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Interior decorator Lauren Egan and commercial photographer Glenn Hester weren’t looking for a big lifestyle change when they purchased their Northcote home.
In fact, when they secured the property, the couple and their two children Ailbe (11) and Rennie (9) were already residing on the same street, just two suburbs over.
But, it was the block size, and opportunity for Lauren to add her own design flair, that really drew them to this 1920s weatherboard bungalow.
Renovations over the years had stripped the home of most original features, leaving little more than drab carpet, cold tiled floors, and stark white walls.
Fortunately for Lauren, most buyers don’t have her eye.
‘To be honest we saw most of the potential in the backyard,’ she says.
‘It was a surprisingly big block for the area, which meant we could play around with a design that resulted in a good-sized home and still have a garden to enjoy.
‘We knew we could orient the home to the rear of the block to minimise the [busy] road out the front and be in a pocket of town that we really loved.’
Renovations to the property were extensive, essentially taking the house back to its frame and tiled roof. ‘Even much of the original frame was replaced due to rot,’ says Lauren.
They retained most of the existing layout, but turned living and dining spaces into bedrooms, and added a new brick extension containing the living room and the main bedroom at the rear.
‘Keeping the basic layout of the original house was a good starting point to the design, which we felt strongly about maintaining,’ says Lauren.
‘These big changes also made it possible to make the house really efficient in terms of energy usage. It’s an incredibly temperate and quiet house because of all the insulating methods used.’
Lauren worked with Project 12 Architecture, who also designed the family’s previous home, on the renovation.
With a brief of ‘just enough space for the four of us’, the architects created a comprehensive yet thoughtful design for both the exterior and interior. New rooms are oriented north — rather than to the western rear of the property — inviting ample natural light directly into each space, down the long side of the house.
Textural details such as the tiled kitchen bench, and liberal use of spotted gum panelling, are a nod to decorative features prominent in 1920s homes.
‘Project 12 managed to achieve a modernised version of that style and make it work with a more traditional existing building,’ explains Lauren.
As an interior decorator, Lauren relished the opportunity to flex her design skills on this project, selecting a richly layered edit of finishes including new carpets, window furnishings, tiles, venetian plaster, stone, and paint.
Colour visually defines each zone, most notably in the central kitchen, which showcases a ‘toasty’ palette of burgundy tiles, pink travertine, and warm beige walls with a slightly brownish undertone that harmonise with the spotted gum and brick.
A timber pivot door conceals the main bedroom off the living room (‘It’s a bit of a flex to do a reveal when people first come to visit,’ says Lauren), which doubles down on the warm tones with umber carpet and heavy velvet curtains, adding a luxurious and plush feel to the space.
Original rooms in the front of the house, in contrast, have a fresh look, with an array of mid and deep-toned greens that provide some relief from the earthy autumnal hues of the communal areas.
While some interior decorators may scrutinise every detail in their home, Lauren offers a refreshingly balanced perspective.
‘I can’t live with regrets… I’d go mad if I worried if every decision I made was the “best” one!
‘I think the design of a home is a creation of what’s in a designer’s head at that moment: what mags you’re looking at, what’s influencing your social media, or a material you saw some time and it stuck.’
Most importantly, the collective impact of the interiors inspires immediate relaxation, achieving Lauren’s goal for a house that feels like a ‘long exhale’.
‘The best compliment I’ve had from friends and family is that they are at ease in the house.’
An edited version of this story originally appeared in The Design Files Magazine Issue 03. Subscribe to the biannual print magazine here.
