Inside stylist Nat Turnbull's small but stunning Melbourne home

Who: Nat Turnbull and Sam Wong.

What: A stylist’s and a photographer’s expertly curated home.

Where: Melbourne’s inner north.

Renovating the home of stylist and art director Nat Turnbull and photographer Sam Wong has been a labour of love over the past few years.

Soon after moving in, the creative couple completed their own improvements with the help of family on weekends, which saw all the old carpet removed, floorboards restored and new concrete laid.

“We have slowly chipped away at the renovation to allow ourselves time in between to save for the next part,” Turnbull says. ”I think if people saw the before and after, they would be quite shocked to see what we were dealing with, but the bones were good.”

Architect Adriana Hanna was engaged for the later stages of the project, involving the kitchen and bathroom.

“The house is very small [the kitchen, living and dining are all in one space], so our brief to Adriana was we wanted a kitchen that functioned as it needed to, but aesthetically didn’t make us feel like we were always hanging out or sitting in the kitchen,” Turnbull says. This vision has been achieved with finely detailed blush-pink cabinetry and an island bench that hovers atop sculptural concrete spheres, appearing more as a piece of furniture than traditional joinery.

There’s a distinct use of colour in this home, though overall, the palette is most notable for its restraint.

The use of muted pastel shades facilitates a serene, almost otherworldly feel. This distinct atmosphere has been enhanced further by the diffused lighting scheme, carefully curated by Wong. “Sam is a photographer, so he’s naturally interested in and great at lighting. He has perfected the ideal lamp combination,” Turnbull says.

“I do think our home is best experienced at night.”

Given the nature of Turnbull’s job as a stylist, and her expert eye for sourcing the unique, there’s no doubt this distinctive home is destined to continue evolving over time.

How to use pastel colours

Pastel colours get a bit of a bad rap, but can be the perfect alternative to white – injecting personality and warmth to a space without being too overbearing.

• Integrate any new colour scheme incrementally, testing what sort of palette works in your space.
• Order A4 sample sheets (also called brushouts) in a range of colours to consider before narrowing it down to one or two.
• Think about the light conditions when choosing your pastel hue – a blue-based colour tends to work well in north-facing rooms that take in afternoon sun, and rooms with cooler ambient light will benefit from a warmer pastel palette such as soft yellow and pink-based tones.