Eco Home | Grand Designs Transformations
This eco-friendly home as seen on "Grand Designs Transformations" is nestled into the beautiful natural surroundings on the Mornington Peninsula. Step inside, where the interior perfectly blends rustic finishes with soft furnishings, creating a relaxed, coastal oasis.
See our interview with Interior Designer Jung from Studio Jung and her client Yvonne.
Pictured: Vittoria Retreat Round Ottoman, Jenson Occasional Chair, Element Earth Round Side Table, Sidney Peak 3 Seater Sofa, Tepih Neptune Rug | Dean Bradley Photography
Jung, please tell us about this project and how you came to work with Yvonne.
I have actually known Yvonne for nearly 30 years. We first met at RMIT where we were both studying Fashion Design. After careers in Fashion Design, we both steered into different directions; Yvonne into TV broadcasting and I went full circle to pursue a career using my first Interior Architecture degree. It was a given with our friendship that I would help Yvonne out with her Mornington Peninsula retreat project. She didn’t have the budget to engage an architect so I worked with her draftsman on the design of her holiday home from floorplans/elevations right through to the interior concept, materials and finishes, and furnishings.
Tell us about the brief you received from Yvonne.
Yvonne had a vision from the start to build an eco-friendly home that incorporated principles of passive home design. This incorporated a brief to create a home with affordable materials that would compliment the bushland environment both internally and externally. She wanted her home to feel warm and inviting and be an extension of the natural surroundings.
Pictured: Sketch Cantaloupe Occasional Chair, Artie Wave Side Table, Vittoria Retreat Round Ottoman, Jenson Occasional Chair, Element Earth Round Side Table, Sidney Peak 3 Seater Sofa, Tepih Neptune Rug | Dean Bradley Photography
Pictured: Sketch Cantaloupe Occasional Chair, Mina Curve Vase (colour sold out) and Rufus Arch Sculpture| Dean Bradley Photography
How would you describe the interior style of the home?
An eclectic blend of contemporary styling with rustic charm and warmth. The design concept is not your typical polished coast scandi aesthetic but a combination of alternative natural raw building materials and finishes to create a home of earthy softness and appeal but still with an air of relaxed sophistication.
What was the biggest highlight of this project, and did you face any challenges?
Budget was definitely the biggest challenge of this project but we managed to source materials and finishes that were cost effective and eco-friendly in line with our design concept which definitely helped. The biggest highlight was being able to finish the project with furnishings included to complete the whole vision. Fortunately for us, so much of what GlobeWest had to offer worked perfectly with our interior concept and colour palette. It made all the difference to Yvonne being able to fully enjoy and appreciate her home after all the hard work she put into it. There is nothing that beats the joy of experiencing a home finished to its finest details.
We loved the way you styled the GlobeWest pieces within the home. What is your favourite GlobeWest piece and/or collection and why?
Oh, that’s a tough one as I do believe that it was a combination of a number of great pieces from the Globewest range that worked together to create the warmth and comfort of Yvonne’s interior. The Jensen Occassional Chair in cinnamon, for example, was a crucial piece for its rustic colour, texture, and softness of form but the Tepih Tide Rug in clay was essential to delineate the lounge space and add textural warmth and colour to the room. Even the soft furnishings play their important role. I think we used Globewest’s entire cushion collection as it all tied in so beautifully with the colour palette and added the softness and comfort we needed!
Pictured: Sketch Cantaloupe Occasional Chair, Jenson Occasional Chair, Element Earth Round Side Table, Sidney Peak 3 Seater Sofa, Tepih Neptune Rug | Dean Bradley Photography
Yvonne, what are your top 3 renovation tips?
1. Incorporate principles of Passive House design into your home to make it as energy efficient as possible eg. insulate, ventilate, make it airtight. Some advantages of this include: a consistent indoor temperature with minimal heating, cooling and opening and closing of windows and doors; fresh and clean air inside at all times; lower energy bills. Living this way demands less of the planet, which in turn will benefit us, the plants and wildlife.
2. Go local. Source materials from local suppliers where possible to support the community. Not only is it easier to communicate and build a relationship with your supplier if they are local, but products and services are expertly crafted to suit your environment and can also reflect the beauty that you see in your neighbourhood or at least create stories that can be passed down in years to come.
3. Reuse, recycle. Timber especially is a relatively easy material to find secondhand and repurpose into indoor and outdoor features, for example.
What are the benefits of working with a designer
If you and your designer are on the same page you can achieve great things. A designer can bring so many ideas that increase your chances of problem solving on an aesthetic and practical level. A designer can save you a lot of time and trouble sourcing goods and services, often at a discounted rate too. A designer can inspire you to achieve the best outcome and steer you in the right direction while keeping your budget in check.
Pictured: Lark Woven Set Of 3 Baskets | Dean Bradley Photography
Pictured: Mina Curve Vase (colour sold out) and Rufus Arch Sculpture| Dean Bradley Photography
What is your favourite part of the home?
It is the ambience: the warm, cosy feel when you enter the house, thanks to beautifully curated furniture and soft furnishings and the preference for warmer tones over white throughout; the immediate sense of peace one feels as your eyes are directed to the lush, green treetop views; the earthy scent of wood pervades all living spaces and brings a sense of calm, due to many timber features built into the interiors.
What are the benefits of working with a designer
If you and your designer are on the same page you can achieve great things. A designer can bring so many ideas that increase your chances of problem solving on an aesthetic and practical level. A designer can save you a lot of time and trouble sourcing goods and services, often at a discounted rate too. A designer can inspire you to achieve the best outcome and steer you in the right direction while keeping your budget in check.
Pictured: Cade Ottoman | Dean Bradley Photography
Pictured: Classique Oval Small Shelf Console and Kennedy Tenner Occasional Chair| Dean Bradley Photography
Studio Jung is a GlobeWest referred designer.
To find a designer to bring out the best of your home's features and to complement your individual style, use our website's Find a Designer service.
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