Houzz Tour: A 1920s Home Where Clean Lines Meet Raw Textures
A crisp white background is softened with subtle tones and plenty of natural textures in this century-old house
When interior architect Georgia Ezra designs for her clients, she’s careful to reflect their individual styles and needs rather than her own. But when it came to renovating the home she owns with her husband, construction manager Richie Morris, the couple had carte blanche to indulge their aesthetic preferences.
The result is a rich, tactile sanctuary where clean, modern lines are laced with sumptuous Moroccan, Indian and Jewish cultural references.
The result is a rich, tactile sanctuary where clean, modern lines are laced with sumptuous Moroccan, Indian and Jewish cultural references.
The home hadn’t been touched since it was built in 1923, so asbestos was removed and new plumbing and electric wiring were installed throughout. Ezra brought the level of the floor up, closed doorways and opened walls to restructure the spatial plan of the house.
Two original bedrooms were transformed into a master bedroom, walk-through wardrobe and en suite. The original living room became a second bedroom for the couple’s one-year-old son, Jesse.
Island table, Maison Est. Cabinetry, custom designed by GABBE.
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Two original bedrooms were transformed into a master bedroom, walk-through wardrobe and en suite. The original living room became a second bedroom for the couple’s one-year-old son, Jesse.
Island table, Maison Est. Cabinetry, custom designed by GABBE.
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“Basically, we had to bring the house from 1923 to 2016,” Ezra says. Many original features were restored to new splendour, and Ezra re-sanded and re-stained the existing floorboards and ceiling joists.
“We kept all the beautiful mouldings on the ceiling and all the existing doors, door handles and skirting boards; we carefully removed them, stored them in the garage, then reinstated them,” she says.
“The kitchen was awful, so we literally bashed down the entire thing and got rid of it all.” In its place, she designed the fresh new kitchen you see here. Its custom-made arched door and window frames bridge the stylistic gulf between today and a century ago when the house was built.
Worktop in Fresh Concrete, Caesarstone. ZEL031 White splashback tiles, Tiles of Ezra. Sink, Franke. Tap with aged brass finish, Astra Walker.
“We kept all the beautiful mouldings on the ceiling and all the existing doors, door handles and skirting boards; we carefully removed them, stored them in the garage, then reinstated them,” she says.
“The kitchen was awful, so we literally bashed down the entire thing and got rid of it all.” In its place, she designed the fresh new kitchen you see here. Its custom-made arched door and window frames bridge the stylistic gulf between today and a century ago when the house was built.
Worktop in Fresh Concrete, Caesarstone. ZEL031 White splashback tiles, Tiles of Ezra. Sink, Franke. Tap with aged brass finish, Astra Walker.
At first glance, you might register a white kitchen, but Ezra admits that the all-white style is not one she’s personally drawn to. Instead, the couple’s kitchen is a study in texture and tone.
“I actually have six different tones of white that make up the ‘white’,” she says of her kitchen. “There’s the crisp white of the window frames, and the whites of the walls, the splashback, the worktop, the [base cabinets] and the [wall cabinets].”
This tonal variance brings warmth to the space and prevents it from appearing stark or lacking that depth of dimension.
In fact, throughout the home, warm, earthy creams, honeyed hues, beiges, greys and whites are juxtaposed with wood in a fresh, light tone or a darker, more romantic stain. The natural shades and tonal variance you see in Ezra’s tiles round off the rich texture of the home.
“I actually have six different tones of white that make up the ‘white’,” she says of her kitchen. “There’s the crisp white of the window frames, and the whites of the walls, the splashback, the worktop, the [base cabinets] and the [wall cabinets].”
This tonal variance brings warmth to the space and prevents it from appearing stark or lacking that depth of dimension.
In fact, throughout the home, warm, earthy creams, honeyed hues, beiges, greys and whites are juxtaposed with wood in a fresh, light tone or a darker, more romantic stain. The natural shades and tonal variance you see in Ezra’s tiles round off the rich texture of the home.
After the large outlay of purchasing the property, Ezra and Morris were eager to keep renovation costs down, so they took advantage of their industry contacts wherever possible.
“We didn’t pay for interior design services, we got a lot of things at trade discounts and I supplied all my new tiles; we really did get things in a more cost-effective manner than most people would,” Ezra says.
“We didn’t pay for interior design services, we got a lot of things at trade discounts and I supplied all my new tiles; we really did get things in a more cost-effective manner than most people would,” Ezra says.
Their renovation was also a record-breaking tour de force in terms of time. The couple finished in just under four months, and could have cut that period of time down to three, had many businesses not been closed over December and January.
Ezra is the first to admit that such extensive renovations would usually take longer for people who did not work in the design, architecture and building industries.
“We knew exactly what to do, we got a building permit within one or two weeks, we both project manage all the time for other people, so we know how to cut through the nonsense,” Ezra says. “Realistically speaking, I think this job would take about five months.”
Ezra is the first to admit that such extensive renovations would usually take longer for people who did not work in the design, architecture and building industries.
“We knew exactly what to do, we got a building permit within one or two weeks, we both project manage all the time for other people, so we know how to cut through the nonsense,” Ezra says. “Realistically speaking, I think this job would take about five months.”
Each room pays homage to Ezra’s love of texture in thoughtful and unpredictable ways. Today, ceilings are often plastered, painted white and left unadorned, but not here. Instead, Ezra chose to expose the joists from the original ceiling, which were sanded back and re-stained. She then added a textural cladding above the joists to indulge her affection for tactile designs. “If we didn’t have that, it wouldn’t feel half as warm as it does,” she says.
Rather than purchasing new furniture, the couple feathered their nest with pieces they’d collected over the years as well as second-hand finds. “We bought plates, chairs, dining chairs, tables and consoles off Gumtree, and we bought beautiful wicker armchairs at auction houses,” Ezra says of her eclectic approach.
Pendant light, Habibi Moroccan. Dining chairs, Gumtree. Planter, Masters. Artworks, Victor Majzner.
Rather than purchasing new furniture, the couple feathered their nest with pieces they’d collected over the years as well as second-hand finds. “We bought plates, chairs, dining chairs, tables and consoles off Gumtree, and we bought beautiful wicker armchairs at auction houses,” Ezra says of her eclectic approach.
Pendant light, Habibi Moroccan. Dining chairs, Gumtree. Planter, Masters. Artworks, Victor Majzner.
Ezra finds it difficult to define her own style, partly because she loves many different aesthetics and partly because she’s more practised at appealing to her clients’ styles. But when pushed, she describes her own aesthetic as a meeting of modern style with an eclectic mix of different cultures.
Born in Australia, Ezra has lived in Spain and has a truly intercontinental background, which shines through in her home. Her father was born in India and is of Persian descent, and her mother was born in Australia and has Eastern European heritage.
“There are a lot of Indian touches in there,” Ezra says of her home. “There’s Indian meets Moroccan and I’m Jewish and not afraid to show off my heritage, my culture, my religion, so I always love to bring in components of that through my house.”
Blue and white artwork (top left), Robin Ezra. Ketubah (centre), Danny Azoulay. Custom-designed cabinetry, GABBE.
Born in Australia, Ezra has lived in Spain and has a truly intercontinental background, which shines through in her home. Her father was born in India and is of Persian descent, and her mother was born in Australia and has Eastern European heritage.
“There are a lot of Indian touches in there,” Ezra says of her home. “There’s Indian meets Moroccan and I’m Jewish and not afraid to show off my heritage, my culture, my religion, so I always love to bring in components of that through my house.”
Blue and white artwork (top left), Robin Ezra. Ketubah (centre), Danny Azoulay. Custom-designed cabinetry, GABBE.
When designing for her clients, Ezra prides herself on confidently making quick decisions, partly because her emotions are removed from the process. But interestingly, she continually sought the opinions of others throughout the process of designing for herself.
“I found that I questioned myself a lot when I was designing my own home,” she says. “You don’t get to build for yourself often, so it’s quite overwhelming when you get that one chance to make decisions… I was always asking others for opinions, which was extremely interesting.”
“I found that I questioned myself a lot when I was designing my own home,” she says. “You don’t get to build for yourself often, so it’s quite overwhelming when you get that one chance to make decisions… I was always asking others for opinions, which was extremely interesting.”
But when it came down to it, every design decision in the home was made by Ezra – except one.
“The fireplace has this beautiful, angled shape and I wanted to straighten it up like a really long rectangle,” she explains. “But my dad and my husband were saying ‘Leave it as it is, it charms the house and that’s what’s giving you a point of difference.’ So I left it and I’m so happy that I did.”
The fireplace in question is topped with a mantelpiece Ezra found in Vietnam, and is accented with tiles from the designer’s own collection, which she laid in a herringbone pattern.
Tiles on fireplace, FL006 Glazed Bejmat in Igloo, Tiles of Ezra. Planter, Ikea.
Find Beni Ourain rugs and hundreds of other modern designs in the Houzz Shop
“The fireplace has this beautiful, angled shape and I wanted to straighten it up like a really long rectangle,” she explains. “But my dad and my husband were saying ‘Leave it as it is, it charms the house and that’s what’s giving you a point of difference.’ So I left it and I’m so happy that I did.”
The fireplace in question is topped with a mantelpiece Ezra found in Vietnam, and is accented with tiles from the designer’s own collection, which she laid in a herringbone pattern.
Tiles on fireplace, FL006 Glazed Bejmat in Igloo, Tiles of Ezra. Planter, Ikea.
Find Beni Ourain rugs and hundreds of other modern designs in the Houzz Shop
“The way I look at tiles – and especially my tile range – is that they’re not just tiles: they’re a feature, they’re a piece of art,” Ezra says. “They’re hand-cut; literally everything about them is 100% handmade. For me, it’s really important to use them where they’ll be seen, not just in the bathroom.”
Ezra founded Tiles of Ezra because she struggled to find the richly evocative tile collections in Australia that she’d seen in other countries. Ever passionate about her collection, which is handcrafted in Morocco, she stands as the gatekeeper of quality at every step in the production process, to ensure not a single corner is cut.
Tiles on vanity vanity and splashback, ZEL001 Zellige, in White, Tiles of Ezra. Moroccan mirror, Habibi Moroccan. Custom-designed vanity unit and woodwork, GABBE.
Ezra founded Tiles of Ezra because she struggled to find the richly evocative tile collections in Australia that she’d seen in other countries. Ever passionate about her collection, which is handcrafted in Morocco, she stands as the gatekeeper of quality at every step in the production process, to ensure not a single corner is cut.
Tiles on vanity vanity and splashback, ZEL001 Zellige, in White, Tiles of Ezra. Moroccan mirror, Habibi Moroccan. Custom-designed vanity unit and woodwork, GABBE.
“You can look at zellige tiles and you might not tell the difference between two whites, but I can see if the clay hasn’t been beaten to get the bubbles out, which affects the quality and whether it will break or not,” Ezra says.
Tiles, FL005 Natural unglazed Bejmat, Tiles of Ezra.
Tiles, FL005 Natural unglazed Bejmat, Tiles of Ezra.
It takes careful curation and an expert eye to balance Indian, Moroccan and Jewish decorative accents within an original Art Deco shell. But Ezra achieved exactly that by using a neutral, unifying colour palette.
“I think they marry so well together because, although I’ve chosen elements from different cultures and exotic backgrounds and styles, ultimately they all line up beautifully in terms of their colour and their tone,” she says.
Towel rail, Astra Walker. Gold ornament, Michael Aram.
“I think they marry so well together because, although I’ve chosen elements from different cultures and exotic backgrounds and styles, ultimately they all line up beautifully in terms of their colour and their tone,” she says.
Towel rail, Astra Walker. Gold ornament, Michael Aram.
Ezra was pregnant while she and Morris underwent their renovations, so a child-friendly home was important – but not at the expense of beauty or charm.
“Every toddler explores no matter what you have in your house,” she says. “For me, having a child doesn’t mean that I’m not going to have my home be beautiful. Some people prefer to be practical and they want that beautiful home when the kids are older, but for me I prefer to have it the whole way through.”
Rug, Carpeteria. Cot, Boori. Curtains, Allure Drapes Design Decor. Chair, Adairs. Stool, Maison Est.
“Every toddler explores no matter what you have in your house,” she says. “For me, having a child doesn’t mean that I’m not going to have my home be beautiful. Some people prefer to be practical and they want that beautiful home when the kids are older, but for me I prefer to have it the whole way through.”
Rug, Carpeteria. Cot, Boori. Curtains, Allure Drapes Design Decor. Chair, Adairs. Stool, Maison Est.
As another feather in her many-plumed cap, Ezra also authored the book A Healthy Home, A Healthy You, which explores how our surroundings affect our emotional wellbeing.
“It’s a topic that’s completely underestimated and not talked about,” she says. “And one massive part of that is the five senses and how if the five senses are not considered in a design, we are not fully comfortable in that space.”
“It’s a topic that’s completely underestimated and not talked about,” she says. “And one massive part of that is the five senses and how if the five senses are not considered in a design, we are not fully comfortable in that space.”
This ethos is what informs Ezra’s attention to texture, which continues in the bedroom –perhaps most stunningly in the couple’s headboard, which was custom-made in India.
Pendant lights, Ha’veli of Byron Bay.
Pendant lights, Ha’veli of Byron Bay.
Ezra’s design philosophy is that of a true interior architect. Not content with making a statement exclusively through furniture or furnishings, she wanted the bones, the muscles and the very sinews of her home to stand as design statements in their own right.
“I feel as if the home should have the majority of the detail in it,” Ezra says. “I’m an interior architect, not an interior decorator, so I feel as if my expression is not through the temporary, it’s through the permanent. I’m all about making a solid, stunning statement in the architecture of the internal and then the rest can be more of a secondary complement.”
Ezra is besotted with the finished result. “I love walking into my home every single time,” she says.
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Ezra is besotted with the finished result. “I love walking into my home every single time,” she says.
Tell us…
What do you think of this home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here Interior architect Georgia Ezra, founder and director of GABBE and Tiles of Ezra and author of A Healthy Home, A Healthy You; her husband, Richie Morris, a construction manager, and Jesse, the couple’s one-year-old son
Location Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia
Size Two bedrooms and two bathrooms
Budget About £84,665 to $112,886 (150,000 to 200,000 Australian dollars)
Year completed 2015
Interior architecture GABBE
Photos by Amelia Stanwix Photography
Ezra and Morris bought their home in July 2015 with grand visions of renovating, which they began in October the same year. At the time, the building was in an unliveable state. “It smelt as if someone had died there,” Ezra says. “All the floorboards were covered with mouldy carpet; it was in a really poor condition.”