Create an ideabook for your next remodeling project!
Browse more than 1,000,000 photos from top designers and save your favorites
Houzz Tours
Top Ideabooks
Eclectic Homes
Top Ideabooks
- Wondrous Steampunk Style for a Massachusetts Victorian
- DIY Efforts Transform a South Philly Row House
- From Baseball Factory to Homey Loft in Toronto
- From Raw Space to Hip Home in a Converted Utah Garage
- Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen's Guesthouse Brims With Charm
- Travel Treasures Personalize a Denver Comedian's Home
Houzz Tour: An Australian Cottage with a Vintage Twist
A Melbourne Blogger Outfits Her New Home in Quirky Second-Hand Finds
For many homeowners, decorating your house in all-vintage can be a tough sell. But for blogger and artist Paula Mills, it's a necessity. "My style has always been vintage eclectic," she says. "I try hard to avoid new products. Why go out and buy brand new things, when you can enjoy something in your home that's been pre-loved, full of character, and are part of an era where things were made to last?"
Mills' home is located in Warrandyte, a small wooded suburb north of Melbourne, Australia. Mills and her family moved into the home recently, and were drawn to its lush surroundings, back garden space, and nearby nature reserve. Mills used a combination of finds from flea and craft markets, charity shops, and products found on travels to create a welcoming home that's anything but ordinary.
Mills' home is located in Warrandyte, a small wooded suburb north of Melbourne, Australia. Mills and her family moved into the home recently, and were drawn to its lush surroundings, back garden space, and nearby nature reserve. Mills used a combination of finds from flea and craft markets, charity shops, and products found on travels to create a welcoming home that's anything but ordinary.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Mills found her retro-pink vintage dining table and chairs at an auction in South Africa. The pendants above the dining table were being thrown out at an art school in Melbourne — Mills stopped by just in time to save four of them for her dining and living room spaces.
This open living area is Mills's favorite room in the house. It's a completely open plan, with the kitchen, dining room and living areas all connected. "It's full of light, and the heart of our house," says Mills.
This open living area is Mills's favorite room in the house. It's a completely open plan, with the kitchen, dining room and living areas all connected. "It's full of light, and the heart of our house," says Mills.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| On the other side of the dining and kitchen area, there's another living room with a balcony and view overlooking a canopy of trees. Another salvaged pendant light leads the eye from the dining table over to the living room. Mills' look is a highly personal mix of vintage and industrial style. Nothing in her home is cookie cutter — each piece is unique. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Mills found the black couch while on a trip to London. The sofa is topped with some pillows from Etsy, and some pillows made of fabric from South Africa. The floor lamp was found at a junk shop in Melbourne, and the industrial countertop was purchased from Kabinett Vintage.
As for the amazing distressed fireplace? Surprisingly, it didn't come with the home. "I found the fireplace at a junk shop on the way back from a camping trip," says Mills. "Thankfully, we had a trailer with us. I just strapped the old Victorian wooden fireplace on, and took it home!" |
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
These retro stools add a pop of color to the bright white of the home's floors and walls. A vintage advertising blackboard in the kitchen was a lucky flea market find that helps when writing last-minute grocery lists.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Mills found this 1950s kitchen cupboard at a local charity shop, and filled it with her vintage dish collection to complete the look.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| The intricately carved bed frames in the children's room were found at an antique shop in Johannesburg, South Africa. "I feel like it's important for our home to reflect who we are as a family," says Mills. "We're creative, fun, messy and relaxed. We also wanted to make the most out of our surroundings by enhancing light and space." |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| The original floors in the home were an orange and very knotty pine, as were most of the cupboards and the staircase in the photo above. Even though it wasn't practical to keep clean, Mills decided to paint it all white. "It's brightened up the whole house," she says. "It's well worth the extra sweeping I have to do!" |
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
While some of the artwork in her home is the result of years of collecting, much of it is also some of Mills' own work. Mills runs both her blog, Sweet William, and an Etsy art and accessory shop with her sister.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Mills' bedroom is as eclectic as the rest of her home, but it also has a relaxing and soothing sensibility. The organized chaos of the other rooms is left behind here. The vanity was a lucky find ($50!) from a local charity shop. The sweet wire "amour" was found while Mills was on vacation in Ireland.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| In lieu of the traditional nightstand and table lamp set up, Mills' husband installed simple bulb pendants on either side of the bed. A colorful banner and a painting salvaged from a local rubbish shop add cheer and Mills' signature quirky style to the space. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| A blend of Mills' own artwork and vintage finds sit above the mantle in her work studio. "I love the idea of giving new life to something that was destined for the landfills," she says. "I've really enjoyed the blank canvas of this house, and adding all of our bits of color, texture, and patterns." |
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Mills's studio in her home functions as a place for her to work on her art, collages, and sewing for her shop. A craft table holds supplies for current and future projects.
While Mills loves her new home, like any homeowner, she can't help but daydream about what would make it perfect. "I would love to make the rooms a bit bigger," she says. "And maybe one day I could open up the ceiling."
More ideas:
Houzz Tour: Kay Loves Vintage
7 Favorite Vintage Furniture Sites
Houzz Tour: Cool and Collected in Downtown L.A.
While Mills loves her new home, like any homeowner, she can't help but daydream about what would make it perfect. "I would love to make the rooms a bit bigger," she says. "And maybe one day I could open up the ceiling."
More ideas:
Houzz Tour: Kay Loves Vintage
7 Favorite Vintage Furniture Sites
Houzz Tour: Cool and Collected in Downtown L.A.
Comments
katetherate Hey Warrandyte, I'm in Eltham! We're practically neighbours...
22 months ago · Like
· 1
1
josephinetalepeddler I love every inch of this space. Fab and cosy. I could move in tomorrow.
22 months ago · Like
Louise Anne Dunham Great to see an Australian home featured
22 months ago · Like
· 1
1
lindacess Loved the tour of this Australian home, hope to see more Australian homes featured.
22 months ago · Like
· 1
1
Willow Murphree Not my style but what a wonderful, cozy, welcoming and embracing home... It simply oozes personality!
22 months ago · Like
· 1
1
stmichael These are great ideas for many of us who can't afford to buy new stuff right now. Great buys, repurposed with clever style goes a long way with minimal costs. Thanks!
22 months ago · Like
canan8 Too busy...
22 months ago · Like
Kathryn Peltier Design Charming!
22 months ago · Like
Suzy Pierce I love her vintage life. So creative and fun!!!
22 months ago · Like
cdg2 What personality!! Lovely warm home!!
22 months ago · Like
faeriegrace Hello from California! Nicely done. I love cozy, informal styles. The colors and combinations used work well together.
22 months ago · Like
Vintage Renewal Such a great tour!
22 months ago · Like
CAROLE MEYER What an interesting and individual look the owners have created! I enjoyed these photos so much.....great home. Carole www.carolemeyerart.com
22 months ago · Like
Rediscover Your Home Love it! For those of you who love this kind of "use what you have" decorating style I encourage you search the term "ReDesign" when looking for decorating help. Also check out the Canadian Redesigner's Association to find someone in Canada (or Interior Redesign Industry Specialist in the USA) who specializes in this type of decorating. The thing I like best about redesign is that no two homes will look the same because redesign effectively uses items that the client already has from thier years of acquiring items they love.
22 months ago · Like
dee576 Wonderful to see an Australian home featured with such style and quirkiness.
22 months ago · Like
· 1
1
Anne Farrell I LOVE EVERYTHING in this house.
21 months ago · Like
stay1 Great to see warrandyte Australia on the map. Love the feel. I'm from south croydon Vic, just a couple of minutes down the road
16 months ago · Like
Ideabook updated on Aug. 9, 2011.
What are you working on?
News From Our Partners
Latest Ideabooks
People found the photos in this ideabook after searching for:
View over a million photos:
