IDEAL HOMES
| FAMILY HOME |
MICHELLE AND DAVID HART CREATED A TRULY CONTEMPORARY FAMILY HOME, EVERY INCH OF WHICH IS AS BEAUTIFUL AS IT IS PRACTICAL
Living area
‘The main living area has lots of natural light and feels very open and bright. The brick tiles were stacked horizontally with white grout so that the pattern would be prominent, adding another texture to the room.’
BUY THE KEY PIECES For similar tiles, try Lithium Blue ceramic wall tiles, £51.99sq m, Crown Tiles. Try Iona oak coffee table, £350, John Lewis & Partners
HOME NOTES
WHO LIVES HERE? Michelle Hart and her husband David, a builder, live here with their children, Serena, 21, and Dominic, 19. Michelle has her own business, Bask Interiors.
THE PROPERTY A four-bedroom Californian bungalow in Melbourne, Australia.
THE LAYOUT
On the ground floor, a master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe leads to an en suite. Opposite, there’s a formal lounge. An open plan living/dining/kitchen area opens out to a pool. There’s also a home office, laundry room, powder room and boot room. Upstairs are three more bedrooms and a bathroom.
Being an interior designer with two older children, Michelle Hart wasn’t fazed by the renovation challenge when she and her husband found their dream family home near the beach in Melbourne, Australia.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO RENOVATE?
‘We lived around 10 minutes away from the lovely Bayside area and we were looking for a change. Moving closer to the beach was very appealing and we came across a wonderful unrenovated bungalow that needed some TLC to restore her back to being a beautiful family home.’
WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE?
‘The house is in a heritage overlay area, meaning the original house’s facade was not allowed to be changed so we extended outwards to the back and also upwards, which doubled the size of the house. I worked with an architect on the layout to ensure it had all the inclusions to make it a functional home which flowed well and also would be approved by town planning. We just had to have patience and make sure the design was within the recommended guidelines and building code. It was a long process to get to the actual renovation but once the building started it was very exciting to see it all come together so well. I loved the inclusion of the custom steel framed doors, which added another dimension to the home to make it feel more upmarket.’
HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON INTERIOR STYLE?
‘I envisaged a simple and serene feel all through the house. It was important for the original home to flow well into the extension and I wanted
