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PROPERTY
106
July14
of the switches have dimmers. I gave
the two bathrooms a partial makeover,
including taking out the window glass to
create an outdoor-indoor feel.
Where did your love for gardens
come from?
It has always been a part of my life. I
grew up in the Melbourne suburb of the
Dandenong Ranges, and both of my
parents loved gardening. My creative,
inspirational grandmother was a brilliant
gardener, too.
What’s your design background?
About 20 years ago, I found myself in
Copenhagen, where I took the opportunity
to familiarise myself with Scandinavian
design and classic European furniture.
On returning to Melbourne, I taught
horticulture and floral design at NMIT for
a while before moving to Singapore close
on 10 years ago.
Tell us how you furnished this home.
Ninety-nine percent of it is second-hand,
recycled or refurbished; some pieces are
gifts, but almost every item has a story
and some kind of meaning to me. I’m
a great believer in reinventing pieces
through painting, reupholstering or even
just repositioning them.
For example, everyone asks about the
Indonesian teak cupboard in the living
room – but in fact, it’s a pretty generic
piece that I simply gave a coat of silver
paint. The same goes for the round
table that we’re sitting at; I painted it
gold. Personally, I like metallic finishes
very much. They give us another neutral