brave new world - Verandah House

homes {dramatic flair}
brave new world
Judy and Paul’s boldly decorated Brisbane home
is an inspiring testament to hard work and family
STORY & STYLING ROSANNE PEACH PHOTOGRAPHY JOHN DOWNS
From the outside, Judy and Paul’s double-storey 1930s weatherboard home, painted in Dulux Natural
White {above left}, looks like a typical charming Queenslander, but inside dazzling interiors belie its
traditional exterior. A riot of colour and pattern, one-of-a-kind designs and glittering accents define each
space, with souvenirs from Europe and Africa {top left & right} matched with elegant furniture.
60 {APRIL 2013} homebeautiful.com.au
READING ROOM At once casual and
sophisticated, this quiet nook is filled with
purposely mismatched prints. Here, Alexa and Lily
play cards on a bench seat topped with custommade cushions from Judy’s interior design
company Verandah House Interiors. The ‘Mexican
Otomi’ artwork is from Urban Road, and ties in
with the rug – find similar pieces at Loom Rugs. >
SITTING ROOM Delightful dollops
of pink push the traditional scheme of
blue-and-white off kilter. “I tried to
make this room really fun,” says Judy.
She refreshed a pair of rattan chairs
with Dulux Vivid White paint and had
them covered in a pink striped fabric,
to contrast with the custom-made
blue sofa. The lamp is another of
Judy’s handmade creations, crafted
from an old ginger jar and topped
with a shade in Schumacher ‘Nanjing’
chinoiserie fabric. The subtle oriental
theme is mirrored in the cushions
from Caitlin Wilson Textiles.
FABRIC
‘Pink City Maze’ fabric,
from $48/yard ($50USD),
Caitlin Wilson Textiles
FABRIC
Cordeaux & Co ‘Ticking Fine’
fabric, $60.50/m, Boyac.
ARTWORK (OPPOSITE) KERRI SHIPP, ETSY.COM/SHOP/DRIFTWOODINTERIORS *ALL INTERNATIONAL PRICES ARE BASED ON CURRENT EXCHANGE RATES AT THE TIME OF PRINTING
IT TAKES A BRAVE SOUL to mix patterned
textiles like they’re lollies in a jar, embellish walls
with intense, contrasting papers and slosh brightly
coloured paint over antique furniture. Luckily,
confidence is not something Brisbane-based interior
designer and homeowner Judy Elliott is short of.
For Judy, her husband Paul and their blended
family, decorating has been the fun part of a truly epic
journey towards establishing their home. It started as
a grand plan: an old rundown cottage in Brisbane’s
eastern suburbs, just ripe for a huge makeover. But
shortly after settling in, they lost Paul’s 17-year-old
son Nathan in a tragic car accident. Everything changed.
It was a tumultuous period for the family. “Every
cent we had went towards medical bills, then funeral
costs,” Judy explains. “Paul stopped working, of
course, and I had recently sold my interiors shop, Lily
G, and as part of the contract couldn’t work as a
designer. We had no choice but to physically do most
of the work on the house ourselves.”
With a little help from Evermore Designed Homes,
the couple raised the house and built-in underneath,
then practically rebuilt upstairs to create more space.
After the structural work came endless hours of
painting, tiling, furnishing and wallpapering. “It
really was every weekend for a year and a half,” says
Judy. “For Paul, while the renovation has nearly killed
him, I think it has possibly helped the grieving
process, keeping busy, not having time to think about
it.” Paul looks up, “No, I think about him every day
– ‘Why aren’t you here helping me?’ He was my right
hand man. My best mate.”
Judy plunged into designing and decorating the
house on a lean budget, filling it with salvaged finds
and homemade pieces. “Even designers have budgets
– it’s a matter of thinking outside the box!” she says.
She chose a palette of blue and white, with daring
layers of pattern and print to make the scheme pop.
Like Judy, her kids have caught the style bug, with
the girls regularly redecorating their bedrooms. Judy
and her eldest daughter Jess have also recently
launched Verandah House Interiors and are keen to
share their passion for pattern with the world. Yet
beneath the eye-catching hues and striking prints,
strength, love and the importance of family are – and
will always be – the heart of this home.
KITCHEN {above left} A Carrara marble benchtop, subway-tiled splashback and Shaker-style cabinetry stirs
up a classic American vibe in the small but stylish kitchen. The crisp white palette is broken up by a row of
glass cupboards, which show off Judy’s beautiful collection of crockery. “We use everything,” remarks Judy.
“Nothing’s precious, so it’s really nice to have it on show.” HALLWAY {above right} The home’s original
tongue-and-groove walls and architectural details were retained for their character and beauty. A ‘Marigold’
hemp rug by Armadillo & Co offers warmth to the white floorboards. Judy and Paul spent many
a weekend painting the boards – originally seven different types of timber – in Dulux Vivid White. >
homebeautiful.com.au {APRIL 2013} 63
WALLPAPER
Stroheim ‘Cathay Pastoral’
wallpaper in Indigo, from $179/
rol l, Verandah House Interiors.
DINING ROOM {above} A giant timber dining table from the Paddington Antique Centre brings a natural touch to
this bold blue room, which features a custom-made navy bench seat and Chippendale chairs from Verandah House,
updated with a splash of aqua paint. The chandelier is from Recollections. FORMAL LOUNGE {opposite} A mix
of fabulous florals and oriental prints work together to create a surprisingly calm and uplifting living space. “It comes
back to always layering prints to keep things balanced,” says Judy. Here, her creativity shines: she custom-made both
the table lamp and the five-light ceiling pendant, using a range of Designers Guild fabrics. As there wasn’t enough
depth in the walls for a real fireplace, Judy installed a plaster facade and had a mirror cut to fill it in, which lends
grandeur while also reflecting light around. The curvy ‘Bamboo Mill’ coffee table is from Xavier Furniture. >
64 {APRIL 2013} homebeautiful.com.au
WALLPAPER
Designers Guild ‘Jacaranda’
wallpaper in Delft, $179/rol l,
Radford Furnishings.
FABRIC
Romo ‘Linara’ cotton-linen fab
ric
in Coconut, from $125/m,
Marco Fabrics.
we love
An Art Deco affair
Inspired by 1930s style,
Judy transformed this former
bedroom into a luxe ensuite
with powder blue paint, a
Recollections clawfoot tub,
a carved mirror from the
Paddington Antique Centre –
she spray-painted the frame
white – and a stunning
pendant light from America.
“It’s wasn’t an expensive
bathroom,” insists Judy.
To replicate this look,
scour markets for similar
buys, and remember the
power of a coat of paint!
66 {APRIL 2013} homebeautiful.com.au
PAINT
Eggshel l Acrylic paint in Attic
$41.30/1L, Porter’s Paints. ,
“It was
important that
we retained the
and
originality of
the home” ~ Judy
character
ENSUITE {top left} An antique-style mirror – check out the selection at Deco Mirrors for similar – Chanel print and
Carrara marble benchtop hark back to the glamour of yesteryear. JESS’S ROOM {above left & right} A recent interior
design graduate, 20-year-old Jess has created a room that’s simple and extremely personal. “It’s my oasis, the beautiful
net makes me feel like I’m in a palace,” she says of the cascading fabric around her bed, purchased from Noosa Nets. The
walk-in robe keeps her clothes, such as the bridesmaid dress she wore at Judy and Paul’s wedding, in orderly fashion. >
homebeautiful.com.au {APRIL 2013} 67
yellow
desk
“This
has
gone from one
child to another
and has been
painted in every
colour of the
rainbow!” ~ Judy
ALEXA’S ROOM {top left} A vibrant mix of oranges and pinks is 17-year-old Alexa’s current pick. A cane ‘Peacock’
bedhead by The Family Love Tree is complemented by piles of cushions: Jonathan Adler geometric designs, Manuel
Canovas toile cushions and a little tassled one from Hamimi in front. The lampshade and base are from Verandah House.
LILY’S ROOM {top right & above left} Apart from the spotty Ikea curtains and floral bedlinen, 8-year-old Lily’s room
is kitted out completely with thrift store finds. “It probably cost me about $1000 to do the whole room,” says Judy. The
walls are embellished with artworks from markets, the mirror was a $40 bargain from an antique store, while the desk
has been passed down from one child to another, recently painted yellow to add a little sunshine to Lily’s room.
68 {APRIL 2013} homebeautiful.com.au
READING ROOM
Forget alphabetising – Judy
and Paul’s book collection is
organised according to colour,
with the books proving
a vibrant decorating tool.
The chair is one of Judy’s
own designs for furniture
company Sasson Home,
while the ‘Sennia’ coffee
table is from Moroccaninspired store Hamimi. >
FABRIC
Schumacher ‘Nanjing’
fabric in Porcelain,
$126/m, Fabric Studio.
CURTAIN
James Hare handwoven silk
in Sky,$78/m, Verve
Designer Collections.
MASTER BEDROOM Luxurious textures, shots of navy and whispers of
sky blue fill the sleep space. A Verandah House bedhead and table lamp are
matched with a geometric bedside table, which Judy designed for Sasson Home.
INSIDE STORY
Who lives here?
Judy, an interior designer, her
husband Paul, a pool hydraulics
specialist, his daughter Alexa,
17, Judy’s daughter Jess, 20,
their daughter Lily, 8, and Milko
the dog. Paul’s daughter Chloe,
21, and Judy’s son Nick, 22,
are also regular visitors.
Lily, Alexa and Judy relax on
the monochrome verandah.
Do you have a never-ending
pot of white paint?
“If I use
Judy: “I do! Paul says if you stay
here long enough you’ll end up
painted white. I think white is
a great canvas for any house.
In summer, the front room looks
like a bit of a light box and I love
it. I feel like I’m in the clouds.”
floral
stripe
What has the
renovation taught you?
Judy: “To never do it again!”
Jess: “It’s taught you to restore
older things and think outside
the box. You now look for market
finds that end up bringing
the whole room together.”
CONTACTS
B uilder
Evermore Desig
ned Homes
(07) 3899 7333,
evermore.co.
Inter ior Designer
Verandah Hous
e Interiors, 0421
623 325, verand
ahhouse.com.au
.
PLANS
verandah
wir
bed
formal
lounge
dining
master
bed
ens
bed
bath
wir
Ground f loor
l’dry
wir
bed
verandah
kitchen
study
store room
ACTUAL PAINT COLOURS MAY VARY ON APPLICATION. ILLUSTRATION KENZIEDESIGN.COM
Thibaut wallpaper from Verandah
House offers eye-catching elegance.
a
I
try to put in
a
and
a geometric
or a plain
to break up
the pattern”
~ Judy
library
wc
First f loor
sitting