Welcome to my latest home tour, where we explore the beautiful transformation of a three-bedroom residence in Blackburn North. This project perfectly illustrates how to scale up your design—taking sophisticated style from a city apartment into a larger family home—without sacrificing that crucial sense of personal style.
Designed by my studio Grace Interior Designs, the clients, are a busy professional couple, and they had just made the leap from a Brunswick apartment to living in a house with room to breathe. The brief? My brief was to select pieces which upgraded the quality of their furniture. As well as create a deeply personal haven. And, most importantly, design a space that was beautiful now. But flexible enough for the future.
The Foundation: Mid-Century Meets Mindfulness
The core style here is a high-quality Mid-Century Modern foundation. We’re talking clean lines, rich timbers, and enduring pieces that form the backbone of the home. But instead of leaving it museum-perfect, the magic happens in the layering.
This home is far from generic. It’s personalised with an earthy colour palette and layered with eclectic décor. Think warm, grounded tones punctuated by intriguing textures and cultural patterns—specifically drawing influence from global styles, like Aztec motifs. A blend of classic MCM structure and global soul creates an atmosphere that is both polished and completely unique to the couple.
Designed for Living (and Flexibility)
The transition from a small apartment to a house often means needing hyper-functional furniture, and this home tour highlights how Grace Interior Designs handled that with style. Take the lounge room: the hero piece is a Mid-Century style sofa that cleverly pulls out into a bed. This isn’t just for emergency overnight guests; it’s perfect for a truly relaxed night of streaming or cosying up with friends. That’s smart, low-footprint design scaled up for comfort.
Similarly, in the open-plan area, there’s a sitting zone adjacent to the dining space. This isn’t redundant. So it function as a breakout space—a smaller area for intimate conversation when a large group is over, or simply a place for the couple to connect while one is busy in the kitchen. Every square meter is utilised with purpose.
Built for the Future
Another, key consideration that aligns perfectly was durability. While style was paramount, the clients were planning ahead for a future family and already share their home with two cats. This required pieces and materials that were hardy, resilient, and easy to live with. This meant selecting high-quality fabrics, robust wood finishes, and clever storage solutions that hide clutter without sacrificing elegance.
The final result is a true haven—a gorgeous collection of personalised pieces that reflect the couple’s tastes, offer retreat after a busy day, and are built to handle the beautiful chaos of real life. It’s proof that combining enduring style with functional flexibility is the ultimate design equation.
Feeling inspired? It’s your turn to make your house a home.
