This week on our Home Life Series, we’re visiting interior designer Cetti Wearmouth, founder of Tiano Studio, at her Diamond Creek home on Melbourne’s leafy fringe. Set amongst the trees, this 1970s house has been thoughtfully reworked into a calm, character-filled family home, where timber, stone and colour sit comfortably alongside the original bones of the building.
Cetti has layered the home with warmth and texture at every turn, from a richly toned wooden kitchen to collected pieces and materials that bring a real sense of ease to everyday living. It’s a home shaped by instinct and detail, where design feels personal, lived in and deeply connected to its surroundings.
Keep reading as Cetti shares the story behind the renovation, the thinking behind her kitchen, and how she brings soul into the spaces she designs and lives in.
Hi Cetti, thank you so much for having us over to your place in Diamond Creek. To start, can you tell us a little about yourself and who lives in this gorgeous home with you?
Thanks so much for coming! I’m an Interior Designer based in Melbourne. I like to live a quiet, peaceful life surrounded by nature. I am a keen gardener, have a small addiction to plants and have recently expanded my plant family in the way of raised veggie beds. I enjoy cooking and love creating spaces that excite me as well as for my clients.
My home is my heart and soul, and it’s been my greatest pleasure to renovate it alongside my very handy husband Gary to make it uniquely ours. I am very much a homebody, so I feel incredibly lucky to call this house our own.
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Your own home has had such a beautiful transformation, a 1970s house tucked into the trees on Melbourne’s edge. Can you take us back to when you first saw it and what made you feel it had potential?
We were looking to buy in the Nillumbik area because of its leafy surrounds and larger blocks. We were very much attracted to homes that were set amongst bushy gardens and yearned for a quiet neighbourhood. Our search began in the peak of covid times when inspections were by appointment only with a time restriction of 10 minutes, but as soon as we walked into our home, it immediately tugged at our heart strings.
The timber lined raked ceiling and exposed beams with uninterrupted views of Australian native trees from the kitchen, living and dining area was a real drawcard. As we inspected further, carefully making our way down the spiral staircase (to what is now our bedroom), we realised the greatest potential. At the time, the space had been styled as a secondary living area with a small adjoining room used as a bedroom.
We completely reimagined this lower level, transforming it into a generous master suite featuring a walk-in robe with a little but luxurious ensuite. Waking each morning to the lush garden view feels incredibly special. We feel very lucky to experience this sense of peace as the home sits tucked away within the landscape away from the hustle and bustle.
The renovation has been a big process - what were some of the changes you made, and how did you balance keeping its original character while layering in your own design language?
It has indeed been a big process, and I underestimated the amount of work required. When you look back to the 1970’s, there was a spirited confidence towards colour within homes, fashion and even the colour of cars during that era! Homes felt expressive and full of life and luckily for me, this home was a bit of a blank canvas.
The home had previously undergone a rather generic renovation which unfortunately stripped away a few of its original features, but overall it had great bones. From the beginning, my intention was to re-introduce a sense of soul back into the home whilst honouring its 1970’s origins. I focussed heavily on using natural materials like timber & natural stone, and introducing colourful and patterned elements, like tiles, upholstery and curtains. We are fortunate that we have lots of natural light within the main living areas, so I selected pieces with saturated colour to create warmth, richness and personality. We also replaced every door & robe handle throughout the home with solid timber handles to give it a more tactile feel.
The furniture and artworks have also been collected over time to build upon the nostalgic undertones of the home, adding layers of visual interest. Upholstery in deep burgundies, mustards & rich browns reinforce the 70’s influence which are carried throughout the home. Layering in color in the way of stone, tiles and upholstery felt intuitive but also necessary to realise the homes full potential.
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The kitchen feels like a real heart space in the home. Can you talk us through the feeling and function you wanted to create for everyday life, and what inspired the colour palette and textures you chose within it?
The kitchen has always been my happy place, even more so since the renovation. Previously, it lacked both practicality and personality, so I wasn’t enjoying the experience of being in it. I love to cook so it was important that the space felt functional but to also bring a sense of joy to the everyday rituals. Reworking the layout to incorporate better storage and increased bench space completely changed this for me.
As for my inspiration, I was conscious of the amount of greenery surrounding the home, so I wanted to counterbalance those colours with materials that had warmth & depth. There were several evolutions of the material palette throughout the process, but the most defining change came during the stone selection. What was intended to be a simple confirmation of one stone, quickly changed in an instant after I clasped my eyes on the perfect slab of Italian stone. Damasca! I fell in love with its warm peachy tones, and it became the “must have” piece for my new kitchen. It had a vintage feel to it & had loads of character which felt exactly right for the space. I’m a big fan of using tiles too, so I selected a small textured mosaic for my splashback. It has a real lustre about it when it catches the light. I’m so delighted with the outcome and it’s a real joy to be in there everyday.
You run your own interior design studio, Tiano Studio. Can you take us to the beginning of your own design journey and how your studio came to life in 2020, and what first pulled you into the world of interior design?
My design journey has very much come full circle. After finishing VCE, I was initially drawn to studying either Interior Design or Interior Architecture but then discovered the world of Travel & Tourism and decided to follow that path instead. I spent 17 years working in the airline industry, but over time, the pull towards a more creative career became impossible to ignore. So, in 2014 I went back to study Interior Design and instantly felt a sense of alignment as though I had finally found what I was meant to be doing all along. After gaining much valuable design experience and refining my design perspective, I launched Tiano Studio in 2020.
Starting my own studio was never part of the original plan. Around the same time, I had relocated from Melbourne to the Bellarine Peninsula after meeting my husband, and opportunities were quite limited locally. What initially began as a response to circumstance naturally evolved into Tiano Studio.
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Before Tiano Studio, you worked alongside some of Melbourne’s most respected design and architectural minds. What did that time teach you about design, and how has it evolved over the years?
Over the years, I’ve gained invaluable industry experience working in architectural and design practices. During my studies, I learnt the fundamentals but so much of the real learning happens both within the studio environment and out on site.
I’ve also realised that working closely with architects and builders provides a deeper understanding of the complexities of construction, so forming these relationships and getting such insight has shaped the way I approach design beyond aesthetics alone. You start to view interiors through a more technical lens which can sometimes inform the design direction.
My work has naturally evolved to become more expressive and layered, whilst always considering the functionality and liveability of a space. I believe the most compelling interiors are achieved through balance, practising restraint in certain moments but to allow the hero elements and personality of its inhabitants to truly shine.
You speak about design as a conversation and about creating spaces with soul. What design shifts or trends are you seeing at the moment? Is there anything in particular that is quietly shaping the way people want their homes to feel right now?
In today’s fast-paced world, I believe people are wanting their homes to feel more meaningful, personal and comforting. As designers, we have the privilege of introducing unique pieces into a home and sharing the stories of the talented makers behind them. Whether it’s the craftsmanship involved in creating an object, or the artist behind a sculpture or artwork, these layers of storytelling create a deeper sense of connection within a space, which I think people really respond to. Pieces and design elements that bring about character, individuality and emotion into someone’s home creates a story and helps people connect with the memory of how they came to love that piece.
Much to my delight, I’m also seeing people embrace colour with far more confidence, allowing interiors to feel richer, warmer and more expressive.
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What advice would you give to someone who is looking to start a new project or update their space with more intention?
I think it’s important to work out how you want the space to feel. That emotional response is often the most intuitive and valuable guide when making design decisions.
Above all, I would encourage people to thoughtfully consider what can be retained and repurposed within a home, particularly when working with heritage style homes. I’m a strong believer in respecting original design elements when they’ve been executed well, but I do understand the importance of adapting a home for modern living whilst considering its energy performance too. I love to see interiors that feel connected to the era and architecture of the home itself so leaning into the character that already exists is a great start.
