My Houzz: Curator of Her Own Sweet Home

Thirteen years ago Ramona Audrey and a colleague sought a house to share in Fitzroy, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. Looking for an older home with lots of character, they instead found a spacious new three-story modern townhouse and were immediately smitten with its abundance of light and endless possibilities. For the first few years, they lived as in any typical shared house — it was sparsely decorated with furniture left over from previous abodes and the odd couch found on the street or inherited from a friend.

When her housemate moved out, Audrey started introducing her own style into the home. She is an avid thrift shopper and collector, and the objects she acquired began to spill out of her room and into other parts of the house. Blessed with a supportive landlord who appreciates her love and care of the house, Audrey also has made significant design changes to the home, inside and out. Audrey’s housemates come and go, but her distinct style remains a constant.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Ramona Audrey and housemates
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Size: 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

To celebrate her 10th year in the house, Audrey had artist Barry Drinan paint a mural of one of her favorite musical artists, Antony from the New York City band Antony and the Johnsons.

“I’ve always loved murals. Barry came over three Sundays in a row … we’d hang out with lots of music and watch it unfold. Since I prefer hanging objects on walls rather than paintings or prints, the mural makes up for the lack of art around the place.”


Fresnel stage lamp: eBay; dining chairs: Illogical Study



Most of Audrey’s collections have evolved over time; some she has actively hunted for. When she does go thrift shopping, she tries to stick to Australian pieces made before 1970.

“I’m a sucker for something aesthetically pleasing with a purpose — something that was made before I existed; when you hold it, you can feel its integrity. It’s not disposable, and it’s not in or out of fashion. If you collect, you get it. If you don’t, it’s just junk.”



Stool: Camberwell Sunday Market


The abundant light and space in the three-story townhouse were draws for Audrey, seen here.


The white pods on the wall here are pieces of down pipe. Audrey and her “handyfellow,” Gordon, came up with this idea after seeing a similar look for planter boxes online, only that one was much more expensive. “These came in at $20 per pod, including all materials, soil and labor,” Audrey says.










The two courtyards and four balconies situated around the home help to take advantage of the outdoors, despite its being situated in an urban neighborhood. As an economical alternative to garden planters, Audrey found these 200-gallon drums on eBay for about $40 each. To prevent them from rusting, she had them painted with a protective paint.



“I grew up playing board games. Both sides of my family can play them for days on end, which is pretty handy when you have a family reunion that gets rained on,” Audrey says.


“I will need to replace the couch soon; it’s sagging quite a bit. And even though it’s probably quite ugly, it’s been a great friend over the years. What other couch am I going to find that still perfectly holds a laptop, glass of wine, pussycat and pizza, while spread out and shared with three or four other people, for next to nothing? Probably not one in [a thrift store]!” she says.



Birds on wall: Little Salon


“The collections definitely drive the style of the house,” Audrey says. “I’m very strict with them: They must be a) handsome, b) practical and c) old. The vintage sporting gear is quite often used.”


One of the four bedrooms in the home. This one is used as a storage space for Audrey’s blanket collection and a place to hang her artwork. The painting above the bed is by Angela Corry; the artwork sitting atop the chalkboard is by Nick Howson.

Chalkboard: Lost and Found Market; writing desk: eBay


The blankets are Audrey’s favorite collection. “They’re so handsome, so practical,” she says.





Growing up with carpenters in the family helped Audrey develop an appreciation for quality crafted furniture. One of her biggest design influences is Shaker style. Here in her bedroom is where she has tried to emulate it the most.

Mirrors: Lost and Found Market


“I love Bush radios! I’m not usually a fan of new made to look retro, but I think this brand does it really well,” she enthuses.


Audrey is also influenced by the furniture and style of the 1940s. “It was a practical time; furniture was serious, functional, good looking, not frivolous,” she says. “I don’t search out any design information or read magazines or design books; it’s all just guesswork.”



Another very practical collection. If you have a huge cluster of vintage mirrors on the wall, you can check yourself once, twice, even three times before heading out the front door.











Fortunately, the house has a generous garage to house Audrey’s 1965 lemon-colored Fiat Bambina, affectionately known as Lucinda. “I can’t tell you how much joy she brings me,” says Audrey. “Just talking about her makes me smile. She is pure happiness.”

My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.

Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Eclectic Homes | Modern Homes | Contemporary Homes | Midcentury Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Barn Homes | Townhouses | Apartments | Lofts | Vacation Homes

URL: My Houzz: Curator of Her Own Sweet Home http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-25173.html