When husband and wife duo Phoebe Bell and Chris Monahan of Sage and Clare were living in Warrandyte last year, they drove past an ‘open for inspection sign’ and (like many of us) popped in for a ‘sticky beak.’ This impromptu visit resulted in a new home (!) – as Phoebe explains, ‘it felt immediately perfect so we went for it!’
Since moving in, Phoebe and Chris, along with housemates Jemma (Phoebe’s sister) and her husband Paul, have ripped up the dated carpet and introduced warm oak flooring downstairs. The splash back in the kitchen was also replaced, along with new modern lighting.
While the family team only undertook minor renovations, the home is brought to life by the colourful textiles and homewares scattered throughout the home – many of course, from Phoebe’s business, Sage and Clare. The duo also applied their keen eye for colour by updating many of the internal walls with Dulux wall colours (hello to that ‘Robin Hood’ green wall and chocolate velvet couch combo!) and plenty of soft furnishings flourishes. Phoebe explains ‘we’ve kept the palette of the home fairly neutral and earthy, so we can experiment with colour across our textiles and art.’
Favourite objects in the home include the De Sede 76 leather sofa, and Phoebe’s latest art purchased by Kayi Kayi Nampitjinpa. She describes her general aesthetic as ‘homely, eclectic, colourful and full of vintage finds we have picked up from our travels.’ A love of mid-century design is also evident, and Phoebe highlights that this ‘theme runs throughout the home.’
For this family and business team, home is a ‘retreat in every sense of the word.’ The Warrandyte location offers easy accessibility to Melbourne, but ‘we get to live surrounded by trees as if we are in the middle of nowhere.’ Phoebe enthuses, ‘arriving home to this sanctuary after the busy-ness of our days is magical.’ We can imagine!
