Melbourne-based interior designer Edwina Glenn has reimagined the interiors of a post-modern house in the leafy suburb of Hawthorn, infusing it with a blend of 80s nostalgia and Miami Vice.
The formal dining area features the Fredericia ‘Post’ dining table, Jardan ‘Gus’ chair and a Halcyon Lake rug. The walls here, and throughout the rest of the home, have been painted a bright white to emphasise the theme of Miami Vice. Artwork by Kudditji Kngwarreye. ‘Hello Stranger’ 2023 sculptural vessel by Issy Parker and Terunobu Hirata ‘Rounded Ash Glaze’ vase were sourced from Craft Victoria.
Originally designed in 1985 by prominent Australian architect Daryl Jackson, the home had undergone several structural iterations before Edwina came on the scene. “While I initially hesitated to make changes to such a significant building, its history suggested it had already endured enough transformations to warrant a contemporary reinterpretation,” she reflects.
While some might have labelled the old dame an “ugly duckling,” the client was drawn to the nostalgia it evoked. Having grown up in 1980s Australia, they felt a personal connection to the curved bagged brick walls, playful geometry, and tiled windows. “We aimed to accentuate these elements and give the house a vibrant and colourful new interior,” Edwina explains.
However, before any aesthetic changes could be made, the home needed to be reconfigured to better suit the young family’s lifestyle. Recognising during her first visit to the site that the existing formal dining area was redundant, Edwina replaced it with a study and gin bar, per the owner’s request for a ‘parent’s retreat’. “I’m pleased I could create a cosy parent’s retreat that offers a space for both work and relaxation,” she says. The new banquette dining area is now “the hub for family life,” Edwina notes. In addition, considering the house is designed for a very sporty, on-the-go family, a new mudroom acts as the perfect “dumping and sorting zone” just before entering the kitchen. “Instead of finishing this space in a way that felt ‘back of house,’ I used colour and mirrors to connect it to the garden and make it a place to enjoy.”
Edwina embraced an 80s-inspired palette throughout the home, in line with Daryl Jackson’s penchant for glass bricks and striking architectural motifs. Pastel-blue cabinetry, white square tiles, and indoor plants create an environment reminiscent of Miami Vice in the kitchen and dining space. Transitioning to the entry and living area, Edwina replaced the outdated carpet with black and white terrazzo. She softened it with a goat’s hair rug and a sculptural mustard-yellow sofa by Jardan. She opted for rich Verde Fantastico green marble juxtaposed against industrial stainless steel finishes in the bar and primary ensuite.
The new banquette dining area is now “the hub for family life”, Edwina notes. The space features a custom dining table and banquette seating by Edwina, the Nemo ‘Lamp de Marseille’ and ‘Hello Stranger’ 2023 sculptural vessel by Issy Parker sourced from Craft Victoria and ceramic from Jardan.
In the living area, Edwina replaced the outdated carpet with black and white terrazzo floors for a more 80s look. The space features a goat’s hair rug, custom tiled coffee table by Poly Designs, the Jardan Valley sofa, Living Divani Lemni armchair, Ecart Fan Table 1930 and &Tradition Colette table lamp. Artwork by Polly Gilroy supplied by Otomys Gallery, ‘Moon Jar, Velvet Landscape’, 2023 Timothy White vessel and ‘Golden Night’ Black & Gold Lustres with lid, both from Craft Victoria. Terunobu Hirata ‘Twist Faceted’ vase in ash glaze and ‘Tea Dust’ bowl in brown were also sourced from Craft Victoria. The Polyphonic Flagon Wagon by Danielle Thiris is also pictured.
Artwork by Celia Gullet ‘Aegean’ 2023 supplied by Sophie Gannon Gallery. The floor is Signorino ‘Edelweiss’ terrazzo tiles.
Edwina incorporated a bespoke gin bar set in Verde Fantastico marble into the new ‘parents retreat’.
The study in the ‘parent’s retreat’ features the Cassina Maralunga sofa, Fredericia Sequoia pouf, Sarah Ellison Tide coffee table, Artifort Tulip chair, Oluce Atollo table lamp and a Halcyon Lake rug.
The owners were attracted to the home’s tiled windows, reminding them of growing up in the 80s in Australia.
One of Edwina’s favourite pieces in the home is the B&B Italia Charles bed upholstered in Kelly Wearstler Chalet fabric in the primary bedroom. “It felt like I had personally designed the fabric as I had employed the grid motif across many other areas of the house,” she says. The space also features the HAY Martin large table lamp, Just Adele Nino bedside table, and a L&M Home duvet cover set.
The primary ensuite features a custom vanity set in Verde Fantastico marble, the Claybrook Skye bath, Brodware tapware, Apparatus Studio Starlet wall sconce and BZippy double-tier Cloud side table. The ‘Golden Night’ black and gold lustres vessel with lid from Craft Victoria sits on the vanity.
The powder room is painted in a warm terracotta, complemented by a custom terrazzo vanity.
In the mudroom, located just before the kitchen, Edwina employed a palette of rust-coloured linen, soft-blue paint and mirrored glass to create a playful environment. The space features the Henry Wilson Compass wall hook.
