Rental diaries: How TikTokers Josh and Matt add personality to their Melbourne CBD apartment

• Who: Josh Jessup & Matt Moss, content creators and founders of Josh & Matt Design
• Where: A three-bedroom apartment in Melbourne’s CBD

TikTok users may recognise the rented home of Josh Jessup & Matt Moss: a maximalist, high-rise, city apartment integrating outlandish furniture and experimental homewares from their own label, Josh & Matt Design.

The couple lived in multiple rental properties across Sydney and Brisbane before moving to Melbourne in February 2021.

“We have always chosen an apartment as it suits the lifestyle we were after, we didn’t want too much property maintenance so we could focus on work and study. We really love high rise living and the versatility of CBD living,” Jessup says.

Their social media following (460,000 on TikTok alone) and brand soon exploded, allowing them to upsize to a bigger city apartment in the famous Eureka Tower this June.

“We were after a larger space, a walkable neighbourhood, north facing for all day sun, city views and a well-managed building,” says Jessup. “Eureka Tower had everything we were looking for.”

Using the apartment floor plan and 3D modelling software, Jessup and Moss mapped out their home’s styling prior to moving in. With a living room almost three times the size of their previous home, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms, they were able to create multiple ‘zones’ within the space, including a designated study and defined areas for gaming and relaxation.

Moss and Jessup describe their home as an ever-changing “art playground” that’s eclectic yet curated. Their approach to decorating captures the enthusiasm of a child encompassing bold colours, unusual shapes, and interactive pieces that beg to be touched.

“It has evolved quite a bit over the years,” says Jessup of their style. “As we spent more time at home due to COVID, our interior style became more important as it really affected how we felt, which is why we really gravitated towards a lot of colour and fun.”

Moss adds, “We love showing everyone our new ideas, experimenting with art and colour, and upcycling furniture … I don’t think we’ll ever want to stop playing.”

It’s not for everyone, as Jessup and Moss are often reminded in TikTok comments (“We always get [told] ‘this is a house for kids or a daycare”), but they hope it shows renters what’s possible when decorating a temporary space.

Their own homewares line was designed with renters in mind, inspiring a series of ceiling mobiles that can be hung using removable hooks, and sculptural downlight covers.

“Whether you own or rent, you should be able to create an environment that reflects you and brings you peace,” Jessup says. 

Furniture in Jessup and Moss’ home is a colourful combination of mostly vintage pieces bought new and secondhand, including a red Ligne Roset Togo lounge bought on Facebook Marketplace.

They’ve more recently invested in a Ploum sofa (also by Ligne Roset), which they compare to a brain in its textured appearance and a giant marshmallow in its ultra-cushioned feel.

More broadly, the couple are attracted to furniture with history (a mini version of the 1971 Pratone ‘grass chair’); items that straddle the line between art and functional decor, (a model of a Russian apartment block that doubles as a lamp); and rare designer pieces (a 1993 Vilbert chair designed by Verner Panton for Ikea.)

Strategic placement of large free-standing artworks and Ikea’s cable management kits and help keep power cords out of sight, ensuring minimal distraction throughout the interiors.  

Their Eureka apartment is perhaps best appreciated at night, when Jessup and Moss turn on their many lamps and take in the floor-to-ceiling skyline views. It’s also when they get most of their cleaning done — a regular pastime for most maximalist decorators. “We put on some incense, listen to a bit of jazz and watch the sunset. Perfection!” Jessup says.