At home with. . . Michelle and Jordan
Filled with art, character and hominess, Michelle & Jordan's recent Mt Lofty renovation feels as much a calming sanctuary as it does a cozy family home.
Published 18 Aug 2024
Photography: @_Insculpt
Walking into the home of Michelle and Jordan Von Pein is like walking into a warm hug, albeit a rather chic one. With a rich neutral palette setting the stage for exquisite attention to detail, this recent renovation has transformed a quintessential Toowoomba Queenslander into a family home that is known by their kids’ friends as, “the fun house”.
Although a Farmer by trade, Jordan has been renovating, owner-building and project managing since his early twenties and combined with Michelle’s exceptional eye for design (graphic designer and owner of MVP Design), they are a rather dynamic pair.
With a National Master Builders Award win already under their belt, it is clear that the couple understand good design and more importantly, human-centric design. Understanding the human experience, how we live and operate in the day to day is crucial, because a space only really becomes alive once humans inhabit it. Such an approach prioritises and nurtures those within and the social connections that occur; enhancing life and ensuring that the people within thrive.
That said, designing a space that is beautiful yet robust, chic yet comfortably immersive is quite a challenge, however from front door to back door we loudly proclaim, well played Von Peins, well played. Reminiscent of the Trulli in Puglia, hotels in Rome, the South of France and Byron Bay, you would be excused for thinking you’ve been whisked away to a villa in Bali or Tuscany. Whilst honouring the 100+ year old Queenslander, Michelle and Jordan have been inspired by their many travels to create a home that is light, open and airy; a space that their kids could enjoy and happily grow into their teen years.
While the front half of the original home offers you all the character that we have come to expect (perhaps demand) of an historic Queenslander, a walk down the arched hall you are enveloped into a living-dining-kitchen of dreams. With an almost double height vaulted ceiling complete with exposed rafters, the rear extension seamlessly connects with the original. From handmade terracotta tiles to microcement benches, travertine, original floorboards and brass hardware, a luscious selection of materials reveals the couple’s love of natural finishes. This conscious decision highlights that texture and tactility are key whilst providing a rich depth of tone and colour.
With a love of entertaining and cooking (Jordan makes a mean pasta dish), it was imperative for Michelle that their home was welcoming and inviting, a setting for family and friends, and of course the inevitable “revolving door” for their kids’ friends. Once the chaos washes over however and the last guest leaves, the stillness returns, and the home becomes their sanctuary again. When asked what it means to feel ‘at home’, Michelle said that “they never feel more at home than when [they] have finished doing yard work on a Sunday and are ALL home. Jordan cooks of a Sunday night and ultimately, home is wherever the family is, and we can all just be”. This sentiment illustrates how our homes contain and reflect our lives; a place where we find our sense of belonging and where many major events transpire.
We suspect that this home feels a bit like a coming home for the Von Peins. Aptly named La Niña, this stunning renovation has come about after waiting years for rain on the family farm. An exciting prospect for the couple to arrive at a place where they could embark on such a journey.
Spending a Sunday afternoon with the Von Peins, sibling hazing included, was a true delight. As teenagers in socks slid Tom Cruise-style across the wide floorboards and remnants of a bubble bath were seen in the family bathroom it is clear, this is indeed “the fun house”. Come Monday morning we know though, like all our homes, the kitchen will be a flurry of packing lunches, school bags and hats strewn across the floor…but that’s what homes are for right? Vessels where we live out our lives, they enhance and upgrade the everyday so that all moments, big or small, matter. For a home that needs to weather three teenagers and a spunky labradoodle named Goldie, this home most definitely meets the brief.
