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Inside the elegantly festive home of Tim and Anna Robards

In a picturesque house in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, The Bachelor’s original couple, Tim and Anna Robards, are preparing for their first Christmas as a family of four.
Tim and Anna Robards outside their home with bougainvillea framing the entryPhotography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen / Hair & make-up: Max May, DLMAU

Since locking eyes during Network Ten’s The Bachelor Australia in 2013, much has changed for Tim and Anna Robards. Now married with daughters Elle, four, and Ruby, eight months, the pair’s Sydney home is ready for Christmas.

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Tim and Anna Robards outside their home with bougainvillea framing the entry
Pink bougainvillea frame the entry of Tim and Anna Robards’ home. A Beacon Lighting pendant illuminates a wreath from The Christmas Tree Company. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen / Hair & make-up: Max May, DLMAU)

Who lives here?

Tim Robards, an actor, chiropractor and co-founder of wine company Elle Rosé; his wife Anna, a media personality and co-founder of Intu Wellness; and daughters Elle, four, and Ruby, eight months.

How do you celebrate Christmas? Tim: “We usually wake up in Newcastle with my family, then come back to Sydney to see Anna’s family. We’ll probably be here on Boxing Day, enjoying all the leftovers.”

Do you have any family traditions? “Last year we made gingerbread Christmas tree decorations you can eat, so that was fun.”

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What’s your decorating style? “Minimalist chic, but at the same time throwing in touches of glam with shining elements of silver and gold.”

Tim and Anna Robards Home
A garland from The Christmas Tree Company carries on the cheer up the staircase of Tim and Robards’ home. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)

After the arrival of their first daughter, Elle, at the end of 2020, Tim and Anna were keen to upsize from their apartment in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs to somewhere a little more family-friendly. “We had a great view, but there was no balcony and it was up about five levels of stairs,” recalls Tim. “We were hanging to get a little house of our own, hopefully with a backyard.”

Tim and Anna Robards Home
A bold polished stainless steel ‘Donut Mirror’ from The Cool Hunter makes a statement at the entry, while the Arabescato marble console table lets the couple style up vignettes (for a similar console, try the ‘Lindy’ console from Trit House). On it, a Provincial Home Living vase joins candles from Pepperwhites by Tara Dennis and Studio Billie. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)
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Just a short drive away on Sydney’s iconic coastline, they came across a pretty white place with pink bougainvillea framing the front door and ocean views from the top storey. “We fell in love with it,” recalls Tim. It was a matter of the “right place at the right time” and the couple snapped it up the day before auction, moving in at the end of 2022, around Elle’s second birthday.

Tim and Anna Robards Home
In the living area of Tim and Anna Robards’ home, a Christmas tree is decorated with baubles from The White Christmas Co. A Coco Republic buffet adds contrast, anchored by a Miss Amara rug. Artwork is by Macazlyn Harris. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen / Hair & make-up: Max May, DLMAU)

Built in the 1940s, you’d never know the five-bedroom home was originally two flats, stacked one on top of the other. “The previous owner [Yuraisha Flaxman from Project Y Interiors] gutted it to the bare bones and rebuilt it,” says Tim. “It was all done and ready to move into, but we still wanted to put our own touches on it.”

Tim and Anna Robards Home
A brass Coco Republic ‘Felton’ sconce lights the dining area, with its black and white table and chairs, also from Coco Republic. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)
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So, after the family moved in, they tasked Anna’s good friend and interior designer Elissa Griffin of Winim with furnishing the main living areas and making them functional. “We wanted to start having people over, and entertaining and cooking as soon as possible,” explains Tim. “I love doing all of those sorts of things.”

Tim and Anna Robards Home
The table is set with In The Roundhouse ‘Wave’ plates, Studio Billie candles and candlesticks, and Provincial Home Living napkins and glassware. Cutlery and placemats from Alfresco Emporium finish the look. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)

Living room

There’s plenty of room for family and friends to unwrap Christmas gifts in the living area of Tim and Anna Robards’ home, courtesy of two Brosa boucle armchairs and a sofa by Crafted Furniture. The plush cushions and throw, all Pepperwhites by Tara Dennis, add contrast. A ceramic house decoration from The White Christmas Co adds a subtle festive finish on top of the Arabescato marble coffee tables.

Tim and Anna Robards Home
The living room of Tim and Anna Robards’ home has Arabescato marble coffee tables (for similar, try ‘Sector’ coffee tables from RJ Living). (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)
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Dining area

The dining area is perfect for festive parties with friends, decorated with white, green and a touch of gold. The table is set to suit the couple’s elegant tastes, with In The Roundhouse ‘Wave’ plates, Studio Billie candles and candlesticks, and Provincial Home Living napkins and glassware. Cutlery and placemats from Alfresco Emporium finish the look.

Tim and Anna Robards Home
The monochrome palette complements the piano, topped with Pottery Barn Christmas decor. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)

Kitchen

The kitchen is the hub of Tim and Robards’ home, as it opens onto the outdoor area. Pops of emerald green complement the deep blue cabinets and caramel tones in the kitchen, with a Rick Carlino artwork from M Contemporary on the wall. It’s the perfect place for guests to gather while the couple whips up a feast with their Gozney pizza oven.

Tim and Anna Robards Home
The island is a social spot with tan Grazia & Co stools. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)
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“I do so many pizza days – it’s a great way to entertain a crowd. We set up all the toppings on the big kitchen island.”

Tim Robards
Tim and Anna Robards Home
Backplates on the Momo Handles hardware pop against the coffee nook cabinetry, while the tiled Carrara marble splashback glows with a brass inlay detail. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)

Main bedroom

Not long after settling in at their new dwelling, they discovered they had a second baby on the way, arriving in early 2024. That’s when the couple got serious about elevating the rest of the home. Interior decorator Claudia Lambert came onboard to inject the “touch of glam” Tim and Anna wanted upstairs, particularly in the bedrooms – one of which had fallen into “storage room” status – while toddler Elle’s bedroom was in need of “a bit of love and care”.

Tim and Anna Robards Home
In the main bedroom, artist Anna Curnuck’s ‘Moment 1’ hangs above Tim and Anna’s custom Heatherly Design bedhead. “With art, when you wake up and look at it, you want to feel something,” shares Tim. A bold ‘Surface’ lamp by Studio Henry Wilson brightens the GlobeWest bedside. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)

“Anna’s always been very chic and we wanted it to be very simple in a way, with a little bit of glam.”

Tim Robards
Tim and Anna Robards Home
Caia Leifsdotter’s ‘Psychedelic Mirror’ and wall sculptures by Diana Miller from Curatorial + Co grace the corridor between the couple’s bedroom and walk-in robe. Eadie Lifestyle cushions cosy up the banquette. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)
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Ensuite

Designed by the previous owner, the vanity top in the couple’s ensuite is Carrara marble and cabinetry is rich Dulux Black Caviar. The finishing touch is ABI Interiors tapware.

Tim and Anna Robards Home
Tim and Anna’s ensuite is classic and sophisticated. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)

Guest bedroom

They introduced dusty pinks, touchable textures and mixed metallics. “I got my painting clothes on and painted the baby room a pinky beige,” says Tim. A linen-look wallpaper transformed a couple of the other bedrooms. “Everything was white upstairs, so we wanted to soften it and make it a little prettier. I live with three girls, so it’s probably a little bit feminine upstairs,” says Tim. One of the bedrooms has been done up beautifully for guests.

Tim and Anna Robards Home
Casamance ‘Shinok’ wallpaper continues the soft palette in the guest room, while an Andrew Farmer artwork adds a burst of brightness. The floor lamp is from Coco Republic and bedding is from Cultiver. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)
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“I live with three girls, so it’s probably a little bit feminine upstairs.”

Tim Robards
Tim and Anna Robards Home
A mirror from Life Interiors hangs on the wall beside a Kelly Wearstler ‘Phoebe Stacked’ lamp, which tops the GlobeWest cabinet. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)

Elle’s bedroom

Four-year-old Elle’s room was in need of tweaking to suit her stage of life. This involved adding soft shades of pink that can grow with her, modern curves and nods to fun and play in decor items such as the mushroom-shaped lamp.

Tim and Anna Robards Home
The same blush wallpaper as in the guest bedroom adorns Elle’s bedroom, where a McMullin bedhead and Koala bedlinen join a Rachel Donath bedside and cute GlobeWest lamp. The Anna Curnuck artwork is from Sibu Gallery. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)

Ruby’s bedroom

With a scalloped Miss Amara rug and rounded Sarah Ellison drawers, curves abound in baby Ruby’s room. This year is the family’s first Christmas since Ruby arrived in March, so it’s sure to be a very special time for the family.

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“Ruby’s bedroom was our storage room before. Knowing she was coming along spurred on the renovation.”

Tim Robards
Tim and Anna Robards Home
An Aerin ‘Clarkson’ floor lamp from Bloomingdales Lighting highlights the tactile artwork by Macazlyn Harris. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)

Alfresco area

The poolside dining table is clothed with a tablecloth, runner and plates from Provincial Home Living, napkins from In The Roundhouse and napkin rings from Alfresco Emporium. Tim and Anna’s summer feasts are arranged on Casa e Cucina servingware.

Tim and Anna Robards Home
(Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)

We love… outdoor entertaining

“One of the big draw cards of this place is that we love entertaining, and it’s so well connected to the backyard,” says Tim. “We have these big doors that open up. Everyone can be sitting out here eating while the kids are in the pool.” Tim and Anna usually host guests for a few days before or after Christmas, celebrating over a bottle of Elle Rosé.

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Tim and Anna Robards Home
A bottle from Tim’s wine company, Elle Rosé, sits on the table next to a pavlova. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)

Pool area

“I’ve put my sauna and ice bath in the backyard,” says Tim. “We’ve got a couple of big date palms and a bunch of palm trees, so it’s like a little wellness haven out here.”

Tim and Anna Robards Home
A large date palms adds some shade to the sitting area by the pool. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)

For a couple into health and fitness, a sauna and plunge bath in the backyard is the dream. It’s just what you’d expect in Tim and Anna Robards’ home.

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Tim and Anna Robards Home
The ‘Outdoor Barrel’ infrared sauna and ‘Yirri’ Japanese cedar-wrapped plunge bath are from Found – Space. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistants: Julia Baston, Deborah Cohen)

Interior design: Winim and Claudia Lambert Interiors.
Project management: Project Y Interiors.
Builder: J Jones Construction.

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