Inside the Linden with Interior Designer Lynette Kohler
When you walk into a well-designed home, the feeling is immediate.
Spaces flow naturally, materials feel intentional, and the atmosphere is calm and welcoming. It’s not just about how a home looks, it’s about how it lives and functions, for all the days you call it home.
For the Linden Display Home in Henley Brook, Interior Designer Lynette Kohler approached the design with exactly this in mind. Every decision was guided by how the home would feel and function for the people living in it day to day.
A modern farmhouse, designed for contemporary living
“The inspiration for this home was a modern farmhouse,” Lynette explains. “That sort of contemporary rural living, but with the ability to also have it on a residential block in the city.”
It’s a style that feels warm, grounded and welcoming, while still sitting comfortably in a suburban setting. Natural textures, soft tones and thoughtful detailing help create a home that feels both refined and relaxed. Beyond the aesthetic, the design always starts with something more important; the people who will live there.
Designing with real life in mind
“I start with the concept of the house and the feel I want to achieve, but I’m also thinking about the people that will live in the house,” she says. This thinking shapes everything from the layout to the final styling touches. In the Linden display home, that approach is shown in the open-plan living area, the heart of the home.
“What we want people to feel when they walk into this home is a sense of calm and space,” Lynette explains. “The connection to outdoors creates a really easy flow.”
The layout allows family members to spend time together while still having room to relax in their own way. Spaces connect naturally, and the indoor–outdoor design encourages movement throughout the home. “The big open-plan living area allows for a family to be together but also have their own space but not be locked away behind a door somewhere.”
It’s a design approach that supports everyday living, from busy mornings to quiet evenings at home.
The details that make a home feel personal
While layout and flow form the foundation of good design, it’s often the smaller touches that make a home feel truly personal. For Lynette, a home should never feel overly styled or uniform.
“To make a space feel like home, it has to have some individuality to it,” she says. “It can’t just feel like you’ve got it off a showroom floor.”
Instead, she focuses on bringing together pieces that feel layered and lived in, as though they’ve been collected over time.
“When pieces don’t all match perfectly, it creates a more relaxed and natural feeling. Even if you walk into a home that’s not your personal taste, you can still feel at home.”
Helping people visualise their future home
One of the biggest challenges for anyone building a home is imagining how everything will come together. Reviewing home designs, Pinterest and material samples all help, but seeing a space in person makes a powerful difference.
“For most people, it’s really hard to visualise what their new home is going to look like,” Lynette explains. “But to be able to actually walk through a home, see ideas, try things out, see various finishes and furnishings together, I think it really helps make the whole process of building your home easier and not as scary.”
Display Homes can offer that opportunity and allow future homeowners to see how design choices interact, how rooms connect and how a home will feel once it’s complete.
From concept to completion
Behind every finished interior is a thoughtful process that starts with understanding the structure of the home itself.
“My interior design journey starts with the floor plan,” Lynette says. “Seeing how the house works, seeing how rooms relate to each other, and the flow through the house.”
From there, inspiration is gathered and ideas begin to take shape. Materials, colours and textures are selected to support the overall concept, always with the finished space in mind.
Even when choosing early elements such as bathroom tiles, Lynette is already considering how furniture, lighting and styling will eventually bring the home together.
Building the layers of a home
When making selections at Home Collective, Lynette focuses first on the elements that form the foundation of the home.
“I start with tiles,” she explains. “Because your hard finishes are the things you can’t easily change.”
From there, the design builds in layers, flooring, cabinetry and finally paint colours. Once those core elements are in place, the finishing details bring the entire scheme to life.
“I often describe the final touches as the ‘jewellery’ of the home,” Lynette says.
Feature lighting, cabinet hardware and door handles may seem small, but they are the details homeowners interact with every day. “Those little things you touch every day,” she explains. “The ‘jewellery’, just lifts the whole space.”
A home designed to be lived in
Thoughtful design isn’t about creating a perfect showroom. It’s about creating a home that feels comfortable, functional and personal from the moment you walk in.
The Linden Display Home demonstrates how careful planning, considered materials and a focus on everyday living can shape spaces that feel calm, welcoming and long-lasting. In the end, good design isn’t just about how a home looks, it’s about creating a place that supports real life, for all the days you call it home.
Visit the Linden
On display at 11 Sesame Mews, Henley Brook. Open Hours:
Wednesday 2:00pm – 5:00pm
Weekends12:00pm – 5:00pm
Explore Display Homes
Experience the quality of a Dale Alcock home up close when you visit one of our display homes across Perth and the South West.
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