touches. Art Nouveau German antique mirror. Art Deco lamp. Sleigh bed from Gumtree. Sideboard by Camille’s Uncle Kim. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Small sculptures by Camille. Vases by architect Keith Murray. Camille’s Hofner Archtop guitar and harmonicas. Pewter fireplace. Wardrobe by Kim Moir. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Writer
Lucy Feagins
30th of May 2018

Though most of us have romantic, wishful ideas of what our future ‘dream home’ might look like, the reality for many is a mix of long term renting, living with family, share house living and every other permutation of living arrangements! Truthfully, though, this often results in the most interesting, memorable interiors – and this is certainly true for Camille Moir of Carpenter’s Daughter , and housemates Layla and Phoebe.

Situated in the heart of Collingwood, the home is owned by Camille’s uncle Kim, a furniture maker, whose eclectic taste is deeply ingrained in the decor, furniture and artworks. The house itself is, in fact, a grand old Victorian shopfront, with unusually high ceilings, a huge living space, kitchen and courtyard garden downstairs, and three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs.

In a previous life, this building was a chemist, and before that a butcher – but in recent years, this rambling property been a much loved family home. It’s been renovated in stages, by hand, resulting in a trend-eschewing, timeless feel. ‘It’s sort of a cross between Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley and an antique store?’ Camille muses. ‘Every room has been designed separately, not as an entire cohesive home – yet somehow it works.’

For Camille, being surrounded by artwork and handcrafted details is a constant source of inspiration for her own creative output.  ‘I love that everything here is considered’ she says. ‘Everything is either made by my uncle, passed down from grandparents, from an op shop or art made by friends  –  almost everything is sentimental and holds a story.’ Small details continue to delight the housemates – doorhandles are little hands (creepy or adorable?!), lacework shrouds the key heads, and long forgotten notes spill from the library of books.

Above all, Camille and her housemates value the sense of community that their home fosters. Their large dining table is constantly surrounded by friends and family, and the unexpected treasures and extensive library always prompts great conversation! ‘Living amongst so much art, thoughtfully designed furniture and objects opens up conversations about history, people and periods of time’ they say. ‘Wherever you look around, there is always something to question.’ 

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