Andrea Whitely: Matt and Medine Mazzuchelli’s Karrinyup garden is a masterclass in modern coastal style

The Karrinyup garden of Matt and Medine Mazzuchelli is a masterclass in modern coastal style — an inviting space that reflects both the changing needs of their home and the pace of family life.

“We love where we live. It’s so convenient to everything, so we decided to renovate,” Medine says.

“What began as a garden designed with young children in mind — complete with lawn, a cubby house and a trampoline — has matured into an elegant grown-ups’ retreat, perfectly aligned with the renovation of their 18-year-old home just two years ago.”

Behind a dense Viburnum tinus hedge in the front garden, a velvety green buffalo lawn provides a canvas for Maggie, the family’s adored border collie, who treats it as her personal rolling pad. Matt devotes about two hours each week to mowing and generally tidying up.

“I use Scotts Lawn Builder, as well as some Seasol every now and again,” Matt says, while Medine weeds and clips the Westringia spheres.

Corten steel edging around climate-resilient plants completes the look. Together, they keep their garden in tip-top shape — proof that low maintenance doesn’t have to mean low effort. Combining smart plant choices with a commitment to thoughtful caretaking and design delivers brilliant results.

Mature white-flowering frangipanis and slender Pyrus ‘Capital’ provide the enduring deciduous bones. These foundation plants allowed the second-stage renovation to feel seamless.

Chris Wright from Wright Landscape Solutions was engaged when the Mazzuchellis first built. “The pool needed resurfacing, so we asked Chris to assist again with both the pool and the garden renovation. He has done a great job,” Medine says.

At the heart of the design is elegant simplicity paired with lush greenery. Structure from the mature plantings of the first installation complements the new border plantings, which fill the gaps using textured foliage such as variegated Sansevieria for height, Kalanchoe ‘Copper Spoons’ for colour, a selection of grasses for movement, and deep-green Ligularia reniformis in the shady spots near the outdoor bar.

One of the biggest transformations occurred where the kids’ play spaces once dominated.

“The garden has grown as our family has,” says Medine, and the new layout reflects that shift in tempo.

The garden now features sophisticated adult zones: a bar area for summer afternoons, an outdoor fireplace for cooler coastal evenings, and long, stylish pavers softened by hardy Dymondia creeping between them, where lawn once grew. The result is a modern, usable space with punctuations of grey foliage that flows effortlessly, designed for entertaining and everyday enjoyment.

The pool received a striking refresh, too, with a small section of sleek black fencing in place of the original glass, bringing dramatic variation to the surrounding greenery — another nod to the modern coastal brief.

Offering elevated casual refinement: a place to unwind with a cold beer or a glass of wine, a place that sets the scene for generous hospitality, and most importantly, the place the Mazzuchelli family calls home.