Newcastle Artist Annie Everingham’s Hand-Built Californian Bungalow Has a Storied Past

Almost 100 years ago, Newcastle, a beachside city on Australia’s east coast, was a very different place. The Great Depression hit it hard, and many locals relied on building their own homes if they had the resources. The remnants of this era exist across the region in its Federation-style homes – fairly modest in detail, but made with enduring craftsmanship.

But one of these hand-built dwellings is an architectural outlier: a charming Spanish Mission–style bungalow that “sticks out like a little sore thumb” among the suburban streetscape. Now, it’s where artist Annie Everingham lives with her husband Chris and two sons – a joy-filled oasis worlds away, yet still shaped by its former life.

Annie – a visual artist and the creative mind behind our new limited-edition La Fête tableware collection – explains that “finding this home felt very serendipitous. It was pretty special.”

While strolling through her neighbourhood, Annie caught sight of the bungalow – which, despite living close by, she had never noticed. Charmed by its “Mexican vibe”, including a cactus garden and pebbled driveway, she texted Chris: “I’ve just seen this amazing house. It's so unusual.”

“I said, ‘If that ever comes on the market, it'd be a great one to buy, because I reckon we could do something really cool with it!’” she laughs. “A few months later we were ready to start looking to buy something together, and literally that Saturday, it just popped up on the market. We were like, this can't be happening.”

Soon after moving in, they received a visit from their neighbours, who had previously owned the house before subdividing the block. They gave Annie and Chris a written history that each owner has passed on to the next.

The original owner was a brickworker who found himself out of a job during The Depression, so he decided to build the house – making each brick by hand and opting for a unique style, integrating art deco features and decorative mouldings.

The foundation was there – original timber floors, archways, and ornate cornices. They saw the potential, but it needed modernising. Renovations started in the backyard, pulling down old brick walls and planting tropical flora where green space was lacking. For the first few years, the changes were mostly cosmetic, until they took on their first major renovation five years ago.

“We took off the whole back of the house,” says Annie of this phase-one renovation. “It had pokey layouts, a landlocked bathroom, and strange little storage cupboards, so we shuffled things around.” The result was a more open indoor–outdoor space, with a large bifold window connecting the kitchen to the courtyard.

This stage of renovations also saw them make a bold decision to transform the original timber flooring. “After the floors were sanded, we took a punt and stained them with a really dark finish. It was a bit nerve-wracking, but I really love them.”

“I love the contrast of beautiful dark timber flooring and black furniture with lighter features,” Annie explains. “We’ve got gunmetal grey doorknobs and dark antique tapware. I love the contrast of those with light, bright neutral clay and peachy tones.”

Brightening the walls with a lighter coat of paint and patching up the existing cornices and detailed ceilings went a long way, as did removing the old lino from the kitchen and laying polished concrete flooring. Finally, they added skylights to illuminate the space even further.

Budget constraints meant that the second stage of renovations – an upstairs extension – began three years after the first. This included adding another small living space for the kids, two bedrooms, a second bathroom, an en suite for the main bedroom, and even a plunge pool.

“We had lots of fun with the design process, drawing inspiration from the existing details of the home,” says Annie. She also cites Mediterranean, Spanish, and tropical influences. “The overall aim of the home was to replicate some of the places we've travelled to. We really wanted to create a bit of a little sanctuary that felt like it had a holiday vibe.” She notes that visitors often comment that the home feels like it’s “somewhere else.” “You walk through the door and it's a bit of a tropical oasis, tucked away in suburbia.”

Annie describes the décor and design choices as a collection of her personal taste. A perfect example of her eclectic sensibility and commitment to character is the original vintage tiles from Jatana Interiors. “It's just another little nod to the original feel of the home, but with a bit of my own personal design take on it.”

Secluded at the front of the house is Annie’s favourite space – the bedroom. She describes it as “elegant, but it's soft and calming at the same time,” featuring a long triple window, beautiful sheer curtains, and an en suite bathroom. It’s a “quiet retreat space” that plays host to special moments together as a family. “The boys are always welcome in our room. It's a bit of a family safe space.”

While Chris would gladly take on another renovation project, Annie is happy to call this place home for at least the next decade – especially after being pregnant throughout both renovations, an experience she wouldn’t readily repeat. Roots have been firmly planted, and the priority now is creating a nurturing environment for their young family.

The long table in the patio is put to good use, a “central hub” for gatherings with their close-knit community. Chris loves to cook – “He's definitely the chef of the family,” Annie says – and the courtyard has become the nexus of family life, where kids run between the house and backyard, and days end together around the table.

Both hailing from the smaller regional city of Tamworth, Chris and Annie wanted to settle somewhere slightly more metropolitan, but without the hustle-and-bustle of Sydney. “Newcastle is just a really easy place to live. You can breathe,” she says.

It’s changed a lot since she moved there in 2014, “It's got a beautiful coffee scene, amazing restaurants, the beaches are incredible…. we're so close to amazing areas, like the wineries and Port Stephens.”

She notes the growing, “Creative, open-minded community,” explaining, “People really have a crack at businesses, and the community backs them and supports that.” She suggests that the area attracts “people who are creative and driven and have these great ideas, but don't have the opportunity to make those things happen in the big city.”

Annie's family isn't suited to a rigid routine. With both she and Chris working for themselves, “we can adjust and change the days around to suit what we both have on that particular day,” she says.

“Evenings are dictated by the kids at the moment, especially in the summer months.” As the day winds down, they embrace long, warm evenings, playing in the backyard or gardening before preparing for an outdoor dinner.

Annie’s laid-back nature is reflected in her work, “I don't take my art so seriously. I don't particularly need to draw meaning from everything that I create,” she says. “I’m really just a super visual person, and I love to surround myself with things that look and feel beautiful.”

She describes the La Fête tableware collection as “fun and light,” a modern take on traditional holiday imagery that “leans into the feeling of festivity and the joy of communal eating.” The motifs are strongly influenced by classic seasonal symbolism, with a “feminine, fun, light spin in it.”

Motherhood has shifted Annie’s rhythms, allowing her to reassess what work looks like when time is limited. There’s an ever-present tension between the spontaneity of being a freelancer and the demands of being a parent. She explains that being a self-employed mum “takes the edge off having to be so constantly deep within my creative practice, because I'm at capacity.” Rather than working around the clock, her time is now limited to only three days per week. “It's just a different juggle, but I like wearing lots of different hats,” she says.

“Home is a place to unmask and to feel safe,” says Annie. “Without sounding clichéd, I need a sanctuary and the opportunity to slow down, because I'm someone who doesn't do well at a really fast-paced life.”

Creation is the essence of the home, whether that’s her artistic practice, the house itself, or the inviting atmosphere. “It’s always nice to come home at the end of the day to a place that you've created, that's filled with beautiful memories,” she muses. “It’s perfectly suited to the life stage that we’re in, and the little family that we’re forging."