Above the local fruit shop in Newport, on Sydney's Northern Beaches, hides a 'tropical' gem.
This 1960s apartment is home to the cruisey (and creative!) couple behind homewares label Kawaiian Lion and wallpaper company 8footwalls, Dee Tang and Desmond Sweeney, and their toddler Kawa.
Moving to the Northern Beaches was an easy decision for the young family – the laid-back vibe and slower pace of life compared to the city hub was more than enough incentive. And "not having to wear shoes!" adds Dee, who loves living so close to the beach.
The couple moved in just after Kawa was born – they had outgrown a 33-sq-m converted caravan, which they were living in at the time. "I have always been in love with this place," Dee says of the light-filled, spacious rental. "A good friend of mine lived here for 15 years and I never imagined she'd move out, but she did."
Dee describes their home as a folky, vintage, coastal, comfortable and eclectic mix. "I have small moments of wanting to be this minimalist, Scandinavian-influenced homemaker, but then this rainbow patchwork will pop out and this vintage palm tree wallpaper emerges and then it's like 'no, who am I kidding?'.
