Welcome back to Behind the Facade, your backstage pass into the personal stories that shape the homes we love.
From the street, 37A Earlwood Avenue makes its intentions known. The facade is composed and confident: crisp grey brick, strong cubic geometry, a cobblestone path drawing you toward the entry. It is a home that has thought carefully about first impressions. Step inside, and it becomes clear that same care extends to every single corner within.
Mia Lake, founder of Mia Lake Interiors, was handed what she describes as the rarest of opportunities: a completely blank canvas, with no constraints or compromises. "We could design it from the ground up and make sure that it was truly unique," she reflects. The brief she set herself was clear and ambitious. She wanted people to come home and feel like it was a retreat. Zen, calming, and energising all at once.
The design philosophy that underpins everything here is movement. Not the restless kind, but something more considered. "I like creating these little subtle details," Mia explains, "like the curve on the end of the balustrade, or the shape of the island, or the texture in the paint or tiles, that just create this rolling sense of movement and energy." Stand in any room, and you feel it: the arched openings, the soft sweep of the staircase base. Nothing is hard-edged here. "Curves are lovely to live with," she says. "It's like a gentle way of walking through a project."
The entry sets the tone immediately. A bespoke nook in sage joinery houses a Laverna Dolomite stone shelf and a full-height mirror, the kind of detail that signals a designer's eye. Herringbone oak floors carry you forward into the open-plan kitchen, dining and living zone, where the same stone reappears on the sculptural curved island bench. This is the heart of the home, and Mia makes no secret of her affection for it. "One of my favourite parts of the home is the kitchen," Mia says. "It's absolutely gorgeous, and I adore the wall lights." A rendered electric fireplace anchors one wall, and Mia can already picture the life being lived here. "I can imagine being curled up on the couch with a glass of wine by the fireplace," she adds simply.
Throughout, Mia wove in a subtle but persistent connection to the natural world. Large windows, a series of skylights along the upper corridor, and outdoor tiles leading directly into the entry all serve the same purpose. "As I'm getting older, I'm realising the importance of being connected to nature and feeling grounded," she reflects. "So even when you close the door, you still feel connected." Floor-to-ceiling glazing at the rear dissolves the boundary between living space and the covered alfresco terrace, lawn and plunge pool beyond.
Upstairs, a gallery-like corridor leads to four bedrooms and a second living space. The principal bedroom is its own quiet world: a walk-in dressing corridor, a window seat overlooking the treetops, and an ensuite finished in grey marble with a freestanding bath that would not look out of place in a boutique hotel. "Your daily ritual of getting ready in that space would feel really special," Mia says. And then there is the room that surprises her most. "I secretly love the laundry," she admits. "I think that unexpected colour, to do a chore like washing and be in the space and feel joy, that's a real success."
One of the more ingenious decisions is the ground-floor powder room, which conceals a full shower. "We've added this secret shower, which creates flexibility," Mia explains, whether that means rinsing off after the pool, showering the kids before bed, or serving as a fully self-contained bathroom for the fifth bedroom. Thoughtful design anticipates how life is actually lived.
Mia speaks about design with a conviction that goes beyond aesthetics. "You can actually change someone's life and how they live," she says, "and not just them but their family and loved ones too. I think that's really special." At 37A Earlwood Avenue, that belief is present in every surface, every curve, every carefully considered detail. A home built not just to impress, but to be lived in with joy.
Watch the full interview with Mia Lake here.
‘Behind The Facade’ is your backstage pass to the world of architecture and homeownership. We go beyond the status quo to bring you candid conversations with architects and homeowners, discovering the inspirations, challenges and personal stories that breathe life into these structures. It’s architecture unmasked. Raw, authentic, and deeply human.