Photography: Armelle Habib
Transcending trends is Coote&Co’s raison d’être. A rarity among the modern minimalists of today’s design landscape, they are one of the few Australian studios to embrace classic florals and traditional textiles, overlooking media rooms in favour of libraries and sunrooms, roll-arm sofas instead of modular couches.
Founder and director of Coote&Co, Charlotte Coote, spent much of her twenties in Ireland – working for her father who was also an interior designer – and has collected textiles since her early teens. You won’t find anything shiny and new in her repertoire.
For this project on Brighton’s covetable stretch of streets known as the Golden Mile, Charlotte worked within an impressive Shingle-style architectural envelope designed in 2009 by Melbourne’s master of traditionalism, Stephen Akehurst of Akehurst Owen Cimino.
Charlotte had worked with Stephen before and was familiar with his stately aesthetic: bannisters, beams, Shaker cabinetry, porches and decorative hearths. “The architectural detailing gives this house visual depth and texture. It can’t be underestimated – if it was plain white plasterboard this would be an entirely different space,” she says.
The homeowners, who have two tweens, had never worked with a designer before and enthusiastically welcomed Charlotte’s vision. “We wanted to create timeless interiors that would also be complementary to the architecture,” Charlotte says.
“It was important that the furniture be generously scaled, inviting and substantial within the large rooms. Textiles had to be layered and beautiful but also durable enough to withstand the demands of busy family life and the happy chaos of entertaining.”
The previous owners kindly passed on two large rugs from when the previous interior designer, the late Stuart Rattle, worked on the house. “He was an iconic Australian interior designer and also a friend. We wanted to celebrate him by keeping some of the existing wallpaper, rugs and a fabulous oversized pendant,” says Charlotte.
The current owners didn’t need the eight-car garage so Charlotte transformed it into a mini, London-inspired gentleman’s club replete with a vintage arcade console, dartboard and impressive collection of sporting memorabilia including a Roger Federer tennis racquet, Kobe Bryant basketball jersey, Muhammad Ali boxing glove and Charles Leclerc F1 helmet.
Carving the sumptuous space out from concrete was challenging, especially when it came to laying the European oak floorboards and installing plumbing. Outfitted with black leather tub chairs, a glossy blue coffee table from The Lacquer Company and a backlit bar with beer on tap, it’s the ultimate man cave. Embracing the lack of natural light, the interiors are deep, dark and moody, featuring a masculine mix of brass detailing, slick ceilings painted Dulux Autumn Orange and grasscloth wallpaper by Phillip Jeffries.
The light-filled ground floor couldn’t be more different. To the north of the entry is the kitchen-dining and family room, a breezy open-plan zone that unfolds onto an undercover loggia. In the centre of the space is a herringbone-topped dining table from Cromwell framed by bespoke chairs backed in ‘Bahari’ embroidery by S Harris. Adjacent, the cosy family living is configured around the fireplace and anchored by a sofa covered in blue fabric loosely inspired by Native American design.
“Everything in the room was informed by that textile,” explains Charlotte of the scheme. “We balanced the other fabrics around the geometric print of the sofa and oriented all the colours and smaller scale prints around it.” Counteracting the energy and vibrancy of the patterns are natural timbers and neutral, sandy-hued scatter cushions.
To the south of the entrance are the library and formal sitting room, with the existing umber wallpaper and Behruz rug informing the palette of desert colours. With its traditional European aesthetic, it’s used more as an “evening room”, says Charlotte.
Upstairs, renovating the kids’ bedrooms was put on pause until their tastes mature. The guest room and master suite are a lively combination of upholstered classic stripes and floral motifs that contrast with graphic rugs and Indian block-printed textiles. Furniture in the primary suite is a mix of handsome slipper chairs, custom footstools and handmade oak bedside tables.
From the girls’ bedrooms there’s a view to the “epic” Paul Bangay-designed gardens, which have been lovingly tended to since the house was first built. Between the house and the paved pool at the rear of the property there are
30 metres of manicured lawn framed by hedges, topiary plantings and palm trees. There’s also easy access to the ocean just beyond – that’s if you ever want to leave.
The Design Team
Coote&Co.: cooteandco.com.au
Akehurst Owen Cimino: akehurstowencimino.com
Paul Bangay: paulbangay.com
Shop the look
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Elio Stripe Grey & Ivory Rug
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Ashford Bedhead
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