KATE PILOT
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Matipo Tea House

We were engaged to lead the design on this new minor dwelling including the built form concept and the interior design. This project was selected as a finalist in the 2024 Dulux Colour Awards,

Designed with Dementia in mind we worked collaboratively with Ethan Hunter Architect to a create home for our client she would feel comfortable in. This home focuses on human wellbeing and spatial functionality that considers the best environment to fulfil the needs of a person with dementia.

The exterior architecture takes its cue from the client’s Kuranda home in the Australian rainforest. A place she lived and enjoyed. The colour palette and wide veranda echo similar architecture and gives a sense of familiarity. Dulux Scoria specifically, was used on the structural veranda elements and the Mist Green colorsteel assists in amplifying the garden/tropical context.

A warm colour palette of buttery yellow, sage green and muted peach was selected. The application of these colours lends both simplicity and richness to the spaces.

Timber features extensively throughout the home. Custom screens, window joinery and wall and ceiling linings contribute to the personality and tactility of the home. The bathroom vanity was designed to suit future accessibility needs.
And light switches and door handles were custom painted to contrast and increase visibility for sight impairments. Both these design decisions were made to be aesthetically suitable outside of these practicalities.

Attention was paid to creating small pockets within the home to stop, sit or work. In each room the view outdoors was carefully selected to enhance the experience of the space.

Drawing on the client’s artistic and eclectic style, the design approach centred on reintroducing personality and warmth. We incorporated cherished furniture and artwork returning from England, ensuring the home felt authentically theirs from the moment they walked back in. Custom cabinetry and new wardrobe doors were crafted to complement the villa’s character, as well as the bathroom was designed to feel as though everything had always belonged.

Colour was used playfully in select spaces to create energy and expressiveness, while calmer, more neutral tones shaped areas intended for relaxing and rest. Materials and finishes were chosen thoughtfully to maximise impact within budget, directing investment where it enriched both the functionality and the overall atmosphere of the home.

The result is a revitalised, warm family home that honours its past, reflects the client’s personality, and thoughtfully blends old and new.

Matipo Tea House

Lead Interior Designer

I was engaged to lead the design on this new minor dwelling including the built form concept and the interior design. This project was selected as a finalist in the 2024 Dulux Colour Awards,

Designed with Dementia in mind we worked collaboratively with Ethan Hunter Architect to a create home for our client she would feel comfortable in. This home focuses on human wellbeing and spatial functionality that considers the best environment to fulfil the needs of a person with dementia.

The exterior architecture takes its cue from the client’s Kuranda home in the Australian rainforest. A place she lived and enjoyed. The colour palette and wide veranda echo similar architecture and gives a sense of familiarity. Dulux Scoria specifically, was used on the structural veranda elements and the Mist Green colorsteel assists in amplifying the garden/tropical context.

A warm colour palette of buttery yellow, sage green and muted peach was selected. The application of these colours lends both simplicity and richness to the spaces.

Timber features extensively throughout the home. Custom screens, window joinery and wall and ceiling linings contribute to the personality and tactility of the home. The bathroom vanity was designed to suit future accessibility needs.
And light switches and door handles were custom painted to contrast and increase visibility for sight impairments. Both these design decisions were made to be aesthetically suitable outside of these practicalities.

Attention was paid to creating small pockets within the home to stop, sit or work. In each room the view outdoors was carefully selected to enhance the experience of the space.

Photography Ben Rowsell