The Design Files: The Californian bungalow with a sense of fairytale magic

Who: Artist Tai Snaith, her husband Simon Knott of BKK architects, and their two young sons, Leo and Gil

Where: Northcote, Victoria

What: The Doll’s House – a Californian bungalow with addition

The Northcote property of artist Tai Snaith, Simon Knott of BKK architects and their two young sons is a truly special home.

Carefully considered, and full of hand-made details, The Doll’s House is a lovingly handcrafted home which speaks volumes about the creative family who live here.

The house unfolds unexpectedly – a charming Californian bungalow facade reveals little of the contemporary architectural statement at the rear of the home, and there is a distinct nod to mid-century interiors, too, with the exposed timber rafters and brightly coloured carpet sitting alongside a handful of collectible vintage furniture pieces.

Dotted with artwork by friends and family, and flanked at front and rear by lush, productive gardens, this home has a sense of fairytale magic about it.

After living for four years in what was a very run down old house, Snaith and Knott embarked on a major renovation in late 2014.

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“We got the feel of the place, where the sunny spots were, where we wanted to spend most time,” Tai says.

“This time was really important when it came to finally being able to build the new part of the house. We pretty much spent those four years designing our home, and when it finally came we had a four-year-old and a baby, and we wanted it pretty badly.”

The front of the old house was retained while the back end was demolished and replaced with a new addition.

This new section, with its fairytale pitched roof and “play school windows” is what gives the house its name.

“Our house is very much about play and creativity,” says Tai.

“My practice as an artist is grounded in play, and our two boys do nothing but play. Simon was quite inspired by the idea of original dolls houses being spaces of imagination and flexibility.”

For Snaith, home is a space for disciplined work, creative play and family time.

“I love the quiet calm of our house,” says the artist. “I work from home, so I spend a lot of my time here. It really feels like it fits us, probably because it was very much designed by us.”

The Design Files guide to being playful

When it comes to interior styling, consider the following for a more relaxed, playful approach to home decorating.

• Include something handmade. In Tai Snaith’s home, a featured splashback was the perfect project; she took a class and made every ceramic tile by hand.
• Involve the whole family in decorating decisions; kids always relish the chance to be involved and can be surprisingly intuitive.
• There are plenty of ways to add vibrant elements without making a permanent change. Consider brightly coloured artwork, tableware, linen or cushions.
• Identify when you’re resorting to the “safe” choice, and seek opportunities to integrate a more unexpected colour, pattern or finish.