When Collette Dinnigan shut down her fashion business three years ago, she wanted to change her whole life, not just her work one. She sold her historic sandstone cottage in Sydney’s Paddington, her neighbourhood of more than 20 years, and swapped an urban lifestyle for the seaside calm of Watsons Bay. Collette and her husband, Bradley Cocks, wanted plenty of space for 11-year-old daughter Estella and energetic three-year-old son Hunter.

“If you look at this house, it reflects how I want to live,” says Collette of the family’s new home, a 1920s-era former Masonic Lodge with views of the Harbour Bridge and out to the Pacific Ocean. “I have made such dramatic changes in my work, so I needed to make a personal change, too.”

While their former home was quite rustic, this one has more of a European sensibility with its soaring ceilings and classic architectural details. “It has a sort of 1930s elegance and the scale is amazing,” says Collette. The previous owner had done a stylish revamp, but Collette found it a bit too hard-edged. “I wanted something more feminine – with more layers and more textures.”

Colourful accessories, artworks and flowers add character to the elegant yet understated shell of the home. 

Collette tied everything around a blue theme that reminds her of the Amalfi Coast.

Collette created a cosy living area with the 1840s marble mantelpiece as the focal point.

Dining chairs from a maharajah's palace in India surround a Danish oak table Collette has owned for 15 years.

Collette's love of greenery extends even to the kitchen.

The master bedroom runs the length of the home, but the lilac linen and curtains lend it an air of intimacy.

Collette is well known for her delicate and feminine design aesthetic.

The green and white colour scheme of the living area mirrors the greenery of the home's surroundings.

By: Jeni Porter

Photography: Felix Forest | Living Inside
Styling: Victoria Collison
Flowers: Grandiflora