Soft Modernism

When actress Cate O’Connor and photographer Dylan James Lark bought this Federation home in early 2025, it had been through decades of unsympathetic renovation. They tasked themselves with the mission of bringing it back to life. 

“It had been rented to the same tenant for 35 years and minimal upkeep had been done,” they say. “What had been done, though, was a renovation that replaced the (assumed) original pine floors for Tasmanian oak floors that were then covered with carpet. They had stayed that way until the day after our settlement. The first thing we did was rip that carpet out.” 

The interior has been overhauled and utterly transformed. What results is a home that glows with a dreamy, pinkish hue, making it feel deeply filmic and redolent with an enigmatic ambience. Floor-length net curtains flutter and flow, drenching the rooms with dappled light, whilst a baseline of creamy, neutral tones highlight brighter elements like neon features and brightly toned paintings and fabrics. “Our home is very much a culmination of our two personalities,” state the couple. “While Cate leans toward a vintage, old-world style, Dylan brings his love of contemporary pieces that are full of colour. Together we have developed an appreciation for each other’s styles and created what we feel is a unique vibe.” 

Chrome Details

One element the couple aligned on was using Iver hardware. “In our journey to transform the home back into something of its original state, the Verona Lever with Shouldered Backplate was the perfect choice to elevate the feel of the interior,” they say. “We chose to go with polished chrome as a nod to a more contemporary feel.” This finish echoes other elements the couple wanted to highlight. “The chrome works well with our furniture and the direction in which we’re decorating,” explain Cate and Dylan. “It speaks to our USM Haller sideboard and a few other chrome pieces that we have brought over from our last home.”  

Choosing to use Iver informed other areas of the home, too. “As part of the process in exchanging the existing handles we also updated the internal doors from the flimsy hollow core that they were, to solid core.” The simple act of opening and closing a door has now become a pleasure. “We love how solid and high quality the handles feel when using them, outside of how amazing they look,” they say. “They’ve absolutely added to our transformation in turning a rundown rental into a home that feels special and unique.”