As one of Australia's most decorated interior stylists, Adelaide Bragg brings a timeless approach to the homes she designs for her high-profile clients who live in the city, coast and country.
Having grown up in country NSW, she leans on the landscape of her rural past for inspiration – from the way the sky, sea and paddocks inform her colour palettes within the home, to the earthed tones of dirt roads and the way the light reflects off the land to inspire the spaces she fills.
Leading interior designer Adelaide Bragg shares how to get the country look in your home. Picture: Supplied
Ms Bragg says her interiors are part memoir, part design showcase: elegant yet deeply human, crafted with an encyclopaedic knowledge of fabrics, a fearless use of colour, and a love of craftsmanship honed over more than three decades.
Interior designer Adelaide Bragg. Picture: Facebook
She spoke to realestate.com.au about the unique skill involved when designing for coast, country and city homes.
City
“For me, a city home like this needs to feel both grounded and graceful,” Ms Bragg said. “It’s about creating a space that feels alive with art, memory, and comfort.
“It has to feel liveable, polished but not precious.”
"Art, memories and comfort" are key to decorating a city-style home according to Ms Bragg. Picture: Supplied
A recent project by Ms Bragg, a South Yarra residence tucked near the Domain Road shops and the Botanic Gardens, began as a new kitchen, but grew into a complete renovation of the house with architect Russell Casper.
The living room looks out to a lush courtyard; the green from the garden became the inspiration for the colour scheme including the upholstery and soft furnishings, while new steel-framed windows and doors flood the space with light and dissolve the line between indoors and outdoors. The existing staircase was kept and refinished with venetian plaster.
A three-storey light installation by Cox London was commissioned to create an anchor for the internal area of the house, and to make the staircase more impactful.
“It gave the house a backbone, a spine. We designed around it, letting it hold the space,” Ms Bragg said.
The showstopping three-storey light installation by Cox London. Picture: Supplied
Soft textures and layered finishes were key to creating a home that felt welcoming without being too feminine.
“We used the contemporary architecture as the base, then brought in softness and warmth with fabrics, rugs, and layers,” Ms Bragg said.
In the powder room, a decorative mirror sets the colour scheme, while commissioned wallpaper made by Gabrieth & Paul adds personalised depth. A vanity painted in striking blue turned a windowless space into a jewel-like surprise.
“When you don’t have natural light, you have to be brave. That little room became one of the most charming in the house,” she said.
This powder room has no windows, but feels spacious and bright. Picture: Supplied
Upstairs, a twin bedroom combines traditional touches with a contemporary sensibility – wallpaper and Bennison fabrics add pattern and softness.
“We wanted their art collection to feel celebrated, so the Venetian-plastered walls were conceived as a gallery-like backdrop,” she says.
Coast
Ms Bragg said coastal homes need to carry the breeze and catch the sun, but also withstand the wear of salt, sand, and family life.
“By the water, the palette always softens,” Ms Bragg said. “There’s something about the rhythm of the sea that asks for freshness and calm, but also strength, because these houses have to withstand family life, salt and sun.”
Coastal homes suit a softer palette. Picture: Supplied
She pointed to a Melbourne Bayside residence which began with a completely blank canvas.
Working closely with the clients, Ms Bragg was able to ensure the living and dining rooms became the central focus of the home, designed specifically on the first floor to ensure it framed the spectacular bay and views beyond.
A classic coastal-style kitchen. Picture: Supplied
A wall of bespoke joinery anchors the living room, while tongue-and-groove panelling wraps the walls in texture and warmth.
Having come from a Victorian home with a very different palette, the clients wanted a complete shift in tone something fresh, layered, and light-filled.
“The view became our palette,” she said. “Every choice was made to let the horizon flow into the room.”
A palette of whites and blues are complemented by rich textures. Picture: Supplied
Custom pieces designed by Bragg & Co – including raffia side tables and coffee table lamps introduce bespoke craftsmanship. Cane baskets, rattan side tables, and fabric lampshades soften the space, while ceramics and shells provide a nod to the seaside setting.
“My favourite element is how those windows frame the bay,” Ms Bragg said.
“The house almost exhales – it breathes with the landscape around it.”
Country
“The country is where I feel most at home,” Ms Bragg said.
She said a country house calls for robust materials that can withstand time – wood, stone, among other natural elements were used to create a very liveable, family home.
Ms Bragg says country homes are about warmth. Picture: Supplied
Large, deep sofas to sink into, antique dressers filled with china, and windows dressed in heavy curtains to let the light in or keep the chill out.
Here, colour, warmth, and timeworn materials combine to create a modern homestead feel. Upholstery in textured linens and wool blends add warmth, while pinks, warm reds and caramels are anchored by oak floors and kilim rugs.
Walls are hung with artworks collected over the years, while fabrics featuring horses, roosters, and cowboys add a hint of nostalgia.
Country homes are not about minimalism. Picture: Supplied
Ms Bragg’s first project in Victoria was on the Mornington Peninsular, and it has been ongoing and evolving as her clients’ lives have shifted from raising young children to welcoming grandchildren.
Originally conceived as a weekender, it’s now a permanent family home.
The late architect David Wilkinson, a close friend of both the clients and Ms Bragg, collaborated on the project. They wanted uncomplicated and practical living spaces for casual county life and entertaining.
“It was one of those rare situations where the friendship and trust between client, architect, and designer meant every decision was joyful. That kind of collaboration is what creates true success,” she said.
The house also features a garden designed by Paul Bangay.
One of Ms Bragg's design projects on the Mornington Peninsular. Picture: Supplied
For Bragg, country houses hold a particular kind of depth. They are homes that embrace comfort and liveability, where spaces are layered – mud at the back door, fires on winter evenings, children and dogs running in and out.
“They’re not about perfection,” she said. “They’re about warmth, and the way a home holds a family across generations. That’s what makes them so charming.”
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