How This Designer Completely Transformed An Old Edwardian, Without Moving A Wall
Interiors
Dancer Editions pendant from Coco Flip. Telephone wire bowl from Pan After. Pierre stool by Ellison Studios.
The ample natural light from the dining space enters the living room, bringing light to its pink and brown neutral tones.
Dining table from Trit House and dining chairs from MCM House. Gubi Semi Pendants in fennel seed from In Good Company. Large Red Vase by Gaetano Pesce and from Artemest.
The Corner Chair by Rhea Nagi. Psychedelic Wall Sconce by Caia Leifsdotter. Roly Poly Chair by Faye Toogood and from Driade. Malli Flush stainless steel coffee table. Meadow Rug by Armadillo.
Monde sofa 3B in Mokum bespoke velvet. WORN Store Ines Stripe Tabouret. Art by Nunzio Miano.
Joinery by Emma Louise Interiors. Akari L6 from Noguchi Museum. Malli Flush stainless steel coffee table. Meadow Rug by Armadillo.
Malli accent chairs. Artemide Shogun Lamp. Ceramic by James Lemon. Marea Rug in Clay by Armadillo. Desk by Ferm Living. Art by Natasha France. Tulip Chair from The Artz Collection. Vintage Akari UF4-L8 from Ma House Supply Store.
Desk by Ferm Living and Malli accent chairs.
Lull bed by Ellison Studios. Burl bedsides by Ferm Living. Alyona 4 Photograph by Marc Gabor from Tappan Collective. Mariza Galani Esoteric sconce by Emporean. Ceramic table by Alison Frith.
Lull bed by Ellison Studios. Burl bedsides by Ferm Living. Alyona 4 Photograph by Marc Gabor from Tappan Collective. Mariza Galani Esoteric sconce and fringed coverlet by Emporean.
Remy Dresser by Rachel Donath.
Beau towels from In the Sac. Alium Vase by Hattie Malloy.
Narcissus lamp by Xenica Objects. Agra Rug by Armadillo. Icelandic Sheepskin Chair by CCSS. Marble side table by Fleur Studios.
Pallisade dining bench by Hay.
Eden Citrine Runner by Armadillo. Vintage console from Ma House Supply Store.
In the transformation of this Edwardian home, interior designer Alyssa Owens proves you don’t need to change the structure of a house to reinvent its interior.
‘That was really what made the project so exciting: we got to see how far a home could shift without touching a wall,’ Alyssa says.
Through careful selection of colour, furniture, lighting, art and textiles, Alyssa managed to retain all the beloved heritage features of the Preston home — high ceilings, original mouldings, and timber floors — while injecting the space with much-needed colour and personality.
For this, she drew on her clients’ Italian roots, layering iconic Italian designs like a vintage Murano chandelier, red Gaetano Pesce vase, and green Gubi pendants, with a rich colour palette of earthy red, mulberry, and terracotta.
She even went so far as to source artwork from Sicilian-Australian artist Nunzio Miano to sit gracefully in the living room.
‘The project name “Amaro Rosso” came naturally from the same place. Italian bitters have that quality of being complex and warm with a little edge, which felt exactly right,’ Alyssa explains.
While Alyssa’s initial impulse was to use muted tones in the master bedroom, homeowners Kiara and Sam pushed her to experiment with a bold injection of brick-red, a decision that quickly turned the room into one of Alyssa’s favourites.
‘Walking into a room with that depth of colour and having it feel enveloping rather than confronting feels great. Knowing it came from the clients pushing me somewhere I hadn’t initially gone makes it better,’ Alyssa says.
The young family now fully adore their newly transformed home. ‘We loved how her use of colour and texture made the spaces she designed feel really considered and interesting, but at the same time lived in and real,’ Kiara says.
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