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wonderland-irwin · 4 years

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Neighbour!Ashton

Word Count: 1862

Warnings: None

Summary: Bella gets locked out of her house when a cheeky friend from her past pops up to her assistance.

A/N: This may become a bigger story, I’m not sure what will happen. Let’s see how much people like this one! Neighbour!Ashton is not the title, its the current concept lol until I find a title. Enjoy! Let me know if you want me to continue this story line! If you wanna be tagged in other parts, let me know! (Also I tried to remove unnecessary commas! I edited the best I could)

~*~*~

Unable to get my feet under me, I slipped on the towel I’d placed on the bathroom floor instead of the bathmat and as I fell to the floor, I grabbed the towel rack for aid, and it crashed loudly beside me. Muttering curses under my breath I stood, snatching the nearest towel and wrapping it around myself.

I fumbled with the lock in the door knob, then once I finally got it open, I hurled myself into the hall. Why was I never able to do anything? All I’d wanted was a shower to wipe the thin layer of sweat I could feel over my entire body off, but I’d barely stepped in and the dogs had begun to bark and howl at something.

I crashed down the stairs, spooking Olive, our grey tabby, and I raced into the front living room. Our shih-tzu’s - a breed of small dog that should be rather chil, however ours were far from - Peekley and Mushroom were standing on the back of the couch in the bay window, heads thrown back barking as loud as they could.

“Hey!” I hollered, pulling my towel tighter around myself, “shut up!” Usually when they did this there was a person walking past with a dog or the poor paperboy. The dogs refused to stop, and I collapsed on the couch, leaning over them to pull the curtain back. Their barking was slightly valid when I saw the white mail van pull away from our house.

“Stop,” I hissed at the dogs as the van drove around the crescent. They were usually good with their barking and stopping, but sometimes they got excessive. It was ridiculous.

I pat to the front door, pulling it open, stepping into the hot summer’s day, then pulling the door shut to keep the air conditioning in. There was barely a cloud in the sky and those home during the day were doing garden work. I grinned when I saw the box on the bottom step. A few days ago I had made a large order of novels I had wanted to read on my summer break, and it seemed to have arrived. I expected it to arrive at the house’s mailbox down the road, but it was so big that they had to deliver it right to our doorstep.

Adjusting the towel around me again, I bent to pick the package up when I heard the front door click shut. I shot up, sprinting up the steps and trying to push the door open. It rattled and I cursed. Our front door had an automatic lock that could only open with a key. My dad worked for a lock company and was testing it on our door, and long story short the thing was useless.

“C’mon,” I begged, rattling the door. It refused to budge and my key was hanging on the hook by the front closet. The dogs started barking from the window, and I shouted for them to stop, the horror that it was mid-afternoon and I was stuck outside in my front garden in nothing but a towel was occupying my mind. I realized I may have left the back door unlocked, and I leapt from the porch, adjusted my towel yet again and darted down the cobblestone pathway, across the hot driveway and up the side of my house to the gate. I reached over to find the hook on the gate, then my stomach turned hollow as my fingers brushed a hard padlock fastened to the hook.

I cursed, balling my hands into fists and I stormed back to the front door. As soon as my dad got home from work I would demand he remove that lock and burn whatever prototypes his company had created. What an awful design.

My parents weren’t going to be home until that evening, and my sister was out with her friends at the amusement park. I was going to be stuck out there forever.

“Bella?”

I whirled around, grabbing the top of my towel and clutching it to my chest in protection. I stared at the person. It was Ashton. I hadn’t seen Ashton or spoken to Ashton in years. He lived across the street, and we’d grown up as best friends. We got to high school and interests changed, our lives got busier, and we started to drift apart. I missed him sometimes. Sometimes someone would remind me of him, or I’d see him when he was home from college in the dark hours of the night lit by the street lights riding his yellow trick bike in aimless circles. Sometimes I saw his posts on Instagram, or I’d simply just think about him. And I missed him.

But mostly I tried to push that missing feeling away. Tried to pretend it didn’t exist.

“Hi,” I said quietly, staring at him. He was the same as the last time we spoke, which was at our high school graduation and our mothers demanded a picture of the two of us together. He still wore dark jeans and ripped band tees. He still wore black converse. Still had those pretty hazel eyes I knew every girl gushed over. He was a little older, had a couple of tattoos, but he was still recognizable as my old Ashton.

“You okay?”

Mm, he still also had that cheeky grin.

His eyes roamed up and down me, and I felt briefly violated before realizing he wasn’t looking at me in a way that meant he wanted to rip my towel off. He was being his usual cheeky self, and was probably very concerned why I was out in the street in my towel.

“It’s a whole thing,” I told him, “but my dad’s stupid lock locked me out of the house.”

“Ah,” he nodded. I nodded in return because I felt awkward, and a silence fell between us.

“Why don’t you come over to my place until your parents get home,” he offered.

I raised my eyebrow, “are you sure?”

“Of course. You’re family.”

“Thanks.”

I adjusted my towel again, and took the steps slowly. Ashton scooped up my large box of books and quirked his eyebrow at me as he tucked it behind a planter on my porch.

“Books?”

I smiled, “of course!” He chuckled as we made our way across the street to his house.

“The water droplets on your shoulders sparkling in the sun are very pretty, Bella,” he said as we walked up his front porch and he opened the door for me to step through.

“Oh,” I said as he pulled the door shut, feeling off guard, “um, thank you.”

He flashed another smile before calling out to his mum, “Bella’s over!”

Ms. Irwin appeared from the kitchen with wide eyes, “Bella?”

I wondered when the last time was that Ashton and I stepped through the Irwin’s front door like this.

“Hi Ms. Irwin,” I waved, my face flushing.

She beamed, “hi, Sweetheart. How are you?”

“I’m fine,” I nodded, “you?”

She just nodded and said, “you two be good,” before disappearing again.

Ashton rolled his eyes with a grin before putting a hand on my back between my shoulder blades and guided me towards the stairs. As we climbed, I looked at the photographs that lined the wall of Ashton and his little sister and brother. There were photos that had been hanging there for as long as I could remember, but some, like school photos, now showed them as older kids, Ashton as an adult.

There was one photo that made my heart stutter. It was Ashton and I when we were about six. We were at the zoo, sitting on a bench laughing, my head on his shoulder, his head against mine. We each held a melting popsicle, the red and pink syrup all over our hands, around our mouths and on our chins. I don’t think a photo has been taken of me where I’ve looked that happy since.

“I love this photo.” I pointed it out.

“Yeah,” Ashton who had been at the top of the stairs, hopped down the last few to join me, “that was a fun

day.”

We looked at it for a moment, then continued to Ashton’s room. I laughed when I entered.

“What?” He asked, rummaging around his closet.

“Ashton, it looks the same!” I wandered around the room. The room itself was painted a dark blue. Ashton’s bed was unmade, clothes were in piles on the floor. He had a desk, where his laptop sat, and in one corner his drum kit, the other a black bean bag chair. Knick knacks and odd belongings sat on shelves and in odd spaces on the floor.

“Like yours doesn’t?” He grinned, passing me one of his t-shirts.

“Okay,” I laughed, “it might be.” My room was still purple and green. The doll house my dad had made me that I made Ashton play with me numerous times still sat on its shelf. I still had fragments of LEGO upon my shelves. My books cluttered every corner. Posters from movies and musicians covered my walls.

He chuckled, moving to his drawer and rummaging around. I pulled on his shirt, a Guns N Roses shirt with minimal holes, and pulled it down as far as it could go. Ashton passed me a pair of boxers, and sat at his desk as I pulled them on and ditched my towel on his floor.

I felt better now I wore clothes and stepped over to him. Folding my arms across my chest, I leant over his shoulder to see what he was doing. A message appeared on the screen once he’d logged in, and he clicked it.

_dirtycliffo: log in!

I grinned, “Ashton, is that Michael?” I hadn’t talked to our old friends in a long time.

“Yes,” he frowned, typing back.

weeniebeanie: no

I suddenly exploded with laughter, clutching at my stomach. Then I leant over his shoulder so I could see his face.

“You still have your screen names from eighth grade?”

“Yes,” Ashton grumbled. He was avoiding looking at me, but I could see in his eyes he was smiling.

weeniebeanie: i hate that game

_dirtycliffo: c’mon. Luke n cal also suck

bread: heyy

“You still act like you're in grade eight too,” I laughed, resting my chin on Ashton’s shoulder as he logged into the game.

“Here,” he said, passing me a headset that was on his deck, “listen in.”

I twisted the headphones so we could both hear and Ashton could use the mic.

“Good, you’re here,” came Michael’s static filled voice.

“Yeah,” Ashton sighed, “but it’s not just me here.”

“Oh?” Calum’s voice came. It occurred to me that even though I wasn’t as close to them as I was Ashton, I kind of missed them too.

“Yeah. Bella-Wella is here too,” he replied, calling me my grade school name.

“Stop,” I laughed, nudging him, and he grinned.

“So it’s just like old times? Hey, Bella.”

“Hey,” I called back, and the boys started their game, talking about weapons and strategies. And I listened along. Just like old times.

#ashtonirwin #ashton irwin blurb #neighbour!ashton #5sos blurb #one shot #5sos one shot #ashton irwin one shot #bestfriend!ashton

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hoochy-coo · 4 years

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Have you seen Kendall Jenner’s Architectural Digest cover story? And if you have, what did you think of her interior design?

I’ve actually seen bits and pieces of Kendall’s house on random KUWK clips and other than thinking that her place looks amazing, I’ve always been reminded of my mother’s own taste in interior design. Fast forward to the AD article, I now realise that she’s got the same taste as my mum (a mix of coastal and mid-century modern with a dash of rustic and florentine decor) parts of my childhood home looked almost identical to parts of her house lmao. Like we had a really similar kitchen and bathrooms.

But to get to the point, her home is amazing! She’s def got the best-looking home out of her whole family - except maybe for Kris. I know this is a weird way to put it but her place is like a rich RICH person’s home. By that I mean, those type of houses where you walk in, take one glance around and you immediately know the owner is made of money. I also love that she managed to make the space (cause like the KarJenner’s home are always BIG) appear cosy and I think that’s what a home should be. I also love how she incorporated her art pieces (obsessed with the way she displays the Barbara Kruger piece) into the interior - she still made them centrepieces of each room but it complimented the overall palette instead of sticking out like a sore thumb. One thing that I think is really special about it is it’s still quite avant-garde in parts? The bathrooms are extra af (and the floor of her art room, which I dig a lot) but it still works with the rest of the house. Which really shows that her team of interior designers know how to pick their moments instead of just cluttering the place up with sporadic maximalist decor (looking at you Gigi). The only room that I didn’t love (and I still like it a fair bit) is the sitting area of her master bedroom. I was thinking the pink neon writing on the wall was a bit “I’m basic and shop at UO” but then I realised it’s a Tracy Emin’s piece (with a really interesting backstory) and thought that was quite a cool touch since it added a bit of character to the room. Also, it’s nice of Kendall to implement those doors that Kris got her from Italy but that room can do without it lmao. My only complaint is that she went and got those super cool 60′s record/radio player but stacks the records on top of them like that. I hope she only laid the records out like that for display and knows how to stack them properly in the drawers because I’d assume that some of her records are very expensive (and old).

On a completely unrelated note, I don’t usually say this about Kendall but she looked GORGEOUS in the AD video. I really like her with the slightly lighter hair, I think it suits her colouring more and brightens her complexion. She should really consider keeping it that shade. I also love the Gucci matching set that she had on (assuming it’s vintage?). That outfit in itself goes with the overall vibe of the house as well. On another unrelated note, her closet (and fitting room) has all sort of amazing pieces in them...? All those different colours, the textures, the fifty million pair of shoes and she still dresses basic on the daily? I’m so confused, why does she not wear them?

#ask #answer #kendall jenner #interior

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lookinguptolou-blog · 7 years

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One Direction Pregnancy Series 16 ~ Nursery

Pregnancy Series Here

Harry ~ You were away for the weekend, gone up north for a weekend with your mum. It was a girl's only weekend so you could spend some time with her before the baby came. You had an amazing time with her; the spa treatments, the shopping, the food- it was all so relaxing. But you missed being home. You preferred your own bed over a hotel bed, and you missed having your husband sleeping beside you.

You were relieved to be home. When you went into the bedroom to start unpacking, Harry was lying in bed in only his boxers, watching tv. "Hey!" he greeted you, sitting up. "How was it?"

"It was nice, relaxing. We had fun. Did you miss me too much?" You leaned up against the bed, placing one hand on Harry's bare chest.

"Very much so, love." He pressed a kiss to your lips. It was a nice welcome home. You pulled away, brushing his hair from his eyes, and began to take your dirty clothes out of your suitcase. "Can't you do that tomorrow? I want to snuggle my wife."

"We can snuggle. In a few minutes." You continued unpacking, throwing nearly everything into the hamper.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I have a little gift for you. Its down the hall." He grabbed your hand and pulled you out of your bedroom and down the hall. He stopped at the door of what was soon to be your baby girl's nursery. It had a grey 'C' on the door that wasn't there when you left. He slowly opened the door, but not before telling you to close your eyes.

"Open!" He exclaimed, and you did. You were baffled that he was able to do so much work in just a few days, never mind make it look so good. The grey and white floral wallpaper was up, the furniture was put together, the rug was on the floor. Everything was done. You began to look around, opening the drawers and closet to find that everything was put away, and it was done neatly. It was beautiful.

"Harry, I- How did you-?" You began to cry, running up to him and crying into his chest.

"Love, I thought this was how we talked about doing it? Did you change your mind?"

"No," you cried.

"If you don't like it, we can change it. I won't mind."

"No, I love it!"

"Then why are your crying?"

"Because I love it, and I love you, and- I don't know! I'm happy!" You looked up and smiled at him as he wiped the wetness of your cheeks.

"You like it then?"

"Yeah." You began to cry again, and Harry just sighed, chuckling.

Niall ~ You had it designed by an amazing interior decorator, while you were on tour. She sent you pictures, but you wouldn't be able to see it and stock it up until you went home. You didn't know when that would be yet, but you were excited. You fell in love with in as soon as you saw the pictures.

It had to be gender neutral, because you weren't going to be finding out the gender until he or she was born, so it was all white with some light grey and pale yellow. A big painting of 3 giraffes was above the crib, and there was a big, comfortable looking chair in the corner. It was really beautiful, and you couldn't wait to see your baby sleeping in that room.

Liam ~ "Uncle Liam?" Your niece, Sara, asked. You and Liam were watching her for your brother today. You turned from where you were standing at the changing table and watched as your husband and niece were looking through the baby books.

"Niece Sara?" he answered, making her laugh. She closed her book and put it onto the bookshelf. Liam had been in here night and day preparing for the baby. He did an amazing job putting the furniture together, and found an amazing crib at an antique store.

"What's this circle on the rug?" She asked. You smiled as you folded on of the many blankets you had received and stuffed it into the bottom drawer.

"That's a compass. It's what pirates used to find treasure," he explained. She nodded and stood on top of it, skipping around on the points. She sat down and traced the shapes with her fingers, singing off key absentmindedly. Liam chuckled, and you tossed a blanket at her.

"Come help me," you said, and she nodded. In her summer dress, which she wore over a long sleeved tee and leggings, she twirled over to where you stood. She began trying to fold the blue blanket on the floor beside you, and when she was finished she handed it up to you. You tossed some more down to her, and you refolded the one she just gave you.

Liam began to hammer a nail into the wall to hang a picture, which Sara thought looked like fun. She skipped across the room to him, and pulled on his pant leg. "Uncle Liam, can I try?"

He nodded and handed her the hammer. You watched as he hoisted her up onto the table and held the nail for her to hit, surprisingly, she it the nail instead of the walls or her uncle's fingers. She eventually got bored and began to play under the crib. But then Liam started using a drill to hand up the blinds, and she got scared, so you took her down to watch a movie.

She picked out Finding Dory, and halfway through, she looked up to you from your lap and said, "Aunty Y/N, why don't you have the baby in your belly?"

"Because," you simply stated, hoping she would forget and turn her attention back to the movie. But she didn't.

"But why?"

"I can't have a baby in my belly. That's why Uncle Liam and I are adopting. Remember we told you? Someone else has our baby in their stomach, and when he comes out, we're going to get him," you explained, tears forming in your eyes. You turned you head away from your niece's stare and wiped the water away.

"Are you crying?" she asked, putting her small hand on your cheek leaning in close so that her nose was almost touching yours.

"Ya, bug, I am crying."

"Daddy says that when someone is crying that they are sad about something. What are you sad about?" she asked innocently. You laughed lightly, and kissed her cheek.

"I'm sad that I can't have a baby in my belly," you told her. She nodded, and turned back to the movie.

"I think it's all set! Just need to put- Are you alright, sweetheart?" Liam said as he walked into the room. He saw my tear-stained cheeks and bent down in front of me.

"It's nothing, promise. Sara cheered me up," you smiled and hugged him.

Louis ~ "Y/N? Are you home?" You heard Louis call from the entrance way after the door slammed. You turned your music down, stopping your dancing slightly, and wiped your hands off on a rag, a smile blooming on your lips.You were happy, happy that your husband was home.

"Here!" you yelled, and heard his footsteps making their towards you. He came into the kitchen with a big smile on his face, happy to see you cooking.

"It smells amazing in here," he said, walking over to the stove where you stood. He pulled you to his chest and pressed a loving kiss to your lips, his hands moving further and further south. When he reached his destination, he squeezed. You pulled back, laughing, and tore his hands away from your behind. He put his hands on either side of your face, and pressed another kiss to your forehead. "I've missed you."

"You saw me a few hours ago." You went back to your cooking, enjoying having his arms wrapped around you from the back.

"I've missed you. It's been a long time since I've come home to find you dancing in the kitchen." He nuzzled his face into the crook of your neck, placing kisses at the base of your hairline. "What helped you? So we can do it again, so you're like this all the time."

"I woke up and felt better. I'm okay for now." You turned the heat off on the stove and turned around to face him. "Now go get washed so we can eat. The baby and I are starving!"

He pecked your forehead one last time before he left the kitchen, his lips pulled into a smile. You began making your plates when you heard him call you from upstairs. "Y/N! This looks amazing!"

"What?" You yelled back up to him, not hearing what he said the first time.

"The nursery. You painted it!" He was at the top of the stairs now, looking down to you, beaming.

"Yeah, I was bored today, so..."

"I love it! I didn't think we were going-"

"You don't like it?" You asked as you walked up the stairs to meet him.

"No, I love it. The wall you painted with the polka dots, and the sign, it looks amazing, mama bear. You did an amazing job. I like that you used that song." He pulled you into a hug in the center of the room, admiring your handiwork. You had painted rainbow polka dots evenly spaced on the white walls, and made a sign, or tapestry, that read 'You Are My Sunshine' in different colored letters. It was the wall you planned the crib to go against.

Today, you had a project, something to keep you occupied. You weren't sad, depressed, angry - you were yourself. You were looking forward to working on the nursery and finishing it. Now that Freddie was with his mom for the next few months, you had absolutely nothing. With something to do, something to wakeup to, you wouldn't be thinking about all the bad things, but rather about your sunshine. Your baby boy. No, everything wouldn't be the same as it had been before your pregnancy, but you were closer than yesterday.

"I love you. I love you and that baby," he whispered, but you heard him. You walked over to him embraced him.

"I know you do. I know you do," you said, placing your hand over his on your stomach.

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jeremystrele · 5 years

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This Rare Robin Boyd Original Makes An Extraordinary Family Home

Homes

Fiona Killackey

This original Robin Boyd-designed house in Warrandyte is now the family home of writer, strategist and podcast host Emma Clark Grattan, furniture maker Lee Grattan, and their children Archer and Jehtro. The original house on the block burned down in 1962, and the owners commissioned Robin Boyd to design this new house in 1963. The house is clad with steel, which is quite unusual for the celebrated architect, but part of the brief was that the house was fire-resistant. Landscaping by Emma and Lee. Photo – Caitlin Mills. Styling – Annie Portelli.

The couple updated the original kitchen, but kept the same custom handles as Robin Boyd used. ‘I soaked them in vinegar and put them back all new in the kitchen’, Emma explains. Drinks cabinet, bench seats, mirror and table made by Lee. Kilim runner from Gumtree. Milk & Sugar Hunter Pendant Lampshade. Photo – Caitlin Mills. Styling – Annie Portelli.

Original wall light and Tasmanian Oak flooring. The couple painted the pantry door to break up the timber in the house. Baskets collected over the years now hide the kids’ sports and winter clothing. Artwork next to the fridge was a gift from friends Ace Wagstaff and Sam George. Steel and timber stools made by Lee. Photo – Caitlin Mills. Styling – Annie Portelli.

The family photo wall. ‘We started sticking up a few photos when we first moved in, but now they’ve taken over the whole kitchen wall!’ Emma says. The house is built so every room has a view of the treetops on the Yarra. Photo – Caitlin Mills. Styling – Annie Portelli.

The living room. Guitars and Victorian ash sideboard built by Lee, weaving by Emma. Leather couch from Grandfather’s Axe. Coffee table and green chairs found on the side of the road and restored by Lee. Galah print by Erstwhile. Ice cream planter from Third Drawer Down. Original chrome wall scones. Photo – Caitlin Mills. Styling – Annie Portelli.

Timber guitars made by Lee. Plush guitar on bottom left made by Emma for Lee’s birthday a few years ago. Photo – Caitlin Mills. Styling – Annie Portelli.

‘Lee got the desk from Great Dane, but it was broken and in pieces so they were going to throw it out. He managed to restore it and we’ve dragged it from house to house’. Lamp is an original Planet lamp bought for a dollar from a church sale in Warrandyte. Clock from IKEA. Geo dresser made by Lee. Photo – Caitlin Mills. Styling – Annie Portelli.

Original bookshelves. Couch from Grandfather’s Axe. The narrow windows face south-west and capture the sunset. Photo – Caitlin Mills. Styling – Annie Portelli.

Cane outdoor setting bought for $50 on Gumtree. Table and kid’s chairs built by Lee. Photo – Caitlin Mills. Styling – Annie Portelli.

Emma, Lee, Jethro and Archie. ‘Warrandyte is a wonderful place to live with kids. It’s got a community and village feel. We literally have the Yarra Valley behind us and the city in the other direction’, Emma tells. Photo – Caitlin Mills. Styling – Annie Portelli.

Emma and Lee added the ensuite on, and managed to fit in a walk in wardrobe too! Lee built all the cabinetry and Emma tiled the floor. Photo – Caitlin Mills. Styling – Annie Portelli.

Details on the family photo wall. Photo – Caitlin Mills. Styling – Annie Portelli.

Left: A mobile made from banana leaves, bought 10 years ago by Emma at a market in Tanzania. Right: The original owners had four kids and all the walls were painted with limewash, which was stained from years of Blue-tack and nail holes. Emma and Lee painted the bedrooms pale grey, but the colour changes depending on the colour of the sky. Mirror built by Lee. Weaving by Emma. An assortment of pictures and artworks made by the couple or gifted by creative friends like Melanie Knight, Sam George and Netti Wagner. Bedding from In Bed. Rug by Arro Home. Cane chair belongs to Emma’s mum. Photo – Caitlin Mills. Styling – Annie Portelli.

The kids’ room. Original orange plastic lampshade. Emma and Lee bought the bunks in a weekend from bits of wood in the shed. Photo – Caitlin Mills. Styling – Annie Portelli.

Lee’s brother made the A&J banner for the boys’ birthday a few years ago. Lee made the drawers. Rainbow from Big Dreams. Photo – Caitlin Mills. Styling – Annie Portelli.

Author John Ed Pearce once suggested that, ‘home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to’. Despite not quite being ‘old’, for many parents of young children, the suburbs they grew up in begin to seem infinitely more desirable as they long for a similar upbringing for their own kids.

For Emma Clark Gratton, content strategist, writer and co-host of The New Normal podcast (alongside Tess McCabe), the idea of returning to the suburb she grew up in was initially daunting. ‘I grew up here’ says Emma Clark Gratton, ‘And I was like, we’re never moving back to Warrandyte! But we had the kids when we were in our last house in the inner north. It was a terrace and the backyard was tiny; the kids used to just run in circles. It wasn’t a good way to live.’ Emma’s husband, Lee (founder of Gratton Design) grew up on a farm in Queensland. ‘He was like, ‘we need space!’ so we knew at some point we might move’.

But the ‘some point’ happened a lot sooner than they had expected. ‘Lee was on a bike riding trip for a fortnight, and I was busy getting Archie into a nearby school and then I was looking online one day and saw this ‘Yarra Yarra’ house come up on The Modernist Australia website. I was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s Warrandyte! I came out and looked at it and made an offer. Then I texted Lee and said, ‘We’re going to buy a house’ and he was like, ‘Sorry, what?’

Despite Lee only seeing the house on the day of the auction, he instantly joined Emma in appreciation of the hilltop views, riverside location and the idea of living in a Robin Boyd original. After securing the four-bedroom home at auction from its original owners, The Arnold family, the couple set to work restoring it, carefully adhering to the heritage restrictions of the property. This included re-doing the kitchen which was ‘just really low and narrow’, with new cabinetry and tiling, renovating the master bedroom and adding a walk-in wardrobe, fixing the ceilings ‘which hung down a bit’ and adding solar panels, amongst many other small tweaks. The spectacular views, seen through floor to ceiling windows in every room, take centre stage alongside a beautifully designed interior full of Gratton furniture, retro finds and a muted colour palette.

Outside, the couple landscaped, with help from Emma’s brother, and added a separate workspace for Lee to design and create for his business (in addition to his larger workshop in Blackburn). While Emma says there’s still some work to do – ‘There’s a fourth bedroom downstairs which we want to make into more of a guest room’ – Yarra Yarra is well on its way to being this family’s forever home. ‘I feel like we’re never moving again. This is it’.

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