Building a guesthouse this year from the ground up has reminded me (if indeed I needed reminding) that there is a wide chasm between a house and a home. One starts life as a concrete slab and adds bricks, render, tiles and timber to create walls, a roof and a multitude of spaces brimming with potential. The other is welcoming and nurturing, and tells the stories of the lives lived within it through layers and textures. For one KING customer in the elegant Brisbane suburb of Paddington, creating a family home from a magnificent architectural envelope was a journey shared with the KING team, led by stylist and longtime KING collaborator, Imogen Naylor.  

Discover the contemporary Skyline property

The stunning home, aptly named Skyline for its panoramic views of Brisbane’s CBD, was designed by leading Australian architect Joe Adsett and took four years to build. Nestled in a quiet street in the steep, leafy suburb, Skyline’s traditional facade opens to double-height contemporary living spaces and a generous outdoor entertaining area with infinity-edge pool. A superb example of indoor/outdoor functionality, it’s a perfect house for the Queensland climate and lifestyle, and is now home to busy professional and mum Kylie, her husband, three primary-school age children and Wally the dog. Skyline speaks to our Australian lifestyle and our unique opportunity to bring luxe, resort-style ambience to an inner-city home. The amazing view, as spectacular by night as it is impressive by day, is the backdrop that makes this house a keeper - a forever home - for its owners.

Skyline speaks to our Australian lifestyle and love of indoor-outdoor living.

The beauty of natural light

For the young family, the key living spaces are the open-plan kitchen, dining and living with soaring ceilings and abundant natural light; a media room; outdoor entertaining space and that enviable pool. They have recently moved in after the four-year build, and have brought their much-loved Jasper sofa with them (recovered by the KING team to match its new surrounds), in addition to choosing a second Jasper for the media room and a Quay dining table and chairs. Kylie’s brief to Imogen and the KING team was to create a timeless interior to complement the architecture of the house, and acknowledge the abundant natural light. An interior that allows for relaxed, family living through a balance of functionality, comfort and style. It’s a brief that sounds simple on paper but is deceptively complex. Homeowner Kylie readily admits to feeling overwhelmed by the vast choice of fabric and finishes available.  

The indoor living space ideally blends with outdoors. Featuring Zaza Outdoor, Monument Outdoor Coffee Table, Luna Outdoor Chairs and Cassia Barstools.

Mixing old with new

Enter Imogen and the KING team. Having originally honed her craft as a magazine stylist (she and I worked together at Belle some years ago), Imogen’s extensive experience in residential styling (not to mention creating a home for her own young family) has provided insight into what transforms a house into a home. She understands it’s not just about creating spaces that look great through the lens. It’s about listening to the client’s brief, understanding how they want to live and creating an interior that allows them to mix new pieces with existing furniture. And importantly, an interior that will function for the family long after the cameras have stopped rolling.  

The Quay Dining Table and Quay Dining Chairs anchor the dining space. 

Creating rich layers and textures

Imogen also understands that a neutral interior can feel rich and layered through clever selection of fabrics, textures and finishes. For Skyline, her selection started with the ‘anchor pieces’ - the sofa and rug. The modularity and low profile of family favourite Jasper worked well with the architectural profile, and Kylie was reassured that yes, it’s perfectly acceptable to use the same sofa in two separate spaces - in this case the open-plan living area and media room. For living, the Jasper was covered in KING’s Whiteley fabric (colour Riverstone) and teamed with a Nomad rug in Natural. In the media room, Imogen chose a new Quilty fabric for the Jasper. A Carrara Marble tabletop was chosen for the Quay Dining Table and chairs. For the extensive outdoor space, a Zaza Outdoor sofa was teamed with Luna Outdoor chairs (both designed by Charles Wilson for KING) and a Monument coffee table.  

The family loves the selections made and I have it on good authority that Wally the dog is pretty happy too.  

Shop the story

Zaza Outdoor

Monument Coffee Table

Luna Outdoor Chair

Cassia Barstool

Quay Dining Table

Quay Dining Chair

Jasper Sofa