When envisaging typical Brisbane style, this house may not come to mind. Rather, the interiors are something you’d expect to see while wandering through the continental countryside, peeking in wonderful stately homes rich with history. It’s an homage to years gone by, but with a decidedly contemporary bent: a bright and airy building overlaid with luscious styling and subtle nods to its Queensland roots.
Approached to create a modern take on a classic French/English country house, Black Wire Interiors’ interior designer, Christine McLeod, knew much of the project would involve tailoring a unique look to suit her young clients’ aesthetic. “They love pieces with a story, so incorporating a few of their own antique pieces was an important part of the brief,” Christine explains. “We sourced both new and old pieces to complete this design.”
A swathe of rooms was transformed by Black Wire Interiors using an inviting, richly toned palette, capturing that manor-home grace with ease. Originally decorated in the ever-popular Hamptons style (think lashings of white and coastal notes), the house missed that sense of home Christine’s clients craved. “We wanted to change the aesthetic to create a warmth while still maintaining a fresh interior,” says Christine. Classic Queenslander features abound — arched entryways, panelled walls and sleek timber floors — but now, they play host to dramatic furnishings and deep jewelled blues.
Chosen elements are rooted in history, but they’re transformed when offset against the airy, light-filled home. The entryway eases guests into the nouveau-regal style: yes, those Queenslander hallmarks are on show, but glimpses of gold and a well-placed Persian runner hint at the design choices to come. Each item, so carefully chosen, mingles the clients’ own story with curated tales from across the globe. Textiles are lush, seemingly plucked from Parisian drawing rooms, but they’re all custom-designed pieces. “All the upholstery was custom-made, selecting some fabrics from Paris,” Christine says.
Artwork, too, is a careful balance of old and new. While some pieces were the clients’ own, Christine was determined to track down vintage pieces to suit. She scrolled Facebook Marketplace and sifted through markets to create a collection that one might expect to find, say, scattered across the halls of Blenheim. (Fittingly, Winston Churchill looms large above a sofa.) In the master suite, Brisbane artist Emily Brightly’s ‘Moths’ bring a colourful focal point and a meeting of vintage and contemporary styles. But pay particular attention to the artwork by Deanna Bresnehan next to the piano. “The horse artwork was a custom piece,” explains Christine. “The artist took an image of the owners’ horse and created this while staying with the colours we wanted in the house.’
And, it feels inevitable for this home to have a piano room — after all, what is a manor home without its music hall? Set atop a custom rug, the piano is, rightly, poised to take centre stage; it’s the clients’ own, clearly beloved. Christine also hunted down some noteworthy antiques to complete this space. “The drinks cabinet in the piano room was shipped from England to be used in the interiors of Jupiters Casino upon opening,” she says. A different take on a story to be told is seen in the coffee table, which is made from petrified wood — an emphatic statement in this serene space.
In the master bedroom, the marriage of modern and vintage by Black Wire Interiors is on show. Using the clients’ existing bedroom suite, Christine added tasteful touches that work together to create a delightful retreat; a joyful escape where the couple can “just feel the stress of the day dissipate,” says Christine. A particular favourite is the clients’ own armoire. Playfully rococo, it’s the piece that readily ties together the luxurious elements of the space (velvet drapes and a custom-upholstered bench) with the more contemporary (natural linen bedsheets and sleek teal lamps).
Although it has borrowed myriad pieces from the past, the home is fit for today — and not least because the pre-loved approach speaks so well with an eco-friendly footprint. “We could reuse other people’s treasures and create a new space for them,” says Christine. “The interiors had so much soul on completion.”
And soul is right — in each room, there’s something new to notice, but nothing demands attention. Instead, you’re coaxed to look for more, observe the way colour meets pattern, and gently imagine yourself settling into the worn leather sofa with a snifter in hand. As Christine says, it’s an interior designed for creating new memories. “Each piece had a story, a past,” she notes. Now? They’re starting a new chapter in this home.
Words: Natasha Pavez | Photography: Elouise Van Riet-Gray
