When abstract artist Madi Young, owner of The Corner Store Gallery in Orange, in the Central Tablelands of NSW, decided to embark on a refresh of her delightfully arty house, she knew exactly how to begin – with a paintbrush, of course.
For Madi, 39, who shares the characterful abode in the regional town with her seven-year-old son, Magnus, and black labrador-kelpie, Dotti, unrestrained colour will always play a lead role in her home. There was no trepidation, then, when it came to selecting the rosiest of backdrops – Dulux’s “perfectly pink” Gizmo – for the gallery wall in the kitchen and living domain. “It’s my personal opinion that pink goes with everything – and you heard it here first!” says Madi, laughing.
Madi relaxes on her Freedom sofa with Dotti, her loyal labrador-kelpie. A handcrafted Moroccan rug, sourced from Orange store Jumbled, blends in with vintage and contemporary decor. The gallery wall includes pieces by: Suzie Riley; Amy Wright; Wendy McDonald; Lara Karasavvidis; Nicole Chaffey; Holly Eva; Amie de Hoog; Jodi Thompson; Fiona Barrett-Clark; Magnus Young-Holborow; Madeline Young; Genevieve Bessell-Browne; Andrea Kirkham-Hopgood; Joanna Cole; and Stacey Rees. (Photography: Monique Lovick | Styling: Rachael Gavel, Holm & Wood)
But with pink options galore, how did the artist settle on this particular shade? “I took my three favourite paintings down to the paint shop and made sure I got a pink that worked with all of them, and then came back and re-zhooshed everything,” she explains. “If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s colour.”
“I have pretty eclectic taste, and I like to display artworks off-centre. It’s more interesting that way,” Madi says of her asymmetrical arrangements. Featured artists (below) include James Kearns and Daniela Cristallo (see previous image credits). (Photography: Monique Lovick | Styling: Rachael Gavel, Holm & Wood)
Constantly evolving, Madi’s gallery wall is a joyfully diverse collection, with pieces by many of her favourite contemporaries – Andrea Hopgood, Fiona Barrett-Clark and Wendy McDonald, just to name a few. Of course, there are also pieces by Madi herself, as well as by her talented young protégé Magnus. “Magnus has already had a sold-out exhibition with me,” says Madi with pride. “Sport and art are his two things.” Madi’s advice is to “mix it up” with a gallery wall display.
The timber panelling in the entry and office space was made by Madi’s dad from Tasmanian oak. Featured artworks by Louise Knowles, Emily Heath and Amy Wright. (Photography: Monique Lovick | Styling: Rachael Gavel, Holm & Wood)
“Don’t go for the same type of frames – no way! They should be all over the joint,” she says, adding: “And I like different depths in terms of the art being on different materials. Also have some pieces behind glass; some not.”
Tucked directly behind The Corner Store Gallery and Madi’s studio, her black barn-style home – located on traditional Wiradjuri land – was built in 2017, with architect Casey Bryant at the helm, and Mitch Hyland and Madi’s father, Rob Young, in charge of the works.
The kitchen holds paintings by Jennifer Rosnell and Yani Lenehan. (Photography: Monique Lovick | Styling: Rachael Gavel, Holm & Wood)
An artwork by Ben Foster sits alongside a Lego tiger and potted plant. (Photography: Monique Lovick | Styling: Rachael Gavel, Holm & Wood)
“The main priority was to make it a liveable family home and to show off my art collection – I wanted a home/gallery,” says Madi. “It needed to be affordable to build, and reasonably simple since my dad did an owner/builder job. We’re in a heritage area, so that was a big contributor to decision-making – the roofline and verandah were integral to appeasing the heritage guys. And we actually won a heritage award for the house.”
Paintings by Kym Barrett and Pippita Bennett adorn the far wall, while Madi’s abstract piece rests on the easel. (Photography: Monique Lovick | Styling: Rachael Gavel, Holm & Wood)
Not only were the heritage authorities happy, so is the client. “The house is better than I’d hoped – I love it,” says Madi. “It’s bright and cosy, and warm and functional.” Although it looks like a one-level house from the outside, “there are two full bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs, and a lovely courtyard outside,” adds Madi. “It’s surprisingly spacious since it’s on such a small footprint.”
That secret second storey has the bedrooms tucked away in it. “My son and I live in the ceiling space – there’s a really sweet, cosy and sloping ceiling with skylights, which is so nice on a rainy night – but not so much when it’s hailing!” she says.
Madi works on a mixed-media abstract piece in her studio, which is attached to her gallery. “I can paint when I have no gallery admin to do,” she says. “There’s amazing sunlight in here in the afternoons.” (Photography: Monique Lovick | Styling: Rachael Gavel, Holm & Wood)
Another favourite space is the living room, which is the area Madi and Magnus use the most. “The kitchen runs the full length of the living room with lounges at one end and the dining table at the other – it’s very communal,” Madi says of the light-filled room, which, crucially, boasts underfloor heating. “It’s often so warm in here in winter that I can leave the sliding doors open on a still day.”
Magnus’s bedroom features a Pillow Talk quilt cover, pillow from Sage & Clare, Moroccan blanket from Jumbled and pretzel cushion from Whimsy Milieu. (Photography: Monique Lovick | Styling: Rachael Gavel, Holm & Wood)
The shelves and wall hold art by: Ellie Hannon; Amelia Lynch; Kate Stehr; Raphe Coombes; Meg Walters; Jaq Davies; and Christina McLean. (Photography: Monique Lovick | Styling: Rachael Gavel, Holm & Wood)
Practical considerations aside, it was always essential to Madi that her home be all about art, from front to back. “The focus had to be on the art,” she says. “I wanted to keep everything else pretty simple. The only rooms that don’t feature art are the bathrooms, as they’re tiled.”
Alfresco table and chairs from Bunnings. (Photography: Monique Lovick | Styling: Rachael Gavel, Holm & Wood)
Also high on Madi’s agenda was installing a flexible hanging system by Artiteq. “It means I can easily move art around on wires, just as I do in the gallery,” she says. In fact, while the facade of Madi’s house is dark and moody – the James Hardie Scyon Axon cladding brought to inky life in Dulux Black – the interior walls unveil colour and creativity through art at every turn.
Madi collaborated with her son, Magnus, on this large painting titled Deep Dive. The cacti on the courtyard wall were painted by her ex-husband. (Photography: Monique Lovick | Styling: Rachael Gavel, Holm & Wood)
Living adjacent to her workplace suits Madi perfectly. “It’s so convenient – the commute is a dream! The only negative is I get a little too comfy in my little bubble and rarely venture outside of my block… we have the best coffee in Orange only a block away at Bills Beans.” (Photography: Monique Lovick | Styling: Rachael Gavel, Holm & Wood)
As for the gallery wall, Madi’s work is far from complete. “I started displaying pieces in a corner and I want to keep buying art until there’s no room left,” she says. “I’m going to make the wall really hectic, intense and fun.”
For more, visit cornerstoregallery.com and follow @cornerstoregallery on Instagram.
Shop the look
Metal side table
Amazon, $48.99
Aura Home luxury velvet round cushion
Myer, $53.40 (usually $89)
Country Road Adler small frame
Myer, $39.95
Brunnings Brixton ceramic planter
Temple & Webster, $26.99
Writer
Jackie Brygel
Writer
Hannah James