Profiling: Princes Hill | Studio Tali Roth | Tali Roth

“The brief was really about creating a sense of intimacy and refinement that echoed some of the playful Italian hotels the clients had stayed in and loved.” With that, Tali Roth sums up the spirit behind this Princes Hill Victorian, a home designed to feel layered, considered and quietly luxurious, without ever losing its everyday comfort.

Tali Roth, founder of Studio Tali Roth, approached this project with a clear understanding of what her clients needed. They were downsizing from a much larger family home nearby, so the goal was not reinvention -it was distillation. “We often referred to it as a Milanese pied-à-terre,” Tali explains, reflective of how the clients live between Melbourne and the Victorian countryside. The outcome is composed and elegant, but never precious. A home that feels refined, yet completely liveable.

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One decision set the direction early. “Committing to a decoration-led approach rather than a full renovation, and prioritising colour and materiality, really set the tone.” By working with the existing bones and elevating through paint, window treatments, and the layering of furniture, textiles and finishes, the approach became about restraint and precision. “It allowed us to focus on nuance rather than big gestures.”

That restraint is also what makes the dialogue between old and new feel so confident. Tali was clear on protecting the Victorian integrity, retaining structure, proportions and much of the detailing. Rather than forcing change, she introduced a blend of vintage and contemporary furniture and lighting to soften the traditional language and make it feel current. Where there were interventions, they were deliberate. Tali points to the entry, where decorative Victorian architraves were removed and replaced with a square-set marble threshold, a subtle nod to Italian sensibility that isolates the tiled entry as a distinctive feature.

Colour is where this home comes alive, and it was treated with the same level of intent as any architectural decision. “The palette for each room was approached intentionally,” Tali says, with blush, citrusy greens and butter yellows building cohesion and a gentle sense of tension. In the living room, the palette is pushed further, with soft pink walls meeting a bright red lacquered table, a purple mohair banquette and a raspberry rug. Upstairs, colour becomes more immersive, with tapestry-inspired wallpaper against walnut cabinetry, enclosed by cherry red curtains finished with duck egg blue tassels. Even the main bedroom carries that European confidence, pairing a grassy green mohair bedhead with chartreuse walls and sea otter-toned skirting. In contrast, transitional areas like the entry are kept neutral so the tile and marble can lead, while a custom STR carpet in deeper berry tones draws you upward.

The warmth of the home comes from its material layers. Timber, stone, linen and mohair work alongside vintage pieces that carry their own history. Soft furnishings play a major role too, with textured fabrics, trims and rugs in saturated tones like vermillion, raspberry and deep purple. “Nothing feels overly polished,” Tali notes. “There is always a slight softness or patina to each element.”

Window furnishings were treated with the same care, particularly because so much of the original structure remained. “It was important that the window furnishings honoured the home’s heritage character.” The team initially considered keeping the original plantation shutters, but ultimately felt Roman blinds would be more functional and easier to live with. Fabric selections came later, once furniture was resolved, ensuring the final palette felt cohesive.

In private spaces like bedrooms, window treatments were kept quiet and minimal, prioritising softness, privacy and light control. In the main living areas, Roman blinds were designed to feel like an extension of the wall, providing function without distraction. Where the home allows window furnishings to become a feature is upstairs, where cherry red curtains bring richness and texture and also help physically define zones. Layering was guided by function too, especially in bay windows, where privacy Roman blinds offer flexibility. The tasselled curtains also work hard, acting as a soft divider in an alcove that functions as both office and secondary bedroom.

When asked what detail makes the whole home sing, Tali points to what many might miss. The thresholds. “It is the thresholds, how one room transitions to another.” A shift in material. A curtain moment. A change in tone. These in-between spaces give the home its rhythm and turn it into a journey rather than a collection of rooms.

Looking back, Tali’s key lesson is a strong one for anyone approaching a heritage home. “Restraint is often more powerful than intervention.” You do not need to do a lot to create impact, but what you do needs to be incredibly considered. In this home, that approach is everywhere. Quietly confident. Deeply intentional. And, somehow, more timeless because it chose to work with what was already there.

Photography : Lillie Thompson