From Coffs to Cali: inside The Block alum Simon Vos’ mid-century modern makeover
Having recently bought a potential-packed, mid-century home in Coffs Harbour, Simon Vos, along with wife Ash, is now working to transform it into a Palm Springs inspired home reimagined for an Australian setting.
In the 1950s, the Californian city of Palm Springs rose to fame when it became a prime getaway for Hollywood movie stars. As its popularity grew, so did the number of holiday villas being commissioned in the resort city. Inspired by the bright, arid desert landscape and modern schools like Bauhaus, the architects of the 1950s created in Palm Springs what is now called Desert Modernism, holding some similarities with the Australian landscape.
Main bathroom: Vivid 230mm Round Shower Rose, Lexi Hand Shower and Axia Twin Wall Mixer in Brushed Nickel
And it was this style of design that enticed the Vos’s to purchase their house. “We immediately fell in love with it because it had this retro, mid-century style to it organically with a low-lying gable roof and that is really our taste,” Ash Vos tells Phoenix, “we love that Palm Springs, California look.”
With views over the Great Dividing Range and with palm trees and the ocean in sight, the location of the house also proved a source of inspiration.
“I immediately imagined it as an indoor/outdoor entertaining house but more low key, because that is my Australian take,” adds Simon Vos.
Main bathroom: Axia Wall Basin/Bath Outlet in Brushed Nickel
The Vos’s kicked off their renovation by tackling the three bathrooms in the house – the main bath, the ensuite and a small self-contained bathroom in a newly created studio apartment that was previously a laundry.
When choosing products, finishes and tiles, the couple constantly referred back to 1950s Palm Springs as reference point, selecting colour palettes typical of the era, including dusky pinks, golds and greens.
Studio bathroom: Vivid Slimline Up Basin/Bath Wall Mixer in Brushed Gold
Selecting tapware was an integral part of the design process and was one of the first choices that the Vos’s made.
“The Palm Springs style simplified everything,” says Simon. “Everything was pared back but still had a lot of character, so when we saw the Axia collection with its minimalistic but beautiful approach to design, I thought it just went perfectly with our Australian take on mid-century Palm Springs.”
The Vos’s selected the Axia Wall Basin/Bath Outlet, Axia Shower/Wall Mixer, Axia Wall Basin/Bath Mixer Set and Axia Vessel Mixer, as well as Phoenix’s Vivid Slimline Up Wall Basin / Bath Mixer Set, Vivid 230mm Round Shower Rose and Lexi Hand Shower.
Main bathroom: Axia Vessel Mixer in Brushed Nickel
“Being a plumber, I love tapware, and when I saw the Vivid Slimline collection, I really liked that it is so elegant,” adds Simon.
For the master bath, the couple wanted to create a Hollywood glamour feel and used large format Venetian-style marble tiles and stone tiles, grey penny rounds, a cascading stone bath and custom cabinetry.
The ensuite: Axia Wall Basin/Bath Mixer Set in Chrome
“We wanted to bring some in shape without it being too over the top,” explains Ash. While I like the arches from the era, I didn’t necessarily want something like that in my own home.”
Instead she introduced two deliberate features – a curve and a line in almost every touch point. It’s subtle but stylistic – the bath and the basin are both curved, and the tapware has both circles and lines.”
The accompanying lights and arched mirror add to the effect.
Main bathroom: Axia Vessel Mixer in Brushed Nickel
In the ensuite, the couple wanted a more spa-like feeling, and used herringbone natural stone tiles and large format blue stone. The colours are more subdued to achieve a sense of a calm.
Studio bathroom: Vivid Slimline Up Basin / Bath Wall Mixer Set in Brushed Gold
The studio bathroom scheme, meanwhile, was inspired by the colours of the bush, with mini subway tiles in eucalyptus green and a timber vanity.
Explore the Axia, Vivid Showers, Lexi Showers and Vivid Slimline Up collections.
Interior Design: Shannon and Ashley Vos
Products: Axia Wall Basin/Bath Outlet, Axia Twin Shower/Wall Mixer, Axia Wall Basin/Bath Mixer Set, Axia Vessel Mixer, Vivid Slimline Up Wall/ Bath Mixer Set, Vivid 230mm Round Shower Rose and Lexi Hand Shower.
Images: Ben Adams