How stylist Justine Brown used lighting to enliven her 1950s-era Castlecrag home

A 1950s house in Sydney’s Castlecrag is home to stylist Justine Brown of ChocolateBrown Interior Styling, her husband Anthony Brown, and their three children, Bastian,12, Dominique, 10, Bronte, 7, and Tofu the dog.

The Brown family had been living in the area for more than a decade before buying their “forever home” just 700 metres away – a cheerful, sun-bathed house on an elevated block, with sparkling views of the water.

Although it was built in the 1950s, the character of this rambling family home is an unlikely combination of original art deco curves and sandstone features, described by its owners as “a Palm Springs meets European vibe”.

After moving in two years ago, Justine set about refreshing the house with a few key cosmetic alterations. The original green and cream exterior palette has been freshened up with a timeless black and white treatment. The striped awnings complete the look, with nostalgic mid-century appeal. Inside, walls have been painted, and dated carpet has been enthusiastically removed to expose raw timber boards beneath.

Charmed by its quirky art deco-meets-mid-century bones, Justine has carefully selected key furniture and lighting to enhance the space.

A Sigurd Ressell Falcon chair is a treasured new acquisition, enhancing the modernist features of the home, while the more contemporary Italian linen sofa is a streamlined, functional piece that the whole family piles onto every evening. Wall-mounted lighting is particularly effective, creating distinct zones for reading, eating and working in this expansive space.

There is still much she would love to update, but for Justine, making this house feel like home has been all about the details.

For instance, although she’s still waiting to renovate the bathrooms and kitchen, every light fitting and door handle here has been replaced. Because sometimes, while you’re saving for the “big ticket” stuff, the perfect door handle can bring so much joy.

• Related: Farmhouse conversion proves the power of paint
• Related: Annie Price restores a mid-century gem
• Related: Inside a historic St Kilda mansion

A Palm Springs meets European vibe is present throughout the house. Photo: Nikki To. Production: Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

How to enhance interiors with lighting

One of the most overlooked aspects of decorating a new space, or refreshing an existing one, is lighting. We tend to get caught up with more visible tasks (painting walls, shifting furniture, hanging artwork) and forget about the impact lighting can have.

Lighting alone can make or break a space. Consider how uncomfortable you feel in a convenience store when the lights are just way too bright; and how much easier conversation flows in a moody, low-lit space.

Consider the following to make your lighting sing:

• Go low – most pendant lights look best when hung as low as possible. Over a dining table, bed or kitchen bench, the lower the better.
• Wherever possible, install lighting with dimmers to control the brightness and ambience. This is particularly important in living and sleeping zones, which are often inhabited in the evenings.
• Layer your light sources. There is no quicker ambience-killer than a singular overhead light source. Accent lighting is all about focusing light in a specific spot to enhance a certain mood, or to highlight a particular object.
• Wall-mounted lights are a great solution for task-lighting, particularly when space is at a premium. Consider wall-mounted lamps on a moveable arm for maximum flexibility.
• Floor-standing lamps are a wonderful source of ambient lighting and offer a flexible lighting solution. They can easily move from room to room (or house to house).