When set out to transform his country home, the vision was never just about renovating a space — it was about creating a home that felt warm, layered, and deeply considered. Every material, texture and finish played a role, but according to Walt, one element shaped the experience more than any other: lighting.

His biggest advice for renovators?

“Plan your lighting from the start. It can shape entire spaces.”

Working alongside the residential lighting design team at About Space, Walt approached the project with lighting considered from the earliest stages of the renovation process — allowing each room to feel intentional, functional, and atmospheric from day to night.

A Layered Kitchen Designed for Living

The kitchen was designed as a highly functional space without sacrificing warmth or ambience. A layered lighting approach combined LED strip and profile lighting with Magmini track lighting and adjustable spotlights, carefully positioned to highlight cabinetry, shelving and key work zones.

Overhead, Leon ceiling lights provided general illumination, balancing practicality with a clean architectural aesthetic. Together, the lighting creates depth throughout the space, ensuring the kitchen feels equally suited to entertaining as it does everyday living.

Dining Spaces with Atmosphere

Within the dining area, lighting was used to enhance the home’s existing character features. Habo Downlight downlights were positioned to softly illuminate the texture of the brick fireplace, bringing warmth and dimension to the material palette.

Paired alongside them, Senior Downlight fittings were strategically placed to create ambience while reducing glare — allowing the dining space to feel intimate, relaxed and inviting long after sunset.

A Living Room Built Around Warmth

In the living area, decorative lighting became central to the atmosphere of the room. The sculptural Toledo Pendant anchors the space overhead, while the Duplo Floor Lamp introduces softer task lighting for quieter moments.

Mounted to the wall, the Sonette Wall Light paired with opal Yosh glass adds another layer of warmth — diffusing light gently throughout the room and reinforcing the home’s calm, lived-in feel.

Hallways That Feel Considered

Rather than treating transitional spaces as an afterthought, the hallway lighting was designed to create a welcoming journey through the home. Senior downlights were carefully positioned to highlight artwork while softly guiding movement throughout the space.

The result is a hallway that feels curated and inviting rather than purely functional.

A Bathroom Designed Around Ambience

In the bathroom, lighting needed to balance practicality with atmosphere. The Forte Wall Light with opal Yosh glass delivers soft, flattering illumination around the vanity, complemented by Senior downlights for effective task lighting.

Above, the Skyball Pendant introduces a sculptural focal point while remaining suitable for safe placement within bathroom environments thanks to its integrated LED design.

Together, the lighting transforms the bathroom into a space that feels calm, elevated and restorative.

A Softer Approach to the Bedroom

Within the master bedroom, the lighting palette becomes more restrained and atmospheric. The Skyball pendant introduces a warm ambient glow, while the North Wall Washer softly washes light across surfaces to create depth and a sense of calm.

The overall result is a bedroom that feels intentionally quiet — a retreat designed for slowing down.

Extending the Atmosphere Outdoors

The considered lighting design continues beyond the interior, transforming the exterior into an equally inviting extension of the home. Along the weatherboard verandah, Gaapro wall lights introduce a warm architectural glow, enhancing the character of the façade while creating a welcoming arrival experience.

Within the timber decking, Misto Step Light step lights were seamlessly integrated to provide subtle guidance and safety without disrupting the natural materiality of the space. Throughout the surrounding landscape, spike lights softly illuminate planting and garden textures, bringing depth and atmosphere to the exterior after dark and allowing the home to feel connected to its environment from every angle.

Designing the Home From the Light Outwards

For Walt, lighting became far more than a finishing touch throughout the renovation process. By considering lighting from the beginning, each room was able to evolve with greater purpose, functionality and atmosphere.

The result is a home that feels cohesive, welcoming and deeply personal — proving that thoughtful lighting design has the power to completely transform how a space looks, feels and functions.