Toowong Residence
Set high in leafy Toowong with sweeping views toward the Brisbane River, this character home was thoughtfully extended to create new living areas and a kitchen that open generously to the backyard. Referred by the project architect, our role as interior designer was to furnish the newly raised spaces while carefully integrating existing pieces the family already owned and loved.
Our clients — busy healthcare professionals with two teenage children — wanted calm, cohesive interiors grounded in neutral tones. Reds and overly warm colours were off the table; instead, we layered soft textures, gentle contrasts and tactile upholstery suited to everyday family life (and one small dog with strong opinions about comfort). A custom hallway runner was designed specifically to fit the proportions of the home — a subtle detail that quietly transformed the circulation space.
Furniture selections were staged alongside the renovation timeline, with key pieces arriving shortly after construction completion and additional areas curated in subsequent phases. Using 3D modelling, we enabled confident decision-making for larger investments, while access to wholesale suppliers and custom options broadened the possibilities well beyond retail offerings.
As our client shared in their testimonial (see below), families balancing demanding professional lives can truly benefit from experienced, respectful guidance when making major design decisions. This Toowong project is a reflection of that collaborative, client-centred approach.
Architecture: Leith Architects
Photo & Video: Light Planning Media
Client Testimonial
“It has been a pleasure to work with Polina throughout the design process. She has been thoroughly professional and her attention to detail and follow through on all matters is excellent. She gathered data carefully and worked hard to fully understand our needs and preferences at every stage.
Polina collaborated well with the architect and other professionals involved in the project. She styled spaces thoughtfully and her use of 3 dimensional modelling was so helpful for me to visualise the possibilities.
She prepared carefully for in store browsing with a wonderful array of considered choices to help find the right pieces. Her access to wholesale only stores and custom pieces was wonderful and really opened up our options. I felt so frustrated about the limited options I was able to consider with furniture and rug purchasing before I met with Polina.
Polina demonstrated great follow through with the smaller items and fully realised the look we were after so well. Her confidence and sense of style made it easy to work with her over an extended period of time and I would happily return to ask for help again in the future.
I would sincerely urge people to ask for professional help with major decisions – large furniture items are a big investment that you live with for a long time. The entire family has to be happy and comfortable with your choices. People like us who are fully occupied with work and family life can really benefit from the talented respectful professional approach that Polina brings to her work.
We are so happy with the results she has achieved – and the positive feedback from all members of the family is glowing (the dog especially adores the custom runner in the hallway – she had been wanting some help for furry feet on the wooden floors for a long time)”.