A Richly Textured Bedroom Refresh In Simone Haag's New 70s Home

After stalking Modernist homes online for years, interior stylist and decorator Simone Haag has recently moved into one of Melbourne’s ‘hidden gems’ — a 1970s house designed by Ian J Smith, who trained under prolific architects like Robin Boyd and Harry Seidler.

The designer has embraced her new family home’s exposed brick walls with a mix of minimalistic pieces and raw materials that help channel its Brutalist feel.

In the bedroom, she turned to Melbourne-based brand Abode Living to design custom bedlinen (including a bedcover reminiscent of a ‘crisp Italian shirt!’) thanks to their bespoke service and beautiful line-up of luxurious fabrics from Kohro. Take a closer look below!

Written

Christina Karras

supported by Abode Living

Abode Living’s queen duvet cover and standard pillowcases made from Metella linen in ‘Cenere’, additional standard pillowcases behind made from EOS Sateen in ‘Lepre’. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli and Lucy Feagins

Simone’s 1970s home was designed by Ian J Smith, who trained under prolific architects like Robin Boyd and Harry Seidler! Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli and Lucy Feagins

Simone reviews Abode Living’s extensive range of premium Italian fabrics by Kohro. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli and Lucy Feagins

‘I really wanted to choose textiles that I didn’t feel I had previously seen as sheets before,’ Simone says of her picks from the range. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli and Lucy Feagins

Abode Living’s queen duvet cover and standard pillowcases made from Metella linen in ‘Cenere’. Additional standard pillowcases behind made from EOS Sateen in ‘Lepre’. Custom bolster made from Jaisalmer fabric in ‘Nickel’ with custom sateen piping to match sheeting. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli and Lucy Feagins

Simone says she looked to European-style bedrooms with bedcovers for inspiration. Abode Living’s queen duvet cover made from Metella linen in ‘Cenere’. Queen-sized custom bedcover with box pleated corners made from Jericho2 fabric in ‘Potassio’. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli and Lucy Feagins

A minimalistic bedside table and sculptures rounds out the bedroom’s pared-back styling. Abode Living’s queen duvet cover and standard pillowcases made from Metella linen in ‘Cenere’, additional standard pillowcases behind made from EOS Sateen in ‘Lepre’. Queen-sized custom bedcover with box pleated corners made from Jericho2 fabric in ‘Potassio’. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli and Lucy Feagins

‘We are lucky enough to be on an acre, with nothing but bushy surrounds and a forest on our doorstep,’ Simone says. Abode Living’s queen-sized custom bedcover with box pleated corners made from Jericho2 fabric in ‘Potassio’. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli and Lucy Feagins

‘The lilac pin stripe of the Jericho2 fabric in ‘Potassio’ was an immediate favourite when I explored the textiles at the showroom,’ Simone says. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli and Lucy Feagins

Abode Living’s queen-sized custom bedcover with box pleated corners made from Jericho2 fabric in ‘Potassio’. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli and Lucy Feagins

‘Every time I have seen a reference with the bed blanket, I have been drawn to it,’ Simone says. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli and Lucy Feagins

Writer

Christina Karras

12th of April 2023

Simone Haag describes her current family home as more ‘grown-up’ residence than her previous mid-century property in Ringwood. The designer, her husband Rhys, and their kids have remained in Melbourne’s leafy eastern suburbs, but their new place has a slightly different feel.

It was designed in 1972 by Ian J Smith and features an ‘incredible floor plan’, complete with a sunken lounge, internal courtyard, and views of their acreage’s bushy surrounds!

‘The brief with the decoration was to channel a bit more Brutalism and err on the side of a masculine palette and pieces,’ Simone adds.

Reflecting this restrained design philosophy was particularly important in the home’s main bedroom, which showcases bespoke bedding by Abode Living using the luxury fabrics from heritage Italian brand, Kohro.

‘I was inspired by European bedrooms where the look is very clean – there are no awkward pillows to style,’ Simone says.

The queen-size bed features a duvet cover with a subtle stripe throughout, alongside two pillowcases in the same Metella linen. Simone opted for a simple, smoky grey-purple coloured fabric as a deliberate departure from a traditional crisp white sheet to create a more cohesive and tonal retreat within the earthy tones of the bedroom’s exposed brick walls.

But layered on top is the ‘hero’ – a lilac pin-striped bedcover that gives the bedroom it’s elegant, European-like feel. ‘It’s a very sophisticated textile, almost reminding me of a crisp Italian shirt!’ Simone explains. Her home is a beautifully preserved ‘hidden gem’, and working with Abode meant she could complement the Modernist house with unique textiles she hadn’t seen as bedding before.

Abode Living creative director Amelia Marasco Adair says this exact kind of customisation is part of the Melbourne-based business’ expertise. ‘Our capacity to manufacture bed linen, cushions and homewares in our Camberwell factory coupled with access to the superior range of Kohro fabrics allows designers like Simone to realise specific pieces for their projects to exacting detail,’ she notes.

‘One of the greatest tools in my design vernacular is the reupholstery of items so make them my own – especially so in bedrooms,’ Simone agrees. ‘So it’s exciting to be able to customise the bedding, ensuring it feels perfectly at home with the interiors.’

Visit the Abode Living website to explore their product range and contact their dedicated trade representative to find out how Abode can enhance your client projects.