A New Leaf: Amy Elliot’s Windsor Home

Images by Jack Carlin
Editorial Styling by Kate Burchell

Amy Elliot is a do-er: evident through her work as co-director of Things We Do, co-founder of start-up Second Spaces, a modular builder, accommodation brand Spaces in Places, and this ambitious renovation on her childhood home. Bringing with her a new generation of collaborators, plus her eye for interior design (and a bargain, many of her wares are second hand) she has breathed new life into this Melbourne sanctuary, shared with partner Tom and German Shorthaired Pointer, Luca. Amy’s even taken on a third job title since they moved in: urban gardener, tending to their serene outdoor space with great pride. We caught up with Amy to chat more about the rebuild process, her current marketing projects, and what’s to love about their quiet little pocket of Windsor. 

“This has been the family home since I was about 10 years old. In 2019 my family moved to Alice Springs, so my partner Tom and I have rented it on and off ever since. In 2022, our family accepted that the dilapidated state was beyond repair. I gladly volunteered to manage the renovation.

“It was a big undertaking as we needed to do a full knockdown and rebuild. The only aspect we retained was the front facade. Having lived in the space for so long, I knew how it needed to function and how to maximise the light, so I drew up a floor plan and managed the interior design. I engaged Ash from ARDO (Architect) and Alistair from Y Projects (Builder) was by far the best decision we made - we are all young and full of energy which made the building process fun and I trusted them emphatically.

Having lived in the space for so long, I knew how it needed to function and how to maximise the light, so I drew up a floor plan and managed the interior design.

“We officially moved in just before Christmas of 2023. It’s hard to remember how the space looked beforehand. Aside from the general position of the hallway and the front bedrooms the fitout, functionality and design of everything else was changed. A third room sits between the master bedroom and the kitchen that we currently use as an office. I also love how the simplicity of the house allows for flexibility in terms of how we use and orient that space, it can easily be converted into a third bedroom if required. I am constantly restyling and reconfiguring furniture as a creative outlet. I’m constantly trawling Facebook marketplace and most of the elements in the house have been salvaged or are second hand which I am quite proud of.”

“I like to think of our bedroom as a sanctuary. We used a soft, neutral colour palette with Bauwerk textured wall finishes to create a space, which as cliche as it sounds, is where we can decompress after busy days.

“The lightwell-come-indoor courtyard is my favourite aspect of the master bedroom. Waking up with the sun and being able to slide open the doors to let in the fresh air is the perfect way to start the day. We opted for deciduous Maple Trees because I like that the first thing we notice when we wake up is the season - in Spring, small buds form, in Summer they make sounds in the breeze, in Autumn they turn orange and in Winter, they take on an abstract form.

“Maximising space and functionality was one of the main objectives of the entire build. We installed three-meter tall robes in the bedroom to give us as much storage as possible. Along with the tall ceiling, it also makes the room feel bigger than it is.”

IN BED 100% Organic Cotton Bath Towel in Khaki Stripe complements Amy's minimalist bathroom

“There are a number of pieces on our walls that were gifts from my Dad and they hold deep sentimental value. He ran a hair salon with my Mum when we were young and these pieces used to be hung there. The salon on Toorak Road doubled as a gallery which was very progressive for the time. Dad would have the artists exhibit in exchange for a piece and over the years, grew the most fabulous collection.

“Two pieces stand out. The first is a Barry Thompson crepe face sculpture and the second a vibrant, somewhat wild, Anthony Breslin painting. The Thompson piece is one of a trio and I have been searching for its partners which I’d love to reunite one day. The Breslin piece is one of a couple that we rotate through. His work is the abstract kind that reels you in and I feel like I find something different in it everytime. Both pieces remind me of my childhood spent in the salon.”

Amy's bed is dressed in our timeless Heavy Linen collection; a combination of Oversized Bed Cover & Rectangle Cushion Covers in Off White

“Since moving in after the renovation I’ve surprised myself and those around me with my love of gardening. Everyone told me that my life is too busy and I wouldn't have enough time to create a space like this. So I am very proud of the urban garden. The process of designing, preparing the soil, sourcing plants and nurturing their growth has been very rewarding. I feel like the hard work has paid off and the backyard is now our little urban sanctuary. We’ve also noticed lots of bees and butterflies returning to the yard.

The process of designing, preparing the soil, sourcing plants and nurturing their growth has been very rewarding. I feel like the hard work has paid off and the backyard is now our little urban sanctuary.

"Because I don’t have any formal training in interior design, I just start from a place of trying to create spaces that make me feel calm. Minimalism but with splashes of colour or interesting pieces that contrast with the clean surfaces seems to be where I’ve landed with our home. 

“As mentioned, I’m also a huge advocate for the Facebook marketplace. Melbourne is such a creative and eclectic city - which makes for some really interesting finds. I also like to keep up with some of my favourite designers. I’m loving work coming from GOLDEN, Emily Gillis and Phoebe Nichols to name a few.

“Having worked in property and with architecture firms for a few years now I’ve been surrounded by beautiful spaces and feel like this has greatly influenced my sense of style and taste.” 

“Things We Do was born very organically. I had found myself having lots of discussions with people in my network and friends who had started businesses about their brands, their offerings and challenges. I realised that they all needed a strategist as an extension of business who can develop your brand and communications strategy and coordinate the right ecosystem of talent to help bring it to life in the market. Now we work with brands like Diggin in the Cellars, 101 Collins, Toorak Cellars, GOLDEN, Eclat, Tommy’s Booze and Freddy’s to develop strategies and implement holistic strategies with a raft of creatives and tactical specialists to help bring their brands and offerings to life.

“In 2024, ‘DO became two’, with Hannah Thornton joining as a director and I could finally bounce off someone who was the yin to my yang. After 2 years since first opening our laptops, we find ourselves working with an exciting mix of clients across property, hospitality, lifestyle, FMCG, construction and accommodation which means no meeting, phone call or day is the same.

The thing that excites me the most is that the relationships we have with our clients feel really authentic and genuine. Many of them come to the house for meetings and workshops.

“The thing that excites me the most is that the relationships we have with our clients feel really authentic and genuine. Many of them come to the house for meetings and workshops. We want to hold onto this for as long as we’re operating because it’s a core reason we started this to begin with. To do good honest work, and have fun while we are at it.”

Amy's dining table is layered in our 100% Linen Table Cloth in Natural & Napkin Set in White

“The idea [for my other business venture, Second Spaces] was simple really. We set out to build architecturally designed, high-performing spaces for people who are in need of a ‘secondary dwelling' or what we call a ‘Second Space’.

We set out to build architecturally designed, high-performing spaces for people who are in need of a ‘secondary dwelling' or what we call a ‘Second Space’

"My mum grew up on the family working farm in Ballarat and eventually moved to Melbourne to start a family. When my sister and I came along, we would be sent up to the farm on weekends to spend time at Grandma and Pa while mum and dad ran the salon on weekends in the city. Running around on the farm and having a place like that to grow up was a formative experience, having the opportunity to connect with the family land and be amongst nature. Fast forward 20 years and a naive 23-year-old ‘me’ had the idea to create short term accommodation and create spaces that made good design equitable and accessible.

“The pull toward the bush and rural landscapes never wavered. So it was with a love of Australian landscapes and a passion for architecture and design that I pitched an idea to the family. A half baked plan to plonk a small shipping container cabin on the family farm and run short-term accommodation. So that others could experience the same joy that I had growing up.

“It didn’t work out. Wrong time, wrong place.

“8 years later, I was sitting around the table with Tom, Gabe and Andrew, discussing ways to start a business, a conversation that would often come up after a couple of drinks. Suddenly, it dawned on me... the idea I’d been holding onto for 8 years had finally found its moment. Each of the team complimented the other perfectly: with established careers, just enough experience under their belt, a passion for design and creating experiences and importantly, a hunger to create something that was ours.   

“And so, this is where our journey started and the idea blossomed into a plan. Creating Space so that people can find their Place. Suddenly, we found ourselves building a 6 x 2.5m cabin in a warehouse and big dreams to one day fill a factory. After months of research, design, development and finally construction, we were lucky enough to be able to showcase our first build, ‘Quad 1’ at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden show. This proved to be an amazing opportunity to show off the space, speak to guests and hear first hand from the public what they liked, disliked and most importantly, what they would use a space like the one we’d built for. We quickly realised there were plenty of other scenarios where a second space could come in handy… granny flats, farm stays, coastal retreats, accommodations at wineries. The list went on!” 

Amy's bed is dressed in our Oversized Heavy Linen Bed Cover in & Rectangle Cushion Covers in Off White 

“I’m a huge advocate for sleep and think it’s one of the most overlooked wellness rituals. We spend so much time talking about exercise, nutrition, mindfulness - which are all fantastic practices - but I hardly ever hear people talking about the quality of their sleep.

“My partner Tom and I are trying to keep good habits when it comes to turning in for the night. From charging our phones in the bathroom to leaving enough time to read our books before lights out. Inside my bedside table at the moment you’ll find nothing! It used to accumulate random and redundant items so I no longer have ‘things’ and find I don’t miss immediate access! Inside however, are always fresh flowers, incense or a candle and a good book. At the moment I’m engrossed by the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros, like everyone else it seems!” 

“Since Tom and I have lived here, along with our puppy Luca, we’ve found a strong sense of community in our little corner of Windsor. We have everything we need within 200 meters. Neighbours who’ve lived in the street for decades. The Melbourne Bowls Club, where we can often be found enjoying the sunshine and an afternoon beverage. Or a little further down Chapel Street our good friends Dan and Tom run the local neighbourhood pizzeria Freddy’s where they’ve created a real local neighbourhood vibe. It’s an institution, so much so our pup is named after our favourite pizza on the menu, the Luca il Duca.

“I’ll spend a lot of time at places like Clover in Richmond, The Alps in South Yarra and if you’re looking for a delicious lunch on Toorak road you can’t go past Zita’s. We also spend a lot of time walking Luca at Albert Park or Victoria Gardens on High Street.

“Finally, to satiate my newly found green thumb, you’ll often find me in the local nurseries like The Garden of Eden in Albert Park or Van Loons in Ocean Grove (when we’re down visiting Tom’s parents). It’s become the best way to unwind and which is very different to Saturday afternoons shopping in my early 20’s!”

Amy wears our 100% Linen Sleepwear Set in White. 

“2025 feels like a year of growth, stability and exploration. Last year I felt like we spent a lot of time building and establishing. Whether it was renovating the house, launching Things We Do, and literally building the dwelling with Second Spaces. So - this year it feels like momentum is picking up and I’m eager for things to take off.

“On a personal level I’m looking forward to settling into routines, embracing the quiet comforts of home (like the garden) and just enjoying our little pocket of Windsor.

“In terms of the house - whilst it confuses Tom to no end - I’ll continue to shuffle, add, subtract and reshape our home on a frequent basis. It’s a practice I find to be a creative outlet and because I spend so much time in our home, I’d truly be bored if it wasn’t constantly changing and improving.”

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