marieclaire.com.au 201Talulah
If you were the queen of
laid-back fashion, wouldn’t you
want a suitably relaxed kingdom
to reign over? Designer Kelli
Wharton has crafted just the place
C
hez Talulah is a feet-on-the-furniture kind of
place. The modern home – which features a cool
mix of Australian designer wares – is located
directly across the road from one of Byron Bay’s
famous beaches, so the relaxed vibe makes total
sense. It’s a mood fostered by owner Kelli Whar-
ton, the founder and creative director of fashion brand Talulah
and the mother of two young boys: she is the first to kick up her
heels on the couch. “It doesn’t make sense to make a home
precious when you have kids and live on the beach,” she says.
Summing up the feel of her house as “eclectic, vibrant and
open hearted”, Wharton has successfully translated the Talulah
design aesthetic – think cocktails by the ocean – to the living
environment she shares with her family. “I’ve always been drawn
to interesting lines and shapes in silhouettes, which has
followed into my home,” she says. Specifically, that includes a
backdrop of stone, wood and tiles, alongside pops of colour and
pattern via soft furnishings and artworks “that have a story”.
With such a relaxed approach to luxury, it’s easy to see why
Talulah has garnered a list of Aussie It-girl followers, including
Jennifer Hawkins, Samantha Harris and Jesinta Franklin.The home’s open-plan living room (top) is fashion
designer Kelli Wharton’s “special place”. The
surfboard (above) is from Talulah’s 2015 foray into
homewares. Opposite page: The beach is key
to Wharton’s lifestyle.LIFESTYLE