- Nov 5, 2020

VICTORIAN MEETS CONTEMPORARY: WATTYL X VILLA CARMELINA COLOUR PALETTE

Built in 1889, Villa Carmelina is a Victorian Italianate terrace fusing contemporary design and original Victorian architecture. Snapped up in 2016 by Scott Weston, the property has been remodelled to bring back the original grandeur it once boasted. Teaming up with Wattyl, the designers were after a custom paint collection created to suit the home to a T to give the space a modern twist - and lucky for us, they've shared it for all of us to enjoy!

The design is rooted in Scott's passion for embracing and celebrating the interests and passions of the people who occupy a space, paying homage to the previous generations who have lived in Villa Carmelina. We'll take you through a room-by-room run down of how Scott combines a timeless 1950s inspired colour palette with traditional features to breathe contemporary life into the original Victorian architecture.

Entry Hall

It's safe to say that a home's entry way is one of the first impressions you get from a space - so Scott really wanted to create a strong introduction to the home's colour palette. The entrance serves as an intersection for eight of the colours, so balancing the different materials without making the look overwhelming was no easy task. With a cool grey (Lady Gray) coated timber dado on the main feature wall, the velvet grey-lilac wall colour (Studio Mauve) showcases the ultimate blend of Victorian features with contemporary colours, giving a taste of what the rest of the house holds. Washed with a lemon sorbet colour (Lemon Chiffon) and detailed with ivory piping (Ivory Grey), the decorative ceiling and cornices add a playful touch to a timeless design.

Colours: Walls, Studio Mauve. Dado Wall, Lady Gray. Ceiling, Lemon Chiffon. Ceiling Rose and Cornice, Ivory Grey

Living Room

Next up is the living room - arguably one of the most important rooms in any home. Whether you're entertaining guests or simply enjoying a cup of tea with your favourite read, the living room is no doubt one of the most frequently used rooms. With monumental doors filling the interior with indirect light, the walls are washed in a faded pink (Miss Havisham Rose) to keep the room feeling fresh. Scott also detailed the timber-work in an Ivory Grey to highlight the original architecture details to accentuate these Victorian accents.

Colours: Walls, Miss Havisham Rose. Ceiling, Marcasite. Ceiling Rose and Cornice, Ivory Grey.

Dining Room

Continuing with the 1950s inspired palette, The Dining Room was inspired by a Hong Kong tea room (so cute!). With soft Matcha Tea walls custom matched to the textural hemp wallpaper, the dining room really is a sight for sore eyes. Given the lack of direct light, Scott embraced a moody Modernist approach with a dark grey ceiling and 'cloud' inspired chandelier. Although this room is filled with so many unique knick knacks, the Chinese moon gate takes the cake as the focal point of the room - with so many wonderful treasures packed inside on display.

Colours: Walls, Matcha Tea. Ceiling, Modernist. Ceiling Rose and Cornice, Ivory Grey.

Kitchen

The kitchen really is the heart of any home - and Villa Carmelina is no exception. Strategically placed within the expansive living room, the space features a black and white terrazzo floor and timber hemlock walls, layering different textures and colours to build dimension.

Colours: Kitchen Joinery, Curious Planet. Ceiling, Ivory Grey.

Studio

The studio is a grand room overlooking the main staircase, and is one of our favourite rooms in the house. With grey lilac walls (Studio Mauve), the shade transform colour throughout the day depending on the light filtering through the northern glass roof - so it's suited to any time of day. Continuing on with this 1950s contemporary theme, the pendant light is crowned by a George Nelson, ornate Ivory Grey ceiling rose - the perfect compliment to the soft grey (Marcasite) of the Jazz Age Coral lining the tall doors.

Colours: Walls, Marcasite. Ceiling and Cornice, Jazz Age Coral. Timberwork, Ivory Grey.

Guest Bedroom

Finally, the guest bedroom will leave you wishing you could move in (if you didn't already). The grey-blue tones of the Celadon Blue walls are the perfect backdrop to the ensuite's dramatic floral cascade of miniature glass mosaic tiles. This is definitely the kind of guest room you overstay your welcome in!

Colours: Walls, Celadon Blue. Hearth, Edite’s Pink. Ceiling Rose and Cornice, Ivory Grey.