Homes

The Charming Fitzroy Rental Of Two Artists

It’s amazing what colour infused across art, textiles, and books alone can do for a home, especially when styling a rental property. In the hands of artists Jordy van den Nieuwendijk and Kate Isobel Scott, a previously cobweb-ridden house has become a warm eclectic home… without making a single structural change!

In creating this home, Jordy and Kate have invested in furniture they’ll have for many years, shipped across delightful pieces and books from their previous home in The Netherlands, and embraced brick and timber surfaces to personalise their Fitzroy rental property.

Written
by
Lucy Feagins
Supported by Dulux

Wooden works on beam by Alex Booker. Two square works on wall by Sally M Nangala Mulda. Cardboard cutout on wall by Klaas Gubbels. 1960s oak cabinet upstairs by Thygesen & Sorensen. Hand embroidered pillow by Kate Isobel Scott. Tonga stool from Pan After. Table Lamp #1 by Nicole Lawrence Studio x Seb Brown. Pan After basket. Green chair from CCSS Melbourne. Niels Eilersen ‘Arizona’ Sofa by Jens Juul Eilersen. Pillow on sofa by India Mahdavi. Upper yellow artwork on wall by Martin Lukáč. Lower yellow artwork on wall by Gijsje Heemskerk. Raffia Donut Stool by Pan After.  Le Feu De L’Eau Chartreuse candle. Photography – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Blanket by Curio Practice. Hayon x Nani Runner rug. Blue wiggly artwork leaning against wall by Basil Papoutsidis. Chrome artwork on top left by Job van den Berg. Small painting on right wall by Joe Henry Baker. Framed white photograph on right wall by Jordi Huisman. Photography – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Kate Isobel Scott and Jordy van den Nieuwendijk and Bell the dog! Nicole Lawrence Studio vase. Painting under stairs by Emma Lipscombe. Wooden works on beam by Alex Booker. Two square works on wall by Sally M Nangala Mulda. Cardboard cutout on wall by Klaas Gubbels. Table Lamp #1 by Nicole Lawrence Studio x Seb Brown. Green chair from CCSS Melbourne. Photography – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Wooden works on beam by Alex Booker. Two square works on wall by Sally M Nangala Mulda. Cardboard cutout on wall by Klaas Gubbels. Table Lamp #1 by Nicole Lawrence Studio x Seb Brown. Green chair from CCSS Melbourne. Tonga stool from Pan After. Photography – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Niels Eilersen ‘Arizona’ Sofa by Jens Juul Eilersen. Pillow on sofa by India Mahdavi. Upper yellow artwork on wall by Martin Lukáč. Lower yellow Artwork on wall by Gijsje Heemskerk. Raffia Donut Stool by Pan After.  Le Feu De L’Eau Chartreuse candle. Photography – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Kitchen island from Ikea. Painting and ceramic on wall by Kate Isobel Scott. Photography – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Kitchen island from Ikea. Painting and ceramic on wall by Kate Isobel Scott. Photography – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

 

Small painting on left by Matthew Dettmer. Big painting by Jordy van den Nieuwendijk. Painting on right by Casey Jeffery. Mellow Ceramics Totem Mug. 1960s dining set by Rainer Daumiller. Mat on table by Kate Isobel Scott. Mika Tolvanen light from Kera Interior. Photography – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

David Hockney print. Mellow Ceramics Totem Mug. 1960s dining set by Rainer Daumiller. Mat on table by Kate Isobel Scott. Mika Tolvanen light from Kera Interior. Photography – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Painting by Kate Isobel Scott. Dutch chair purchased secondhand. Vintage trolley bag. Storemasta cabinet. Photography – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Clay figure by Kate Isobel Scott. Photography – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Painting by Jordy van den Nieuwendijk. Blanket by Brittany Rouse. Cabinet built by Jordy. Photography – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Clay figure by Kate Isobel Scott. Fish painting by Kate Isobel Scott. Flower painting by Jordy van den Nieuwendijk. Photography – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Writer
Lucy Feagins
5th of July 2022

Artists Jordy van den Nieuwendijk and Kate Isobel Scott lived in their previous home in The Netherlands (where Jordy is from) for four years before moving to Australia in 2020. Neither had lived in Melbourne before, so they set about creating a new home together — although they couldn’t leave Jordy’s book collection behind!

‘Jordy has been buying books for over a decade… Moving these over from Europe was an absolute nightmare (I can still feel my lower back), [but] I do appreciate them!’ says Kate. 

It’s these books, along with a yellow Mika Tolvanen light (also from the couple’s previous home) and plenty of art that gives the home its sunshine-y, colourful personality. As renters, Jordy and Kate are limited from making permanent changes, but small updates have gone a long way to enhance their home’s original features. 

‘Jordy has transformed the living room by building a cabinet and making bookshelves,’ says Kate, who works as an animation director and illustrator.

‘We made the smaller storage room our bedroom, and made the big bedroom in the front of our house into a studio where we can paint and shoot Kate’s stop-motion animations,’ says Jordy, a painter and illustrator. 

Scandinavian mid-century influences are also evident throughout the home, which make Jordy feel at home. 

Kate and Jordy don’t always agree on their home’s styling, but it’s perhaps their clash of tastes that makes their space so inviting. For the most part, Jordy says he buys ‘stupid’ things he comes to regret, while Kate buys practical pieces ‘that look nice and serve a purpose!’

‘I sometimes buy things that Kate feels are dust collectors. And sometimes, Kate buys items that I don’t like at the start, however now, after a few years, I still don’t like [them],’ Jordy says. 

All this magically ties in with the couple’s eclectic artwork collection, including many bright pieces by Jordy himself. Together – it all works perfectly! 

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