Successful milliner Carla Murley recently finished renovating her original 1960s Mid Century house with her husband Troy, and the result can only be described as a breathtaking architectural delight.
Carla and Troy share their eclectic home with their two children and Great Dane Lola in the beach side suburb of Beaumaris.
Many people saw the original house as a near impossible case, but from the first moment Carla spotted the house she saw its potential amongst the mustard shag pile and dust caked knitted curtains.
"I was just so inspired by the house. We have previously owned and restored a Mid-Century house in the area, so we could see it had great bones and a fantastic history to go with it. We owed it to the house to give it new life," Carla said.
Everything Carla does is loaded with fierce passion and creativity. From her garden made out of 40-year-old agaves, to the art she hangs on the walls from the previous owner.
"Troy and I believe that everything we use or put in our home should have a meaning, because everything has a history. The house up the road was getting demolished, so we spent hours digging up their unwanted aged agaves, and carting them down to our place."
We take inspiration from Palm Springs and the beach
"We wanted to stay true to the house and its history, but also tell our own story. Troy grew up in Sorrento, so for us this is our beach house. We are inspired by the timber of Palm Springs, but also the use of pop colour, which is clearly showcased in the choice of the asparagus coloured door!"
Carla uses colour to reinvigorate the spaces in her home when she feels it requires a new mood or feel. "Colour is the easiest way to change up a space, sometimes I might decide it needs a new feel when the next season sets in, or I’ll walk into a room one day and just pull everything out and start again. It could just be a few cushions or throw rug, but it's enough to make an impact."
Set down into the land, the home features clean lines and a masculine palette. "It was essential that the house had a bright, light and airy feel to it, so we couldn’t go past a fresh white with timber, but we also used charcoal to bring a hint of masculinity.’
Colours used were, Magnolia Moonlight, Organic 1, Red Earth, Eclipse and Asparagus.
The best feature of our home is the Brokis Muffin lamp
The Czechoslovakian hand blown lamp is centrally positioned above the dining table, with a resident huntsman eating up any bugs that may sneak in.
"We sat on this decision for months, and in the end we just did it, because nothing would have compared in that spot. This is where our family mainly resides, this is our central spot, so we knew something truly amazing needed to go there.
Although I am also completely in love with the former owner’s studio, which is now the living room and features a massive cedar door."
Choosing colour for your home
"My advice would be to live in it first! We could never have made any of the colour choices we did straight away. After living in the house for a few months, we got a feel for it and then started making decisions. I’m pretty sure my front door would have been 10 different colours if I had of painted it straight away. Also listen to your painter, our painter guided us in many of the decisions we made."
I am inspired by people who give life to the old
"There is something truly beautiful about being able to see beyond what something looks like, and see what it could be again. Those are the people that inspire me every day."
When looking around Carla’s house, this is truly evident in everything she does. Every room holds treasures with a history. Her eclectic style mixed with functional design, creates a fresh and original vibe. You can’t help but instantly feel at home when exploring her world.
My next project looks like
"More Mid-Century Modern homes! If I could go and renovate every beautiful Mid-Century home and show people just how amazing they are, I would be happy. I can’t stand the idea of these beautiful homes that are so full of history and architectural significance, being pulled down."
Photography by Eve Wilson.
