Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Home Beautiful
Home Beautiful
Lisa Easey

This once-tired Mornington Peninsula home is now a modern coastal retreat

This 2011 Mornington Peninsula home is now the classiest of contemporary coastal retreats, but that’s a far cry from how it felt before a renovation. “Everything was looking tired, old and outdated,” says homeowner Rose. “The children have grown into adults and we wanted to erase the years of wear and tear.”

An entryway with a slim console and rounded light pendant.An entryway with panelled walls and a curved bench.
The original entry had a feature wall of timber-look wallpaper, which was updated with VJ panelling in Dulux Natural White. The old door was replaced with a more contemporary, solid one, and the space is styled with a Zenn Design ‘Arch’ bench stool and Adairs ‘Santana’ plant stand. (Photography: Elise Scott)

Enter interior designer Silvia Roldan, who helped redesign the home to suit Rose, her husband Max, their two children in their early 20s, and two dogs. “We really relied on Silvia from Studio Esar as I wasn’t sure exactly which direction to take,” says Rose. “We love what she’s put together.”

A modern white and marble kitchen with an island and white stools.
“I love everything about the kitchen,” says Rose. “It always feels bright and easily copes with a lot of cooking and preparation.” (Photography: Elise Scott)

Creating curved walls and sourcing a specific marble for the kitchen were lofty goals, but the result is a triumph and the couple are grateful for the tradespeople who made it happen. “It’s so elegant, light and airy,” says Rose. “It fits in perfectly with the water views.”

The renovation journey

Who? Rose, her husband Max and their children, Ashleigh, 22, and Dean, 20, with their two dogs, Maltese Shih Tzu Poodle, Pip, and Maltese Shih Tzu Pomeranian, Marley.
Where? Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.
Original property? The split-level home from the early 2000s was from a builder’s standard-range design.
Timeframe? The renovation was completed in around four to six months.
Why the reno? “The existing palette had served them well over the years, but was now looking really outdated,” says Silvia. “They wanted a look that aligned more with the coastal surroundings.”
Must-haves: A larger kitchen was top of the wish list, plus an overall interior update. “They appreciated that the home needed a refresh, but weren’t quite sure where to begin,” says Silvia.
The works: Originally a smaller project, this became a full interior renovation with a redesigned kitchen, main bedroom, main ensuite, two bathrooms and new furniture.
Favourite aspect? “The timber flooring has completely transformed the feel of the home,” says Rose.

Kitchen

Plans for a more modest home makeover turned into a complete interior renovation once the ball got rolling. “It is far more than we originally intended to do,” shares Rose. “But we’re very happy we did it as we’ve achieved a complete and beautiful result.”

A dated kitchen with an island and dark and light cabinetry.A kitchen with herringbone timber floors and grey marble details.
Over the island hangs an Anchor Ceramics ‘Potter DS’ pendant from Rakumba. The herringbone floors are Maison engineered timber in Paramount Oak from George Fethers & Co. (Photography: Elise Scott)

A new and expanded kitchen was a top priority. “I asked for the kitchen to be extended across the back wall to give us some extra space,” says Rose. Other rooms that underwent a complete overhaul include the main bedroom and three bathrooms.

A bright modern kitchen with marble benchtops, an island and a timber dining table.
“The kitchen is a show-stopper,” says Silvia. “To go from the brown timber and gloss white laminate to a prize-winning beauty is something we’re really proud of.” Originally, the cooking space stopped where the microwave is, making it feel small and leaving an awkward empty space. It’s now extended to an impressive 6.6 metres in width, with room for a Globe West ‘Huxley’ dining table in Oak and Icon By Design ‘Stefan’ dining chairs in Dove Grey. (Photography: Elise Scott)

All the floors were upgraded, with new carpets in the bedrooms and oak herringbone floorboards replacing old grey tiles. “This is my favourite feature,” says Rose. Almost every interior detail has been renewed, from wall colours to door handles and window coverings.

White kitchen cabinetry over grey marble benchtops.
“The kitchen was completely redone from scratch,” says Silvia. The layout remained the same but it was extended, with new cabinetry in Dulux Limed White Quarter. (Photography: Elise Scott)

While not everyone chooses to use an interior designer in the renovating process, Rose believes it’s the reason they achieved such a stellar result. “I think it’s important to have a designer whose vision you can trust so there is a more cohesive outcome across the house.”

A kitchen sink with gold tapware and grey marble benchtops.
Faucet Strommen ‘Pegasi’ tapware in Discovery Bronze features throughout the home. (Photography: Elise Scott)

For Silvia, it was exciting to have that trust and essentially a blank canvas to create on. “The bones of the home were great – high ceilings and amazing views of the ocean – so there was very little structural work required. The whole interior was an open slate for us to redesign and refresh,” she says. This allowed for top tier ideas and finishes, with the resulting home now an elegant masterpiece.

A grey marble splashback below open timber shelving.
“We created an open shelving nook to break up the breadth of overhead cabinets and allow for some styling moments with plants, art and objects,” says Silvia. An artwork titled ‘Two Oysters and Lemon Slice’ by James Roberts is displayed here. (Photography: Elise Scott)

“The marble brings a beautiful energy to the heart of the home and is a pleasure to look at each day.”

Rose, homeowner
A white padded stool at a marble topped kitchen island.
“The Fior di Pesco marble is a stunning natural stone with so much movement and colour!” shares Silvia. “Beautiful pops of apricot, purple and red can be seen throughout.” It’s along the splashbacks, to clad the rangehood and as a curved benchtop, with Grazia & Co ‘Diiva’ swivel stools. (Photography: Elise Scott)

Main bedroom

The mission for Silvia was to turn a tired home into a serene family space. “These typically built homes have straight lines everywhere! So it was our intention to soften areas by introducing curves to walls and joinery design,” she says.

A main bedroom decorated in neutrals with a brown patterned bedhead.
The curtains feature ‘Luscious’ fabric in Mineral from Unique Fabrics and create a calm feeling. (Photography: Elise Scott)

In the main bedroom, a Zenn Design ‘Krystal’ bed upholstered in ‘Chivasso’ from Unique Fabrics makes a statement. Beside it, an &Tradition ‘Mega Bulb SR2’ pendant illuminates the side table by Christopher Blank & Kate Bowman Ceramics, with a vase by Eun Ceramics.

Ensuite

A light, layered palette was also adopted to resonate more with the seaside location. “There’s a sense of calm and beauty in the interior now. Everything feels soft and soothing. This is a light – but not white – palette that creates a striking emotion when you’re in the room.”

A modern ensuite with a floating vanity topped with grey stone.
Tundra Grey marble covers the vanity top in the main ensuite, with Lighterior ‘Orb’ wall lights. (Photography: Elise Scott)

Lessons learnt

It really does come down to the sum of all the details. Even something seemingly minor such as curved bronze tapware can contribute significantly to a home’s metamorphosis. “The bronze just adds the right bit of extra colour dimension and lifts the kitchen and bathrooms. It’s such a simple but effective element,” explains Rose.

In a similar vein, the entrance was refreshed by switching an outdated feature wall for VJ timber wall panelling. “It has completely transformed the feel of the house as soon as you enter.”

Interior design: Studio Esar, studioesar.com.au.
Joinery installation: Borella Kitchens & Joinery, borellakitchens.com.au.

SOURCE BOOK

This article originally appeared on Home Beautiful and is republished here with permission.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.