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My Houzz: A Family Home Filled with Midcentury Pieces and Thrifty Ideas
Four years in the making, this new-build family home is filled with character thanks to crafty décor and second-hand finds
It may have taken this family four years of second-guessing, worry and moving in with the parents to complete their dream home, but Georgia English will tell anyone that it was well worth the wait. Surrounded by lush greenery and wildlife, the three-bedroom abode is exactly what the couple envisaged when they embarked on building the house. The eclectic décor is a mix of vintage collectables, souvenirs and clever craft, mainly thanks to Georgia, who is the co-founder of wool art label The Colour English.
Georgia says that the stress and expense of building their home as their family grew sometimes seemed too much. They even toyed with the idea of putting the block back on the market. However, they knew in their hearts they would never be satisfied if the house didn’t get built. ‘We loved the plan so much,’ says Georgia, ‘and we envisioned living here so strongly that giving up wasn’t an option! So we got extra jobs, saved like mad and did everything to make it happen.’
Their dream is now a reality and the colour and fun that waits inside starts at the front door with a pompom wreath created by Georgia.
Their dream is now a reality and the colour and fun that waits inside starts at the front door with a pompom wreath created by Georgia.
The top level of the house features a large, welcoming entrance hall, the three bedrooms, and an adults’ living area. Furnishings and artwork throughout the home are an eclectic combination collected over many years from second-hand shops, garage sales, even the side of the road.
The large rug in the hallway is just one of many nods to Georgia’s love of craft and using fabrics and wools in her creations. It’s also an indication of what’s to come.
The cane chair is part of Georgia’s favourite roadside find – a three-piece living room set that Georgia shoved into her car on the way to a yoga class. A quick lick of aqua paint and the set now looks as good as new!
Cushions, Pop Tribes.
Cushions, Pop Tribes.
‘I love my large white walls, which provide the perfect backdrop for colourful artworks,’ says Georgia. A wide timber staircase showcases the fall of the land over three levels.
The chandeliers, made from Indian kantha fabric, were purchased locally by Georgia, and create a striking feature, suspended from the high ceiling of the main living area. ‘Our house has a relaxed vibe and, according to our friends and family, a really positive energy,’ Georgia says.
Put a contemporary twist on the patchwork trend
Put a contemporary twist on the patchwork trend
These Jamaican dolls are gifts from friends, who know about Georgia’s love of vintage pieces all too well.
While the couple wanted a contemporary-style home, Georgia was determined not to make the place too ‘on trend’, as trends pass quickly. Instead, she focused on making it timeless by using pre-loved, classic furniture.
On the lower level, the kitchen and dining area features a second-hand dining table and bar stools, mixed with modern chairs and worktops. Natural light floods through the floor-to-ceiling windows, with a view to the back garden.
Read expert advice on choosing the perfect kitchen worktop
On the lower level, the kitchen and dining area features a second-hand dining table and bar stools, mixed with modern chairs and worktops. Natural light floods through the floor-to-ceiling windows, with a view to the back garden.
Read expert advice on choosing the perfect kitchen worktop
In the kitchen, vintage cabinetry gives the clean, contemporary scheme a twist.
Just like the cabinetry, these canisters and scales are beautiful and quirky, but also practical and built to last.
Georgia and her business partner, Rachel Osborne-Walker, create one-of-a-kind pieces featuring layers of coloured wool, often combined with pompoms, feathers and other textural elements. One of their masterpieces can be seen here in the dining area.
A mezzanine overlooking the main living area gives the girls a place to do their homework (or in this case, for Milla to enjoy some ‘internet time’), while Mark and Georgia use it as an at-home office.
From the mezzanine, you can look down to French windows that open up to an outdoor entertaining area. The generous expanse of glazing provides a real sense of light and space.
See how French windows can add light and character to your home
See how French windows can add light and character to your home
In the main bedroom, a Moroccan wedding blanket from Pop Tribes adorns the bed and, combined with art in muted colours, helps to create a sense of calm.
Art, The Colour English.
Art, The Colour English.
‘One of my favourite things is the view from our bedroom window,’ says Georgia. ‘We look out onto the paddocks and moo-cows!’
Charity shops and vintage finds, including this velvet couch and vintage prints in the couple’s bedroom, are a big part of Georgia’s self-proclaimed ‘sentimental’ style. ‘From a young age, I’ve always loved old things, antiques and hand-me-downs,’ she says. ‘I think it’s fun to go to an charity or vintage shop and just explore. You never know what you’ll find.’
Upstairs at the front of the house is the adults’ living area. It’s a subtle, grown-up variation on the brighter downstairs family areas, with muted walls highlighted by splashes of colour and pattern.
Georgia enjoys a bit of quiet time in her own little sanctuary in the adult’s living area. The artwork on this wall is one of the new fabric pieces that Georgia and Osborne-Walker are currently working on.
Ava’s bedroom mixes old and new, with homemade quilts and cushions, and contemporary lighting.
Both girls’ bedrooms are located on the top floor and are decorated in a girlie-vintage style.
Georgia says this vintage children’s poster in Ava’s room actually describes her own style quite well. ‘It’s eclectic, colourful, playful and sentimental,’ she says.
For Milla, her bedroom is a happy place. Mum’s artwork decorates the walls and all her favourite toys are in one place.
Ava and Milla are perfectly content in their home, having friends over to play in their rooms or in the garden. ‘We love being at home, and are proud we’ve been able to create a place our kids love to just hang out in,’ says Georgia. ‘We are fortunate that at seven and nine years of age, they rarely seem to get bored around the house.’
The garden is a haven of exploration and creativity for the entire family – it’s where they go to marvel at their creation. They credit hard work, determination, sacrifice and being lucky enough to have parents ‘who took in the four of us (and our dog!) for four years to make this home happen,’ says Georgia.
TELL US…
What do you think of this colourful family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
TELL US…
What do you think of this colourful family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Who lives here Georgia English, her husband, Mark, and their daughters, Milla, 9, and Ava, 7
Location Mount Eliza, Melbourne
Size 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Builder Phil Ellison
In 2007, Georgia English and her husband, Mark, were looking to upsize, as they had outgrown their two-bedroom clinker brick home after the birth of their first daughter, Milla.
They embarked on a new build and found the perfect block of land in Mount Eliza – an area Georgia says they had always dreamed of living in. The block had gorgeous, uninterrupted views over the iconic Ansett estate, with green, rolling hills (complete with grazing cows) heading down to the beach.
However, a flaw in their plan came when the couple realised the plot of land they’d purchased was sloping downwards from the road. This meant building on a slab wasn’t an option, so the search was on for a builder who could execute the design within the couple’s budget.
Fortunately they found a local builder, Phil Ellison, who came in under budget and was fantastic to work with. Although they had to live with Georgia’s parents for four years, during which time they also welcomed Ava into the world, Georgia still says it was ‘an amazing experience and definitely a worthwhile struggle’.