Coastal Pavilion, as it’s known, is a new house designed by Mim Design on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
The family home belongs to Lou and Ross Nichols, owners of much-loved local furniture and lifestyle brand Coastal Living. Drawing on the relaxed, beachy style and pared-back palette of their design brand, Mim Design principal Miriam Fanning, director of architecture and Luca Vezzosi, and project architect Stella Lien, set out to create an authentic, timeless home to support contemporary living.
Miriam describes the house as a series of pavilions over split levels that respond to the site’s sloping nature and rear views. These pavilions are defined externally by differing materials, from zinc that riffs off charred timber, to painted brick, off-form concrete, and a curving breeze block wall.
A staggered hallway on entry reveals the home’s split levels separating the quiet and communal areas. ‘As regular entertainers, the design needed to integrate a private retreat at the front of the residence with a generous entertaining space at the rear,’ says Miriam.
Furniture wise, the home contains many luxe, comfortable pieces from Coastal Living, Domo and Grazia & Co., which soften the palette of tonal greys and whites. The placement of everyday items such as artwork, paired with pieces from the client’s own furniture business, enrich the house with sentimental values and personality. ‘There’s a sense of permanence signalling people really live here,’ says Miriam.
Striving for design longevity, this project is characterised by simplicity and restraint, while also leaving room to evolve and become more layered over time as the family grows. ‘What we love about this project is that it’s a coastal home without any coastal cliches,’ Miriam says.
