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      Australiaโ€™s largest interior design, styling and renovation blog for the everyday Aussie. By former journalist and magazine editor Jen Bishop, the original interiors addict!
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Family home celebrates ocean view & laidback living

April 9, 2020 Leave a Comment

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This Northern Beaches Sydney home with the ocean view front and centre, has gone from a 1950s beach shack to an open plan home large enough for its family of six. ย And importantly, it’s both beautiful and low maintenance.

Lizzie and Michael Taylor and their four children (aged 12 to 21) didn’t want just another beaches Hamptons home and they very much wanted to add soul as well as a better flow. At the same time, they didn’t want to have to be precious about their new digs.

Alex Gourlay of Vellum Interiors was one of a team of experts who helped themย achieve their vision. She explained that the original 3-bed, 1-bath home had a layout typical of its heritage: “Quite choppy and rabbit warren-y and didn’t take full advantage of the proximity to the outdoors and the incredible ocean views.”

Practically, the owners wanted to create more connection with outside; the garden, the national park to the back and the ocean to the front. It was also important to create a better flowing floorplan, and enough space for the family of six to each have their own space, while also having plenty of spots for them to come together and connect.

Alex loved that they wanted it to be a unique expression of who they are, while also consideringย and honouring the home’s location and its past. “The Taylors had a vision of how they wanted to live, and trust in their chosen team of experts to bring that to life.”

The new house is quite open plan, so one of Alex’s insights was to delineate the areas as much as possible. “I like to think of this as giving each space a role to play. One exampleย of this was installingย curtains in the TV room, both on the external doors and internal doors. This made the space cosier and fully enclosed. The idea for this room was to be more fun and casual, and a place where the kids could hang out with their friends.”

Consideration was also given to the types of materials used, and where. “For the furniture, either leather or fabric that included polyester was used throughout. Fabrics with synthetic materials are more durable and hardwearing than natural fibres. The rugs and furniture were also treated with a very high quality fabric protectionย which gave the materialsย even more durability,ย protection from the sun and a level of water-proofing.”

Original floorboards were kept from the old house, and in the kitchen, they used engineered, rather than natural stone, and stainless steel for super practical benchtops.

“The Taylors understand that their home’s main purpose is forย living, so they’re not concerned with keeping it pristine and perfect, which is why the result is one that’s both sophisticatedย and laidback at the same time,” Alex says.ย “I love the fact that the end result is a true expression of my clients and of the natural surroundings of the home.”

With the view being the main focal point, Alex created spaces which would complement, rather than compete with it. “The way I did this was through the use of colour. The colour and materials palette remains the same throughout the house, and I have dialed up or dialed down the use of those colours in each space in order to best highlight the views and the surrounding natural environment.”

The result isn’t typical of the sort of coastal style home we’re now used to seeing. “It’s intentionally void of any of those classic coastal elements like the tried-and-tested blue, white and marble combo,” Alex says. “The clients were really courageous and visionary in this way, because they were determined to create something that truly reflected their family and how they live, as well as a coastal, relaxed feeling.”

Team:ย Architect Caroline Pidcock |ย Alexandra Gourlay of Vellum Interiors |ย Anchor Building Co |ย Julien Roy of Landformsย | Photography: Pablo Veiga

Another of Vellum Interiors’ stunning projects

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Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial family category and they're a special gift. So ends three weeks with @danisteve81 who left her husband and son in the UK (I'm forever grateful they lent her to me!) to come and cheer me up and help me in the most practical ways after I spent Christmas and New Year in hospital. There were tears and I miss her so much already but how amazing to have had all that time together as adults. Such a rare treat and would never have happened without having been through something so challenging. Silver linings and all that. So many other friends have also been incredibly thoughtful and kind. There aren't many times I'd say this without cringing but I am 100% blessed!

I still cannot believe we have been friends since we were 12! 12! Are you still close with your childhood besties?
The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_ho The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_house is a work of art and while almost every surface was updated, the decision to keep the original slate floor was genius if you ask us. 

Owner @clarehillier__ says: "With its purple, pink, red and brown tones, the slate was the starting point for our interior palette."

Come and check out the before and afters via link in bio now and read the reno story. It's a real beauty.

And you can book it for your next holiday too!

Blair Smith Architecture @kateshanasy

#slatefloor #slatefloors #80shouse #80sbeauty #camillohouse #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #realreno #holidayhousesofinstagram #morningtonpeninsulahomes #morningtonpeninsula #morningtonpeninsulasmallbusiness #blairgowrie #blairgowriebeach #airbnbstyle
Me and my boys ๐Ÿ’— Me and my boys ๐Ÿ’—
Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for thr Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for three decades going out for a child-free dinner ๐Ÿ’“๐Ÿ˜
Excuse me while I die of a cute attack ๐Ÿฅฐ @damia Excuse me while I die of a cute attack ๐Ÿฅฐ @damianfrancis 

This doesn't happen often these days!
Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks since leaving hospital and I'm doing much better than I expected to be at this early stage. A long recovery road ahead but making progress in how much I can move my arm and although I drag myself through some days non-stop yawning, others I can go for a little walk or out for lunch before collapsing on the couch! I can now tie my own hair back and put on a real bra which is very exciting ๐Ÿคฃ Having my bestie here to help us with the boys, drive me places and just be brilliant positive company is the best thing I could have asked for not to mention the many Dinner Ladies vouchers from friends! Thanks for all your kind messages, cards, flowers, gifts and offers of help โค๏ธ
I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping to raise some awareness off the back of my misfortune (and also very lucky escape).

@newsouthwaleshealth have just put out this warning about a rise in serious bacterial infections. iGAS (invasive group A streptococcus) is what caused my necrotising fasciitis and sepsis.

Apparently there's similar happening in VIC too.

It's extremely rare but very serious nonetheless so please have a read and be aware of symptoms. I've linked to the article from a button via my link in bio.

#interiorsaddict #jenbishop #necrotisingfasciitis #groupastrep #groupastreptococcus #sepsis
While new technologies continue to shape the inter While new technologies continue to shape the interior design scene, one that has been getting a fair bit of traction of late isย marble-look porcelain. A cheaper alternative to natural stone, the latest printed porcelain tile technology makes it difficult to distinguish from the real thing.

Founded by husband and wife duo Anton and Rita Bourtsev, Sydneyโ€™s @kaolintiles has a unique offering in this space with over 100 different marble-look tile designs in small and large formats.

More via link in bio now.

#porcelain #porcelaintile #porcelaintiles #largeformattiles #largeformattile #marblelooktiles #bathroomtrends2023 #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #heartyourhome #realrenovations #goldsink #brasssink #jenbishop #kaolin #kaolintiles #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger
Promise this is the last wretched hospital photo I Promise this is the last wretched hospital photo I'll post and I hope to be home and with my lippie back on by Monday. You know it's serious when I'm lipstick free, right?!

This was about a week ago in intensive care. And although my arm is still bloody sore I'm now on a normal ward and no longer attached to any drips, drains or a catheter. I've come a long way.

This has been the most physical and mental challenge of my life but I'm through the worst. I kept my arm. The doctors saved my life.

I cannot say it enough times. If you're worried about your health, don't hang around. Things can change so quickly. 

A huge thanks to my amazing husband @damianfrancis We've had the hardest year yet and our marriage has never been stronger, even if my rings did get cut off my finger in hospital ๐Ÿ˜œ

As great of a job as he is doing at home with the kids, I cannot wait to get home now. Countdown is on to a new year and a fresh start.

And I can't say enough just how overwhelmingly grateful I am to all the medical professionals involved in my care, from the @healthdirectaus nurse who sent me to Emergency to the exceptional surgeons, doctors, nurses and support staff.

Happy New Year, everyone. Remember you never know what's around the corner and this is not a dress rehearsal!

And huge thank you for all your kindness here. Has been amazing while stuck in bed.

Xxx

For those who missed it, I was unlucky enough to get necrotising fasciitis. You'll have to Google it.
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About Jen Bishop

Jen Bishop is our owner and publisher and an experienced journalist and editor. Interiors Addict has been her full-time job for more than 8 years. She is married to Damian and mum to Sebastian and Charlie.

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