This week on our Home Life Series, we are giving you an exclusive peek inside the beautifully creative home of ceramic artist Alice Bell. A mum of three, Alice has mastered the art of balancing family life with a passion for handmade design, all while living in the coastal beauty of Barwon Heads. After swapping the cool climes of Tasmania for this sun-drenched paradise in 2020, Alice and her family have created a home that blends earthy, textured ceramics with bold, playful design.
From the inspiring ceramics studio to their backyard paradise, every corner of their home radiates warmth, creativity, and personality. Alice shares her journey from nursing to ceramics, her love for earthy textures, and how she’s infused her artistic vision into every detail of her home. Keep reading to discover how Alice has created a space that is as adventurous and imaginative as her kids, with handmade pieces that bring both function and personality to their coastal retreat.
Hi Alice! Thank you so much for bringing us inside your home. For those who don’t know you, can you give us the rundown on who you are and what you do?
It is a pleasure to have you in our home! I am Alice Bell, a mother to three beautiful girls Daisy (12) Winnie (10) and Beatrix (6) and my wonderful husband Rafe. We all relocated from Tasmania in 2020 to beautiful Barwon Heads and are absolutely loving our life here. I am a ceramic artist, I create hand built pieces such as vases, bowls and lately dabbling in wall sconces. My studio is located at the rear of our property.
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Can you share with us a bit about your journey so far and where it all began? What made you jump into ceramics?
I began my working life as a Registered Nurse, which was a wonderful career throughout my 20s and 30s and starting a family. I guess once my first child was born I was seeking a creative outlet aside from parenting. On my mothers side of my family there are a lot of creatives, so this draw to art was very natural to me.
I had always wanted to try ceramics, so I took a ceramics workshop that taught handbuilding techniques over many weeks. It felt like second nature to me and I have been practicing ceramics ever since, 13 years now.
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Your pieces have a distinct earthy, textured feel that blends modern shape with a rustic finish. How do you balance these elements when designing your ceramics, and does this aesthetic influence your home decor as well?
When creating my pieces I start with simple clean forms - often soft curves or sculptural sides - then let texture and glaze effects add depth and character. My vases are created using the coiling technique, rolling long “snakes” of clay and layering them on top of each which are further smoothed. This technique creates natural imperfections and often leaves traces of the making process visible which I love.
The same philosophy flows into our home, we mix earthy handmade pieces with bold bright colours and playful design elements. Our home embraces warmth and texture - woven rugs, textured upholstery and modern, bright features and of course lots of ceramics. We strive to create a welcoming space that feels lived-in and full of personality.
Your backyard feels like a slice of wild paradise! How do you bring some of that outdoor playfulness into your children's bedroom? Are there any specific features you’ve added to keep the adventure alive indoors?
Our backyard is all about adventure, creativity and a touch of daring!! We wanted to bring that same energy inside for the kids. Their bedrooms are filled with colour, texture and playful elements that encourage imagination. Ladder beds and cozy reading nooks make for inviting spaces to retreat or use your imagination.
There is an ever evolving display of kids artworks, found treasures such as shells and rocks and of course ceramics that the kids love to create in the studio. We have an ever growing collection on colourful ceramic monsters on display! We love the idea that inside feels like an extension of the outdoors encouraging adventurous and creative minds.
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Your home is such a beautiful reflection of your creativity and love for handmade pieces. Can you tell us a bit about the history of your space and what first drew you to it?
We first laid eyes on our dream home in 2022 after falling in love with its architectural angles, blend of mid-century meets coastal living and of course the kids paradise outside. We were lucky to have purchased our home from the family who designed and built it. Many of the wonderful features of the space were created with a great deal of thought and vision, knowing that their family were to enjoy such features for some 15years. We are now lucky to enjoy the rewards of their passion and hard work.
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How do you carve out time for creativity while juggling life as a busy mum of three? What do you do to unwind and recharge when you’re not creating?
Ha good question! Finding time for creativity while raising three girls has been a journey of balance and acceptance. There were times, especially when my business was growing quickly, that I tried to do it all, but something has to give. I have come to embrace a slower, more intentional approach. My ceramics are small batch because thats what works for our family right now. Perhaps things will change in the future but I am at peace with it.
My favourite things to do to unwind and recharge lately have been taking long walks, gardening, surfing (work in progress!) and always time with my girlfriends.
