Natasha Perera

Natasha Perera

Herald Sun

The natural setting proved inspirational. All pictures, except portrait, by Sean Fennessy.


Chelsea Hing didn’t have to look very far for inspiration when renovating this Yarra Valley house — she was literally surrounded by it.

The Melbourne interior designer was guided by the colours of the home’s beautiful natural setting, including the black of the tree bark, the green of the grapevines, the dusty pink of the horizon and the terracotta of the soil.

“I built the interior finishes around these colours and think the reason the house sits so well in the landscape is because it really talks to it,” Ms Hing said.

Interior designer Chelsea Hing was guided by the colours outdoors. Picture: Armelle Habib.


The home was only seven years old when she was brought in to redesign the kitchen and living area because the owners felt their family of five had outgrown these spaces.

But what started as a small makeover turned into a whole-house update that took about 18 months to complete.

“One of the reasons it took so long was the finishes were quite labour-intensive and time-consuming, but they were definitely worth it,” Ms Hing said.

The small makeover turned into a whole-house update.


Geometry class

Graphic elements, such as the tiles used for the kitchen splashback and island bench, give a modern edge to the house, which received a commendation in the interior design category of this month’s The Design Files Design Awards.

“The Patricia Urquiola tiles are an unexpected delight and give the space a sophisticated, yet earthy and handcrafted feel,” Ms Hing said.

Overhead cupboards were eliminated to open up the space, which Ms Hing felt allowed the decorative splashback to sit more comfortably behind the cylindrical rangehood.

She did, however, add some shelves with strategically placed lights either side of the rangehood where artwork and decorative homewares could be displayed to give the space a lived-in feel.

“When the kitchen shuts down at night, you don’t necessarily want the task lighting blaring. You want to soften the mood and create a beautiful backdrop, especially if it is open to other areas,” Ms Hing said.

Overhead cupboards were eliminated to open up the space. Artworks: Hannah Nowlan.


Nods to the past include a sandblasted, grey-washed timber cupboard with a mesh front, which Ms Hing described as a modern play on the old country meat safe.

“There are lots of little things we did with the joinery that smack of the country aesthetic, but have been interpreted and executed in a more contemporary way.”

Screen time

One of Ms Hing’s favourite design features in the home is a timber-framed, terracotta brick screen in the family room.

“Rather than introducing a solid wall that would block light, we wanted to create a screening device that actually borrowed light from other spaces, but also still gave the room a sense of enclosure,” she said.

“Apart from being aesthetically pretty amazing, it’s doing some heavy-duty work by throwing light and is a beautiful feature as you walk from the bedrooms at the end of the house towards the living area.”

The screen is “aesthetically pretty amazing” and throws light.


Texture features prominently in the main bedroom, as well, where walls are lined in American oak timber veneer and a barn-style door brings in a hint of country.

Terracotta tiles, a cedar-clad ceiling and sandblasted oak joinery create warmth in the ensuite and provide a united backdrop that allows the concrete bath and basins to present like sculptural works of art.

“The real strength in this home is the clever interplay between all the finishes,” Ms Hing said. “It can be a bit of a risk to use this kind of palette in a bathroom and kitchen, but it just made sense with this house and there was so much opportunity to layer in timber elements to bring in some beautiful texture.”

Timber brings texture into the bedroom. Artwork: David Moore.



The united backdrop allows the bath and basins to really shine.



All together now

The polished plaster that’s been used for walls and ceilings makes the interior feel more connected to the rendered facade and has a softening effect.

“It also helps brighten up spaces because the polished plaster has a lustre that allows light to just bounce around,” Ms Hing said.

The polished plaster walls make the interior feel connected to the exterior. Artwork: Kayleen Nangala.


Floor tiles in the open-plan living/dining area were extended into the adjoining covered alfresco zone to create an even stronger connection between the indoors and out.

“This floor feels a lot bigger now and more cohesive with the slate-coloured tile and polished plaster running all the way through,” Ms Hing said.

Today, the family-friendly home enjoys a lot more light, shade and personality, as well as better-framed vistas.

“It’s a contemporary home that now makes sense in the country through a palette and finishes that really relate to the landscape and textures that give the home more of a timeworn feel,” Ms Hing said.

tdfdesignawards.com

chelseahing.com.au

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