As one of Australia’s most recognisable beauty entrepreneurs and influencers, Eleanor Pendleton is known for her stylish approach to life. The founder and editor-in-chief of online magazine and website Gritty Pretty has a discerning eye (no doubt cultivated from her background in magazines) that extends to the carefully decorated apartment she shares with her husband.
Designed to make ample use of its seaside location and abundant natural light, Pendleton describes her Northern Beaches home as “a beautiful mix of Scandinavian-Australian, coastal chic.” Certainly, the thoughtful blend of natural timber furniture, rattan rugs, and crisp white and dove grey fabrics creates a zen-like atmosphere that’s appealingly pared back. Below, in an interview first published by homewares store House of Lita, Pendleton shares her approach to interior designing her space.
“My husband and I have lived in Freshwater for five years now. We moved to the Northern Beaches after living in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs for many years and we absolutely fell in love with Freshwater. We love the village community within the town and of course, the beach. Our days are spent at Freshwater Beach either before or after work and on the weekends, we love nothing more than settling into the day with a coffee from Pilu Barretto and an ocean swim.”
“I took a really natural approach when it came to decorating,” explains Pendleton. “I wanted to pay respect to the coastal beach town that Freshwater is, so I chose natural timber pieces that feel light. I purchased key pieces from Totem Road (the mirror and entertainment unit) because of their sustainability.”
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“We were looking for our first property for almost two years due to how competitive the Sydney market was at the time. When we walked into the apartment, what we loved about it was that it didn’t feel like an apartment. With high ceilings and detailed architraves, and dual side entry, the apartment feels more like a house or town house. We also loved that when we purchased the property, the walls were an unflattering shade of beige and the floorboards were orange-stained — this meant as young first home buyers, we could instantly add value to it by white-washing the floors and giving the entire apartment a fresh coat of white paint.”
“Our home is our little sanctuary. We have a garden and outdoor entertaining area, which is rare for an apartment in Sydney so we try to make full use of that especially during the warmer months. We also have a garage, which is precious storage for us living so close to the city.”
“Our apartment is drenched in natural light. We have large windows that let the light in and I love that when I walk in, I instantly feel at peace. Our front room looks out onto the leafy, green street and we always hear birds and the rolling waves of the ocean close by. We have two owls that visit our front garden every night so we love looking out for them as we cosy in. Our dining table and chairs are from James Lane Design.”
“Our master bedroom is my favourite room. We recently had floor-to-ceiling sheer curtains installed, which make our bedroom feel so dreamy.”
“I also purchased the most beautiful olive tree from Wild Forager and pot from Kustom Trader, which I love waking up to. It creates such a calming effect and because our bedroom receives direct sunlight every morning, it doesn’t matter that it lives inside.”
“Our Totem Road mirror is my favourite piece. I love that when you walk into the living area, it instantly opens the space up and makes the room feel so much bigger.”
This house tour and interview was first published by HouseofLita.com.au. Visit the House of Lita store to shop select products from the story.