HOME TOUR: A SUNNY HILLTOP ABODE

In the kitchen, an eye-catching island bench extends through to the dining area dining area. Crafted by Tony from one piece of stainless steel, it’s an amazing focal point within the open-plan zone. Organic tableware including Mud Australia dipping bowls and an olivewood sugar bowl from Kova Lifestyle, plus a Marimekko tea towel from The Modern, soften its stark form. All plumbing and electrics are cleverly concealed within the bench legs to give an illusion of weightlessness, while the front panel is clad in Laminex timber veneer to complement the satin-finish blackbutt flooring.

Vines wend their way from a tall stainless-steel planter across a timber ceiling trellis, while bird’s-nest fern kokedamas by Twine & Co hang like living pendants over twin tables from Myer.

The hidden pantry – concealed behind a bank of 2-pac joinery – has been decked out with stainless-steel shelves to create a superbly practical, industrial-style space.

This light, white space, with pure linen bed dressings and a hemp rug adding textural elements, keep with the home’s natural surrounds. The assertive prints on Country Road’s now-discontinued ‘Edita’ doona cover and Aura by Tracie Ellis ‘Triangles’ cushions add graphic appeal. Sleek, built-in shelving houses treasures including a ‘Retro Radio’ storage tin (right bedside) and ‘Teardrop’ ceramic bud vase (far left), both from Three Two One by Kim & Judi. The ‘Dandelion’ hand-woven hemp rug, $630/2.15m diameter, is from Oliveaux.

Behind the main bedroom, the ensuite is more day spa than bathroom. Twin sinks (for similar, try Kohler’s ‘Forefront’ Rectangular Basin) float atop a vanity – surfaced in Tony’s immaculate stainless steel – against a mirror wall. Look ‘Mirada’ taps from Harvey Norman maintain the clean lines of the room, grounded by charcoal-hued matt tiles. Overland vitrified porcelain ‘Stone Series’ 300mm x 300mm tiles in Antracite, $48/sqm, Metro Tiles.

With so many great places to sit with a laptop and work, the couple didn’t need to hand over much real estate to the study. This chic nook, behind Plexiglas acrylic sliding doors on the ground-level landing, is just right.

In contrast to the rest of the home’s neutral palette, the girls’ rooms pop with pastels and brights. A wall of coral pink – Taubmans Roseberry Rose – brings an upbeat energy. More colour comes courtesy of a Cloth and Thread ‘Cat’ cushion from Mama’s Home, plus a Mercer + Reid ‘Rainforest Cockatoo’ cushion from Adairs. Home Republic ‘Flagstaff’ doona cover set in Multi, from $149.95/single, Adairs.

Painted in soft Dulux Airborne, this room is a serene space where everything has its own artful place. Leanne sourced the woodland-themed wall decals in both the girls’ rooms from a Chinese online supplier; look for similar on Etsy. The Snooze bed is topped with a ‘Long Beach’ doona cover and ‘Geometric Print’ cushion, all by Home Republic from Adairs.

With the dimensions of a queen-sized bed, the ‘Snug’ occupies a spot on the landing between living and sleeping zones, again with Plexiglas doors providing privacy. Not just an extra bed for guests, it’s the ideal place to read, sleep or just chill. A throw from Country Road and ‘Danita’ cushion deliver sunny yellow accents, together with a Bonnie And Neil ‘Splash Turquoise’ cushion from St Barts.

The family has designated living areas for winter and summertime. A quirky ‘Architect’ outsized floor lamp from The Modern, stands above a Moroccan pouffe from Hamimi. Viridian glass doors slide and stack away to create a space at one with the bush. An Armadillo & Co ‘Drift’ rug from Oliveaux, rattan stool from Hamimi, Freedom ‘Hilton’ sofa and round oak tray table from The Modern provide texture, while Bonnie and Neil ‘Kookaburra Jade’ and Clinton Friedman cushions from St Barts perfect the link to the outdoors.

Tony crafted three steel water tanks, holding 20,000 litres, to make the home sustainable and fire-ready – appropriate for its semi-bushland surrounds. Only recently has Leanne felt inspired to add her own creative layer, glimpsed through the beautiful garden – a constant source of cut greenery for inside the home. She carried the organic touch inside with simple, textured homewares and zesty hues thrown into the mix. “Through the process of sharing the home with friends and family, I ended up wanting to engage with it, to be creative,” she says. “In doing that I’ve finally connected with it myself.”