Australian anti-minimalist 1970s house that will bring you to colorgasm

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Grandma twinkle garland

The offbeat occupant: Liz Jones, jewellery and object designer

Other occupants: Hubby, teen daughter, young son, doggy — Chester, kitties — Bella and Pedro

Approximate square footage: 650-1000 sq. feet (about 60-90 sq. meters)

How many bedrooms? 4

Lives in: Thornbury, Victoria, Australia

When did you move into this home? 10 and a half years ago

What makes your home offbeat? The ’70s renovation in the kitchen, bathroom and lounge-room. My collection of retro kitchenalia ornaments and artwork, and lots of colored secondhand stuff like curtains, light fittings, furniture, and rugs.

In my Kitchen

What’s it like where you live? An inner-city suburb full of mainly weatherboard Edwardian houses. What once was a fairly daggy area has become quite hip after young professional families moved in and started renovating with a vengeance. Most of the original owners became too old to stay in their homes and nearly all have been sold.

In my Kitchen

In my Kitchen

In my Kitchen

What’s the most challenging about this space? How do you deal with the challenge? Our little pinky bathroom is tiny. Mornings can be a bit hectic, so we learn to be patient and take turns. Easier said than done.

Pink Bathroom

What’s your favorite feature of your home? My orange tiled kitchen, and 90-year-old baltic pine floorboards.

Festive Colour

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from this home? Don’t be too quick to remodel your home. Retro fittings and a ’70s color palette make ours fun to decorate.

Living Room

What’s your grandest plan for the space? We are debating whether to paint the ’70s wood panelled loungeroom. After more than ten years living in what feels like a pool hall, a change may be needed.

Wearing Sparrow

We also want to build a studio in the back garden for Liz to work.

My Craft Room

Backgarden

Anodised Kitchen Formation

Show me the decor porn!

Liz has an unbeatable collection of retro objects, like anodized dishes, ceramic figures, kitchen ware, and art. If that tickles you inside, definitely view the decor porn slideshow above or click through to the set of photos. ^Cat

Comments on Australian anti-minimalist 1970s house that will bring you to colorgasm

  1. WOW! This is exactly why I so looked forward to Offbeat Home! Thank you so much for giving us this amazing peek into your home. The vintage Santas and Christmas ornaments, the owl teacozys, the shell mosaics it is all too amazing for words!

  2. dude. decor porn is my FAVORITE!!!!! I get so many good ideas! This house is amazing and i love the pop of colors everywhere! I am afraid of change and stuck in brown and red and taupe…

  3. YAY for Victoria! And my word – were our houses built by the same person?! Mines had a little redecorating happen, but our kitchen is that exact shade of orange (though tiled bench tops – OH MY WORD. Hardest thing to clean EVAR) and our bathroom is the exact same. Is your bath pink too? Ours is!

    In other news – I’m tidying my home over the easter long weekend and submitting. Thanks for the inspiration. LOVE it, and your super aussy backyard complete with dead summer grass. I can feel it beneath my toes!

  4. love the color-splosion!
    absolutely must find a couch like your green one and the anodized aluminum “sculpture” is so great!
    just a thought – if you want to update our lounge without losing all of the pine paneling, you could do 2-3 walls and keep one original. I <3 the warmth of wood.
    red retro kitchen furniture – swoon!

  5. Do you think Liz would be interested in loaning or hiring out some of her wonderful retro paraphernalia for a VCA student film set in the 1970’s…? :o)

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