Interior Design — Chelsea Hing
Stylist — Beck Simon
Photography — Rhiannon Taylor

Set in the historic Australian gold mining town of Bendigo, this contemporary home was deep in the design process when the client brought interior designer Chelsea Hing on board. Engaged to review the existing floor plan and run her creative lens over the home, Hing began by examining its location. Lying on the corner of two busy roads, the interior designer offered a responsive solution that best served the exposed site and the client by turning the focus inwards.

The strategic move is centred around a beautifully appointed entrance. As you step inside, a curved black brick wall guides you into the open receiving room, where a void between the ground floor and a second storey draws in light and life. Here, Hing has set the tone of the home, the fire-lit interior immediately intimate, with dark chocolate timber walls and a pale timber ceiling. Concrete floors, lime-washed walls, richly textured marble and stone add a moody sense of elegance, while jewel-toned furniture and vibrant art prevent it from feeling too formal.

“Hing’s intervention uses materiality to define the domestic spaces, simultaneously imbuing a playful element by hiding doors in wooden walls for an exaggerated sense of escape.”

The home peels off from this central space, feeding into the kitchen, living room, bedrooms, home theatre, and enclosed balcony. Hing’s intervention uses materiality to define the domestic spaces, simultaneously imbuing a playful element by hiding doors in wooden walls for an exaggerated sense of escape. The result is inherently personal, down to the custom-made artwork alcoves that were precisely sized to fit the clients’ paintings.

Though the interior palette revolves around deep, grounded tones, Hing has ensured it doesn’t read too dim by incorporating generous glazing adorned with sheer drapery. Floor-to-ceiling windows feature prominently, and sunken skylights puncture the top storey, welcoming soft shafts of light down into the darker corners and bathrooms. On the ground floor, glazed doors open to the plunge pool, outdoor living area and a manicured garden that wraps around the back of the home.

“Though the interior palette revolves around deep, grounded tones, Hing has ensured it doesn’t read too dim by incorporating generous glazing adorned with sheer drapery.”

Undertaking a design project mid-build is no easy feat, but Chelsea Hing has turned this challenge into an opportunity. By re-examining the floor plan and introducing a fresh aesthetic that blends texture, mood, and visual intrigue, the interior designer has pushed the home to an unexpected and impressive conclusion.