Michelle Hart is the creative force behind Melbourne based interior styling business, Bask Interiors. When Michelle isn’t busy creating beautiful spaces for her clients, she also buys, transforms and sells properties with her builder husband David from Hart Builders.
Haymes sat down with Michelle to discuss her latest project, a heritage Californian bungalow in Melbourne’s highly sought after bayside suburb of Hampton.
Colours used are Haymes Graphite Grey (Exterior) and Haymes Magnolia Moonlight (Trims and Door)
Why did you originally decide to buy the property in Hampton? What was it about this particular property that caught your attention?
We saw the potential this home offered instantly. The property was a good size, had a great east facing orientation and was also in a heritage overlay area. Hampton is also a well sought after area for families, close to some pretty fabulous schools.
The idea of restoring, renovating and extending an older home while also keeping within the strict guidelines of town planning can often put people off, but it was a challenge we couldn’t wait to get stuck into!
Colours used are Haymes Modesty White (Walls) and Haymes Greyology 1 (Ceiling)
How would describe the design style of the newly renovated home? How did you choose this style?
I would say the design style of the interiors is a contemporary Hampton style, a mix between traditional and modern elements.
Colours used are Haymes Modesty White (Walls) and Haymes Greyology 1 (Ceiling)
How long did the renovation take? Were there any unexpected hurdles that you bumped into along the way?
The renovation from start to finish took 2 years. There were a few unexpected hurdles at the start of the project, due to the property being in a heritage overlay area. This meant town planning put quite a few restrictions in place which affected the original design, size and layout of the renovation.
Things got held up quite a bit at the planning stage, but once it was all approved, the actual building work rolled out quite efficiently!
Colour used is Haymes Graphite Grey
What is your favourite part of the house and why?
I really like the original front part of the home that has been renovated, especially the master bedroom. It was the original living room of the old home and has now become a spacious bedroom with a large walk in wardrobe and en suite bathroom. It has beautiful natural light flooding into the room that creates a wonderful relaxed feeling and would be a lovely bedroom to retire to at the end of each day.
Colour used is Haymes Modesty White
Where do you get your colour palette inspiration from?
My colour palette inspiration comes from a number of places. I’m always looking around for inspiration as you never know where it will reveal itself – in nature, on a fashion catwalk, on holidays, in a particular piece of artwork or a collection of beautiful objects.
When I’m working on a particular project, I like to think about the interior style I am trying to achieve and create a visual image in my mind of what the end result will look and feel like. I then search for imagery inspo on Pinterest, in magazines, on social media, paying attention to colours and how they blend and work in different rooms and in different light.
Colours used are Haymes Modesty White (Walls) and Haymes Greyology 1 (Ceiling)
What paint colours did you use and how did you choose them?
Haymes Modesty White was used on the walls, and Haymes Greyology 1 on the ceilings. I was looking for a bright and vibrant white for the walls and loved the look of Modesty White which I had seen in some of the homes Haymes had previously featured on The Brush Up.
Colours used are Haymes Modesty White (Walls) and Haymes Greyology 1 (Ceiling)
For the kitchen and laundry cabinetry we used Haymes Smoky Silhouette. I really wanted to use a light warm grey for the kitchen and laundry cabinetry, and Smoky Silhouette is a beautiful light grey contrast to the white of the walls and ceiling, while still blending with the stone of the kitchen bench and splashback.
Colours used are Haymes Modesty White (Walls), Haymes Greyology 1 (Ceiling) and Haymes Smoky Silhouette (Cabinetry)
Haymes Sense was introduced on the bedroom wardrobe and mudroom cabinetry, as I also wanted to feature a darker moodier grey. The lighter and darker greys blended beautifully in the home and sat well with the mostly monochrome features we introduced along with the light oak flooring.
Colours used are Haymes Modesty White (Walls) and Haymes Sense (Cabinetry)
What was your inspiration behind the interior furnishings?
The interior furnishings in the home were selected to compliment the colour palette used throughout the house.
All the tones of the interior furnishings blend and tie in with the neutral and monochromatic palette. I chose to use mainly greys, sea blues, greens, earthy caramels, and navy.
Colour used is Haymes Modesty White
Tell us a little bit about Bask Interiors and your job as an interior designer?
I’ve been a freelance interior stylist for around 8 years now as the owner of Bask Interiors. I first started out in property styling, but am now choosing to work with clients who need help with creating beautiful and functional spaces to live in.
Often they are people and families who have moved house and are struggling to set up a new home as they find their furniture doesn’t suit the style of the new home or is just the wrong size if they have upsized or downsized.
Colours used are Haymes Modesty White (Walls) and Haymes Greyology 1 (Ceiling)
People often get overwhelmed at the number of choices available and can procrastinate or get stuck with being able to make decisions on pieces if they are not sure they will fit in the big picture of the whole home feel. They know furnishing their home is a big investment, so want to make sure they get it right the first time.
I can help my clients create the look and style they are wanting to achieve by narrowing down choices and putting forward pieces they might not have considered or known about. I also help them with colour choices and in creating a cohesive flow throughout their homes.
Do you have any future projects in the works that you can tell us about?
I have quite a few new projects in the upcoming months, including three apartments and a couple of houses. That should keep me busy for a while!
Photography by Martina Gemmola
Build by Hart Builders
Interior Design by Bask Interiors
Styling by Bea + Co Style and Bask Interiors
