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Issue 62 - Living in the Environment Issue

Issue 62

Living in the Environment Issue

Issue 62 is the first issue of the year and always a great time to put our best foot forward. With Adam Goodrum, the loveliest man in design, as Guest Editor, we draw on his insights as a furniture designer, artist and educator to look at the makers shaping our design world. Sustainability has never been more important, and increasingly this is a consideration from the start with projects designed to address their immediate environment as well as the longevity of the planet. From the coldest winters to the most tropical of summers, addressing how we live in the environment is crucial to creating the perfect home.

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New interiors contribute to a colourful history
HomesHabitusliving Editor

New interiors contribute to a colourful history

Australia

Interiors

alessandra smith design

Photography

Hunting Utopia

Named after the racehorse, this Edwardian red-brick home in Caulfield East has undergone a sensitive interior redesign by alessandra smith design.


Kazoo is an Edwardian red-brick home in the Melbourne suburb of Caulfield East, opposite the historic Caulfield Racecourse. Indeed, the project was named after the racehorse whose winnings funded its original construction. Following a substantial 2014 renovation by Architects EAT, the new owners enlisted Alessandra Smith to reimagine key spaces including the sitting room, hallway, children’s bedrooms and the primary suite within the modern extension. The result is a thoughtfully curated interior that merges Edwardian grandeur with modern flair.

The home has recently undergone a refined redecoration with the aim of honouring its architectural heritage while embracing a vibrant, contemporary aesthetic. The sitting room exemplifies this balance, with walls and ceilings cloaked in a deep slate green that envelops the space in a cocoon-like warmth. This dramatic backdrop is enriched by a palette of jewel tones – shades of blue, green and plum – that complement the room’s existing sky-blue velvet sofa. The colour scheme strikes a harmonious chord, fostering a cohesive and inviting atmosphere.

A curated selection of vintage and contemporary furniture enhances the spatial character while respecting its heritage. The standout piece is Daniel Boddam’s wave sofa, whose soft curves and tactile boucle upholstery contrast elegantly with the blue velvet seating opposite. Adding further depth, a rosso levanto marble and smoked glass coffee table introduces rich burgundy hues that finds echoes in the rug’s tones, lending the space a sense of gravitas.

Textile details bring a playful edge to the room. Roman blinds in Catherine Martin’s Jungle Room fabric feature an embroidered jungle motif that ties the room’s colours together. This whimsical choice, inspired by the client’s love for Velona’s Jungle hotel in Florence, infuses the space with a sense of fun and individuality.

Inbuilt shelving flanking the fireplace provides an opportunity to bridge past and present through a curated display of personal objects, grounding the room in its owners’ stories. Elsewhere in the home, the hallway’s golden tones create a welcoming first impression, radiating warmth and grandeur. In contrast, the muted palettes in the children’s bedrooms and the primary suite soften these spaces, adding a sense of calm and intimacy.

Kazoo’s reimagined interiors celebrate the home’s Edwardian heritage while embracing modern sensibilities. Through its rich colour palette, curated furniture and personalised details, the home achieves a timeless yet individual aesthetic.

Read about the 2025 Dulux Colour Forecast next


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Habitusliving Editor

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alessandra smith designAustraliacolourfurnitureHome ArchitectureHouse ArchitectureInterior DesignKazooMelbourne


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Issue 62 - Living in the Environment Issue

Issue 62

Living in the Environment Issue

Issue 62 is the first issue of the year and always a great time to put our best foot forward. With Adam Goodrum, the loveliest man in design, as Guest Editor, we draw on his insights as a furniture designer, artist and educator to look at the makers shaping our design world. Sustainability has never been more important, and increasingly this is a consideration from the start with projects designed to address their immediate environment as well as the longevity of the planet. From the coldest winters to the most tropical of summers, addressing how we live in the environment is crucial to creating the perfect home.

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