My Houzz: Shabby Chic Style Inspires in a Live-Work Studio
Bright white rooms and personal treasures help an interior designer feel at home in her snug space in Australia.
Who lives here: Designer Jane Brown
Location: Bellevue Hill, outside Sydney
Size: 538 square feet (50 square meters)Walking down the stairs to reach Brown’s studio feels like going down the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland, as the stunning studio is hidden behind and underneath another property. It is set, somewhat like a granny flat, at the back of the main house, on the same plot of land but detached and private. After reaching the bottom of the stairs, you’re greeted with a tall stool and a hot-pink door mat.
The crisp white bedroom looks out to uninterrupted views of the oak tree that stands tall in the backyard, seen through a tall sliding door.
When it gets too sunny, a bamboo curtain can block the heat without sacrificing the breeze.
Brown loves to read and displays this passion by creating a bookshelf out of books. The rows of books have been carefully arranged according to their height, and are stacked on top of one another with a glass panel between each layer.
The bookshelf forms a backdrop for Brown’s dining table, which she also uses as a reading desk.