Today’s home tour is like no other. Boasting stunning original features, the team at Brownlow Interior Design bravely updated this period home using a bold colour palette. The result is a beautifully restored home that pushes design boundaries while being sympathetic to the architectural features of the house.
We take a tour of Victorian Italianate House with Brownlow Interiors Managing Director, Alexandra Brownlow.
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Before the restoration even began, Victorian Italianate House was a home with stunning, original and ornate features.
“The home is located in the leafy streets of Malvern in Melbourne’s inner east,” explains Alexandra.
“Before returning from overseas, the home owners (a young family) were keen to give their home some much needed updates.
“We came on board to refresh the interiors of the original part of the home. What’s unique about this heritage home, is its use of bold colour. Colour greets you from the moment you enter.
“We added wall panelling to the hallway vestibule and painted it Dulux Natural White gloss. It’s a feature that contrasts against the Porter’s Paints Triple Wood Smoke walls.
“The handmade Moroccan hexagonal encaustic tiles from Popham on the floors have a few pink tiles randomly placed throughout.
We did this unusual but effective pattern to draw the eye through to the adjacent pink sitting room.
“This one is painted in Porter’s Paints Cupcake and emphasised with further splashes of colour seen through soft furnishings.”
The use of texture, colour and quirky pieces give this home its one of a kind style and character.
“Also in the living space, there’s an absolutely stunning Louis 15th fireplace in honed Galala Limestone by Richard Ellis. It creates a real focal point for the room,” says Alexandra.
“And the colour doesn’t stop here! We painted the dining room Porter’s Paints Obsidian. The rich, dark navy walls emphasis the dramatic height of the ceiling and create the ideal backdrop to the family’s elegant art collection.
We were so thrilled that Victorian Italianate House was nominated as a finalist in the Dulux Colour Awards.
With walls in grey, pink, navy and green, Victorian Italianate House still has a consistent flow and style about it.
“The previous library space was really dark. To brighten it up we, of course, used colour! We chose Dulux Apple Day and it creates a beautiful flow through the elegant arch framed windows to the lush gardens beyond,” explains Alexandra.
“For the ensuite bathroom, we kept it quite neutral. Instead of colour, we went for elegant and dramatic design using Carrara marble tiles and benchtops.
Photography by Christine Francis
Thank you to the team at Brownlow Interior Design for showing us around this uniquely beautiful heritage home. To see more of their designs and projects, scroll through their Instagram page or take a look at their website. What do you think about the home’s colour palette together with its classic heritage architecture? Let’s chat about it in the comment section below.
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