A Sensory Redesign of Chandon’s Historic Yarra Valley Homestead
Blending heritage charm with contemporary craft, Chandon’s homestead by Melanie Beynon Architecture & Design offers a richly layered setting for celebration, storytelling, and sparkling moments.
Words HANDE RENSHAW Photos SASKIA WILSON
A warm interplay of heritage and craft unfolds in the Green Point Lounge at Chandon Homestead, where sculptural furniture, custom lighting and layered textures echo the richness of Yarra Valley’s landscape.
The Green Point Lounge features a palette of natural textures, sculptural forms, and artisanal detail.
Custom door piece by Susie Stanford.
A sculptural mirrored form reframes the Green Point Lounge, reflecting Chandon Homestead’s layered approach to materiality, detail, and contemporary storytelling within a heritage setting.
“Our role as interior designers transcended to being collaborative curators of space, layering our custom designed joinery, finishes and lighting with objects and art referencing local environment.”
A custom handwoven wall hanging by Emma Shepherd depicts the local Yarra River.
Kristin Burgham’s porcelain Chandon sparkling bottles—the presence of art is part of the storytelling experience within the space.
Custom shelving, handcrafted vessels and a curated display of Chandon bottles set the tone for the layered storytelling that unfolds throughout the interior.
Chandon’s Homestead layers brass shelving and sculptural furniture echoing the house’s refined approach to storytelling through design.
Thoughtfully restored and reimagined by Melanie Beynon Architecture & Design, Chandon’s historic Green Point homestead in Victoria’s Yarra Valley is a layered expression of hospitality, storytelling, and craftsmanship.
Guided by the motto ‘Hosting with Heart’, the project embraces a warm, residential sensibility across its three key spaces: reception and retail, the Green Point Lounge, and the intimate Vintage Room.
Located on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country, the design draws deeply from its surroundings—the cool-climate landscape, the volcanic soil, and the refined winemaking tradition. ‘We reimagined the interior by layering custom joinery, finishes, and lighting with objects and art referencing the local environment and Chandon’s heritage,' says director Melanie Beynon Architecture & Design, Melanie Beynon.
The result is a rich material narrative: warm earthy tones, raw textures and tactile finishes are offset with sleek, reflective surfaces to balance rustic charm with contemporary elegance. The design references terroir through colour and materiality—sandy clay hues, timber grains, volcanic reds—while incorporating polished moments that echo the refinement of Chandon’s sparkling wine.
A deep collaboration with local makers underpins the project. Artists and artisans were engaged for works that speak to place and practice—from Emma Shepherd’s handwoven wall hanging of the Yarra River to plaster casts of Chandon bottles by Kristin Burgham. Pieces by Kate Tucker, Indivi Sutton, and ceramicists including Tessy King, Minhi Park, and Lauren Joffe appear throughout, alongside custom furniture by Barbera, Grazia&Co, and Jordan Fleming.
In the Green Point Lounge, a custom mirrored servery acts as a functional showpiece—its pivoting screens revealing or concealing food and beverage service to enhance the sensory experience of each gathering. ‘Chandon wanted their guests to feel at home,’ says Melanie, ‘so we designed with comfort, intimacy and atmosphere in mind.’
Ambient lighting, soft furnishings, greenery and scent complete the space, resulting in a mood that is equal parts generous and grounded. Rather than overwrite history, the design elevates it—offering visitors a place not only to taste but to feel the story of the land, the makers, and the sparkling moments shared within it.
