A GRAND ROMANCE

A TRADITIONAL VIBE ENHANCED BY STATEMENT FINISHES DEFINES AN INTERIOR DESIGNER'S THOUGHTFUL REINVIGORATION OF THIS MELBOURNE HOME

- JACKIE BRYGEL

KITCHEN Generous slabs of Statuarietto marble, sourced from Gladstones Granite & Marble, encase the island bench and splashback in the kitchen (above & opposite) and the space is brought to life by CKC Joinery with shaker-style 2-pac cabinetry in Dulux Natural White partnered with a built-in bench table. A shapely Laal 'Conehome Mega Arch' pendant illuminates the space while Mattiazzi Leva' chairs were found at District.

DINING ROOM An exquisite bespoke display cabinet in the dining room (bottom right) teams perfectly with the homeowners' long-held dining setting. "The design of the display cabinet was based on the detail of an antique piece that I drew inspiration from," says Melissa.

Testament to the power of pattern and texture, the makeover of this home delivers style and romance. And that’s just as interior designer Melissa Balzan envisioned it.

To Melissa, the sprawling two-storey house in Melbourne's north-west called for a major cosmetic rebirth showcasing a lush colour and material palette. When she first walked through the home built in the late 1980s it was looking somewhat dark and dated. That said, it was certainly in a liveable condition for its owners a busy couple with grown-up children and young grandchildren.

“I was recommended to the owners by an interior design friend who is based in Sydney,” says Melissa, revealing she quickly realised this would prove a joyful collaboration.