FAMILY PATTERNS

THE HAPPY TRANSFORMATION OF A 1970S FAMILY HOME IS OWED TO SISTERLY COLLABORATION AND GUIDANCE FROM AMY SPARGO OF MAINE HOUSE INTERIORS

- JESSICA BELLEF

PRIDE OF PLACE Mornington Peninsula residents Clementine and Matt had trouble seeing how their tired property could become a warm family home for them and their three children (all pictured below). Guided by Clementine's sister, Amy Spargo of Maine House Interiors, the abode has been whipped into a welcoming retreat. "The best feedback I get from friends visiting is how happy and calming our house feels. That's not by accident, it's all part of the planning and design," says Clementine. The entry (opposite) sets the tone with vintage furniture and art, custom lamps by Maine House Interiors and sisal flooring by Floorspace.

When Clementine and Mart viewed this beachside property in Victoria's Mornington Peninsula in early 2022, they loved its location and leafy outlook but had trouble looking past the tired state of the home. The bedroom count of five suited their growing brood (which now includes Florence, six, Ralph, three, and Harry, 12 months), but "I just couldn't see its potential," says Clementine. Cue Clementine's sister, the interior designer Amy Spargo of Maine House Interiors. "I saw really good bones and the parts of the house that could be fixed relatively inexpensively while still making a huge difference," says the designer. With faith in Amy's skill, Clementine and Matt bought the property when they were eight months' pregnant with their third child, Harry. The renovation started a week before he was born and continued six months into Clementine's maternity leave. "I was on the phone with the electrician the morning of giving birth!" she laughs.

A series of small but strategic updates designed by Amy and carried out by Nathan Potts of NRP Constructions transformed the two-storey home. A fresh, sparkling palette of white paint and oak flooring has replaced the dowdy aubergine carpet, laminate flooring, and passé feature walls.