Interiors

Inside Artist Kimmy Hogan’s Light + Bright Family Home

Artist Kimmy Hogan’s recently renovated Geelong family home strikes a balance between modern and charming.

The new spaces of the 1950s weatherboard don’t look out of place, grounded by timber accents, handmade checkerboard tiles, and some of Kimmy’s own abstract artworks.

After spending the last few years bringing the house to life, Kimmy reveals a look inside the completed home she shares with her husband Nick, and their three sons, Walter (10), Arthur (8), and Teddy (6).

Written
by
Christina Karras
|
Photography
by
|
Styling
by

The kitchen. Cabinetry from New Age Veneers. Adamina stone benchtop by Caesarstone. Linear Pull and Kintore Knob hardware by Lo & Co. Pendants and bar stools from MCM House.

Collection of vessels from Papaya Homewares, Clo Studios, House of Orange, Coastal Vintage, Kirsten Perry, Alice Bell, Bendigo Pottery, McMullin & Co, Elizabeth Bell, Harpers Studio, Emicorn Pottery.

Artist Kimmy Hogan and chemical engineer Nick Hogan, with their three sons, Walter (10), Arthur (8), and Teddy (6).

The new living area features a rendered fireplace painted Dulux Grand Piano Half. ‘In the Clouds’ painting by Ash Leslie.

Custom-made French doors by JK Windows & Doors. Lounge from MCM House. ‘Isla I’ print by Kimmy Hogan. Vintage swivel chairs. Cane arm chair by IKEA. Pierre Side Table by ELLISON STUDIOS. Cushions from Pampa, Bonnie & Neil. Vintage rug from NC Studio.

The living room opens to the lawn, with Kimmy’s art studio on the opposite side.

The renovation seamlessly added a second storey to the weatherboard.

The dining room. Pendant from Ferm Living. Table from MCM House. Second-hand chairs. Seagrass Squares rug from The Natural Floorcovering Centre. Curtains from Dollar Curtains. Blinds fabric from Homestead. Linen cupboard doors from Parkwood Doors. Fruit stand from Coastal Vintage. Ceramics from House of Orange and Bendigo Pottery.

Vintage couch and coffee table. Cushions from Bonnie & Neil, Pampa. Pendant from Beacon Lighting. Vintage rug from NC Studio. Artwork (from left): limited-edition print by Kimmy Hogan. ‘Lotus II’ limited-edition print by Kimmy Hogan.

Lamp from McMullin & Co. Polytec Prime Oak woodmatt on joinery.

Locally sourced tiles. Tapware by Brodware. Adamina stone benchtop by Caesarstone. Wood wave mirror from Good Huis.

 

Vintage yellow stool. Towels by Adairs and Tekla. Ceiling light from Lighting Collective.

Vintage bedhead from Facebook Marketplace. Bedlinen from Society of Wanderers. Black floral cushion by Kimmy Hogan for Adairs. Rattan lamp from Beacon Lighting. Vintage side table. ‘Fly to Tokyo’ print from Fine Little Day. Framed collage by Beci Orpin.

One of the boy’s bedrooms.

The ensuite bathroom. Striped tiles by Tiles of Ezra.

Polytec Florentine Walnut woodmatt cabinetry. Hand towel by Saarde. Muse Mirror by Granite Lane. Sconce by Lighting Collective. Striped vessel from Clo Studios.

The main bedroom upstairs. Pendant from Beacon Lighting. Delara Bedhead from Worn Store. Table lamps and bedside tables by McMullin & Co. Bed linen from Society of Wanderers. Homemade stripe quilt by Kimmy’s mum. Huggy Swivel Armchair by ELLISON STUDIOS. Uphosltered bench by Zenn Design.

Rug from Hali Rugs. Rattan floor lamp by Ferm Living. Couch from Life Interiors. ‘Is it Free’ painting by Giorgia Bel.

‘Baby Doll II’ limited-edition print and plate on wall by Kimmy Hogan.

Vessel from McMullin & Co. Sconce from Lighting Collective.

The powder room. Checkerboard tiles from Tiles of Ezra. Green onyx sink from Etsy. Mirror from Rachel Donath. Towel by Kip & Co.

Pendant from Ferm Living. Vintage rug from NC Studio. Liza Console by ELLISON STUDIOS.

Speckled vessel by Alice Bell Ceramics. ‘Flowerbed IV’ limited-edition print by Kimmy Hogan.

Writer
Christina Karras
Photography
Styling
5th of September 2024
Interior Design
Builder
Location

East Geelong, VIC/Wadawurrung Country

Artist Kimmy Hogan and her husband Nick were told plenty of horror stories before embarking on their first-ever renovation a few years ago.

‘People told us not to or that we would “only ever do it once”, but we had the best experience with our renovation,’ Kimmy says, having spent the last few years transforming their Geelong family home.

Originally from Queensland, the couple moved to Victoria in 2015 and purchased a ‘humble three-bedroom weatherboard’ in an area they loved, thinking they’d revisit their hunt for a forever home later down the track.

Despite being a ‘bit old, daggy, and dated’, the house was filled with ample natural light and featured a large workshop Kimmy knew would be a perfect home studio for her art practice.

They initially refreshed the ‘renovator’s delight’ by painting the interior a clean white before moving in, leaving the rest of the house untouched until deciding to stay for good in 2021.

‘We did look around for other homes in the area, but the tiny bedrooms, small blocks and insufficient storage kept steering us back to improving our own home rather than buying new,’ Kimmy says.

‘We didn’t want to extend into the lawn at all, so instead we consumed the existing covered patio into the new floor plan and added an upstairs level for the main bedroom.’

Kimmy and Nick engaged a local business ARCA Build who drafted up the concept and plans, in addition to managing the project from start to finish — which Kimmy credits as the secret behind their seamless renovation. ‘It made sense to go with a builder who could ‘own’ the entire project,’ she adds.

They also worked with interior designer Your Abode to perfect the house’s warm, lived-in feel. The completely reworked living room is relatively paired-back, painted in Dulux Grand Piano Half, as hints of French and European flair reveal themselves throughout.

‘We didn’t want a stark white house,’ Kimmy says. ‘Artful surprises like the checkerboard tiles and flower-shaped onyx sink in the powder room, the checkered tiles in the pantry, and the striped tiles in the ensuite gave the home that surprise and playfulness we wanted.’

When it came to selecting finishes, the couple decided to invest in handmade tiles to ensure the renovated rooms didn’t feel like overtly new.

A ‘huge part’ of their budget also went towards replacing the paper-thin glass windows with like-for-like double glazed alternatives, which felt like a necessary choice to improve the old weatherboard’s energy efficiency — without losing any charm.

‘The collected vintage furniture, rattan and bamboo light fittings, and mix of old and new pieces throughout the home is where our personality really shines through,’ Kimmy says. ‘Everything in our home is picked to age well with us and our family.’

Safe to say, they have no regrets about renovating!

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