Australian House & Garden September 2025

is meeting all the talented architects and designers we feature on our pages. The originality, innovation and quality of Australian design are incredible, and I love it when we revisit someone we have met before in a slightly different context. One of these people was our Rising Star and winner of Best Use of Colour at last year’s Australian House & Garden Top 50 Rooms Awards, Kitty Lee. In this issue, we feature Kitty’s cleverly renovated Federation semi, which is beautiful and efficient for her young family, see page 27. I’m always interested in what motivates people to move, and Kitty’s young son asking if they could “have a bath that was stuck to the ground”, not a bucket in the apartment shower, was a motivator in this case. Our…

EDITORIAL Editor in chief Tanya Buchanan Creative director Antonietta Panuccio Senior copy editors Bethan Lacoba, Debbie Duncan ART & STYLE Art director Marissa Foye Stylist Sophie Wilson CONTRIBUTORS Jacqui Addison, Marcel Aucar, Amanda Cordony, Steve Cordony, Michelle Cox, Bree Flack, Kylie Forbes, Martina Gemmola, Nathan Hendry, Maree Homer, Stephanie Hope, Holly Irvine, Kerrie-Ann Jones, Alana Landsberry, Olga Lewis, Shannon McGrath, Jack Milenkovic, Milly Mead, Eliza O’Hare, Judy Pascoe, Chris Pearson, Melissa Penfold, Carli Philips, Tatjana Plitt, Tilly Roberts, Prue Ruscoe, Anson Smart, Kristina Šoljo, Nat Spada, Kirsten Stanwix (Bookallil), Jonathan VDK Studio, Jacqui Turk, Tamara Turnbull, Pablo Viega, Isabella Walker-Smith, Chris Warnes, Nick Watt, Dave Wheeler, Lesley Workman. ADVERTISING Commercial category manager Rhyl Heavener All advertising enquiries advertising@aremedia.com.au SYNDICATION syndication@aremedia.com.au, contentshop.com.au ARE MEDIA CORPORATE Chief executive officer Jane Huxley Finance…

FACADE Keeping all the heritage details amplifies the streetfront charm of Kitty Lee’s family home. Fence painted Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter. Front door painted Dulux Sage Green. Reclaimed teak battens from Hardwood Timbers finished in Rubio Monocoat Grassland Beige. Sometimes it’s the kids in the family who make the big decisions. For architect Kitty Lee and husband Matt, their first house purchase was influenced by then four-year-old Zac and his design brief: “Mummy, can I have a bath that’s stuck to the ground?”. While their shower had hosted many happy children’s bathtimes-in-a-bucket over years of apartment living, the arrival of second child Maddie, plus the pressure of running a practice from a home office for a couple of years meant they were all dreaming of space, a backyard and separate…

TOP FIVE bar stools 1 ‘Carly’ bar stool’ bar stool in Walnut, $599. 2 ‘Arlo’ bar stool, $499. 3 ‘Brett’ bar stool, $699. 4 ‘Cafe’ bar stool, $299. 5 ‘Marli’ bar stool, $399. All from Domayne. PORTRAIT Sophie wears Aje. Print Salt – The Faded Collection canvas art print, $74.95, Olive et Oriel. ‘Sorrento’ dining table in White, $999, Lifely. ‘1085’ dining chair, POA, Fanuli. Large ‘Lituus’ vase, $320, Georg Jensen. ‘Fresco stripe’ wallpaper in Caramel used as background throughout, Milton & King. NEW KID ON THE BLOCK Add visual interest by collecting everyday kitchen items that have interesting details, such as the SCALLOPED ‘Juliette’ chopping board, $349, Ivy Alice Vintage. FLASH IN THE PAN Lustrous finishes add a luxe touch. ‘Always Pan Pro’ frypan in Chrome/Gold, $335, Our Place.…

PATTERN play CONTRASTING COLOURS AND MATERIALS SET A PLAYFUL MOOD 1 ‘Italian Cote Tropez’ tumbled marble mosaic tiles, POA, Aeria Country Floors. 2 ‘Bohemia’ natural pendant light, $329, Domayne. 3 ‘Mini Cocotte’ dish in Bordeaux, $32.95, Chasseur. 4 ‘Diamond’ KM 7897-2 FL cooktop, $8499, Miele. 5 ‘Kip’ salad bowl in Sky, $89, Domayne. 6 Mizu ‘Drift’ pull-out gooseneck sink mixer in Brushed Nickel, $498, Reece. 7 ‘Kip’ salad servers in Sky, $34, Domayne. 8 Sambonet 1965 vintage saucepan with lid (24 cm), $295, Emporean. 9 ‘Porto Fiesta Palm’ side plate, $7.95, Domayne. 10 Breville x Nespresso ‘Creatista Pro’ coffee machine, $1099, Harvey Norman. 11 Falcon ‘Classic FX’ 900mm brass fitting dual fuel freestanding cooker in Mineral Green, $10,498, Harvey Norman. COTTAGE charm MINTY GREEN PAIRED WITH BOTANICAL AND BRASS NOTES…

IN FULL BLOOM Our Little Black Book style experts, Melissa and Isabella, enjoy the natural beauty at Bloomey’s in Potts Point, Sydney. “Most people are best served by a reliable local florist who can deliver their own bouquets at peak bloom.” Not only do fresh flowers bring joy and delight into a home, they’re also a symbol of important moments in life: they are the decoration of choice at weddings and funerals, and also the ultimate gift of love on Valentine’s Day. Their delicate nature, however, can make it tricky to get them right; think changes in temperature and variability in when and how buds will open, and cost is an important factor, too. This month, we’ve created a directory of the most imaginative, masterful local florists we know of.…