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Real home: Traditional American design meets Chinoiserie

By Amy Collins-Walker • 5 Comments

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Located on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, this stylish family home combines disparate yet complementary elements and eschews trends for a look that is set to endure. “My personal design aesthetic is classic, traditional and homely, with a focus on great quality pieces,” says the home’s owner Kate Walker. “My style is American traditional with a touch of Chinoiserie. I like to buy pieces that will be as relevant when I’m 80 years old as they are today.  I avoid trends, because I don’t want to have to keep redoing the décor!”

Dining room

With a successful design business, based near her home, it seems Kate was always destined for a career in design – her mother was an interior designer and her father a tile merchant. But her own home’s aesthetic is quite the departure from her professional environment. “The style for the KWD Studio is white, minimalist, clean and pristine, so when I go home I want to feel like I am being wrapped up in comfort with a really friendly environment and gorgeous textiles. I always have fresh flowers everywhere too,” says Kate, who lives with her two children, a puppy and two rabbits.

Kate Walker with her puppy Pierre

While the home has a coastal chic feel, it conjures a Hampton’s vibe and manages to avoid the beachy clichés – a conscious design decision by Kate who designed the home with her sister Amy Spargo of Maine House Interiors.

“It was very important to me that the interior design was traditional but relevant. And because we are so close to the beach I wanted the look to be light and breezy, but not beachy. The style is coastal chic really, in a traditional way,” says Kate.

A work in progress (the wet areas are yet to be completed), Kate has referenced the 1930’s and 1940’s throughout the home – a nod to its provenance. “I like traditional pieces, from Chesterfield lounges to wing back armchairs to an antique kauri pine bed for my son, but I mix these with pieces from IKEA.”

A keen proponent of landscaping, Kate’s garden is spectacular and one of the home’s standout features. “I feel strongly about bringing the outside in, and I always recommend that my clients leave money in their budget for their landscaping design. For me, the house starts at the front fence, not at the front door, and people get a feeling, even from the nature strip, about what they are going to experience when they come into your home. The outdoors is an extension of the indoors,” says Kate.

The lush garden

Another highlight of the home is its gorgeous master bedroom – a vision in blue. “I love my bedroom. It’s painted in a really strong yet calming blue, Blue Oar by Dulux. My bed pays homage to the Asian influences I love with a Chinoiserie pagoda-style bed head and I always have crisp, white bed linen and gorgeous decorator cushions.”

Kate’s bedroom

“My bedroom is where I keep all my personal photos of my children when they were babies, photos of my family, pieces of china I have collected over many, many years and even my grandmother’s last piece of knitting, complete with knitting needles, that she was working on the night before she died. It sits under a cloche. So, my bedroom is really personal,” says Kate who sleeps with her windows and blinds open to take in the morning vista. “From my bedroom, I have a view across the property and see everything that is happening around me. When I wake up, I see the leaves of the jacaranda tree outside. It’s beautiful, just beautiful.”

Photography: Brent Lukey Photography

See more Kate Walker Design

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March 29, 2017

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Appliance colour trends: They've certainly change Appliance colour trends:

They've certainly changed over the years. Remember when ALL fridges were white?! I remember the original BROWN wall oven in our 60s kitchen here pre-reno! I think the dishwasher was brown and beige (and it tripped the electrics every time we used it!) 😜

What do you think of this new dark stainless steel option (pictured) from Westinghouse as seen in @dnaofdesign_'s latest reno? Yay or nay? 

What colour do you like your appliances?

See the rest of this home and kitchen and laundry design tips from the ex Blockheads on the blog now via link in bio.

#kitchenappliances #walloven #wallovens #combioven #combioven #microwaves #builtinappliances #builtinoven #builtinovens #homeappliance #westinghouse #kitchentrends #ovens #laundryappliances #darkstainlesssteel #stainlesssteelappliances
SALE ALERT! Listen up Sydneysiders, one of my fav SALE ALERT!

Listen up Sydneysiders, one of my favourite home stores @shack.furniture.homewares are having their annual warehouse sale this week, from Thursday until Saturday.

HUGE savings on furniture, homewares and decor with 30 to 80% off. Wowsers!

I'm a big fan of SHACK and can never leave one of their stores without a few styling goodies for my place! It's just too tempting!

While you're at the sale, mention Interiors Addict for an extra 10% off!

Unit 16a, 1801 Botany Rd, Banksmeadow NSW 2019

Thursday 1st to Saturday 3rd June 2023, 9am to 4pm. Not online.

#sydneyshopping #sydneysale #sydneysales #sydneyfurniture #shackfurniture #shackfurniturehomewares #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #comeshoppingwithme
A door to door continuous curved stone ledge in th A door to door continuous curved stone ledge in this bathroom is one of the cleverest designs we've seen in a while!

This mega ledge, made of Corian, even incorporates a sink, seamlessly.

Combined with venetian plaster on the walls, it's no wonder this Illawarra bathroom by @birdblackdesign feels like a day spa!

Come check it out via link bio.

Lead designer Stuart Gibson says: "One smooth curve, right around the room, from either side of the door opening. As it moves around, it creates a ledge for the bath: for bath oils, lotions, a book and a champagne glass. The ledge continues around and becomes the vanity, widening out to create a custom seamless basin."

#bathroomhappiness #bathroomdetails #bathroomshelves #bathroomshelf #venetianplastering #coriandesign #coriansolidsurface #spalikebathroom #spabathroom #sustainablebathroom
Catch the season finale of @sellinghousesaus last Catch the season finale of @sellinghousesaus last night?

We have all the before and afters for you on the blog now, via link in bio (and swipe for a taster).

#sellinghouses #sellinghousesaustralia #foxtel #lifestylechannel #beforeandafterkitchen #beforeandafterlivingroom #beforeandafterrenovation #realitytv #housetours #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
😍 Not sure what's better: the custom mirror abo 😍 Not sure what's better: the custom mirror above the fireplace in this Art Deco one-bedder or the wallpaper in the kitchen (swipe)?!

It's been a while since we featured an apartment makeover on IA. Would you like to see more apartment interiors? Head to the blog now to see more of this one. Via link in bio.

#artdecoapartment #artdecointerior
#artdecomirror #artdecofireplace #artdecomelbourne #artdecofurniture #artdecobuilding #artdecointeriors #apartmentrenovation #apartmentinterior #smallspaceliving #melbourneapartments #melbourneairbnb #kitchenwallpaper #wallpaperaustralia
Low tox and planet friendly laundry liquid (and sh Low tox and planet friendly laundry liquid (and sheets and soap and powder!). We have a great roundup of the best options on the blog today. 

A whole host of brands are offering eco-friendly, low tox alternatives to the more chemical-laden ones. Not only that, they often smell amazing, look good on your shelf and come in recycled or recyclable (or even better, both) packaging. 

Good for your skin, your clothes and the planet: what’s not to like?

Do you use any of these?

COMPARE THEM ALL VIA LINK IN BIO NOW.

#lowtoxliving #lowtoxlife #lowtoxlifestyle #lowtoxhome #lowtoxlaundry #lowtoxswaps #naturallaundry #naturallaundrydetergent #naturallaundrysoap #ecolaundry #lowtoxcleaning #ecofriendlyhome #ecofriendlyhouse #laundryliquid #laundrypowder #laundrysoap #naturalcleaning #chemicalfreecleaning #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Play room goals!👌🏻 This is just one room fr Play room goals!👌🏻

This is just one room from today's real house tour which I really love because in employing interior designer @issyandhcreative the owners weren't looking for a complete rip out and re-do but rather to work with what they had in their new suburban home (including a dated kitchen) and give it a largely cosmetic glow up with styling and new furniture (some of which was upcycled). 

The brief was to create a family friendly home. "They weren't looking for perfection but rather a warm and relaxing retreat for their busy young family." This playroom though? Pretty close to perfect! And the mum did the colour coded books herself. Love that😁

Head over to the blog now via link in bio to see the rest of this home.

#playroomideas #playroomgoals #playroomdecor #familyhomes #kidfriendlyhome #kidfriendlyinteriors #familyhomedecor #sustainabledecor #affordablerenovations #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #beanbagchair #beanbags #colourcodedbooks #colourcoded #toyroom #kidsroomdesign 

Pix by @tealily
All the heart eyes for this little setup 😍 Hea All the heart eyes for this little setup 😍

Head to the blog to shop this and two other gorgeous styled images from @greenhouseinteriors 

The stunning @mrsniceart artwork has already sold but the good news is, you can still get prints of it!

Styling by Aisha Chaudhry for Greenhouse Interiors, assisted by Nikki McGar, Kylie Harris, Rachael Blake and Max Green. Photography by Stephanie Rooney. 

#poolart #sideboardstyling #buffetstyling #consolestyling #vignettes #greenhouseinteriors #barcartstyling #shopthelook #bluehomedecor #poolumbrella #beachumbrella
Bookworms need a cosy book nook! 📖 🐛 Seb an Bookworms need a cosy book nook! 📖 🐛

Seb and Charlie had one of those kid size couches in their playroom but frankly, they'd outgrown it! I picked this Aussie made compact 2-seater Ruby sofa from @fantasticfurniture 

I'd usually go for grey to keep it neutral but as it's in a kid's room I went for this heather blue fabric to make it a little more fun while still classic. There's more than 50 fabric choices for Fantastic's Aussie made range so good luck choosing 😂 

I left the legs off to keep it below the windowsill. I'm super happy with the quality. It looks a lot more expensive than its $699 pricetag 👌🏻

Books, natural light and a cosy couch = happy boys! And let's not pretend they won't be watching the odd movie on there too 🍿 because #keepingitreal

#FantasticFurniture #FantasticFamily #booknook #booknookstagram #booknook #bookwormsofinstagram #littlereader #littlebookworm #cosycorner #cosycorner #playroomideas #toyroom #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #aussiemade #aussiemadefurniture #twoseater #kidssofa #kidscouch #bluesofa #loveofreading
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Amy Collins-Walker

About Amy Collins-Walker

Amy is our regular feature writer, an experienced journalist and interior stylist living in Perth, Western Australia. Find out more about her styling work at http://www.amycollinswalker.com/

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Comments

  1. AvatarJoanna says

    April 5, 2017 at 11:23 am

    What a beautiful space! Where did that divine Chesterfield-style sofa come from?

    Reply
  2. AvatarNicole says

    April 9, 2017 at 3:37 am

    Gorgeous Home and Decor! Where is your Chinoiserie headboard from? So beautiful! Great Job!

    Reply
  3. AvatarPat Umphlet says

    August 4, 2018 at 2:29 am

    Where did you find the great blue & white pillows?

    Reply
  4. AvatarPam Parker says

    April 30, 2019 at 12:47 pm

    I would love to know where I could get a headboard like that.

    Reply
    • AvatarPamela Parker says

      June 11, 2019 at 1:45 pm

      Could you please tell me where you got that gorgeous headboard?

      Reply

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