A family beach house on The Mornington Peninsula represents ‘the simple life’ through calming materials, organic curves and an overall sense of groundedness.
Melbourne-based interior design studio The Stella Collective approach each of their projects through the lens of human experiences; how we work, eat, play and most importantly, how we connect. It’s written in their ethos; “It’s our instinct to analyse every last detail of a design to ensure comfort and wellbeing is at the heart of everything.”
Tucked away on Victoria’s coastline, in the small town of Mt Martha, is a home underpinned by these two principles: “comfort” and “wellbeing”. The owners, a design-savvy, always on-the-go family from Melbourne, wanted somewhere they could slow down and be present, somewhere to be. The Stella Collective have ensured this through a coalescence of calming materials and organic curves – from which a sense of ritual and groundedness surely unfolds. “Our creation is a pilgrimage dedicated to nature, simplicity and exotica,” The Stella Collective founder Hanna Hakim says.
An interior language of curves sees a rounded Breccia Oniciata and a walnut island bench combine with expressive white lines in the kitchen.
A walk-in pantry promotes the rituals of cooking and mealtimes.
A Sensory Journey
At its core, Mt Martha is a sensory journey, with the end goal being to feel grounded and at peace. The materials, as a result, are there to ward off the hustle-and-bustle of each day. The exotic natural stone – locally-sourced Castlemaine slate for the floors; Italian Breccia Oniciata for the bench tops – is both striking and soothing. The pale lime-wash walls, adopting different textures and shapes, appear lustrous beneath the natural light permeating through the linen sheers.
Where Curves Go
Where curves go, a sense of calm usually follows. In the Mt Martha kitchen, the Breccia Oniciata and walnut island bench is softened by its curved edges, which are matched up by the shelves and walk-in pantry’s strong white lines. Elsewhere, the lime-wash walls are sculpted to bend and undulate, creating a distinct interior language of curves.
Sense of Ritual
“Mt Martha is a true embodiment of mindful living – an antidote to the owner’s busy lives,” Hanna says. Stepping inside, the words slow down are silently uttered, and the events of the day seem to melt away. A sense of ritual is everywhere, whether it’s having a Cosmopolitan in the kitchen, relaxing by the fire, sunbathing outside, or taking a long, hot shower. “Being able to create a space that gives such bliss and harmony to our client makes us very happy,” Hanna affirms.
The living room centres around a custom fireplace.
Castlemaine slate stone was used to create the crazy paving floor, a stone unique to a single Victorian quarry. “The stone envelops the entire home inside and out and holds the space in a dream-like iconic way,” Hanna says.
Where curves go, a sense of calm usually follows.
Brodware tapware
Time to take a long, hot shower.