May 10, 2026 • 36 mins
What actually makes a home beautiful once the cameras leave, the renovation dust settles and real life moves back in?
In part two of our conversation with Wendy Moore, the former Home Beautiful Editor-in-Chief, Selling Houses Australia interior designer and all-round interiors authority invites us inside her own Sydney Inner West cottage. And this is not a polished show-home tour. It's far better.
Wendy takes host and Home Beautiful Editor-in-Chief Elle Lovelock through the hydrangeas, past the dodgy fence, into the side entrance, the light-filled void, the petrol-blue kitchen, the unfinished reading nook now claimed by the dog, and the freestanding bath in the main bedroom that everyone warned her against.
Together they talk about what really works in a home after six years of living in it, from natural light and kitchen colour to family dinner tables, awkward layouts, builder contracts, renovation regrets, vintage silver, fireplaces, bed linen and why the homes we love most are rarely the perfect ones.
Moments You’ll Hear:
· Wendy’s audio home tour of her Inner West Sydney Californian bungalow cottage.
· The clever renovation choice that flooded a dark older home with natural light.
· Why Wendy still loves her petrol-blue kitchen, and what she would rethink about natural stone.
· The reading nook that never got finished and quietly became the dog’s favourite spot.
· The bedroom bath everyone said was a bad idea, and why Wendy loves it.
· The renovation regret she wishes she had budgeted for from the beginning.
· Wendy’s advice on choosing a builder, reading the contract and staying across every dollar.
· How to beat renovation decision fatigue with a moodboard and a clear edit.
· A smart fix for awkward living rooms where the sofa blocks the flow.
· The vintage silver tea strainer and “jam spoon” that became an Antiques Roadshow moment.
· Why the best homes are full of chatter, memory, imperfect corners and real life.
Thank you for listening ❤️
Before you leave...
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Credits:
Our friend: Wendy Moore
Host: Elle Lovelock
Edited by: Pro Pods
Producer: Charlie Potter and Thomas Crnkovic
Executive Producer: Jessie-Lee Klass
Head of Vodcasting: Rachel Fountain
Learn More:
The Edit is a production of Home Beautiful and Are Media: https://www.homebeautiful.com.au/home-beautiful-the-edit-podcast/
Part one episode with Wendy:
https://www.homebeautiful.com.au/shopping/wendy-moore-career-selling-houses/
See Wendy’s Home Beautiful home tour:
https://www.homebeautiful.com.au/home-tours/home-tour-house-to-home-beautiful/
Follow Wendy Moore:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendymooreedit/
The Interiors Edit: https://www.theinteriorsedit.com.au/
🙏 Our special thanks for making The Edit our new home:
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
This is an R media podcast My Home Beautiful cover.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Oh Wendy, you cover model you this has holes in it?
Do you know why?
Speaker 1 (00:18):
I don't know why.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
It's actually a sugar sifter. I feel like.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
When you're doing your own home like, the emotion and
the idea that you're going to live with this for
a really long time puts even more pressure on it. Absolutely,
and so that honesty is really important.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
This episode is brought to you by Luxeflex, transforming homes
with beautiful, functional window coverings designed to change your life
and lifestyle. Wendy Moore is an absolute force and full
of charisma. She was the general manager of Lifestyle at
Foxtel and and the former editor in chief of Home Beautiful,
(01:02):
a job that I have the privilege to be doing
this time. We're not talking resumes or TV ratings. We're
doing what Wendy does best. We're sitting down, We're having
a good old chat and getting properly nosy about the
places we actually live in. In this episode, Wendy takes
us on an audio tour of her own inner West cottage,
(01:24):
from the dodgy fence to the beautiful hydrangers, the side entrance,
the void of light and all. She admits the dream
reading look that somehow has become the dog's bed. She
talks about the kitchen color that she still loves, and
shows us the free standing bath in the main bedroom
that everyone said was a terrible idea and it's now
(01:47):
her favorite spot. Our chat is less about the perfect
rooms and more about why certain houses just feel like
somewhere you want to stay. Let's get into it. Wendy Moore,
welcome back to the edit.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
As you well know home beautiful when known for home
to us? Yep, would you take us on an audio
home tour of where you live? So if I'm coming
over to your place and knock on the door or
in the doorbell and you open the door, what could
I expect?
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Oh, there's a few confessions in here. Excellent. My plan
is underway, so live. I live in Sydney's in a
west so not not big blocks. And we bought this yes,
and but it's good. Actually it was a downsize from
the house that we had because we like the street
and it's a lovely, lovely street. Our fence not great.
(02:46):
I would ask you to avert your eyes as you
walk past the fence and just look at the beautiful
hydrangers at the front instant of the fence that's almost
falling down. The house is. It's very traditional house, so
it's it's a kind of early Californian bungalow, so not Victorian,
doesn't have all the decorative kind of architecture as Victorian,
(03:09):
and it's not very big at the front, so it
doesn't have all the decorative Californian bungalowre that's kind of
in between. So it's a side entry, so you walk
down the side and we've got a really nice kind
of timber pathway, which I love, and a really nice
big front door. I like wide front doors and ours.
So when you knock on the door, the door opens
(03:30):
all the way back on itself, so you.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Kind of yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
So the front of the house is pretty much exactly
as it was in nineteen ten. I mean, obviously we've
renovated the bathroom and we painted it and all that
kind of stuff, but the layout and the brickwork and
everything is the same. And then the center of the
house is where it changes. And one of the things
about these older houses is that they don't have a
lot of natural light and you know, you can get
(03:54):
We've got a north facing backyard, which is love fabulous,
but the further you get to the front of the house,
the less light comes in and it's really hard to
get around. So what we actually did, and I love
this about the entrance, is when you walk in, you've
kind of got a little kind of entryway mudroom kind
of thing, and then the kind of casual living area
(04:16):
behind it. But next to that is a void which
goes two and a half floors, and so it's just
natural light flooding in. So when we walk in, it's
very light to be a lighthouse. Joe Snell, who I
worked with house rules, he was the architect and we
traveled a lot together, so we kind of worked out
(04:37):
what we wanted to do with the house in lots of
plane flights, lots of hand airplan airport weights and things
like that. So that was definitely his idea to kind
of get that void. And it's a hard thing to
do because essentially it wastes a lot of floor space
for the second floor, but the light in the house
(04:59):
is lovely.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Did you take a lot of convincing on that, because
losing floor space is a big deal, But people don't
often realize the benefit.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
No, I think it took well, it took my husband
a little bit to get his hair around it. And
he thinks he doesn't he doesn't think in the same way,
so it was hard for him to picture it. Yeah,
my mom didn't get it. I remember when she walked
in when it was halfway through being built, and she went,
what goes there? And I said nothing, and she went, well,
that's a waste of space. Because it is, but it
(05:30):
doesn't feel like a waste. And actually it kind of
divides the house so as you as you get to
that void, you walk down a few steps and it's
a big open plan living, kitchen, dining. That's probably my
second favorite place in the house.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
I love second favorite.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Well, I love the kitchen. I love the color. I
love it's not quite blue and it's not quite green
and it's not quite gray. It's kind of a bit
between all of them death only more more blue than
the rest. But it's got a real depth to it.
It's called tamar to mass to mass. Yes, it's a
dulux color called to Mass. I really love that color
(06:11):
and I love that it adds so much color to
the whole space because and I found this. You know,
open plan spaces are lovely, but if you don't have
color and texture, they can feel really clinical and it's
very hard to get over that. Yeah, so I've got
a big kitchen island, so that was kind of central.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
It's your bench top made from.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
It's natural stone. I don't actually know if I would
do that again, to be honest, and I love the
way it looks. And I think now that we've got
all these kind of silica free or engineered stones, I
think I would probably do an engineered stone. It's so
easy to maintain and they're so okay.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Just get a little bit of JIF and the maintenance.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
It's the maintenance, and it's the fear that if I
drop a lemon on it, and you know that kind
of thing, Yeah, the panic. I mean, I love it.
I love the way it looks, and I don't regret it,
but I don't know if I would do it again.
But it's like three point two meters so it's a
really deck, which I love. Wow. I didn't want to
(07:12):
have any stools at the bench because I wanted everyone
and I was inspired actually by my sister that I
really I really like having dinner at the table, and
so I just wanted that to be the place to see.
But my kitchen designer, who is Provincial Kitchens, she said,
you want to have stools, and I completely. I'm so
(07:33):
glad that it talks me around because I love it.
So we have three stools kind of towards the end,
and I spend a lot of time and the kids
spend a lot of time sitting there if I'm cooking
or if my husband's cooking, and it is it's the
gathering space and that's what it feels like, and everybody
gathers around it if they come around. And then we
have a big dining table which is extendable, but it's
(07:57):
quite it's quite an open space. And I wanted to
because the house is a little art deco of the
original house, so I wanted to pick up some of
that art deco. So the back of the house has
got a little window seat. This is my confession and
my regret is and I don't know why, but the
whole idea is if we're going to have a window
seat that's got a bit of a curve, I like
(08:20):
corners in the houses. So I didn't want the whole
back of the house to open up, because then it
feels like a corridor. I really wanted corners because they
create landing spaces and they feel more intimate. So I
did that and it's got a really nice curve to it.
And the idea is that we would have like a
bench seat or some kind of sofa in there. That
is where I would read books because I love reading,
(08:41):
and they lie there and it's got the magnolia which
I can smell the scent of the magnalia I can
see outside. It's satcha like. That was my dream. And
I actually had a park bench there before we renovated,
to say this is where I'm going to sit. But
the reality is I still haven't made the bench seat
and it's still not there, so it's still empty. I
(09:02):
haven't done it. That was my dream. It's not finished.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Do you stand there? No.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
At the moment, the dog's bed is there, so she
gets to enjoy it. She loves it. Really yeah, beautiful,
so's she's getting all the benefit of that. Never got
that finished.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
So what does your home smell like? Do you have
a signature sent Do you like candles that are scented
or not?
Speaker 1 (09:25):
No? I don't really have scented candles. I don't like
overpowering sense, so I'm more of kind of a citrus
person than a vanilla, if you know what I mean.
I like those, so probably it's got a bit more
of that.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Yeah. Yeah, And what it is for it the sound
of your home. But what does it sound like?
Speaker 1 (09:45):
It's it's a very quiet house. Actually, I like having music.
I'm a bit more noisy my husband's quiet, so it
is it is a quiet house.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
And you were saying that the kitchen, dining living was
your second favorite part of the house, which begs the question.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Yeah, what's my favorite art? My favorite part was totally
solely a design that I did just for me, which
is in our main bedroom. I have the most beautiful
freestanding bar that actually that the bathroom connects with the bedroom,
(10:26):
so it's not a separate room, so it's a really
big space, and we put tesselated tiles as if it's
like an outdoor kind of old school salcony, and the
bar sits on that and it's kind of in the
center of the room. And I love having a bath
there and my husband doesn't really like baths, so it
was definitely one hundred percent for me, and I was
(10:47):
a bit concerned that I did all of this and
designed it around that and then wouldn't have a bar.
But I love it and not so much in summer,
but in winter a glass of red wine, a book,
some music, and just and because it's part of the
big room, it's just lovely. It's lovely to sit in
and sometimes my children will come in and sit on
(11:08):
the bed and chat to me while I'm in the bath,
and so it's just that's my favorite space and I'm
so glad I did it. And it felt really over
the top luxurious, and people said that it wouldn't work
having it open to the bedroom, and it just does.
I love it.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Is this your forever home? Probably not? No, What makes
you say that?
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Well? I think practically it's got too many levels, so
I think probably yeah, there. You know, one day, one day,
you'd probably get a different answer. If you ask my husband,
I think he'd say that that's his forever home. I
would like to do another project, And.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Do you have a feeling of what kind or do
you just think there's another one there?
Speaker 1 (11:52):
If money was no object, yes, I love this. I
My dream would be to build an American style mid
century home, like flat roof, lots of glass, lots of metal,
concrete floors, lots of texture, lots of softness. That's what
I would love to build, somewhere where nobody can see you.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
And is that a style that you have elements of
in your current home or is it a complete depart
complete departure.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Yes, absolutely complete departure, like really rich timbers, you know,
like maples and things like that. I would love that.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
What is it that you love about that style?
Speaker 1 (12:29):
I love the simplicity of it, and I love that
sense that very little is added to it because everything
that it's built with is beautiful, so the decoration is
actually the building itself. And I love the simplicity of
just a single floor, you know. I would have the
central kind of space would be the kitchen, living, dining,
and then you would have wings on each hand with
(12:51):
bedrooms and so. Yeah, particularly as you get older, you
can have people stay and I would love to do that.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Well, if you ever do it, we'd love to shoot it. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Well look if I and I sense there'd be a
TV show around this as well.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Yeah, well, yeah, I really have to think about creatively.
Oh am I ever going to afford that.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
That's mine issue, mine issue. Yeah, So whose houses do
you love going to?
Speaker 1 (13:17):
We have some friends that we made on the sideline
of AFL watching our kids play. I love going to
their house.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Is it the feeling of their house or does the
design or the look of the house have anything to do.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
It's got a sunken lounge room that I really like.
It's only sunken by a couple of steps, but I
really like when we're sitting there, particularly in winter, and
they've got the fire on, it feels like a snug
and I like that. And it's going to pull out
the back. We don't have a pool, we don't have
that space in our background.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Selfishly, Yeah, I think I just like how there's that
kind of one central area and we just I'm just
relaxed in there.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Coming up. But Wendy has brought in a beautiful treasure.
It's something her grandmother gave her and she's just found
out a brand new use for it. Back in a
bit Os design blends style and practicality to enhance every
day living. The new winter collection embraces warm tones, sleek finishes,
(14:17):
and smooth silhouettes, offering timeless pieces designed to transform your
home throughout the cooler months. Thoughtfully curated, each piece layers comfort, character,
and effortless style to create a welcoming, lived in feel.
Balancing form and function, The collection helps you create a
home that feels truly yours, whether refreshing a corner or
(14:37):
reimagining your entire space. Discovered designs made to live in.
Explore the Winter collection in store or online with us
Design Back to your House. Yes, we have another thing
we do on the Edit, which is the mystery drawer.
(14:58):
I think everyone has that, whether it's a raw or
a room or that spot in their house where there's
something that you forgot you put it there, or something surprising.
So we love when our guests bring in a mystery
from their own home. And you've brought something in today.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Yeah, I bought a couple actually, so this is something
that I absolutely or two things that I absolutely love.
But they've kind and I noticed them when you know,
I was thinking about I noticed them because I realized
that I don't notice them as often anymore because they've
just become part of that yeah vignette, I guess. So
(15:36):
I brought them along because I do actually love them
So this is a tea stainer that my grandmother actually had,
and it's silver with its bone handle, gorgeous, and I
absolutely love it. I love it so much, and I
use it a lot, and I love I love objects
(16:00):
or products or pieces that you actually use, like I
don't really have special things that I don't use very often.
I love that. I love that it was my grandma's.
I love that I remember having tea with her and
she used that. I love it that it was her
everyday item, even though it was quite like it's kind
of it's tanin stained, which I love, and I've always
(16:20):
I have it on my shelf above my kitchen where
I make my tea, but it's become an ornament and
I don't use it as much, and probably over the
last year I've hardly used it. I go for the
convenient new one, and when I was thinking about, oh,
I've got to start using it again. So I love that,
and I just think it's beautiful and it reminds me
of when I compare that to the modern one, of
(16:42):
just how much thought and design and time and love making.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Yes, I collect vintage silver.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
I'll do.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Yes. I would go so far as to say addicted
to it. Right, So this is just so beautiful. I'm
looking at it and it's a one. Do you know
what that means? That means it is a really high
quality silver plate. So if anyone listening is interested in
buying vintage silver, look for a stamp that says a one.
(17:14):
That means you've got.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
A really good piece full of information.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Surprising. But so this weekend you'll be having a cup
of two.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
And I have another item that was my mom's, and
I think she got this from her grandmother's. It's a
jam spoon and I have and I had, so I
have them together and I, oh, I love it.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
This is adorable. So this has holes in it? Do
you know why?
Speaker 1 (17:41):
I don't know why.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
It's actually a sugar sifter. I feel like, so this
is a sugar sifter used to, as the name suggests,
sift sugar. And I have a couple of these that
I also find really useful for serving olives. So you know,
when you're scooping olives out of a dish and you've
(18:03):
got the oil dripping everywhere, it's really cold.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
I've just changed my love el I do that. I'm
so glad I came.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
This is so beautiful as well. This is absolutely gorgeous
and also I will say stamped a word job.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
My my ancestors had good style.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
This could be my favorite mystery drawers.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
That was awesome. I got to listen.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
At the same time, they weren't so sentimental. I might
try and sneak from home with me.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
I have one more item.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
You've got another word.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
I've got one more item that I just wanted to
show you because I think you would appreciate this. For
those who don't know, there is a tradition when you
work in magazines, yes that when you leave, you get
a cover made in your honor. And I still have
my cover. Oh I'm beautiful.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
I can't.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Yes, So I brought it in because I love this
so much. It's actually a card, so if I took
it out, it's got all the all the goodbye messages
from everyone I've worked with. But yeah, it's my my home,
beautiful cover.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Oh Wendy, you cover model you It's fabulous. I can't
believe in our team. I am also known for a catchphrase,
I've had an idea. I love thee I love it.
We have to. I wonder if people reacted to you
(19:37):
the same way they do to me, which is a
sharp intake of breath, gritted teeth.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
And just read the sub line underneath it.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
It says underneath and the bone chilling statements.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
So yes, clearly you and I cut from the same class.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
When you We've had a really rate audio tour of
your home, and now I know what it would be
like if I were to come over, but if I
wasn't there, what's a typical day like for you and
your family in your house?
Speaker 1 (20:12):
Well, I think we're in kind of a period of
change as the kids kind of grow up, and I
think I'm loving the house because we all have our
own spaces, which is nice, but that downstairs kitchen, living
dining is definitely our social space, Like you come there
when you want to be social, and it's always been
kind of we're all the great conversations. We do pretty
(20:35):
much always have dinner at the dinner table, and I
love I love that. I love the conversations and it's
something that we both really wanted to do and it's
just been a lovely, lovely part of our lives. For me,
it's changing a little bit sore in the kind of
the lounging area because I haven't put the bench seating,
but what I do have is originally in the original design,
(20:58):
the kind of the back part of that room was
supposed to have like a European laundry in it, but
I just didn't like that. We moved that and now
it kind of extends from the pantry.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Once like about it.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
I didn't like the fact that it made the room
feel like a corridor, and I didn't want it to
be a utility space. I wanted it to be a
gathering space, and so that was probably one of the
big ticket items that we didn't really budget for. But
we put this beautiful big gas fireplace in and kind
of cabinet tree around it that extends from the kitchen.
(21:30):
So I love that, and that has made that it's
done exactly what I wanted it to do. In that
in winter that becomes the snug of the house, and
I'm finding I'm spending more and more time in there
alone now, which is that funny kind of stage of life.
But we've got two really beautiful I've got them. They're
Patricia Arciola, who is my favorite designer, some swivel chairs
(21:53):
that we've got in there, and I like that because
you can either just look outside. You can face the fire,
or you can face the k and be part of
the conversation everywhere. And when I do the bench seat,
you'll be on to face the bench seat as well.
But now my dog knows that when I sit on
that chair, or when I sit on the floor and
lean up against the chair, that's the time that she
(22:14):
comes and sits on my laps signal. As soon as
I start walking towards that, she gets really excited and
runs over and like that's what she loves. So I've
found now, you know, we're often talking around the kitchen island.
We have dinner at the table every night. But now
that's kind of become my little space. And so I'll
take a book on my kindle and I'll sit there
(22:34):
against the chair so often on the floor with my
back up against the chair. The dog will be next
to me, and I'll just read and I can see outside,
i can hear if anyone comes in. I'm still part
of the social if anyone wants to chat. But it's
a really lovely space. So it's kind of not what
I imagined to be, but it's become something less. It is
(22:56):
still a family space, but it's also a me space which.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
In your house. How long ago did you finish it?
Speaker 1 (23:04):
Almost six years? Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Do you have any renovation regrets or anything that now
you've lived in it for six years, would you change anything.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
I don't know if I have any regrets. I wish
that we did the landscaping at the same time as
we did the renovation, because we haven't really we've got
a basic landscape outside. We've got the awful fence that
we've never fixed that really bothers me. So I think,
you know, you kind of do that big spend when
(23:35):
you renovate, and then it's really rare to go back
and spend again, and you really switch your focus to
reducing your debt rather than increasing it on things. So
I think that kind of you have switches your mindset.
So I wish I did that at the same time,
because I think we would have enjoyed that, and I
like the spaces, but I think that they could be
better if we had done that, So that's probably one regret.
(23:57):
I really regret that I didn't do the bench seat,
and I really really need to do the bench seat
because it's my It's the place in the home that
I always imagined spending time, and I think it creates
another gathering space. So that's on my list of things
to do.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
We featured your home beautiful. Of course I'll be looking
back through the photos to see if I can find
the corner where the bench seat should be. And for
everybody watching and listening, we will leave a link.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
To your home in the show notes. Yes, okay, everybody
can have a look. And just the way that I
masked the problem in that shoot.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Yeah, is that because when we shot it, we did
it was Christmas, so it put a really beautiful Christmas tree. Okay,
Christmas tree. That's that's a space, yeah, hoping that no
one would notice that there was something else it should
be there.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
Are there any pieces of advice that you've picked up
on over the years that you wish that you had
known before you renovated your own place.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
What I really learned a lot, and what I thought
I knew more than I did is the business of
building and understanding how best to engage a builder, what
kind of contracts you should have, what kind of clauses
you should have in that. And I think great builders
are great builders. And so if you find a great builder,
(25:24):
that's amazing. But I think finding a builder who is
good with people, good with tools, and good with budgets
is a very valuable combination, I would say. And so
I think there is a tendency to kind of hand
over your house to somebody. I think, don't hand over
your house. Just keep on top of every dollar, keep
(25:47):
on top of every decision, visit the site as much
as possible. And there's a lot of things. Yeah, it is,
It really is. And there's a lot of things that
if you're not there a trade, who isn't sharing your vision,
who isn't going to live in the house, will make
the easiest, fust decision to get them to the end
of the job. And that completely makes sense and I
(26:08):
applaud that in most situations. But there has to be
that time where you say that is not right. I
need you to fix it, and it's awkward and it's
a hard conversation, but you're the one that's going to
live with it, so you kind of have to pick
battles and decide this one's worth it.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
We have a few more lessener dilemmas for you. Oh good, okay, Wendy.
We have an email from Sam who writes in high
home beautiful. We're renovating our first home and suddenly there
are a million decisions tiles, lighting, pink colors. How do
you avoid decision fatigue?
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Well? I do think making a lot of decisions upfront,
both when you're feeling enthusiastic and excited, is good. And
also the decisions you make up front make all the
decisions towards the back cheesier. And I think that comes
with starting with the mood board. That's absolutely key because
(27:06):
there's so many and you fall in love with so
many options. You go into a tile shop and you, oh,
that's so beautiful. If it doesn't work with your board,
it gives you an opportunity to go, just don't it.
Ull it just you have to be able to edit
your choices.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
I've got another question here from Leah who wants to
know about living room layouts. So she says, our living
room layout is awkward and no matter where we put
the couch, it blocks something, either the window or the walkway.
How do you solve a room that just feels impossible?
Speaker 1 (27:37):
The first thing you have to know about a room
is the thoroughfares. How does somebody get from point A
to point B? Is this a room that you walk
through or is it a room that you walk into?
Often you have that space where it's really hard to
have a good size sofa that faces the TV, which
is what a lot of people need, without it becoming
(27:59):
like a roadblock in the middle of the room. One
of the tricks that I use is either use armchairs
not necessarily great. A big armchair can work. That doesn't
necessarily work. What you want to do is kind of
hide the back of the sofa because it's actually the
back of the sofa that becomes the roadblock. So a
really slim line console that runs that sits at the
(28:21):
back of your sofa with a few vignettes and like
a basket a bit of texture is a really nice
way to make it not feel like a roadblock.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Okay, Wendy, we have got Q and A. I'll do
the queue. You do the A right, and it's a
quick fire around. Huh. So I want to find out
more about how you respond instinctively to these questions. Okay,
So tell me what is the first word that comes
to mind when I say home fireplace?
Speaker 1 (28:53):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (28:53):
Good one.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Maybe because it's been so hot, I'm really waiting for
cold weather and hot chocolate in front of the fireplace.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Yeah, absolutely divine. Do you have a chaotic kitchen drawer
that you'd never show the world.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
Oh, if I was living by myself, absolutely, But I
live with my husband, so I know there is no
draw that can't be opened in our kitchen. It's quite embarrassing.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
Actually, no secrets here, No, no, what is your biggest
decor regret? Ever, it doesn't have to be this house.
It can be somewhere you live.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
Previously, when I was a teenager, I decided that I
was going to redecorate my room. Yeah, and my parents
weren't very keen on me doing that, and I thought
that I would prompt it by starting to rip the wallpaper,
which I really did not like, off the walls. And
I thought that that would be while we have to
do something now. But actually I just had to live
(29:51):
with the ripped off wallpaper for Wow. Yeah, yeah, that's
probably the big regret. It looked tedious. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
At what point did the wallpaper finally get removed?
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Well? I think it actually got removed when I moved
overseas and my dad started using the room. Yeah, so
I say it was a big fail for me.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
So if your home had a soundtrack, what song would
be on repeat or an artist or a vibe.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
So there's a great song that it's by the Waves
an Australian band called London Still, and it's kind of
a song about being homesick, and so I think that's
probably the song.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
Is there a meaning to the song or just like
the sound of it.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
I think it's for me. The meaning was because it's
basically it's almost like a letter home from somebody living
in London, and it was very I think it was
kind of at a time not long after I had
been living in London, and so I really related to it.
It's about kind of I can pitch you where you
are in my kitchen, and it's all of that knowing
your own home so well and that familiarity and that
(31:02):
that yearning for it. So yeah, that's muscle.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
That's beautiful. What is one thing that you splurge on
at home and one thing that you always save on?
Speaker 1 (31:11):
Bed linen probably is the thing that I splurge on.
I really love really good quality of bed linen, and
it's one of those things that hurts when you pay
for it, but then you love it for so long,
And what do I save on.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
I don't know that.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
Says a lot that I can't think about.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
Maybe you're not a safor you just splurge all around.
That's okay too.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
Yeah, Yeah, I e the splurge or I go without.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
Yeah that you have seen more homes in Australia than most.
I would love to know from your perspective, Wendy Moore,
what is one design crime that you would like to
see fixed in many Australian homes.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
One of the things that I think I see a
lot in selling houses, not so much in Home Beautiful,
but in selling houses is when people people don't go
with the architecture of the home. And I just one
of the episodes went to where this year where they
did exactly that. So they buy a home that's kind
(32:12):
of like a sixties home and then they decorate it
like a Federation home and it's just you're always fighting
the architecture of the home and it never feels authentic.
And when it doesn't feel authentic, it doesn't feel comfortable.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Yeah. And one question that I know you have answered
before when we celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of Home Beautiful,
But what does Home Beautiful mean to you what makes
your home beautiful?
Speaker 1 (32:40):
So I'm going to answer this in two ways. Home
Beautiful Magazine for me is probably the personal highlight of
my career, I would say, because it's such a beautiful,
beautiful magazine, and it's such a beautiful team, and it's
so lovely. To be invited into so many people's home home,
(33:01):
it is such a privilege. So I think that they're like,
there's always going to be like an emotional attachment to
me for the magazine. And then I think, what makes
my home beautiful, It's got to be my family. I
just like listening to talk. I love listening to conversations.
And it's funny because we've got this lovely family that
(33:23):
live next door to us, and their kids are quite young,
so you know, they're only just the eldest is only
just starting school, and it's funny. We can hear them
kind of running up and down the hallway and we
can hear them yelling because they want to get out
of bed, and it takes me back to that time.
And I just love the sound of chatter. I love
that about my home, and I think that's why I
(33:45):
like that it's such a calm home and it's not
a noisy home and it's not an echoe home because
the sound is always lovely of people.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
Talking, or Wendy, the sound of you talking has been
lovely today, and I can't thank you enough for sharing
more about your home and your life and how you
see the world. It's been an absolute pleasure having you
back on the edit.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
Thank you so much. It's so nice to be invited back.
I love this magazine. I love coming back to it.
So thank you.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Oh, Wendy, thank you so much for coming back to
chat with me at the edit and letting us in
past the hydrangers and that dodgy fence. I loved hearing
how your home really works, the petrol blue kitchen that
turned into an open planned space from clinical to cozy,
the window seat that the dog claimed before you did
(34:38):
my favorite bit, and that very indulgent bedroom bath that
ended up being exactly what you needed. What stayed with
me the most, though, were the other houses you talked about.
The Friends Place where the memories matter more than the menu,
Melissa's How Hard Can It Be? A diyadventure and diyes
(34:59):
collected home that comes alive every Christmas when all the
people squeeze in. It's such a good reminder that the
homes we love aren't always the fanciest ones. They're the
ones that feel so welcoming, slightly imperfect, and full of stories.
If you're listening and thinking about your own place, maybe
today is the day you look twice at the object
(35:20):
that you've stopped seeing, the mug your grandma used, the
print you keep meaning to frame, Or it could be
the corner that could become a snug if you let it.
Maybe it's as simple as inviting people over and not
apologizing for the mess. That's something I really struggle to do.
You've been listening to the edit the show about your
(35:42):
style and your sanctuary. I'm el Lovelock. If you enjoyed
this episode, follow the show. I'd love for you to
leave us a rating and share it with the person
whose house you secretly love visiting. This episode is brought
to you by lux Offlex Transforming Home with beautiful, functional
window coverings designed to transform your light and lifestyle. Thank
(36:07):
you to Oz designed for our beautiful set. Come and
visit the experienced team in Storm and see the collection
for yourself.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
This is an our Media podcast
This is an R media podcast My Home Beautiful cover.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Oh Wendy, you cover model you this has holes in it?
Do you know why?
Speaker 1 (00:18):
I don't know why.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
It's actually a sugar sifter. I feel like.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
When you're doing your own home like, the emotion and
the idea that you're going to live with this for
a really long time puts even more pressure on it. Absolutely,
and so that honesty is really important.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
This episode is brought to you by Luxeflex, transforming homes
with beautiful, functional window coverings designed to change your life
and lifestyle. Wendy Moore is an absolute force and full
of charisma. She was the general manager of Lifestyle at
Foxtel and and the former editor in chief of Home Beautiful,
(01:02):
a job that I have the privilege to be doing
this time. We're not talking resumes or TV ratings. We're
doing what Wendy does best. We're sitting down, We're having
a good old chat and getting properly nosy about the
places we actually live in. In this episode, Wendy takes
us on an audio tour of her own inner West cottage,
(01:24):
from the dodgy fence to the beautiful hydrangers, the side entrance,
the void of light and all. She admits the dream
reading look that somehow has become the dog's bed. She
talks about the kitchen color that she still loves, and
shows us the free standing bath in the main bedroom
that everyone said was a terrible idea and it's now
(01:47):
her favorite spot. Our chat is less about the perfect
rooms and more about why certain houses just feel like
somewhere you want to stay. Let's get into it. Wendy Moore,
welcome back to the edit.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
As you well know home beautiful when known for home
to us? Yep, would you take us on an audio
home tour of where you live? So if I'm coming
over to your place and knock on the door or
in the doorbell and you open the door, what could
I expect?
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Oh, there's a few confessions in here. Excellent. My plan
is underway, so live. I live in Sydney's in a
west so not not big blocks. And we bought this yes,
and but it's good. Actually it was a downsize from
the house that we had because we like the street
and it's a lovely, lovely street. Our fence not great.
(02:46):
I would ask you to avert your eyes as you
walk past the fence and just look at the beautiful
hydrangers at the front instant of the fence that's almost
falling down. The house is. It's very traditional house, so
it's it's a kind of early Californian bungalow, so not Victorian,
doesn't have all the decorative kind of architecture as Victorian,
(03:09):
and it's not very big at the front, so it
doesn't have all the decorative Californian bungalowre that's kind of
in between. So it's a side entry, so you walk
down the side and we've got a really nice kind
of timber pathway, which I love, and a really nice
big front door. I like wide front doors and ours.
So when you knock on the door, the door opens
(03:30):
all the way back on itself, so you.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Kind of yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
So the front of the house is pretty much exactly
as it was in nineteen ten. I mean, obviously we've
renovated the bathroom and we painted it and all that
kind of stuff, but the layout and the brickwork and
everything is the same. And then the center of the
house is where it changes. And one of the things
about these older houses is that they don't have a
lot of natural light and you know, you can get
(03:54):
We've got a north facing backyard, which is love fabulous,
but the further you get to the front of the house,
the less light comes in and it's really hard to
get around. So what we actually did, and I love
this about the entrance, is when you walk in, you've
kind of got a little kind of entryway mudroom kind
of thing, and then the kind of casual living area
(04:16):
behind it. But next to that is a void which
goes two and a half floors, and so it's just
natural light flooding in. So when we walk in, it's
very light to be a lighthouse. Joe Snell, who I
worked with house rules, he was the architect and we
traveled a lot together, so we kind of worked out
(04:37):
what we wanted to do with the house in lots of
plane flights, lots of hand airplan airport weights and things
like that. So that was definitely his idea to kind
of get that void. And it's a hard thing to
do because essentially it wastes a lot of floor space
for the second floor, but the light in the house
(04:59):
is lovely.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Did you take a lot of convincing on that, because
losing floor space is a big deal, But people don't
often realize the benefit.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
No, I think it took well, it took my husband
a little bit to get his hair around it. And
he thinks he doesn't he doesn't think in the same way,
so it was hard for him to picture it. Yeah,
my mom didn't get it. I remember when she walked
in when it was halfway through being built, and she went,
what goes there? And I said nothing, and she went, well,
that's a waste of space. Because it is, but it
(05:30):
doesn't feel like a waste. And actually it kind of
divides the house so as you as you get to
that void, you walk down a few steps and it's
a big open plan living, kitchen, dining. That's probably my
second favorite place in the house.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
I love second favorite.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Well, I love the kitchen. I love the color. I
love it's not quite blue and it's not quite green
and it's not quite gray. It's kind of a bit
between all of them death only more more blue than
the rest. But it's got a real depth to it.
It's called tamar to mass to mass. Yes, it's a
dulux color called to Mass. I really love that color
(06:11):
and I love that it adds so much color to
the whole space because and I found this. You know,
open plan spaces are lovely, but if you don't have
color and texture, they can feel really clinical and it's
very hard to get over that. Yeah, so I've got
a big kitchen island, so that was kind of central.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
It's your bench top made from.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
It's natural stone. I don't actually know if I would
do that again, to be honest, and I love the
way it looks. And I think now that we've got
all these kind of silica free or engineered stones, I
think I would probably do an engineered stone. It's so
easy to maintain and they're so okay.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Just get a little bit of JIF and the maintenance.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
It's the maintenance, and it's the fear that if I
drop a lemon on it, and you know that kind
of thing, Yeah, the panic. I mean, I love it.
I love the way it looks, and I don't regret it,
but I don't know if I would do it again.
But it's like three point two meters so it's a
really deck, which I love. Wow. I didn't want to
(07:12):
have any stools at the bench because I wanted everyone
and I was inspired actually by my sister that I
really I really like having dinner at the table, and
so I just wanted that to be the place to see.
But my kitchen designer, who is Provincial Kitchens, she said,
you want to have stools, and I completely. I'm so
(07:33):
glad that it talks me around because I love it.
So we have three stools kind of towards the end,
and I spend a lot of time and the kids
spend a lot of time sitting there if I'm cooking
or if my husband's cooking, and it is it's the
gathering space and that's what it feels like, and everybody
gathers around it if they come around. And then we
have a big dining table which is extendable, but it's
(07:57):
quite it's quite an open space. And I wanted to
because the house is a little art deco of the
original house, so I wanted to pick up some of
that art deco. So the back of the house has
got a little window seat. This is my confession and
my regret is and I don't know why, but the
whole idea is if we're going to have a window
seat that's got a bit of a curve, I like
(08:20):
corners in the houses. So I didn't want the whole
back of the house to open up, because then it
feels like a corridor. I really wanted corners because they
create landing spaces and they feel more intimate. So I
did that and it's got a really nice curve to it.
And the idea is that we would have like a
bench seat or some kind of sofa in there. That
is where I would read books because I love reading,
(08:41):
and they lie there and it's got the magnolia which
I can smell the scent of the magnalia I can
see outside. It's satcha like. That was my dream. And
I actually had a park bench there before we renovated,
to say this is where I'm going to sit. But
the reality is I still haven't made the bench seat
and it's still not there, so it's still empty. I
(09:02):
haven't done it. That was my dream. It's not finished.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Do you stand there? No.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
At the moment, the dog's bed is there, so she
gets to enjoy it. She loves it. Really yeah, beautiful,
so's she's getting all the benefit of that. Never got
that finished.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
So what does your home smell like? Do you have
a signature sent Do you like candles that are scented
or not?
Speaker 1 (09:25):
No? I don't really have scented candles. I don't like
overpowering sense, so I'm more of kind of a citrus
person than a vanilla, if you know what I mean.
I like those, so probably it's got a bit more
of that.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Yeah. Yeah, And what it is for it the sound
of your home. But what does it sound like?
Speaker 1 (09:45):
It's it's a very quiet house. Actually, I like having music.
I'm a bit more noisy my husband's quiet, so it
is it is a quiet house.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
And you were saying that the kitchen, dining living was
your second favorite part of the house, which begs the question.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Yeah, what's my favorite art? My favorite part was totally
solely a design that I did just for me, which
is in our main bedroom. I have the most beautiful
freestanding bar that actually that the bathroom connects with the bedroom,
(10:26):
so it's not a separate room, so it's a really
big space, and we put tesselated tiles as if it's
like an outdoor kind of old school salcony, and the
bar sits on that and it's kind of in the
center of the room. And I love having a bath
there and my husband doesn't really like baths, so it
was definitely one hundred percent for me, and I was
(10:47):
a bit concerned that I did all of this and
designed it around that and then wouldn't have a bar.
But I love it and not so much in summer,
but in winter a glass of red wine, a book,
some music, and just and because it's part of the
big room, it's just lovely. It's lovely to sit in
and sometimes my children will come in and sit on
(11:08):
the bed and chat to me while I'm in the bath,
and so it's just that's my favorite space and I'm
so glad I did it. And it felt really over
the top luxurious, and people said that it wouldn't work
having it open to the bedroom, and it just does.
I love it.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Is this your forever home? Probably not? No, What makes
you say that?
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Well? I think practically it's got too many levels, so
I think probably yeah, there. You know, one day, one day,
you'd probably get a different answer. If you ask my husband,
I think he'd say that that's his forever home. I
would like to do another project, And.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Do you have a feeling of what kind or do
you just think there's another one there?
Speaker 1 (11:52):
If money was no object, yes, I love this. I
My dream would be to build an American style mid
century home, like flat roof, lots of glass, lots of metal,
concrete floors, lots of texture, lots of softness. That's what
I would love to build, somewhere where nobody can see you.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
And is that a style that you have elements of
in your current home or is it a complete depart
complete departure.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Yes, absolutely complete departure, like really rich timbers, you know,
like maples and things like that. I would love that.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
What is it that you love about that style?
Speaker 1 (12:29):
I love the simplicity of it, and I love that
sense that very little is added to it because everything
that it's built with is beautiful, so the decoration is
actually the building itself. And I love the simplicity of
just a single floor, you know. I would have the
central kind of space would be the kitchen, living, dining,
and then you would have wings on each hand with
(12:51):
bedrooms and so. Yeah, particularly as you get older, you
can have people stay and I would love to do that.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Well, if you ever do it, we'd love to shoot it. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Well look if I and I sense there'd be a
TV show around this as well.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Yeah, well, yeah, I really have to think about creatively.
Oh am I ever going to afford that.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
That's mine issue, mine issue. Yeah, So whose houses do
you love going to?
Speaker 1 (13:17):
We have some friends that we made on the sideline
of AFL watching our kids play. I love going to
their house.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Is it the feeling of their house or does the
design or the look of the house have anything to do.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
It's got a sunken lounge room that I really like.
It's only sunken by a couple of steps, but I
really like when we're sitting there, particularly in winter, and
they've got the fire on, it feels like a snug
and I like that. And it's going to pull out
the back. We don't have a pool, we don't have
that space in our background.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Selfishly, Yeah, I think I just like how there's that
kind of one central area and we just I'm just
relaxed in there.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Coming up. But Wendy has brought in a beautiful treasure.
It's something her grandmother gave her and she's just found
out a brand new use for it. Back in a
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day living. The new winter collection embraces warm tones, sleek finishes,
(14:17):
and smooth silhouettes, offering timeless pieces designed to transform your
home throughout the cooler months. Thoughtfully curated, each piece layers comfort, character,
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Balancing form and function, The collection helps you create a
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(14:37):
reimagining your entire space. Discovered designs made to live in.
Explore the Winter collection in store or online with us
Design Back to your House. Yes, we have another thing
we do on the Edit, which is the mystery drawer.
(14:58):
I think everyone has that, whether it's a raw or
a room or that spot in their house where there's
something that you forgot you put it there, or something surprising.
So we love when our guests bring in a mystery
from their own home. And you've brought something in today.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Yeah, I bought a couple actually, so this is something
that I absolutely or two things that I absolutely love.
But they've kind and I noticed them when you know,
I was thinking about I noticed them because I realized
that I don't notice them as often anymore because they've
just become part of that yeah vignette, I guess. So
(15:36):
I brought them along because I do actually love them
So this is a tea stainer that my grandmother actually had,
and it's silver with its bone handle, gorgeous, and I
absolutely love it. I love it so much, and I
use it a lot, and I love I love objects
(16:00):
or products or pieces that you actually use, like I
don't really have special things that I don't use very often.
I love that. I love that it was my grandma's.
I love that I remember having tea with her and
she used that. I love it that it was her
everyday item, even though it was quite like it's kind
of it's tanin stained, which I love, and I've always
(16:20):
I have it on my shelf above my kitchen where
I make my tea, but it's become an ornament and
I don't use it as much, and probably over the
last year I've hardly used it. I go for the
convenient new one, and when I was thinking about, oh,
I've got to start using it again. So I love that,
and I just think it's beautiful and it reminds me
of when I compare that to the modern one, of
(16:42):
just how much thought and design and time and love making.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Yes, I collect vintage silver.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
I'll do.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Yes. I would go so far as to say addicted
to it. Right, So this is just so beautiful. I'm
looking at it and it's a one. Do you know
what that means? That means it is a really high
quality silver plate. So if anyone listening is interested in
buying vintage silver, look for a stamp that says a one.
(17:14):
That means you've got.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
A really good piece full of information.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Surprising. But so this weekend you'll be having a cup
of two.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
And I have another item that was my mom's, and
I think she got this from her grandmother's. It's a
jam spoon and I have and I had, so I
have them together and I, oh, I love it.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
This is adorable. So this has holes in it? Do
you know why?
Speaker 1 (17:41):
I don't know why.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
It's actually a sugar sifter. I feel like, so this
is a sugar sifter used to, as the name suggests,
sift sugar. And I have a couple of these that
I also find really useful for serving olives. So you know,
when you're scooping olives out of a dish and you've
(18:03):
got the oil dripping everywhere, it's really cold.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
I've just changed my love el I do that. I'm
so glad I came.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
This is so beautiful as well. This is absolutely gorgeous
and also I will say stamped a word job.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
My my ancestors had good style.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
This could be my favorite mystery drawers.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
That was awesome. I got to listen.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
At the same time, they weren't so sentimental. I might
try and sneak from home with me.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
I have one more item.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
You've got another word.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
I've got one more item that I just wanted to
show you because I think you would appreciate this. For
those who don't know, there is a tradition when you
work in magazines, yes that when you leave, you get
a cover made in your honor. And I still have
my cover. Oh I'm beautiful.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
I can't.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Yes, So I brought it in because I love this
so much. It's actually a card, so if I took
it out, it's got all the all the goodbye messages
from everyone I've worked with. But yeah, it's my my home,
beautiful cover.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Oh Wendy, you cover model you It's fabulous. I can't
believe in our team. I am also known for a catchphrase,
I've had an idea. I love thee I love it.
We have to. I wonder if people reacted to you
(19:37):
the same way they do to me, which is a
sharp intake of breath, gritted teeth.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
And just read the sub line underneath it.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
It says underneath and the bone chilling statements.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
So yes, clearly you and I cut from the same class.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
When you We've had a really rate audio tour of
your home, and now I know what it would be
like if I were to come over, but if I
wasn't there, what's a typical day like for you and
your family in your house?
Speaker 1 (20:12):
Well, I think we're in kind of a period of
change as the kids kind of grow up, and I
think I'm loving the house because we all have our
own spaces, which is nice, but that downstairs kitchen, living
dining is definitely our social space, Like you come there
when you want to be social, and it's always been
kind of we're all the great conversations. We do pretty
(20:35):
much always have dinner at the dinner table, and I
love I love that. I love the conversations and it's
something that we both really wanted to do and it's
just been a lovely, lovely part of our lives. For me,
it's changing a little bit sore in the kind of
the lounging area because I haven't put the bench seating,
but what I do have is originally in the original design,
(20:58):
the kind of the back part of that room was
supposed to have like a European laundry in it, but
I just didn't like that. We moved that and now
it kind of extends from the pantry.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Once like about it.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
I didn't like the fact that it made the room
feel like a corridor, and I didn't want it to
be a utility space. I wanted it to be a
gathering space, and so that was probably one of the
big ticket items that we didn't really budget for. But
we put this beautiful big gas fireplace in and kind
of cabinet tree around it that extends from the kitchen.
(21:30):
So I love that, and that has made that it's
done exactly what I wanted it to do. In that
in winter that becomes the snug of the house, and
I'm finding I'm spending more and more time in there
alone now, which is that funny kind of stage of life.
But we've got two really beautiful I've got them. They're
Patricia Arciola, who is my favorite designer, some swivel chairs
(21:53):
that we've got in there, and I like that because
you can either just look outside. You can face the fire,
or you can face the k and be part of
the conversation everywhere. And when I do the bench seat,
you'll be on to face the bench seat as well.
But now my dog knows that when I sit on
that chair, or when I sit on the floor and
lean up against the chair, that's the time that she
(22:14):
comes and sits on my laps signal. As soon as
I start walking towards that, she gets really excited and
runs over and like that's what she loves. So I've
found now, you know, we're often talking around the kitchen island.
We have dinner at the table every night. But now
that's kind of become my little space. And so I'll
take a book on my kindle and I'll sit there
(22:34):
against the chair so often on the floor with my
back up against the chair. The dog will be next
to me, and I'll just read and I can see outside,
i can hear if anyone comes in. I'm still part
of the social if anyone wants to chat. But it's
a really lovely space. So it's kind of not what
I imagined to be, but it's become something less. It is
(22:56):
still a family space, but it's also a me space which.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
In your house. How long ago did you finish it?
Speaker 1 (23:04):
Almost six years? Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Do you have any renovation regrets or anything that now
you've lived in it for six years, would you change anything.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
I don't know if I have any regrets. I wish
that we did the landscaping at the same time as
we did the renovation, because we haven't really we've got
a basic landscape outside. We've got the awful fence that
we've never fixed that really bothers me. So I think,
you know, you kind of do that big spend when
(23:35):
you renovate, and then it's really rare to go back
and spend again, and you really switch your focus to
reducing your debt rather than increasing it on things. So
I think that kind of you have switches your mindset.
So I wish I did that at the same time,
because I think we would have enjoyed that, and I
like the spaces, but I think that they could be
better if we had done that, So that's probably one regret.
(23:57):
I really regret that I didn't do the bench seat,
and I really really need to do the bench seat
because it's my It's the place in the home that
I always imagined spending time, and I think it creates
another gathering space. So that's on my list of things
to do.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
We featured your home beautiful. Of course I'll be looking
back through the photos to see if I can find
the corner where the bench seat should be. And for
everybody watching and listening, we will leave a link.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
To your home in the show notes. Yes, okay, everybody
can have a look. And just the way that I
masked the problem in that shoot.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Yeah, is that because when we shot it, we did
it was Christmas, so it put a really beautiful Christmas tree. Okay,
Christmas tree. That's that's a space, yeah, hoping that no
one would notice that there was something else it should
be there.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
Are there any pieces of advice that you've picked up
on over the years that you wish that you had
known before you renovated your own place.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
What I really learned a lot, and what I thought
I knew more than I did is the business of
building and understanding how best to engage a builder, what
kind of contracts you should have, what kind of clauses
you should have in that. And I think great builders
are great builders. And so if you find a great builder,
(25:24):
that's amazing. But I think finding a builder who is
good with people, good with tools, and good with budgets
is a very valuable combination, I would say. And so
I think there is a tendency to kind of hand
over your house to somebody. I think, don't hand over
your house. Just keep on top of every dollar, keep
(25:47):
on top of every decision, visit the site as much
as possible. And there's a lot of things. Yeah, it is,
It really is. And there's a lot of things that
if you're not there a trade, who isn't sharing your vision,
who isn't going to live in the house, will make
the easiest, fust decision to get them to the end
of the job. And that completely makes sense and I
(26:08):
applaud that in most situations. But there has to be
that time where you say that is not right. I
need you to fix it, and it's awkward and it's
a hard conversation, but you're the one that's going to
live with it, so you kind of have to pick
battles and decide this one's worth it.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
We have a few more lessener dilemmas for you. Oh good, okay, Wendy.
We have an email from Sam who writes in high
home beautiful. We're renovating our first home and suddenly there
are a million decisions tiles, lighting, pink colors. How do
you avoid decision fatigue?
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Well? I do think making a lot of decisions upfront,
both when you're feeling enthusiastic and excited, is good. And
also the decisions you make up front make all the
decisions towards the back cheesier. And I think that comes
with starting with the mood board. That's absolutely key because
(27:06):
there's so many and you fall in love with so
many options. You go into a tile shop and you, oh,
that's so beautiful. If it doesn't work with your board,
it gives you an opportunity to go, just don't it.
Ull it just you have to be able to edit
your choices.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
I've got another question here from Leah who wants to
know about living room layouts. So she says, our living
room layout is awkward and no matter where we put
the couch, it blocks something, either the window or the walkway.
How do you solve a room that just feels impossible?
Speaker 1 (27:37):
The first thing you have to know about a room
is the thoroughfares. How does somebody get from point A
to point B? Is this a room that you walk
through or is it a room that you walk into?
Often you have that space where it's really hard to
have a good size sofa that faces the TV, which
is what a lot of people need, without it becoming
(27:59):
like a roadblock in the middle of the room. One
of the tricks that I use is either use armchairs
not necessarily great. A big armchair can work. That doesn't
necessarily work. What you want to do is kind of
hide the back of the sofa because it's actually the
back of the sofa that becomes the roadblock. So a
really slim line console that runs that sits at the
(28:21):
back of your sofa with a few vignettes and like
a basket a bit of texture is a really nice
way to make it not feel like a roadblock.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Okay, Wendy, we have got Q and A. I'll do
the queue. You do the A right, and it's a
quick fire around. Huh. So I want to find out
more about how you respond instinctively to these questions. Okay,
So tell me what is the first word that comes
to mind when I say home fireplace?
Speaker 1 (28:53):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (28:53):
Good one.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Maybe because it's been so hot, I'm really waiting for
cold weather and hot chocolate in front of the fireplace.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Yeah, absolutely divine. Do you have a chaotic kitchen drawer
that you'd never show the world.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
Oh, if I was living by myself, absolutely, But I
live with my husband, so I know there is no
draw that can't be opened in our kitchen. It's quite embarrassing.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
Actually, no secrets here, No, no, what is your biggest
decor regret? Ever, it doesn't have to be this house.
It can be somewhere you live.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
Previously, when I was a teenager, I decided that I
was going to redecorate my room. Yeah, and my parents
weren't very keen on me doing that, and I thought
that I would prompt it by starting to rip the wallpaper,
which I really did not like, off the walls. And
I thought that that would be while we have to
do something now. But actually I just had to live
(29:51):
with the ripped off wallpaper for Wow. Yeah, yeah, that's
probably the big regret. It looked tedious. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
At what point did the wallpaper finally get removed?
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Well? I think it actually got removed when I moved
overseas and my dad started using the room. Yeah, so
I say it was a big fail for me.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
So if your home had a soundtrack, what song would
be on repeat or an artist or a vibe.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
So there's a great song that it's by the Waves
an Australian band called London Still, and it's kind of
a song about being homesick, and so I think that's
probably the song.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
Is there a meaning to the song or just like
the sound of it.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
I think it's for me. The meaning was because it's
basically it's almost like a letter home from somebody living
in London, and it was very I think it was
kind of at a time not long after I had
been living in London, and so I really related to it.
It's about kind of I can pitch you where you
are in my kitchen, and it's all of that knowing
your own home so well and that familiarity and that
(31:02):
that yearning for it. So yeah, that's muscle.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
That's beautiful. What is one thing that you splurge on
at home and one thing that you always save on?
Speaker 1 (31:11):
Bed linen probably is the thing that I splurge on.
I really love really good quality of bed linen, and
it's one of those things that hurts when you pay
for it, but then you love it for so long,
And what do I save on.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
I don't know that.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
Says a lot that I can't think about.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
Maybe you're not a safor you just splurge all around.
That's okay too.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
Yeah, Yeah, I e the splurge or I go without.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
Yeah that you have seen more homes in Australia than most.
I would love to know from your perspective, Wendy Moore,
what is one design crime that you would like to
see fixed in many Australian homes.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
One of the things that I think I see a
lot in selling houses, not so much in Home Beautiful,
but in selling houses is when people people don't go
with the architecture of the home. And I just one
of the episodes went to where this year where they
did exactly that. So they buy a home that's kind
(32:12):
of like a sixties home and then they decorate it
like a Federation home and it's just you're always fighting
the architecture of the home and it never feels authentic.
And when it doesn't feel authentic, it doesn't feel comfortable.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Yeah. And one question that I know you have answered
before when we celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of Home Beautiful,
But what does Home Beautiful mean to you what makes
your home beautiful?
Speaker 1 (32:40):
So I'm going to answer this in two ways. Home
Beautiful Magazine for me is probably the personal highlight of
my career, I would say, because it's such a beautiful,
beautiful magazine, and it's such a beautiful team, and it's
so lovely. To be invited into so many people's home home,
(33:01):
it is such a privilege. So I think that they're like,
there's always going to be like an emotional attachment to
me for the magazine. And then I think, what makes
my home beautiful, It's got to be my family. I
just like listening to talk. I love listening to conversations.
And it's funny because we've got this lovely family that
(33:23):
live next door to us, and their kids are quite young,
so you know, they're only just the eldest is only
just starting school, and it's funny. We can hear them
kind of running up and down the hallway and we
can hear them yelling because they want to get out
of bed, and it takes me back to that time.
And I just love the sound of chatter. I love
that about my home, and I think that's why I
(33:45):
like that it's such a calm home and it's not
a noisy home and it's not an echoe home because
the sound is always lovely of people.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
Talking, or Wendy, the sound of you talking has been
lovely today, and I can't thank you enough for sharing
more about your home and your life and how you
see the world. It's been an absolute pleasure having you
back on the edit.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
Thank you so much. It's so nice to be invited back.
I love this magazine. I love coming back to it.
So thank you.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Oh, Wendy, thank you so much for coming back to
chat with me at the edit and letting us in
past the hydrangers and that dodgy fence. I loved hearing
how your home really works, the petrol blue kitchen that
turned into an open planned space from clinical to cozy,
the window seat that the dog claimed before you did
(34:38):
my favorite bit, and that very indulgent bedroom bath that
ended up being exactly what you needed. What stayed with
me the most, though, were the other houses you talked about.
The Friends Place where the memories matter more than the menu,
Melissa's How Hard Can It Be? A diyadventure and diyes
(34:59):
collected home that comes alive every Christmas when all the
people squeeze in. It's such a good reminder that the
homes we love aren't always the fanciest ones. They're the
ones that feel so welcoming, slightly imperfect, and full of stories.
If you're listening and thinking about your own place, maybe
today is the day you look twice at the object
(35:20):
that you've stopped seeing, the mug your grandma used, the
print you keep meaning to frame, Or it could be
the corner that could become a snug if you let it.
Maybe it's as simple as inviting people over and not
apologizing for the mess. That's something I really struggle to do.
You've been listening to the edit the show about your
(35:42):
style and your sanctuary. I'm el Lovelock. If you enjoyed
this episode, follow the show. I'd love for you to
leave us a rating and share it with the person
whose house you secretly love visiting. This episode is brought
to you by lux Offlex Transforming Home with beautiful, functional
window coverings designed to transform your light and lifestyle. Thank
(36:07):
you to Oz designed for our beautiful set. Come and
visit the experienced team in Storm and see the collection
for yourself.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
This is an our Media podcast
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