The first time I watched an iMovie made by my then seven year old daughter, I was amazed.  How can a seven year old make a trailer for a movie?  I wanted her to make me one for Bella Vie Interiors.  

​So this morning, after months of watching her iMovies about pugs, cats and unicorns, I suggested she make one about Bella Vie Interiors.  I showed her my website and answered a few questions and away she went. She even knew the client names for each project. Amazing what she's remembered from conversations about my work. 

​I think I might hire her... what do you think?

A unique project with pared back, industrial interiors and finishes that look like they belong on a building site make a statement in this Canberra AirBNB.

​Builders D3 Projects approached Bella Vie Interiors to design and document the industrial style kitchens, bathrooms and bedroom storage for this very unique property in Canberra.  ​The client's brief was to create a pared back, industrial interior with a finishes that looked raw and unfinished.
 
The client was very hands on with the selection of fixtures and fittings and had a clear vision from the outset.  Bella Vie Interiors designed custom joinery from black ply and timber with simple drilled holes to the fronts instead of handles.  The raw timber look tile makes a dramatic statement in the wet areas.  Brace board, corrugated iron and concrete are used extensively throughout to create the desired aged, industrial aesthetic.
 
The builders worked very closely with the client to ensure every detail met their vision to create a unique interior to suit their needs.

See more of this unique project here. 

Credits: Images by Nathan Lanham Photography; Builder: D3 Projects 

A minimalist interior designed by Bella Vie Interiors, complements the crisp, clean exterior of this new Passive house in Googong.

Situated in the self-contained township of Googong, this Passive House makes a bold statement with its monochromatic colour scheme and a skillion roof soaring high into the sky.  Its glazed facade designed to capture the winter sun, warming highly polished concrete floors and basking the living areas with sunlight during the cooler months.

Triple glazed windows with zipscreen external shade blinds, allow seamless integration between indoors and outdoors, providing privacy, blocking UV rays and keeping insects out.

Bella Vie Interiors created a minimalist interior scheme to suit the client's brief for a home with clean lines and a neutral colour palette.

A black linear custom pendant hangs over a simple concrete kitchen island.  Dark, minimalist bathrooms create a dramatic contrast to the crisp white walls throughout the living areas and bedrooms.

With the building works completed, the client can now move into a new home, enjoying the benefits of living in a Passive House as Winter approaches.

See more of this new build project here.  

Credits: Images by Nathan Lanham Photography; Architect: Hugh Gordon Architects; Builder: D3 Projects

The Interior Design Process can be long and drawn out, and for both clients' and designers', it's important to celebrate our wins along the way.  From a client's perspective, they may have had the desire to see their project evolve for many years.  As designers, we create the vision and gain great satisfaction from seeing the joy it brings our clients' when it all starts to come together.

So whether it's the first day on site for the builders or the day when furniture or furnishings arrive near the end of a project, we love to celebrate the milestones that bring us one step further to bringing a vision to life.

To see more of the recent moments enjoyed by our clients and our team, visit Instagram or Facebook.  

If you have an Interior Design project you are considering, contact us or read more here.

A monochromatic colour palette with a strong graphic element, has transformed this 60's Canberra House into a stylish yet relaxed retreat.

The owners moved into this partially renovated 60’s house in 2014 and quickly set about having plans drawn up to add a master suite to the home's existing three-bedrooms.  With a builder engaged and facing the daunting prospect of making the finishes selections, they sought professional guidance and called in Interior Designers, Bella Vie Interiors.

Scandinavian Interiors...

Simplicity is core to creating Scandinavian interiors.  Focus on creating light; using natural materials and a muted colour palette along with de-cluttering to give your home a Scandinavian feel. 

Read more on creating a Scandinavian interior here and see how we created a Scandinavian inspired interior here.

Keep up to date with our Ebrochure or contact us here.

​Images via Pinterest

By focusing on clean lines and quality materials, Bella Vie Interiors transformed a much loved but out of date house in Canberra into a fresh and beautiful retreat. 

Following on from Part 1 we share how a 30 year old extension was given a makeover to totally transform its dated peach coloured interior to a fresh and light retreat for its owners.

A fresh Scandinavian inspired home is the outcome of this well overdue
house renovation.

Following on from Part 1 we share how a neutral palette is balanced with black accents and American walnut timber in a contemporary interior design by Bella Vie Interiors.

Finishing Touches

The object was to achieve a luxurious interior that exudes style and elegance in areas used during entertaining and a functional, contemporary style throughout the rest of the house.

The right finishes add depth and texture to what could easily have been a large family home with a beige interior.  The main floors in the house are tiled to accommodate under floor heating throughout.  Carpet adds visual warmth and comfort in bedrooms, lounge and living rooms.  American walnut was selected to add substance and masculinity to the lighter coloured more feminine finishes and design features incorporated throughout.

Window furnishings were well thought out to cater for the needs of each area in the home with the almost-black plantation shutters adding drama and contrast.  Remote controlled blinds add ease to more practical aspects of maintaining a house of this size.

Lighting is pivotal to overcoming the key challenge of creating intimacy within the home and is perhaps one of the owners’ most favoured aspects of their home.  Layers of lighting give them the ability to adapt their surroundings to suit their activities and also add warmth and elegance. 

The final touch to the interior design of this stunning new home is the new furniture yet to be installed.  In addition to the Earl Pinto 6.2 metre American walnut table commissioned by Bella Vie Interiors, beautiful Jardan pieces will feature throughout.

Bella Vie Interiors has delivered the clients’ a home beyond their expectations by providing a welcoming interior for them to create new memories as a family and a luxurious and elegant venue for them to entertain with pride and ease.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this project and for you to share it with your friends.

Credits: Images by Nathan Lanham Photography; Window treatments by Chadwick Designs

A neutral palette is balanced with black accents and American walnut timber in a contemporary interior design by Bella Vie Interiors.

The owners of this new build home in rural Goulburn purchased the property with a frame, roof and set of plans that didn’t really meet the needs of their family or lifestyle.  They needed a design that suited the rigours of day-to-day life with children, with an aesthetic and practicality to cater for their frequent large-scale entertaining.   To help them with their project they approached Canberra interior design firm Bella Vie Interiors.

Style and Function 

To meet the owners’ needs, the original floor plan was modified to accommodate six bedrooms, a scullery, activities room and three-car garage.   The owners’ knew that they wanted a brick exterior, neutral colour scheme and contemporary style; outside of this the interior design was completely in the hands of interior designer, Lisa Alward.  The owner’s style leans towards a more traditional style with timber and square, masculine elements. This was balanced by turning on the glamour in the formal entertaining rooms, and incorporating wallpaper and feature pendants throughout the house. 

Clear Outcomes

The first site visit revealed just how vast this project really was and exposed its shortcomings.  The key challenges were apparent even at frame up stage with a lack of light in the central kitchen that was overshadowed by the outdoor alfresco and just how large the proportions of the rooms were.   This large house needed to feel homely and spacious and not austere and unwelcoming. 

The design was approached with two clear outcomes; firstly to create comfort and practicality within the spaces frequently used by the family, and secondly to add glamour, elegance and luxury to the spaces used by guests.  Custom designed joinery and careful consideration to finishes selections throughout, allowed the interior design to remain cohesive through both these zones.

The Key Elements

An elegant entry into the house with a striking central black feature pendant and an adjoining study, with custom joinery rich in American walnut timber and dark plantation shutters, reveal a glimpse of what lies beyond.  Beautiful layers of lighting lead guests through to the formal lounge and dining room where the proportions of this home become apparent.  

A bespoke 6.2 metre dining table designed to seat 24 people runs parallel to a 4.5 metre American walnut bar.  A bronzed mirrored splashback, copper coloured sink, black tapware and Caesarstone ‘Emperadoro’ bench top are combined with graphic wallpaper, statement pendants and 15 metres of floor to ceiling curtains to set the scene for a 70’s inspired entertaining area.  

By contrast, the kitchen is white, light and bright with Dulux ‘vivid white’ and ‘beige royal’ accented by Caesarstone ‘Calacutta Nuvo’ and ‘Linen’ benchtops.  Meile appliances, integrated fridges and extensive storage cater for entertaining and the large scullery provides a place to clean up the mess, whilst the kitchen remains pristine and on show. 

The wet areas have not been immune to the segregation of zoning with the powder room and master en-suite elegantly tiled walls offset with polyurethane joinery, 80mm bench tops, black tap ware and feature pendants.  Three additional bathrooms feature a more pared back style with soft grey tiles, functional lighting and practical, family friendly finishes that maintain the overall style of the interior design.  

In our next blog post, we'll share the finishing touches and more images from this beautiful project.  We'd love to hear your thoughts on this project and love you to share it with your friends.

Credits: Images by Nathan Lanham Photography; Window treatments by Chadwick Designs