There is something distinctly Australian about Celeste Barber.
Not just her humour, but her refusal to pretend to be something she's not.
When I saw photos of Celeste's new home, I found myself thinking about this. Not because it's necessarily the kind of interior I'd usually save to Pinterest.
But because it feels unmistakably hers.
And that's what I love about it.
That’s why I couldn't walk past the article when I spotted it. By the time I'd finished reading it later that evening, I wasn't thinking about interiors anymore. I was thinking about authenticity.
We're surrounded by beautiful homes these days. Open Instagram and you'll find perfectly styled kitchens, carefully curated shelves and living rooms that seem untouched by real life. Every cushion sits exactly where it's supposed to. Every surface is immaculate.
They're lovely to look at, but they're not always the homes we remember.
The homes that stay with us tend to be something else entirely. They have personality. They reveal something about the people who live there. A collection of ceramics gathered over decades. Walls covered in art that wouldn't necessarily make sense to anyone else. Books stacked in corners. Furniture chosen because it was loved, not because it matched.
That’s what makes them memorable, and that’s what I see when I look at Celeste’s home. A home with a point of view.
The best Australian homes aren't trying to be European country estates or New York penthouses. They understand where they are. They're comfortable in their own skin.
Reading the article, one quote kept coming back to me:
"Celeste's style is eclectic and artsy and she's open as well, which makes her the perfect client. It helps when someone can make really strong decisions." - Dominee Gessner, The Open Home
That phrase stayed with me.
It helps when someone can make really strong decisions.
We tend to think good style comes from knowing the rules. More often, it comes from knowing yourself.
Perhaps that's why the most memorable homes are often the hardest to copy. They're built from personal preferences, collected stories and individual quirks rather than formulas.
The older I get, the less interested I am in homes that look like everyone else's and the more interested I become in homes that couldn't possibly belong to anyone else.
The homes with quirks. The homes with stories. The homes that tell you something about their owners before you've even met them.
A favourite painting that's moved house three times. A collection gathered slowly over decades. A dining table that's seen birthdays, Christmases and ordinary Tuesday night dinners.
The things themselves are rarely the point. What matters is that they've been chosen with intention.
That’s why Celeste’s home resonated with me, despite being very different from the interiors I usually gravitate towards.
It isn't trying to be somebody else's version of beautiful.
It's her version.
And there is something refreshingly Australian about that.
Because at their best, Australian homes aren't perfect. They're personal. They reflect the people who live in them. And just like the Australians we admire most, they're comfortable being exactly what they are.
If you're curious about your own decorating style, our Style Quiz is a good place to start. You might be surprised by what feels most like home.
Inspired by a Marie Claire article about Celeste Barber's recently renovated home.
