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Carrissa Leary, owner of mid-century furniture business Hendrix and Willow, loves what she does — just look at her Templestowe home! ‘My passion for all things mid-century doesn’t stop when I leave work,’ she says. ‘I actually love what I do so much that it flows through into my home.’
Carrissa moved into this rental property with her children Indianah (10) and Saxxon (6) in 2020. Melbourne was in lockdown at the time, so the family were only able to view the property online, but fortunately Carrissa’s instincts were spot on. ‘This home was most certainly built with family in mind, with a parent’s room at one end, two bedrooms at the other, and a games room complete with a built-in bar,’ she says. Unbelievably, the home also features a heated in-ground pool!
Templestowe’s wide and leafy streets have also become a sanctuary for the family, especially over the past two years. ‘It feels like I’m coming home to the country every day’ Carrissa says.
Carrissa’s style is completely in keeping with the original ‘80s design of the property, only she’s taken it to another level! What was once an entirely white, brown and grey space is now drenched in 1970s colours, injected via vintage pieces sourced far and wide. ‘Most of what you see in my home has been found online, given to me or I’ve stumbled across it on one of our many trips interstate to find unique retro furniture,’ Carrissa says.
Among Carrissa’s favourite pieces are the Featherston Numero modular lounge (‘Its clean lines combined with the bright fuchsia coloured upholstery just makes the room pop’) and shag wool rugs in almost every room. ‘They are my number one go to when it comes to adding that cosy feel to a room’.
This vibrant, character-filled home is a testament to Carrissa’s incredible sense of style – and proves just what is possible when it comes to personalising a rental property!
