Brooke and Jay Pertzel and Family

The Melbourne apartment of Brooke Pertzel and family.  Open plan living and dining room.  Norman Copenhagen Knot Chair from Great Dane Furniture, Mariano Fortuny floor lamp from Living Interiors, On table - ceramic cheese platter & plate from Mud Australia, Bitossi Metropolis ceramic vase in black from Hub Furniture, Slate Oval Vase from Mud Australia.  On couch - Scholten & Baijings throw from Thomas Eyke, Big Braid Morosso cushions from Hub Furniture.  Photo - Eve Wilson, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Dining table details - Ceramic cheese platter & plate and Slate Oval Vase from Mud Australia, Bitossi Metropolis ceramic vase in black from Hub Furniture.  Enrico Pellizzoni leather dining chairs from Living Interiors.  Photo - Eve Wilson, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Beautiful corner in Brooke's home office.  Featherston Contour Chair from Gordon Mather Industries, custom made cushion in Marimekko fabric, custom made drawer unit, ceramic vase on side table from Ferm Living, Design House Stockholm Cobalt Mug on side table from Vincent 2, Moooi Non Random light from Space Furniture, reindeer skin from Great Dane Furniture.  Photo - Eve Wilson, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Brooke's home office.  Enrico Pellizzoni leather chair from Living Interiors, 3rd Leg side table from Mark Tuckey, On desk - geometric artwork in print made by Brooke, Hay Lup candleholder from Cult, Design House Stockholm Cobalt Mug from Vincent 2, Black stacking boxes from Country Road.  Photo - Eve Wilson, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Major inspiration board envy!  Brooke's inboard incorporates fabric samples, prints, images and magazine tear sheets, layered and regularly updated depending on what she is working on in any given week.  Photo - Eve Wilson, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Interior designer Brooke Pertzel in her Melbourne apartment.   Photogenicism just hit a whole new level.  Photo - Eve Wilson, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

I had a minor epiphany whilst editing today's home tour, particularly when admiring Eve's beautiful portrait of interior designer and stylist Brooke Pertzel, who is as flawlessly radiant as her stunning Melbourne apartment!  I realised that people often kind of look like their homes!  Or vice versa.  You know - artists and creative people will often have eclectic, artfully cluttered spaces, gallerists and/or architects who favour a typically 'Melbourne' monochromatic wardrobe seem to live in similarly austere and minimalist homes... and today, the picture perfect styling, consistent colour palette and meticulous attention to detail in this light-filled family apartment is a clear reflection of Brooke's own personal sense of style - feminine, fuss free and effortlessly chic! Brooke shares this generous three bedroom apartment with husband Jay, an engineering manager, and their two daughters Lili (4) and Elke (2). The family have been here for eight years in total, after initially renting the apartment, and becoming so attached to the place that they were compelled to put in an offer 18 months later.  'At first the owner declined our offer, but contacted us later and agreed to sell it' says Brooke. 'Apartments rarely become available in this building, so looking back we were very lucky!'. Given the nature of Brooke's work, she was always keen to put her own stamp on the apartment, and create a space that truly reflected her sense of style.  In 2011, that opportunity came. 'With our second child on the way, creating a space to meet the needs of our growing family became a priority' she explains.  She and Jay set about renovating the entire interior, including a new kitchen, laundry, new bathrooms, flooring and the addition of a third bedroom, which currently serves as Brooke's home office. 'Having lived in the home already meant that we had plenty of time to plan, as well as a practical understanding of how we needed the space to work for us' says Brooke.  Her key priority was to strike a perfect balance between style and functional family living.  No mean feat!  This meant additional storage, some clever space planning, and a focus on clean lines and a neutral palette.  A tiny laundry and powder room were combined to create a large laundry with an abundance of deep, built-in storage. 'A practical space that we simply could not live without!' says Brooke.  Bikes, prams, scooters… they all have a place and are out of sight! Aside from covering off the practical essentials of family apartment living (storage, storage and more storage!), maintaining a sense of light and space was also very important to Brooke's overall design.  The generous proportions of the apartment have been retained and enhanced by the strategic removal of some interior walls to reveal wider hallways, the creation of oversized doorways with cavity sliding doors, and the introduction of consistent flooring throughout.  'People often comment that the apartment looks and feels larger since the renovation, even though part of the living space was lost due to the addition of the new room' says Brooke. Since completing the renovation, Brooke has relished the chance to style her home with treasured finds from some of her favourite local retailers and artists. The Miranda Skoczek artwork was her very first art purchase many years ago (2005!) and still remains a firm favourite. 'Our white walls are the perfect backdrop for this bold piece, and even though the space has changed over time, Miranda’s artwork has always remained a perfect fit' she says. 2013 has been a busy year for Brooke, with the formal launch of her own interior styling and design business.  'I am excited about what the future holds, with some interesting projects in the works' says Brooke. 'My business is evolving and I am looking forward to working with new clients and discovering new opportunities within the design space'.  Brooke's interior design website has just recently gone live, and I must say she also has the most BEAUTIFUL Instagram account, full of interior design eye candy, well worth a little look!

Living room, looking out to Fawkner Park in South Yarra.  Photo - Eve Wilson, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Living room details - Spun Light from Euroluce, Scholten & Baijings throw from Thomas Eyke, Big Braid Morosso cushions from Hub Furniture, Missoni Home Odomez cushion from Top 3 by Design, Tom Dixon scented candle from Safari Living, Muuto Flow Jug from Space Furniture.  Photo - Eve Wilson, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Loungeroom detail - Painting by Miranda Skoczek, bench seat from House of Orange, Bitossi Metropolis ceramic vase from Hub Furniture, Black & white pieces from Dinosaur Designs.  Photo - Eve Wilson, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Master bedroom overlooking Fawkner Park in Melbourne.  Avalon bed from Jardan, Hay Mega Knit throw from Cult, Hay Ru Chair from Cult, Geometric artwork made by Brooke, By Lassen Kubus bowl in black from Fred International, Ceramic bowl from Mud Australia.  Photo - Eve Wilson, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Bedside details.  Avalon bed from Jardan, Gubi Grasshopper floor lamp from Cult, Cappellini Bong side table from Cult, Round vase from Mud Australia, Shell Wrap dish from Dinosaur Designs, Morosso cushion in purple from Hub Furniture, Diamond stitched sham in charcoal from Linen & Moore.  Photo - Eve Wilson, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Avalon bed from Jardan, Hay Mega Knit throw from Cult, Morosso cushion in purple from Hub Furniture, Diamond stitched sham in charcoal from Linen & Moore, Hay Ru Chair from Cult, Geometric artwork on wall made by Brooke, By Lassen Kubus bowl in black from Fred International, Ceramic bowl on drawer unit from Mud Australia, Cappellini Bong bedside table from Cult, Shell Wrap dish from Dinosaur Designs.  Photo - Eve Wilson, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Kitchen.  Alvar Aalto Artek stools from Anibou (custom painted in black).  On kitchen benches - Holme Gaard glass bowl from Anibou, Bitossi Metropolis ceramic vases from Hub Furniture, Bitossi Arkitectura ceramic bird from Hub Furniture, Seletti porcelain pan in black from Space Furniture, Alessi Cohncave bowl.  Photo - Eve Wilson, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Kids' bedroom.  Avalon bed from Jardan, drawer unit from Poliform, Kartell table lamp from Space Furniture, handblown glass bonsai piece by Amanda Dziedzic (bought from TDF Open House!), Zig Zag floor rug from Madeline Weinrib, floor cushion from Nomades, Missoni Home cushions from Safari Living, Mexican Suzani bedspread from Market Import, Wire basket from The Woodsfolk.  Photo - Eve Wilson, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Kids' bedroom details.  Muuto Dot hooks from Great Dane Furniture, Cloud coathanger from The Woodsfolk, Olba side table from Jardan, Mexican Suzani bedspread from Market Import, bowls from Dinosaur Designs, Fifi Lapin framed print.  Photo - Eve Wilson, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

View down hallway from apartment front door - love that amazing curved wall!  Kate Dorrough painting from Fenton & Fenton.  In kids' bedroom - Olba side table from Jardan, Avalon bed from Jardan, Missoni Home cushions from Safari Living, Mexican Suzani bedspread from Market Import.  Photo - Eve Wilson, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.