Home Tour: Inside Real Housewives of Melbourne alum Gamble Breaux's peninsula abode

It wasn’t until she was in her early 40s that The Real Housewives of Melbourne star and singer-songwriter Gamble Breaux felt she had finally discovered the true meaning of home.

A self-described nomad who was living and working in Sydney prior to relocating to Melbourne to join her partner and now husband, Dr Rick Wolfe, the couple knew they had found their happy place the moment they inspected this Mount Eliza mansion in 2016.

“There was a wonderful energy about the place, and we knew it was for us the minute we walked in the door,” Breaux says.

The sprawling, modern multilevel home has four bedrooms, five bathrooms, a seven-car garage, ocean views, and a pool kept private by a hedge. A cottage on the property doubles as a creative artists’ retreat for friends who come to stay.

There’s a cellar, large living and dining rooms and a spacious entertaining kitchen area.

On moving in, Breaux renovated an otherwise drab office into a bright and airy space, swapping its dark green curtains for white on white, supercharged with mirrors behind shelves to elevate the wow factor.

A large chandelier adds glamour, while hue lighting means she can create any mood she wants by changing the settings.

“I love the clarity a space can bring when it’s all white,” Breaux says.

“I also have a collection of guitars in the office too. It’s where I write my music, so it’s a creative haven for me. I have giant candles I light for extra atmosphere.”

The couple channel a Hamptons and country-inspired chic within. The emphasis is on bright and breezy, with plenty of blue and white accents throughout.

“I am not very DIY when it comes to home styling. I work closely with Suzette Kallergis, who owns Mrs Blanchett’s Summerhouse,” Breaux says. “She styles the home for me and brings in new pieces and mixes it in with what we have.”

There’s Balinese furniture from Stuart Membery Home Collection, too – upholstered to embrace her penchant for luxury chic.

The main bedroom is curated in black and white with lots of crystal – Hollywood glamour reigns supreme here. It’s where you’ll find a collection of prints by photographer Peter Coulson – a series of Breaux nudes delivered tastefully.

There’s also a large black chandelier and works of her late father, Barry Donohoo, on display.

Breaux has played a crucial role in restoring her dad’s art in recent years. The Sydney artist is best known for creating the statue of Duke Kahanamoku on the cliff of Freshwater Beach, Sydney, and coastal sketches of the region.

“Having Dad’s work all around me is a nice feeling,” Breaux says.

“I have all of the elements of my childhood in this home visually with me now, which is a beautiful way to remember him.”

Breaux tapped into her own artistic side by converting the large garage into an artists’ retreat. She plans to host painting and wine sessions in the warmer months.

“It’s a chance to get creative with art; it’s more abstract in form but a chance to let yourself go wild. I call it therapy art,” Breaux says.

It was while working as a sales manager for the now defunct Arrivals + Departures magazine in Sydney in 2009 that she met artist Charles Billich. She refers to him as Cha Cha, and her home is also filled with his nude artwork from the 1970s.

“Everything in our home revolves around the artwork,” Breaux says.

“Suzette always tells me to find my style in the home and stick to it. Don’t overcomplicate it. I might see a Scandinavian vase I like, but it wouldn’t work in my home.

“That’s why I love working with Mrs Blanchett’s Summerhouse – I completely trust Suzette. She is classy and cool. There is a harmony about sticking to the one style; if you start mixing, it doesn’t give you that total sense of calm.”

What was an audiovisual room is now a pool cabana, while the downstairs bathroom opens onto the pool room, making it the perfect spot for Breaux’s stepson, Luke, to have privacy of his own.

You’ll hear six Pomeranians yapping away – Gamble’s attempt at breeding the dogs meant she didn’t want to part with any of them, so she kept them all.

“We have a large garden they can explore, but they mostly live inside,” Breaux says.

“I feel really lucky to call the Mornington Peninsula home – it’s a lovely part of Victoria – and I love having creative people at our home,” she says.

“It’s when you allow yourself the mental space to create that you do your best work, and for me, when I’m surrounded by creatives, I feel inspired.”