Houzz Tours
My Houzz: A Minimalist Home That's Anything but Bare
A couple of furniture and textile designers bring their signature style home
If you love the look and feel of minimalist decor, this beautiful Avalon-based apartment will make you feel right at home. We all aspire to accumulate less clutter and it seems Sasha and Nathan White have found the stylish solution. The young couple are the founders and designers of furniture and textile retailer Mr & Mrs White and have used their own design ethos to deck out their three-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment just upstairs from their parents’, located in Sydney’s northern beaches.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Sasha and Nathan White, with their daughters Selah, 4, and Oak, 8 months
Where: Avalon, Northern Beaches, Sydney
Size: 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Sasha and Nathan White, with their daughters Selah, 4, and Oak, 8 months
Where: Avalon, Northern Beaches, Sydney
Size: 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
The couple also used their skills as designers to make sure the home was completely personalised.
Nathan’s background is in boat building and Sasha studied graphic design at university. When they got married in 2008, they started making their own furniture for their apartment. “It was difficult finding pieces that fit into the small-space apartment, so we just started making our own things and then for our friends and family,” says Sasha.
Two years later, in 2010, they decided to combine their skills, of Nathan’s beautifully crafted furniture with Sasha’s talent for textile design, to create Mr & Mrs White – and ever since, their home has become a personal showcase of their work.
Couch: BoConcept: Swedish sheepskin, round linen cushion, Icelandic sheepskin, navy leather cushion: all Mr & Mrs White; artwork: Annette Kelsey
Nathan’s background is in boat building and Sasha studied graphic design at university. When they got married in 2008, they started making their own furniture for their apartment. “It was difficult finding pieces that fit into the small-space apartment, so we just started making our own things and then for our friends and family,” says Sasha.
Two years later, in 2010, they decided to combine their skills, of Nathan’s beautifully crafted furniture with Sasha’s talent for textile design, to create Mr & Mrs White – and ever since, their home has become a personal showcase of their work.
Couch: BoConcept: Swedish sheepskin, round linen cushion, Icelandic sheepskin, navy leather cushion: all Mr & Mrs White; artwork: Annette Kelsey
The renovation was completed by A.M Custom Builders and occurred in three stages. The first stage included general cleaning of the apartment and repainting walls (those they intended to keep). The second stage was more extensive so the couple had to move out. The kitchen, which was previously a small nook where the living area is now located, moved to the back wall to create an open-plan area more suitable for family living. The bathroom shifted from where the kitchen currently is to an ensuite off the main bedroom. The final stage involved the decking and landscaping.
The Box chair, Kiss Cuddle side table, grey cowhide cushion: all Mr & Mrs White
The Box chair, Kiss Cuddle side table, grey cowhide cushion: all Mr & Mrs White
The living area is one of Sasha’s favourite spots in the house because it’s where the family spend most of their time together. She says it’s a small space and one of the key areas in which she tries to keep clutter to a minimum. “When you live in a small space, clutter can make it feel so much more crowded,” she says. “The couch, side chair and entertainment unit is all the furniture we keep in here.”
The oak entertainment unit was custom designed for the couple’s home. “We often test things in our own home and make adjustments to the design before we decide to add it to the range,” says Sasha.
The oak entertainment unit was custom designed for the couple’s home. “We often test things in our own home and make adjustments to the design before we decide to add it to the range,” says Sasha.
The galley kitchen is modern and simple, providing the couple with the perfect space to cook and move around in. The kitchen joinery was designed by Allsop and made by Nathan – he also designed the shelves to the left.
The two girls’ bedrooms are styled similarly to the rest of the home. With growing kids in the house, keeping clutter at bay can be a challenge, but Sasha says she manages to overcome it with clever storage. Floor-to-ceiling storage, including these built-in cupboards in Oak’s room, and handmade boxes to store the toys in, are just a couple of the storage tactics the stylish duo have adopted.
Sniglar cot: Ikea
Sniglar cot: Ikea
Sasha enjoys hanging the girls’ clothing as an extra layer of texture and says it’s the perfect way to accessorise a growing girl’s bedroom.
The Sydney-based store and the couple’s home share many similarities – the theme in both is minimalism, neutral colours, timber and natural materials including leather and linen. “These elements really stand the test of time and get better with age,” says Sasha.
Sasha says decorating the girls’ bedrooms has been a gradual process that hasn’t involved much planning. “I have moments of inspiration, but nothing too thought out,” she says. “We’ve been able to keep Oak’s room really clean, as she’s a baby and not moving around too much yet.” When styling the girls’ bedrooms, Sasha chooses to keep it simple with natural palettes and textures, and just a touch of greenery.
Children’s books are stacked on a humble bookcase Nathan made with the promise of many bedtime stories. The linen drapes were designed by Sasha.
Selah’s room is the perfect place for a four-year-old to grow up in. The neutral palette and stylish design mean it has the potential to last her for many years to come, too.
Everything in the room has a personal touch, including Selah’s book with her baby photos inside and a cute house-shaped block that Nathan made for her to play with both at home and when she visits the factory.
“We were excited when Selah was old enough to start sleeping in a big girl’s bed, so we built her one and kept the decor as simple as possible to minimise clutter,” says Sasha.
Both of the girls’ bedrooms proudly display their favourite fashion pieces, adding a sophisticated touch of colour to the rooms.
Box drawers: Mr & Mrs White
The main bedroom boasts an ensuite and the couple sleep in a bed designed and made by Nathan called Beam bed. The grey-hide cushion and linen duvet are also designed by the duo.
The girls share the simple ensuite bathroom with Mum and Dad. Like most timber elements in the home, Nathan, too, designed the bathroom cabinetry.
The deck is Sasha’s other favourite feature of the home. She says the family use it as a second living space during summer. “It’s so beautiful – up on a hill with a lovely view out to Pittwater. It’s especially nice watching the sun set from here.”
My Houzz is an ongoing series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes in Australia and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more inspiring projects.
My Houzz is an ongoing series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes in Australia and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more inspiring projects.
The renovations were gradual, taking a little over three years. The whole family contributed to the planning and renovations. Sasha’s sister, Amee Allsop, is an architect and she was responsible for the renovation’s design. The custom joinery in the house was completed by Nathan.