Hiding inside the Edra Cabana cabinet by Fernando and Humberto Campana is a shelving unit. Behind a burl dining table by West Elm is an antique Indian Amritsar from Cadrys, Laker Studio Alpine chairs, custom banquette and a Classic Verdure French tapestry.
Past and present collide in this inimitable Melbourne home where rooms are saturated in colour and incongruous decorative pairings abound.
A solid brick Victorian dwelling in Melbourne’s tree-lined Armadale, past owners had carried this home into the present day with the retention of a typical, traditional front and—added sometime in the 2000s—a simple rear addition.
When designer Tali Roth was engaged to work on the project it was for one room only, but as the client-designer relationship evolved, so did the scope. Upon completion, there wasn’t a space that hadn’t been touched by Roth’s imaginative hand. Named after its physician owner, Surgeon’s House is more than just a new home; it mirrors the start of a new phase of life for the owner too.
The historic coving, arches and skirtings were in good condition, but the spaces lacked spark. Roth colour drenched the front two rooms to define them as sovereign spaces: creamy peppermint walls for the kids hangout, a lounge decked out in dusty-rose oversized armchairs and a petrol sofa; buttery yellow for the Ladies Room, a place for playing cards over a G&T. A custom banquette with fringing and a bordeaux-hued slip chair frames a pedestal table by Cordon Salon in dimensions perfectly suited for socialising. “It’s a room that’s sophisticated yet without pretension,” Roth says.
The original kitchen floorplan was basic, but with budget and sustainability in mind, only cosmetic changes were made. The island stone was kept intact but the cabinetry was resurfaced in lemon-yellow with mini pasta-shaped hardware from Roth’s collaboration with Lo & Co. A generous modular sofa in honey-haired mohair divides the open-plan rear. Clerestory windows bounce light off the burnt sienna ceiling and illuminate the vertical shelving units filled with art, curios and decorative objects.
Mini pasta hardware, as part of the Al Dente collection by Lo & Co in collaboration with Studio Tali Roth. Modern Metier pendants.
The room is wrapped in a Momu Bobbi Modular sofa in mohair fabric. Pictured: Daniel Boddam Wave chair, Peter D Cole standing lamp, Armadillo rug and custom coffee table.
In the meals area, a built-in bench accompanies the wood dining table. Upholstered in a geometric, checkerboard fabric, its expertly juxtaposed with an ornate Verdure tapestry, a detailed antique Indian Amritsar rug and—mischievously sitting in the corner—Edra’s Cabana Cabinet. “It’s one of my favourite pieces,” Roth says, “because nothing quite meets the eye. It’s long strands of raffia to reveal a hidden bar.”
In the primary bedroom, the headboard is a colour-crush of rich pigments expressed in teal, midnight navy and gold accents that pick up on the celestial-style throw. Cylindrical timber burl tables add a timeless elegance to the room, slipping in against a backdrop of olive green, resulting in an entirely immersive retreat.
Barovier&Toso Italian Art Deco five arm chandelier from eModerno, custom rug, Oko Olo lamp, large artwork by Michael Georgetti, custom banquette and Cordon Salon Trapp table from Oigall Projects.
Vitra Akari UF4-L10 lamp by Isamu Noguchi, Lambswool Danish chair from CCSS, Armadillo rug, custom ottoman, Casa Blanco Teddy lounge chair, Crafted Furniture sofa, and Kayte and Ayin cushions by Studio Tali Roth.
In the hallway, artwork by Dane Lovett from Station Gallery. Bedhead by Heatherly Design, artwork by Polly Gilroy from Otomys Gallery, Rachel Donath side table, Pinch Pium wall lights and a Curio blanket.
