INNER PEACE

For interior designer Samantha Leigh, her own home in Brisbane's inner north became a canvas for explorations in refined detail and craftsmanship.

- STORY Jackie Brygel | STYLING Jack Milenkovic | PHOTOGRAPHY Dave Wheeler

Poised above Brisbane's inner-north with views of the city, interior designer Samantha Leigh’s home presents as a breath of fresh air. With three levels set among lush foliage, the luminous Queenslander is infused with a palpable sense of tranquillity.

When Samantha and husband Thom bought the 1920s property in 2019, the then single-level home had fallen into a rather sorry state of disrepair.

“It had been a share house for a long time and needed a lot of work,” says Samantha, principal of Samantha Leigh Interiors. “The house was still habitable, although definitely very rundown. It was our first home as a couple, but we were game.”

Living in the home as it was for a couple of years delivered familiarity with the intricacies of the sharply inclined 263sqm site.

“We got to know the block and the views, as well as what we loved most about the house and the environment,” says Samantha.

But where to begin with bringing a dark and decidedly poky home into a light and eminently-more-liveable new era? In this case, from beneath.

“As the original house was on stilts on a very steep block, we realised we could create a lot more space by excavating and restumping to allow for two new levels underneath,” Samantha explains.