When two extremely stylish women team up to renovate, you know you’re in for a treat; and the Mentone house, transformed by blogger, model and TV presenter Rebecca Judd — with the help of interiors stylist Julia Green — is truly spectacular.
Once a small two-bedroom miner’s cottage in need of a full renovation (new kitchen, bathroom, garden… the works!), the home is now light and bright with a strong Scandi-inspired aesthetic.
The living room is an automatic standout and a favourite of Rebecca’s, who played with scale, texture, height, art and accessories when styling the room. “When styling a living room it’s all about scale,” explains Rebecca. “Make sure the furniture and rug are the right size otherwise they can throw the dimensions of the room out. I also look at where the light is coming from and do we need to add more? Also, where are the bare walls? Can we fill them with art? This will dictate colour palettes. Lastly, the function of the room — will there be toddlers running around putting their hands on everything (choose a leather couch) or strictly adults only (choose luxe fabric!).”
The bathroom and kitchen are also worthy of note, with the tiles (from Beaumont Tiles) adding a layer of luxury. “I definitely wanted to use marble and/or stone in a mosaic style — pure luxe,” says Rebecca. “Penny rounds (these were used in the kitchen) are timeless, classy and add a point of difference, plus increase the value of your home. I was ecstatic to find the white marble square mosaic tile in a 50x50mm size, which was exactly what I was looking for in the bathroom. I love that stone is slightly imperfect with rough edges and varying veins of colour. This softens a sterile bathroom environment, adds interest and is pure luxury.”
Choosing neutrals for the fixtures, fittings and finishes and adding interest through furniture and homewares was always Rebecca’s intention, believing when it comes time to sell it will be easier. However, that doesn’t mean the home is bland or boring, far from it! Rather, Rebecca put a lot of effort into the styling, focusing on proportions and colour. “People often buy pieces which are too small, so go for a bigger size, it will make the room feel bigger! When it comes to colour, choose one from your art (not the most obvious one) and use it in three items in the room whether it be in an accessory on the mantle piece, a cushion or an item of furniture. Use this chosen colour in your objects and dot them throughout the room so it takes your eye on a journey yet ties the room together.”
With the renovation now over, Rebecca has learnt some key lessons, and as we so often hear at Reno Addict her most important learning… stick to your budget! “I know it’s easier said than done, but by using good tradespeople and doing things properly you can ensure that you only need to pay for things once.”
Photography by Annette O’Brien | Styling by Julia Green
