15 of our favourite pets from the pages of Home Beautiful

Fitness guru Sam Wood and his wife, Snezana, may have a big family with their four daughters keeping them busy but there’s still room for chocolate labrador Hendrix in the mix. He posed at the front entrance to their gorgeous Elsternwick home and on the dark parquetry flooring inside… one of Sam’s favourite features of the home!

TV personality Larry Emdur gave Home Beautiful a peek inside the picturesque Sydney home he shares with wife Sylvie. Rich artworks decorate the white walls, like this one by Belinda Fox, but it’s hard for them to look away from the ocean views. “We watch the water more than the television,” says Sylvie.

Interiors expert Tara Dennis and husband Martyn shared their handcrafted home with us. The neighbour’s dog Charlie joined them at the outdoor table made by Martyn and customised by Tara. “I got a big cowhide and chopped it in half because if you slide along the bench, you get splinters in your bum,” she says laughing. 

Homewares designer and store founder Samantha invited us to visit her Mornington Peninsula property, where she lives with David and two of their three adult sons. We also met their plethora of animals. “We have two cats, two dogs, a parrot, some geese and a sheep named Mary,” says Samantha. Coco the tabby cat was quite happy hanging out in the light, bright entrance hallway.

After spying a run-down home on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, serial renovators Alex and Janette Stritt, a husband and wife building and design team, embarked on a full knockdown and built this Hamptons-style abode in its place. They live in the dream home with their teenagers, Sebastian and Allegra, and Daisy the cavoodle, who’s looking proud as punch in their palatial garden.

Claire, a book designer, and Tim, a high-school principal, live in this timber-filled 1950s cottage in Melbourne with their children Gus, 11, and Lydia, nine, plus Tilly the cavoodle and two chickens. There are lots of organic materials and shapes in the kitchen, where Claire and Tilly love to chill. A photograph of Mawson’s Huts in Antarctica hangs above the island.

Host of Selling House Australia, Wendy Moore, invited us along for an intimate gathering at her place. It’s a vibrant home in Sydney’s Inner West that she shares with husband, Pete, and their 12-year-old twin daughters, Darcy and Ruth. Their whippet Kink is never far away and was undoubtedly the star of the day’s filming and shoot!

Nicki Dobrzynski, an interior designer and photographer, her husband Chris, who works in property, their children, Eva, 10, and Jake, six, opened up their Lakeside New Zealand cottage to Home Beautiful. The family invited us along to see how they decorate, eat and prep for festivities, with Bailey the rhodesian ridgeback (reluctantly) roped into the festive dress-ups.

Interior designer Tori, her husband Tom, and sons Oscar, 13, and Henry, 10, live in this refreshing colour-filled Brisbane cottage with Frankie the mini dachshund (pictured with Tori) and Wolfhilde the German shepherd. It’s a show-stopping place, with a mix of vintage, global and modern pieces. You should see the green front door!

Interior designer Jodie Carter’s aim for this waterfront project on Sydney’s North Shore was to create an idyllic boathouse for her clients to enjoy with friends. “Designing for a family that enjoys entertaining has been satisfying,” she shares. Bowser the Cavoodle and his family often “spend the whole day down at the boathouse,” says Jodie. 

Ebony an interior designer, partner Eric Hipwood, an AFL Footballer for the Brisbane Lions, and their groodles Hugo and Summer gave us a tour of their renovated and extended Queensland worker’s cottage. It’s full of charm, with a bonus spacious backyard that’s perfect for playing fetch! The luxurious dog’s bath is incredible too.

Stylist Alexandra Brownlow brought Home Beautiful along as she decorated her warm and cosy home for Christmas. It was a medley of lime green and neon pink in a fresh take on festive hues. Her labrador Patsy seemed to approve of the pine cone decorations!

This glorious timber and rammed-earth home in the Mornington Peninsula belongs to Liz and John, who are retired. They share it with their two-year-old golden retriever, Elvis, their chooks, Betty, Mary and Jo, and belted galloway steers Goose, Saddle, Spot, Smooch, Shaggy and Spit. Despite all those animals, they find the setting very serene! “It’s a very easy home to live in – simple and uncluttered, calm and quiet,” says homeowner Liz. 

We headed to the NSW Southern Highlands to visit the dream country retreat of food writer Louise Keats and her husband John. They live here with their two young children, plus Jasper the straight-haired cavoodle and Queenie the quarter horse.  “I prefer a gentle, relaxed, lived-in look over anything too formal and stiff,” says Louise.

It was a day not to be forgotten when Home Beautiful explored interior designer Melinda Harwright’s luscious fairytale garden. With its pin oak, silver birch and London plane trees, hydrangeas, entertaining area, sparkling pool, orchard and the classiest vegie patch you’ve ever seen, the garden is an indispensable part of life for Melinda, Tom and their children, Charlie, 15, Poppy, 12, and Amelia, nine. It was a moment not to be missed when the family’s toy cavoodle Ruby posed in front of the Hydrangea macrophylla.