This week on our Home Life Series, we’re heading to the Surf Coast to visit ceramicist Chela Edmunds, the creative force behind Takeawei Ceramics. Chela lives in a lovingly renovated 1970s Jan Juc beach shack with her kids, Ocean and Sunny, and their sweet pug Momo. What was once a blank, early-2000s reno is now a home that feels layered, soulful, and unmistakably Chela. Filled with handmade ceramics, vintage finds, and playful pops of colour that reflect her artistic eye.
From her spa-like emerald green bathroom to the backyard Airbnb that’s a design-lover’s dream, every corner of Chela’s home has been thoughtfully considered to feel creative, inviting, and connected to nature. It’s a space where art and family life blend seamlessly, kids’ paintings hang proudly alongside sculptural ceramics, and cosy corners are styled with texture and heart. Keep reading to see how Chela has created a home that’s as joyful and down-to-earth as her work, with plenty of inspiration for adding colour and character to your own space.
Hi Chela, we’re so excited to step inside your home down on the Surf Coast, it’s so bright, bold and playful! Can you tell us who lives here with you and how you first discovered this beautiful property?
So lovely to have you here. I’m such a big fan of Kip&Co, I think there’s at least one piece in every room. I live in Jan Juc with my kids, Ocean and Sunny, and our dumpling of a pug, Momo.
I bought our 1970s beach shack in 2018 when I was pregnant with Ocean. It had a pretty bland early-2000s reno, but it’s grown with us into a home that feels layered and personal. I love Jan Juc, the big old trees, walking distance to the beach and shops, and just five minutes from my studio at Ashmore Arts.
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We are huge fans of your incredible ceramic work and have been eagerly awaiting our visit to your home to get a look behind the scenes. For those who haven’t yet heard of Takeawei Ceramics, can you please introduce Takeawei?
Thank you! I started Takeawei in 2013, making fun, functional ceramics in bold colours and simple forms. For a while I even had a shop on Gertrude Street, but since having my second child, Sunny, I’ve brought the business back to a more manageable pace.
These days I create small handmade collections of mugs, tableware and lighting from my Torquay studio, selling mostly through my website. I also teach ceramics classes from the studio and occasionally find my way back into textiles.
Before starting Takeawei, you spent several years designing for big names in New York. What was that experience like as a young artist, and what ultimately inspired you to leave the city and make the leap back to the Surf Coast to build your life and studio here?
I studied textiles, weaving first, then print, before moving to New York to design for DKNY and Vera Wang.
New York was so exciting, overflowing with art, music and just really fun. In my first weeks I found myself at a work event at the New York Public Library with Eartha Kitt performing, larger than life and unforgettable and it’s just the kind of place where those pinch-me moments happen. But fashion is fast and a few years in the reality of designing on CAD all day left me craving something more hands-on.
I started taking pottery classes and surfing again, and quickly became hooked on both. After a couple of years, I realised I wanted to start doing ceramics professionally, so I moved back to Australia, started Takeawei in 2013, and eventually set up my dream studio in Torquay so I could be close to the beach.
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You’re a mum of two, an artist, and you run an Airbnb in your backyard. Can you take us through a typical day with the kids, the ocean just minutes away, and all the creativity that fills your home?
School days start with drop-offs, then maybe a quick surf, swim, or gym session before setting up the BnB and heading to the studio. The kids love being there too — it’s full of big machinery, monkey bars, and bush to explore. After school they often tag along to check the kilns or collect firewood in winter. Ocean even makes her own clay pieces and has built quite the collection.
In summer we end the day with a swim and picnic dinners at Cosy Corner with friends. Weekends always begin with pancakes and usually end with painting, gardening, or long stretches at the beach or park.
The BnB is buzzing in summer and booked most weekends in winter, and I also host artist retreats during the off season. Being right next door makes it easy to manage, and I love creating a seamless, welcoming experience for guests. Once the kids are asleep, that’s when I finally catch up on emails and messages.
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Your Takeawei ceramics have such a distinctive, painterly quality, full of texture and colour. How does your work influence your home life? Do your pieces find their way onto tables, shelves, or walls, and does creating every day shape the look and feel of your interiors?
Definitely, my lamps, bowls, mugs, and pendants are scattered throughout the house. I like to try out all any new pieces to see how they perform and look in the space. It’s part of the process of making, testing and refining pieces to make sure they are just right.
Work and home are intertwined but that works well for me with a young family. My home is an extension of my artistic aesthetic and I love changing up pieces, moving them around to create cosy corners and adding flowers.
We can’t get past that emerald green tiled bathroom, it’s such a statement! Can you tell us about any renovations or changes you have made? How do you approach colour and do you have a favourite way of mixing bold details with everyday living?
I love that bathroom! It was my first proper “grown-up” space in our home, I think my brief to the interior designer was essentially ‘a spa-like green cave for my evening baths’, but it’s also very functional with two sinks and a family-friendly layout. Before we removed the old bathroom the kids painted huge butterflies and flowers above the bath and I was a bit sad to see that go but the rest of it I was happy to see the back of!
I’ve renovated in stages, after living in the house and seeing what it needed. First came insulation and fixing draughts when I was pregnant with Ocean, then a front verandah, later a back extension to open up the house to the yard, and most recently the BnB. Shelby Ann Studios did the interiors, including the green bathroom, and created spaces that feel beautiful, calming, and practical.The house itself is fairly neutral because I have so many colourful objects, but in the bathrooms it was all about colour and texture with tile selection coming first.
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With kids at home, how do you balance spaces that are stylish and grown-up with areas that let your little ones play, explore, and have fun? Are there any corners, furniture pieces, or details you’ve added to make the home both practical and playful?
Everything in our home has to be practical, easy to clean and toddler-friendly. I love fun, colourful pieces and the place is filled with toys. I love old school toys like Sunny’s wooden train that my mum picked up from the men’s shed in Ocean Grove but then I have tubs and baskets for the bits and pieces.
Wherever I can I invest in quality materials that last, or buy vintage pieces with character. I also love surrounding myself with pieces from friends and family, pieces that have a story… a large sculptural vase by Tessy King, paintings by Christopher Jewitt, and beautiful furniture finds from my sister Kalu’s shop, Mood Objects.
Most of the breakables live up high, and because the kids have grown up around ceramics they’re actually pretty careful. Of course, the kids are little artists and I love giving their paintings pride of place. We’ve also had our fair share of unplanned marker-on-walls moments… thankfully in washable textas!
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We love the granny flat you’ve created in your backyard that’s now an Airbnb, Sun Set - Jan Juc Beach Guesthouse. What sparked the idea for this space, and how did you approach the design? We’d love to hear about the textures, finishes, and little details that make it feel so inviting, layered, and full of personality.
It was such a passion project! With young kids I couldn’t get into the studio as much, so I wanted something creative I could work on from home. It’s a small space, so it’s all about making every inch work hard to feel warm, welcoming, and a joy to spend time in. I’ve always loved compact spaces like tiny homes and houseboats, cosy, thoughtful, and connected to nature …so that was my inspiration.
I worked with a draftsperson on the initial design, then brought in Shelby Ann Studios for the interiors and Opal Landscapes for the garden. Together they created a layered, inviting space that feels like ‘mid century coastal’, calming, and full of little details to discover. Guests love staying here too, its not your average Airbnb, it’s got that something extra and its so private, just a short stroll to the beach, walking tracks, and the local cafe.
During school terms I’ll be opening up my studio for ‘Friday Fundays’. It’s a chance for people to come in, work on their own ceramic projects, and enjoy access to all the studio equipment and my colourful glazes. I’ll be making in the studio these days and at the same time, I’ll have a little shop corner set up so visitors can browse and see pieces in person.
