HOMECOMING

A family property on the Mornington Peninsula sits gently on the landscape, while the interiors are a creative exploration of materiality and design.

-  Yvette Caprioglio

When entering Ducks Crossing, the home of multi-disciplined designer Camilla d'Antoine, husband Tim and their three children Aggie, 14, Bebe, 12, and Gilbert, 9, a transcendent calm abounds, underpinned by interior details bearing the inherent hallmarks of a considered eye.

Camilla founded homewares brand Mozi almost 20 years ago and is now the founder of The Winsome Collection, a flourishing artwork and textile-driven business through which she collects original magic lantern slides and transforms them into large scale, limited-edition prints. She has also recently established an interiors consulting business Art+wrk, which also incorporates graphic design and branding projects.

The family moved to the property, its old weatherboard house and additional guest cottage in 2016, living there for four years before committing to knocking it down and rebuilding. "We wanted to create a family home that could adapt to the ebb and flow of daily life and accommodate many friends who often come and stay for weekends," says Camilla. "It was also important to maximise the views." 

The process began in 2020 and ended up being a 'stopstart' process, taking two years to complete. It was managed by Tim, who works as a project manager in construction, while the family lived in the guest cottage. Architect Sarah Foletta was engaged while Camilla designed the interiors. The result is a residence comprising three black-stained timber pavilions with pitched slate roofs, plus a square, brutalist entrance cube made from reclaimed calcite bricks.