Photography: Sue Stubbs
“It’s my joy to bring a home to life,” says Nonnie Aldridge, a property stylist who lives in the mountain village of Leura, 100 kilometres west of Sydney, on Dharug land. Contrary to the cookie-cutter aesthetic often associated with real-estate styling, Nonnie creates inviting spaces that feel lived-in and loved. “I’m always searching for perfect vintage or handmade pieces to put into my homes to make sure I give a curated and collected look, rather than a one-size-fits-all,” says Nonnie, who established her business, Open House Property Styling, nine years ago.
Nonnie’s signature style flows effortlessly across her own home, a refurbished and extended weatherboard beauty dating back to 1901. Wherever the eye falls, vignettes of loved objects and patinated furniture represent flashbacks to people and places for Nonnie and her husband Paul, a real estate photographer who also assists Nonnie with Open House Property Styling.
Every piece tells a story – from the dining table the couple bought in Sydney’s Inner West in the 1990s when they first met, to the ‘Polling Booth’ canvas sign picked up for $20 in New Zealand. Paul is equally keen on living with second-hand pieces. “I might be the collector and treasure hunter, but I’m lucky to have a husband who loves our home and our junk as much as I do,” says Nonnie, 60. “He’s the hammer and nails behind the pictures that live in my head.”
The perfectly matched pair have lived here since 2015, in which time they’ve doubled the size of the original cottage and brought cohesion and structure to the landscaping on the generous 1530-metre-square, sloped block. Handy Paul, 52, and a carpenter friend have completed the majority of the construction work, with additional help from bricklayers for the garden’s retaining walls. The pair’s previous home in Leura, a 1930s-era double brick abode, was a nine-year-long renovation process. “We are up to year eight here, so hopefully we’ve only got a year to go. The front deck and gardens have been the latest improvements,” Nonnie says.
The front half of the dwelling retains the original layout, timber wall lining and flooring, while the expansive back extension steps down and opens up to a kitchen, dining and living space soaked in sunshine and a voluminous, airy feeling. Hemmed in by towering pine trees, the home is completely hidden from the neighbours’ sight, and lush, green views are evident through every reclaimed window and glass-paned door.
“I have no curtains, but it all feels really private,” says Nonnie. “I love nothing more than waking up to look out at the trees. It’s the perfect way to start the day.”
ABOUT THE HOUSE
- Half Grey Pepper floor paint from Porter’s Paints finishes the floorboards in the back extension. In the front part of the home, a mix of Black Japan and walnut stain has given the original flooring a dramatic lift.
- Nonnie’s favourite shopping haunts include: Victory Theatre Antique Centre in Blackheath; Hazelbrook Cottage Antiques; “and for something special, Cobweb Collectables at Mount Victoria is wonderful.”
- During trips to Melbourne to see their daughter Marlie, Nonnie and Paul stop at: Nook Vintage; Waverley Antique Bazaar; The Mill in Castlemaine; and Red Cart Vintage at Kyneton: “Owner Kathy is so clever!”
The bones of the revived cottage are settling once again, but the decoration is in constant flux. Vacations and market trawls inspire overhauls, and Nonnie will pull pieces from her home to bring a flourish to a property styling job. Her bowerbird tendencies tie back to childhood memories of looking through her grandparents’ collections arranged in bakelite boxes and timber cabinets. Nonnie’s mum was also creative – it wasn’t unusual for her to return home from school to find a new hand-sewn cover on the lounge or the bathroom transformed with paint and wallpaper.
Nonnie’s creative pathway took a detour through motherhood (her and Paul’s son, Julian, is 24, and Nonnie has two daughters from a previous marriage, Lacey, 39, and Marlie, 35) and years of office roles: “Now that I do property styling, I have a legitimate reason to be a bowerbird!” She is also well-placed to offer advice on bringing a home to life: “Surround yourself with the things you love and keep nothing for tomorrow – use it and enjoy it all today.”
See Nonnie’s work at: openhousepropertystyling.com.au
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
