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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.
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.
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.
What’s your favorite feature of your home? My orange tiled kitchen, and 90-year-old baltic pine floorboards.
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.
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.
We also want to build a studio in the back garden for Liz to work.
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
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!
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…
WOW! I am in love with your home! You gave me some inspiration for my next decorating project! Thank you!
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!
I think this might be my favorite ever. So much inspiration!
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!
I remember so many of those things from my childhood!! The orange Tuppaware, the metal cups…oh wow, the memories!
This is an excellent example of a retro look without being a DATED look. It’s gorgeous and quirky and I love it :3
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)