Even while they were living in a cramped studio apartment in Melbourne, Josh Jessup and Matt Moss have always gone big with their interior design choices. Electric blue Kartell chairs? Check. A papier-mâché gourd covered in crystals? Of course. Follow the fun, and you’ll create a home with outsized style, no matter what kind of budget or square footage you’re working with.

It’s an ethos they happily demonstrate to the millions of people who follow their @joshandmattdesign accounts on TikTok and Instagram. “Our home is our art playground,” explains Josh. “We’ve always used our home to reflect what happens in our heads…and I guess there’s a lot going on.”

The couple began experimenting with design in the thick of pandemic lockdown, when they were stuck at home and faced with their less-than considered space. “Everything was just brown and grey,” Josh says with a laugh.

They had a knack for finding oddball treasures on Facebook Marketplace so they embraced a joy-forward aesthetic, and over the past three years, they’ve built a funhouse of a home—and a passionate fan base in the process. Their followers delight over posts showcasing vintage hauls, DIY projects, and room makeovers.

The social success has allowed Josh to quit his day job, and last year the couple upsized their accommodations and started splashing out on big-ticket items they’d long coveted, like a cushy blue Ligne Roset sofa.

While their new rental home in Camberwell, Victoria, is certainly roomier than their last apartment—it clocks in at a grand 8,600 square feet, with a garden to boot, and rooms they still haven’t even touched—their design ethos hasn’t changed a bit. Color and whimsy still rule here. And though they’re renters, not owners, they’ve still managed to make the space feel like it’s truly their own.

Unsurprisingly, their bold sensibility thrives in a large space. Multiple sitting rooms provide multiple opportunities to play with the vibe—and ample wall space for avant-garde art (hello, nose lamp). One morning, they threw around the idea of converting the existing dining area into a conversation pit; by nightfall, they’d sourced rugs and custom cushions to create their own (faux) sunken living room. In the garage, you’ll find their bright blue SUV parked underneath lamps shaped like clouds because…why not?

In the bedroom, which is bigger than their first studio apartment, they reupholstered a Cleopatra sofa in a sprinkle-print fabric. The Featherstone armchair, redone in sheepskin, is a favorite sleeping spot for their dog, Louie. On any given morning, you might find Josh perched on the donut-shaped Boa seat to birdwatch, while a vintage Panton chair is Matt’s favorite: He likes it so much, he got it tattooed.

There’s also a library full of midcentury-modern furniture; a maximalist, Memphis-inspired living room; a bar area that’s pure ’90s glam. “We don’t want to put ourselves in a box,” says Matt. “We love everything.” There’s no defining style or era; the only through line is that each space is filled with pieces that delight the duo.

Josh and Matt truly appreciate their newfound freedom to do what they love. “We didn’t always have this kind of opportunity,” says Josh. “I grew up in government housing.”

Though thrifting was a necessity earlier in their lives, it remains one of their passions. “I like to thrift and mix it up,” says Josh. “It shows how design can be accessible, and what’s possible.” Josh calls his time on Facebook Marketplace “a daily ritual.” It’s here they find the unique pieces that make their home a place like no other—like those cloud lights, reclaimed from an out-of-business ice cream store, or a giant rock rescued from an old Hugo Boss window display.

With their design content, the two hope to inspire other renters to take risks—because as they know firsthand, even the tiniest flats are packed with potential. “We’ve been renters our whole lives, and it feels like the design industry doesn’t always accommodate that,” says Josh. “There’s a big hole in the market to show what’s possible. You’ve got a right to reflect your personality.”

Have you taken on an ambitious Rental Revamp—or do you know someone who has? We want to hear about it! Reach out to edit@dwell.com with photos and a brief description.

More Rental Revamp Stories:

A Designer and Her Filmmaker Boyfriend Make Their Loft Feel Like a Showroom

A Brooklyn Artist Infuses Her Flat With Her Signature “Pantone-Punk” Style

A Comedian’s L.A. Digs Get a Plush, Boudoir Treatment

Project Credits:

Interior Design: Joshandmattdesign / @joshandmattdesign

Appears In

Rental Revamp: The Maximalist Magic of Josh & Matt’s Melbourne Home