Carole Whiting spent 20 years producing television commercials while moonlighting as her architect husband’s design sidekick. Eight years ago, she finally signed on full time with his firm. Several design awards, a white-hot laundry room—and a divorce—later, Whiting now runs her own busy South Melbourne design studio leading a team of four.
We happened upon her stylishly practical interiors on Instagram and asked to see more. Here’s a favorite recent project: a new chapter for a compact historic house belonging to a recently married artist and builder and their blended family. The challenges: balancing tradition and modernity, creating order and flow, and keeping the look clean, all Whiting’s specialities.
Photographs by Jack Shelton, unless noted, courtesy of Carole Whiting Interior Design.
![moody and original on the exterior, the late \19th century north melbourne vict 17](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-australia-photo-kit-haselden-1-733x915.png)
![the interior had been largely stripped of original detailing and lacked a kitch 18](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-entry-stair-north-melbourne-australia-carole-whiting-design-jack-shelton-photo-2-733x1026.jpg)
“The people who sold the house were builders who did a quick fix to patch it up for sale,” Whiting tells us. “They pretty much plastered everything up and put in cheap fittings.” Soma and Tom, she reports, plan to stay put and wanted to reinstate a classical look while incorporating “the requisites of modern domestic life.”
![whiting was charged with fitting in a sizable kitchen, plus dining room, l 19](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-melbourne-carole-whiting-design-jack-shelton-photo-3-733x524.jpg)
For a sense of openness, she removed the wall that cut off the entry from what became the kitchen. On the left, three-quarter-height pantry cabinets serve as a partition between kitchen and dining room. On the opposite wall, Whiting inserted a combination powder room and laundry—originally two small rooms converted into one and camouflaged behind a central paneled door with the same trio of peg handles as the pantry cabinets.
![the north wall, overlooking the garden, was pushed out to extend the kitchen (s 20](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-kitchen-remodel-melbourne-carole-whiting-design-jack-shelton-photo-6-733x524.jpg)
Tom, the builder-owner, loves brick and laid the back wall himself using recycled materials. “There was quite a debate about keeping the brick color,” says Whiting. “I wanted to paint it white. In the end, we left it and I really love it—sometimes you need to be open to input.”
![another of whiting\2\17;s space enhancing tactics was to establish 21](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-kitchen-remodel-melbourne-carole-whiting-design-jack-shelton-photo-5-733x524.jpg)
The walls are offset by two colors “and no others”: Dulux’s Grey Pebble, shown here on the ash island, puts in an appearance in every room, and all of the house’s dark accents are in a custom-mixed charcoal.
![whiting applied clean white ceramic details as a repeating element: the porcela 22](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-kitchen-remodel-melbourne-carole-whiting-design-jack-shelton-photo-4-733x524.jpg)
![the range is situated at the end of the marble sink counter with an exha 23](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-kitchen-remodel-melbourne-carole-whiting-design-jack-shelton-photo-8-733x524.jpg)
![in the dining room, the original fireplace had been replaced by a modern versio 24](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-dining-room-melbourne-carole-whiting-design-jack-shelton-photo-9-733x1026.jpg)
Whiting notes the dining room furniture—classic bentwood chairs and the owner’s vintage table—is “lightweight to prevent overcrowding.” The pine flooring was wire brushed for texture and finished in a gray to counter the yellowing and “give it more of an oak vibe.”
![the oak \2\20;bench\2\2\1; extends to the living area in the fron 25](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-living-room-melbourne-carole-whiting-design-jack-shelton-photo-11-733x524.jpg)
![like the kitchen, the powder room has a classic shaw\2\17;s ceramic basi 26](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-powder-room-laundry-melbourne-carole-whiting-design-jack-shelton-photo-12-1-733x1026.jpg)
![in place of a fireplace, the master bedroom has a floor to ceiling paneled head 27](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-master-bedroom-melbourne-carole-whiting-design-jack-shelton-photo-13-733x1026.jpg)
![french doors open to the front balcony. tom and soma bought the antique sconces 28](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-master-bedroom-melbourne-carole-whiting-design-jack-shelton-photo-14-733x1026.jpg)
![the paneling—in dulux\2\17;s grey pebble—continues in the 29](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-master-bath-melbourne-carole-whiting-design-jack-shelton-photo-15-733x1026.jpg)
![in place of a carport, the backyard now has a flagstone courtyard with a copper 30](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-outdoor-shower-melbourne-carole-whiting-design-jack-shelton-photo-7-733x524.jpg)
![the ground floor plan highlights the kitchen extension. 31](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/carole-whiting-design-floor-plan-haines-house-australia-ground-floor-733x539.png)
![upstairs, there are three bedrooms and a shared bath. 32](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/carole-whiting-design-floor-plan-haines-house-australia-upstairs-733x505.png)
Before
![the narrow original stair was in good condition but divided from the back of th 33](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-entry-stair-hall-melbourne-before-3-733x977.jpg)
![the rooms radiated off a central hall leading to the carport out back. 34](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-front-hall-melbourne-before-3-733x977.jpg)
![a metal garage door opened to a pebbled parking area. 35](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haines-house-back-exterior-melbourne-before-1-733x977.jpg)
Three more inspired Aussie remodels:
- Sunny Side Up: A Victorian Makeover in Melbourne
- Steal This Look: A Small and Neat Kitchen
- A Laid-Back Courtyard Kitchen Where ‘Family Life Unfolds’
Frequently asked questions
Who was the designer of the small house remodel in Melbourne?
The small house remodel in Melbourne was designed by Carole Whiting Design.
What was the main goal of the small house remodel?
The main goal of the small house remodel was to enhance the space of a small house and make it more functional.
What were some of the design challenges that Carole Whiting Design faced during the remodel?
The design challenges that Carole Whiting Design faced during the remodel included limited space, structural constraints, and a tight budget.
What were some of the design solutions that Carole Whiting Design employed to overcome the challenges of the remodel?
The design solutions that Carole Whiting Design employed to overcome the challenges of the remodel included maximizing the use of space, creating a cohesive design scheme, using natural light to create a sense of openness, and using a palette of materials that were cost-effective.
What were some of the design elements that Carole Whiting Design used to enhance the space of the small house?
Some of the design elements that Carole Whiting Design used to enhance the space of the small house included custom cabinetry, built-in storage, multifunctional furniture, and strategically placed mirrors.
What was the result of the small house remodel?
The result of the small house remodel was a space that felt open, bright, and functional. The use of cohesive design elements and strategic use of space made the small house feel like a larger and more inviting space.
Have a Question or Comment About This Post?
Join the conversation