A Collector’s Alistair Knox Home

Images by Sarah Forgie

Lucienne Van Sebille has a special gift for unearthing gems, led by a deep appreciation for sustainability, history & beauty. Her home, an incredible 70’s era Alistair Knox design is no exception. Residing on Wurundjeri land, the stylist & furniture collector shares this rental - another rare find - with her husband, Sebastian and son, Valentin. Moving from Melbourne/Naarm’s north to the outer suburbs marked a ‘tree change’ that also welcomed a new chapter; motherhood & mon house – a vast curation of found furniture, objects & lighting, and an opportunity to sharpen her eagle eye. This week we’re honoured to offer you a window into Lucienne’s life, business, and iconic family home.

Valentin's 'big bed' is made with our 100% linen bedding in Stone & Khaki

“I live with my husband Sebastian and my son Valentin in a house designed and built by Alistair Knox in the late 70’s. 

"Our immediate neighbours, (who still live next door!) built at a similar time as the original owners of our house and brought power to the street as the first two dwellings to be built here. We are so fortunate to have them as neighbors, as they have many wonderful, and hilarious / spicy tales of all who’ve called this house home over the years. 

Our immediate neighbours built at a similar time as the original owners of our house and brought power to the street as the first two dwellings to be built here.

"We have lived here for almost 5 years now and it’s such a special place to us for many reasons. 

"It is the first home of our son Valentin, the last home of our beloved dog Bertie who we lost last year and just a really beautiful and special home to live in. 

"A lot of my work is done here, so I really do spend a lot of time in this space. The full length windows in each room forge a strong connection with the outdoors and I feel really aware of the seasons, weather and even visiting animals. Lots of birds and a very special echidna I see from time to time all wander quite close to the house which is a real treat. We’ve also had a shock when a fox or two have walked straight past the house in broad daylight!

"I really love (and am often chasing to photograph) the light moving throughout the space over the day.

"We feel extremely fortunate to live in such a beautiful space, especially as renters."

“Our room has had many entities over the 5 years we have lived here. It used to be lots of coffee and reading in bed on weekends before we had Valentin and has held us through a lot of sleepless nights and early mornings since. 

“It’s a beautiful room in itself, with big glass windows and doors on either side so you really feel like you’re in the trees and can open it up to the courtyard on nice days. I love looking at the morning sun dance over the timber paneling when sitting up in bed.

“In terms of pieces, I’ve kept it pretty simple, our big bed, bedsides, probably too many lamps for the space and a little set of antique drawers I found that are a bit wonky, but lovely.. We upgraded to a king size bed not long after Vali was born so there was room for us all and I couldn’t find a bed I actually liked, so I landed on one that essentially looks like there is none at all…just some linen and pillows floating in space. 

“We have some special artworks in our bedroom too; one of my mother’s, a bark painting I gave Sebastian for his first father’s day, a beautiful mirror made by my friends and previous work, Pop and Scott and a painting given to Sebastian by his dad that’s been knocking around since before we were together.

“I love having these personal pieces in this space that really, only the three of us use.”

Lucienne & Sebastian's bed is made with our 100% European linen in Cocoa, and a Heavy Linen rectangle cushion in seasonal shade, Midnight

“I actually think Valentin’s room is one of my favourite spaces in the house. I often lean towards brown and neutral tones,  so I really enjoy being playful in his space and just having all the colours and layers. I have collected some beautiful objects for him, whilst I was pregnant and first creating his nursery and continue to do so. I’m lucky that my work means coming across interesting and unique things often. I just love collecting these for him and hope some may hold meaning and special memories for him when he’s older. Some of his favourites are the carved animals, he especially loves playing with the elephant family. 

Really, there isn’t anything more beautiful than a space that’s lived in and loved and safe. So many people don’t have that.

“We recently swapped his cot for our old bed, so he’s inherited all of my linen and he already has some strong opinions about the colours he’d like on his bed which makes me really happy!

“Having your own space to express yourself as a child is so important and I often remind myself of this when my desire to move something that’s not pleasing my eyes is giving him joy.  

“Really, there isn’t anything more beautiful than a space that’s lived in and loved and safe. So many people don’t have that”. 

Above, a cosy nook is hidden behind an IN BED x Kateri Noren curtain, from our recent one-of-a-kind collaboration

“I have a connection to almost everything in our home for one reason or another - trivial or otherwise. 

“What springs to mind and perhaps the most sentimental however, would be an artwork I have very recently been reunited with from my childhood, a small painting of a street scene in Morocco where my mother grew up. Also an antique dresser that was hers and mine that is now Vali’s and hanging in our entry, Valentin’s huge birth painting by Sebastian’s dad.

“I also am lucky to have pieces made for me by colleagues and friends over the years that I am rather attached to. Constantly sourcing beautiful furniture and objects also means I always have pieces coming and going, and there are quite a few I couldn’t part with.

“A special mention also goes to the table I’m using as a desk at the moment that I recently refinished. It was almost black when I found it and really beat up, so it brings me joy to see it brought back to life.”

“My interior style is really just the coming together of pieces I love, built over time, through different phases of life. It could certainly do with some paring back if I was looking at it with a critical eye, but I love being surrounded by the layers of treasures and collections and objects of meaning, practicality and joy to our family.”

“I’ve worked in architecture, interiors and furniture for many years so mon house started quite organically when I was looking to return to work after having Vali and seeking more of a balance whilst caring for him. 

“There is a reason I ended up with a career in furniture as I am just really obsessed with it (and objects, textiles, lighting etc!). I often used to wish I didn’t already love the pieces I had, so I could collect more, so creating mon house is the perfect way to satiate that and share it with others. 

“I also really love creating scenes, and getting to do so day in, day out to showcase the pieces I source is something I really enjoy.

“That’s absolutely the question I am most asked, where do you find all of your pieces and there is no simple answer. Sourcing is always, always searching and in many, many places. At times you find nothing, at times you find more than you can invest in or fit in a vehicle and that’s kind of the joy of it.  And sometimes the frustration. 

“Storage is probably my biggest challenge and one that I still haven’t resolved fully. There is currently a storage container nestled in the trees on our property that is offering some relief, however the long term dream would be to have a studio/showroom and storage space.  

“With my sourcing, I really try to stay true to myself and my eye and only select pieces I truly love and would have in my home. I care deeply about sustainability in design, and offering an alternative to fast furniture and replicas and saving or restoring pieces destined for landfill is very important to me. 

I love being surrounded by the layers of treasures and collections and objects of meaning, practicality and joy to our family.

“Bringing pieces back to life is such a joy, knowing they are going to be used and loved. I am also incredibly sentimental about furniture and objects. I love learning the story of pieces and have definitely cried over some which is probably ridiculous. When I have come across pieces that have been kept in ‘the good room’ their whole life, in perfect condition, I just think of the people who would have saved and invested in such a piece and never truly used it - how I wish I could tell them - sit on that sofa without plastic or use that sideboard and really enjoy it!! 

“These functional pieces we use everyday really hold so many memories and shared experiences. I’m sure most people can recall their childhood dining table for example. I often think of all the meals that have been shared around a table and how many more are to come.”

In the original Knox shower room, are our Organic Cotton Towels & Bath Mat in Khaki Stripe

“At our current stage of life with a toddler, our evening and morning rituals are in a constant state of flux but importantly to us, it’s that time to reset from the day and be together. 

“We love reading a huge stack of books all cuddled up in the evening after a bath and whoever’s turn it is to get up early with Vali, bringing the other coffee in bed. There is nothing better than waking up the 3 of us.”

“Sebastian always has an ambitious stack of books on his bedside he’s making his way through…for me it’s just my favourite lamp and a glass of water. As there is often a little body already asleep in our bed by the time I squeeze in, it really is a space for rest in the evenings.”

“We were actually looking to do a larger move to regional Victoria at the time, but were a little way off, madly trying to save, when covid hit and the owner of our rental had to come back from overseas and we had to find a new home pretty quickly. 

“We’d spent a decade living in Thornbury and Coburg and loved it, however after endless inspections and searching, just couldn’t find anything suitable or affordable at that time.

“I had workmates who had just moved to Eltham and some who lived there previously, who were always saying how much they loved it and encouraging us, so we widened the search, inspected another incredible home around the corner and realised it was actually such a great compromise between our current life and the tree change we were seeking long term. I refreshed realestae.com thousands of times and jumped for joy when our house popped up. We definitely got lucky and I think we were meant to end up here. 

I love the green wedge because you’re really not that far but it does feel like such a retreat.

“Because we moved in the height of Covid lockdowns in 2020, it did take some time to really feel a sense of community living here, but in the last few years we’ve met some really beautiful like-minded people and feel settled and happy. We’ve also had some friends start to move more out this way over the years as they grow their families so that sense of community has really grown. 

“I love the green wedge because you’re really not that far but it does feel like such a retreat. Having our house back onto the butterfly reserve feels like we live in the middle of the bush but also have everything we need close by.  I grew up in and Sebastian spent some of his childhood in the Adelaide hills, so I love that Vali is growing up somewhere similar. 

“We can just pop out of our back gate and be on a beautiful walking path, visit animals, the river or walk into the village.” 

Our new alpaca throw in Eggshell is draped over one of Lucienne's favourite chairs 

“Every week we love heading to the farmers market for gozleme and coffee and our weekly fruit and veggie shop. I often treat myself to some flowers from a local grower that has a stall there as they have the most incredible and long lasting flowers, like these cosmos. 

“We love Maki Sushi for a yum lunch,  Little drop of poison for a pisco sour and bar snack date and Panton hill pub is great for a family pub lunch as there’s heaps of room for the kids to run around. Over summer we can pop down to the Birrarung (Yarra River) for a stroll and a swim which is always so restorative.

“We are very lucky to have Edendale Community Environment Farm just around the corner from us. Vali and I visit most weeks to feed the chickens and visit the animals. He also loves the Diamond Valley Mini Railway aka ‘Tiny Train’ which runs once a week by lovely volunteers.

“Not in Eltham but about 20 mins away is probably my favourite place in Melbourne - Heide Museum. I dragged my whole mothers group there for a baby art session when Vali was a tiny baby and have taken him there about 100 times since!”

“I’m excited about the possibilities that lay ahead for mon house. I hope to get my own designs out into the world and perhaps create a little pop up space surrounding that when the time is right. I am also looking forward to collaborating on some creative projects that are in early stages at the moment.

“Most importantly, I am excited to see Vali continue growing and learning. Nothing is more meaningful to me than the time we spend together as a family.”

monhouse.com.au

@monhouse___

@lucienne______