When artist Tom Adair was in his late teens/early twenties, he would take the train from the suburb of Frankston to Melbourne and admire the graffiti that he saw. “I remember seeing all the sprayed artworks when I used to catch the train into the city with friends from school, and it always intrigued me, so I learned more about the art form,” he says. His experience in the graffiti scene was the start of his arts career, and today Adair works out of Studio Sixnine in Cremorne, Melbourne, creating installations for hospitality, retail, and events. Of his graffiti days, Adair says, “I really enjoyed the finished pieces and the immediacy of the medium—this is a direct influence on my current day practice.”

In 2010, Adair and wife Nikki, a fashion buyer, bought an “almost unlivable, dilapidated” traditional worker’s cottage surrounded by factories in “an undesirable part of Richmond,” says Adair. The home’s condition and location kept the purchase price low—and appealing—for the couple: “The central and inner-city location and fluke-low auction price made it an easy decision for us.” After purchase, they spent four weeks making moderate and cosmetic changes to get the interior habitable, then lived in the home for seven years before embarking on a more holistic remodel led by interior designer Fiona Lynch and Nicholas Murray Architects.

The main challenge was that the home abutted a three-story factory wall on its northern boundary. “We wanted more space, open-plan living, and natural light,” says Adair. “Nick and his team were amazing and created what they call an ‘upside down’ house.” Such a reorganization formed clearly defined public and private zones.

Now, on the lower level, there’s a master suite with private courtyard, guest en-suite, and storage and laundry. The upper floor hosts the combined living spaces “where we could make use of natural light coming in from the front and back,” notes Adair, with the stairs leading up to a rooftop deck.

Interior designer Fiona Lynch then instilled a primarily black and off-white palette that might come across as restrained, if not for the artful gestures throughout. “We took an artistic approach to the interior informed by Tom’s creative spirit and energetic artworks. Contrasting shades of black and off-white are a nod to Tom’s graphic, pixelated artworks that occupy the walls with pride,” says Lynch. “The interior provides an adaptable yet graphic backdrop that invites personalization, bringing life and vitality to the otherwise restrained palette.”

Bespoke cabinetry runs throughout the home, which Lynch says was “conceived more as a series of refined furniture pieces.” Says Adair, “The biggest ‘wow’ detail in the house is probably the surprise interior color of the kitchen joinery—dark charcoal 2-pack [acrylic enamel] on the outside and a bright 2-pack peach on the inside,” says Adair. “The peach was fastidiously picked by Nikki and has been a real talking point with visitors.”

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Project Credits:

Architect: Nicholas Murray Architects

Interior Design: Fiona Lynch

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Artist Tom Adair’s Overhauled Cottage in Melbourne Is an Ideal Backdrop For His Work