Despite its idyllic location among the trees, this Margaret River house needed the right combination of colour and texture to bring it to life.

The brief to Jessica Rayment, founder of Jessica Alice Design, from homeowner and Honeypot Homes founder Jarrod Auld-Newman was surprisingly simple: ‘pick some paint colours’.

But rather than simply choosing a few shades, Jessica saw an opportunity to layer the home with colour, texture, furniture, artwork and styling.

Her design gives each room its own personality, while still feeling connected to the next.

‘Each layer adds a sense of personality, becomes tactile and seems to tell a story within collected items. Even though it’s not yet been lived in, it still feels like a home,’ she explains.

Jessica grew up in a family of fabric enthusiasts, which has naturally shaped her approach to colour, texture and pattern. One of her favourite materials in the house is a Cassandra Harper textile from Décor Design, which adds another layer of pattern and tactility.

‘I’m really happy with how all of the materials work. We didn’t do any 3D renders for this job — which feels wild now — so everything was selected from small tile samples!’

At the time Jessica was designing the interior, she didn’t know whether Jarrod would eventually live in the house or sell it. She therefore wanted to create a home that felt inviting and considered, without taking the conventional approach often seen in new builds.

That feeling begins in the entry hallway, where handmade knobs feature on every door, and continues through the house to a playful guest bathroom and romantic main bedroom suite.

Throughout the project, Jessica considered how each material and design decision would work in everyday life. ‘Every decision balanced visual impact with everyday function,’ she says.

Filly House was Jessica’s first project working for herself, and the experience helped clarify the kind of designer she wants to be.

‘With Filly House, I wasn’t just doing the interior design. Being able to carry that visual language through from the fixed elements right down to the final styling made me realise that this approach is really at the heart of how I want to work.’

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