Open To Ideas

This Melbourne house has been radically overhauled to create a distinctive family home with a convivial open-plan living space at its heart

- Jennifer Goulding

“Very exciting,” is how Ghabida McGrath describes her experience of living in various locations around the world because of her husband Frank’s job. French by birth, Ghabida is a textile designer and moving to different countries and into new properties has provided repeated opportunities to express her creativity while fashioning each new family home.

Her latest project came when she, Frank and their two teenage children, Théo and Tess, moved from Singapore to Melbourne in 2011. “It has been a wonderful chance to indulge my passion for materials and to showcase the pieces we’ve collected during our travels,” she says.

When they arrived in Melbourne, the family decided to rent a property so that they could get to know the city before they decided to buy. They quickly picked out the affluent seaside town of Brighton, a vibrant, family-friendly spot about seven miles outside the city, as the place for them. “Frank drew up a wish list,” says Ghabida, “and at the top of it was that we wanted plenty of space, inside and out. Brighton is a popular area, though, so it would be a challenge to find the right home.”