When principal designer Nikki Burwash from Tailorhouse was asked to design a Swan Valley home with countryside views, she was given full creative freedom. Also charged with designing the joinery, styling, and curating the furnishings and art, Nikki chose a clean, neutral colour palette, thoughtful finishes, and a light touch to achieve a blend of classical and contemporary opulence.

Connecting with nature and bringing the outdoors inside was important from the beginning. The property has racehorse amenities and expansive views of the changing landscape, framed by floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors. These allow natural light and scenery to flow into the interior with as little obstruction as possible. The kitchen and living spaces are effortlessly accessible to the paddock-facing outdoor areas to ensure relaxed meals and long afternoons spent outside.

You can’t beat the charm of real wood, and Nikki and fellow designer Sam Royle selected timeless Coswick Raw Sienna boards from Woodpecker Flooring for their natural look, the ideal neutral base for other finishes throughout the house. “It’s a clean-looking oak that doesn’t throw yellows and pairs beautifully with walnut,” Nikki says. Ideal for high-traffic areas, its colour hides wear, tear, and scratches, while its ultra-matte coating provides superb wear resistance.

The home’s entrance is distinguished by a large oak door surrounded by a steel frame with reeded glass in a Mondrian-inspired formation. The area is defined by a simple, textural rug from Armadillo, and a TRAPEZE 2 wall light by Apparatus, inspired by the dynamics of circus acts, that casts a soft glow. In tackling the home’s expansive open floor plan, Nikki utilised partition screening between the front entrance and dining space to create a sense of intimacy. 

The vast open-plan living space also embraces a kitchen, as well as a living space and sitting room visually separated by a central double-sided fireplace perched on a Portsea Grey marble plinth. Polished plaster adds a clean, soft layer to the living space, where a plush tan leather sofa, twin leather-wrapped armchairs from Cosh Living, and a Ligne Roset coffee table are arranged atop an Armadillo rug. Warm white covers the walls, and touches of walnut add warmth throughout every space, tying the interiors together. Original Australian artwork, some commissioned and others handpicked by Nikki and Sam, injects colour and detail throughout.

The kitchen is designed for a gourmet cook. Pristine Sky White Dolomite featuring soft, light grey shadows and subtle grey pulls focus in the form of a striking, angular island bench and splashback. Lacquered oak veneer cabinetry and a luminous grey polished plaster bulkhead provide texture and contrast, and a pair of perfectly placed Alti brass ceiling lights add a touch of patinaed metallic elegance.

For the wine room off the hallway, Nikki again selected Coswick Raw Sienna boards but strayed from the straight plank formation used throughout the other spaces. Instead, she chose a classic herringbone layout; its elegant zigzag design highlights the wood grain and elevates the room from the ground up. “I like to use traditional herringbone in a contemporary setting,” she says. “It adds a sense of occasion and a strong layer of interest.”

 Words by Elizabeth Clarke.