BARWON HEADS RESIDENCE

Surrounded by four family members who live on the same street, another family home behind and various aunts, uncles, godparents and cousins a stones throw away, the current iteration is an elegantly resolved, light-drenched home which mediates perfectly between large informal gatherings of friends and family and a discerning appreciation for antipodean design, personal sentimentality and art.

"I wanted this to be a house that my children can run around in while also being really distinct, beautiful and well crafted. Simone was really good at understanding that and mixing important pieces with less discerning ones. It was really lovely to be able to work like that. To be clear about where you are against your budget and to ensure that the process remains really really joyful."

~ Sarah & Dave Harden

Through a remote process which emphasised the rapport between client and designer, Barwon Heads Residence has come to be defined by the pillars of the initial brief — the desire for a place that embraces the art of entertaining, the unspoken welcome of doors thrown open to the outdoors and the cadence of decorative pieces that hold the narrative of the home’s occupants. In a residence distinguished by ample proportions and myriad expressions of light, textiles, texture, artwork and sculpture become its fixed stars. A pair of Tacchini ‘Orsola' sofas in the living room, reupholstered in a custom ‘Telluride Stripe’ in navy blue and cream echo the tones in a large scale painting by Josh Yeldham to introduce notes of colour while harnessing connotations of the American West and weaving in Sarah’s husband’s heritage. A vintage tiled and chrome coffee table accompanies it, complimenting yet sitting outside the realm of trend and style to layer a sense of considered authenticity. A custom Cenzo dining table with low slung Mattiazzi ‘Fionda’ dining chairs and adjacent credenza by Guatemalan-based Agnes Studio converse with both the bleached timber elements and black steel hardware while embodying an effortless coastal charm and inspiring long, languid evenings with the rear of the home opening up to the nostalgic spirit of Australian summer.

"I felt like “this is home.” I walked in and immediately felt like it was my Australian home. It reflects our lifestyle. When we are home, we love to have tones of people over, the doors are always open. We’ve created a place where everyone can come. We scotch-guard the couches and embrace the indoor-outdoor lifestyle."

~ Sarah & Dave Harden

"She’s just a fucking dream to work with. To do this from the US and get to the end of the build and think, you know what, that was so amazing, I’d do it all over again. That’s fucking crazy! Who says that? To have the trust…remotely…she’s just singularly very good at what she does. I loved loved loved working with her."

~ Sarah & Dave Harden