Meet Lucienne Van Sebille, a talented stylist + furniture collector, also the founder of Mon House. Mon house is an online curated gallery, offering soulful furniture, objects and lighting. Lucienne is passionate about sustainability in design and providing an alternative to fast furniture.
Walking down the driveway and peering through the giant windows, I could instantly feel the magic of this Alistair Knox 1970s home in leafy Eltham. It was a particularly gloomy afternoon in Melbourne but still, a warm golden glow filled the entire home (I can’t imagine how beautiful it must be on a sunny day). Warm timber, soaring ceilings, an array of textures and surrounded by lush green views.
We loved getting to know Lucienne in this Heart-to-Heart and especially picking her brain for all her wisdom on the importance of choosing the right furniture + lighting for a home. Lucienne had the most beautiful calming energy, much like her mid-century home, nestled amongst the treetops… enjoy!
Shop cushions here.
Tell us about your career history to date! How did you break into the world of interiors?
I actually started as a receptionist in an architecture and interior design practice when I was 19! I was always really interested in design and thought I'd go on to study interiors, however instead, on somewhat of a self-forged path... I spent close to 10 years working in architecture and interior studios and practices across Adelaide and Melbourne, in lots of different roles. I always felt myself so drawn to furniture, textiles and finishes, loving sorting the samples in the sample library and sitting in on supplier presentations whenever I could, which led me to move into the furniture industry.
As a furniture consultant, I was lucky to represent and work with some amazing brands and designers from Europe, Japan and Australia. Working on commercial and residential projects and learning SO MUCH about furniture. I could not believe it was possible to work in an area I so loved. Then I joined a local Melbourne furniture and lighting brand I’d long admired, where I learnt a lot about small business and gained first-hand understanding of what it takes to design and manufacture here.
I have huge respect for those who make sustainably in Australia, as I have learned it is difficult...and expensive! I was also consulting, styling and carving my own design voice as the years went on, which led me to starting Mon House. Looking back to work out this number is always somewhat alarming for me, but I have worked within interiors and furniture for close to two decades now. I am so grateful for all the times I was given a chance to grow creatively, so that I can do what I love so much.
Shop bed linen here, cosmetic cases here and apparel here.
What inspired you to start Mon House and how has your vision evolved since then?
Mon House actually started as a sharing of our space to hire for photoshoots and a place to create with others, while I was on maternity leave. Then it organically grew into a way to share my very real obsession with furniture, when I was looking to return to creative work.
I had often found myself wishing I didn't already love the pieces I had... so that I could collect more! So I thought I would start sourcing vintage and antique furniture pieces and selling my finds through Instagram to see how it went, and was (and still am) blown away by people's support.
Initially I sourced predominantly furniture but would also come across incredible objects on my travels, so I introduced these to my collection a year or so in, when I launched my website. This was an exciting moment for me and the business, as sourcing and curating these smaller pieces is something I really love.
Recently I have also started to work with some really special local makers and am really looking forward to showcasing some contemporary pieces in our collection, along with developing some designs of my own. The first of which will also be coming soon, so lots of exciting things to come!
Shop our Beni Rugs here.
Explore the Mon House website here.
How do you know when a piece of furniture is “the one” for a room?
I think it starts with understanding how you want to live in the space and then finding a piece that brings that to life. I think about materiality, texture, scale, and how it will sit within other elements in the room. Also asking - will it last? Does it bring age and history or is it made with care, ideally sustainably? Importantly, do you love it and of course, will it fit? Measure everything!
Where do you find inspiration for your own home styling?
My approach at home is very organic really. I am inspired by the space itself, the materials, light and how we live in it as a family. Really it's just pieces that I love, coming together! I have a connection to everything in our home, whether it be emotionally or just visually and I feel that just works.
I’m a collector at heart and of course, we haven't lived in this home forever, in fact we have moved quite a lot over the years as renters, so our home is always a mix of old and new and layered over time. I have an antique dresser that has travelled with me from my childhood bedroom, throughout share houses and interstate moves and it is now in my son's room.
I love unique spaces and it's important to me that our home reflects who we are, our history and the phase of life we’re in now. It’s constantly evolving, as sourcing for Mon House, beautiful pieces are always passing through and occasionally staying put when I can’t bring myself to part with them. I’m always moving things around, shifting the energy, or making spaces flow better for our needs, which change quite frequently with a young child.
Shop cushions here and apparel here.
What drew you to this stunning Alistair Knox home originally? What features felt particularly special for you?
We very luckily found this house during a pretty stressful time, our rental had unexpectedly ended during the first lockdown and while we were saving for a bigger tree change, we definitely weren’t ready to make a move yet. After many years living in the inner-north, Eltham felt like the right kind of compromise, so we started looking here for houses. I was familiar with Knox’s work but never dreamt of living in one, so when this listing popped up during one of my hundred real estate page refreshes, I literally jumped up and down on the spot.
This home is incredibly special and we feel really honoured to live in and care for it. Knox’s design is very sympathetic to the environment and his use of materials create such a warm space with a real connection to the outdoors which I love. We love sitting around the open fireplace in winter or out on the deck in summer.
It’s also such a functional home and we use every part of it daily. It supports the way we live as a family and my work too, so we are very grateful!
What advice would you give to someone who is about to start curating pieces for their dream home?
Well firstly, I truly believe that if you surround yourself with what you love, you can't go wrong. But some key things I remind myself of, are slowing down, you don't need to rush to fill a space. Live in your home and get an understanding of how you use the space and how you want it to flow.
I look for pieces with longevity, a beautifully made vintage or antique piece, a sustainably made new piece, or something that is personally significant to you and your family. Your home should reflect your history and life so if you're moving into your dream home and feel the need to start from scratch, please don't! Mixing eras, new and old and pieces that tell your personal story make for a much more interesting space than one where everything matches.
Shop our dine range here.
It was a particularly gloomy day in Melbourne when we met but I loved your mood lighting. What are your best tips around lighting in a home? How do you choose the right lamps, fixtures and pendants?
Oh thank you. Lighting is something I am wildly passionate about, as it makes such a huge difference in a space. I always like to layer a mix of floor and table lamps, wall sconces and pendants and incorporate different shapes and materials.
Even if you are in a rental or just don't want to commit to hardwiring, there are so many plug-in options you can be creative with.
I also love lighting with a sculptural quality, as I believe lighting is important both as an object when it’s turned off and for the way it functions to illuminate a space. I always choose a warm globe and avoid overhead lighting if I can! Though my three year old loves to constantly switch all of the light switches on!
How has becoming a mother influenced the way you approach your home and interiors? Any wisdom to share around styling a family home?
Someone asked my brother recently how I get the house ready for photoshoots and he answered that: "it always looks like that" and as far as he can tell, that's because everything goes into a basket. And he's not wrong, haha, except now there really are a lot of baskets!
I’ve definitely shifted how I think about our home but I think however your family looks, there are things to balance. Functionality matters and I still want the space to feel beautiful. I actually enjoy the challenge of balancing those two things, finding materials that can take a bit of extra 'love' (like timber that can be refinished down the track), and reimagining what functional pieces can look like. I’ve become much more creative about how we incorporate the less beautiful but very necessary things.
As someone who’s really affected by their environment, I’ve also had to become okay with more mess and chaos, as I never want my need for calm to stifle his creativity. I've also become less precious about things, really how lucky is it that your dining table shows signs of many happy meals shared around it?!
Shop cushions here.
How do you balance creativity, running a business, social life and motherhood day-to-day?
Oh I often feel like I don't to be honest. The lines between work and non-work time are very blurred when you are self-employed and I constantly feel guilty when I am always 'just quickly doing something for work' when I am with my son. On many occasions, I'm fielding calls from my couriers regarding a delivery or sorting out some kind of issue whilst at lunch with friends or at a party or the playground. I am also constantly roping my husband Sebastian into helping with heavy lifting or a million other things outside of his full time work and study, plus all the other things we cram in.
But the flip side to that is, getting to include my son in my work, he wasn't even in daycare when I first started the business (but did still nap!) and he loves when the couriers come at night or over the weekend so he can say hello and see the trucks and vans. He also loves furniture and art and sculptures and fabric samples and pretending to fix his little chairs with his tools and is often rearranging the furniture too. Above all, I am extremely grateful to be able to do what I love and sustain my family. Every single order and piece re-homed means so much to me, I just can't say it enough!
If you had a whole weekend to yourself in Melbourne, how exactly would you spend it? Tell us every little detail!
A wander through the grounds of Heide with my son Valentin, a date somewhere yum with my husband Sebastian (like Gerald's Bar or Napier Quarter), a gig of someone I am into at The Forum, a solo facial at The Little Company in Collingwood, then a little wander around the galleries and showrooms and Sunday morning at the Eltham Farmers Markets (which we actually do every weekend) and you have yourself a pretty incredible weekend I think. Maybe throw in a swim in the ocean or river for additional points!
Browse the Mon House website here.
Follow Mon House on Instagram here.
Shop the new Isla collection featured throughout Lucienne's home here.
With a whole lotta love xx