Designed for Living

FTLO Design × Koala at Napoleon House

Project Feature | Words by FTLO Design | Photography by Dylan James

In the leafy suburb of Eltham, FTLO Design Director, Taeler, reimagines a 1970s Merchant Builders home into Napoleon House — a tranquil, tactile residence designed for everyday living.

Partnering with Koala, Taeler curated a collection of furniture and bedding that captures the heart of her design ethos: spaces that feel calm, comfortable and deeply connected to the people who live in them.

A Bedroom Made for Slow Mornings

Natural texture and tone define the bedrooms. The Koala Timber Bed Base and Bed Head act as sculptural anchors — timeless in form, crafted from sustainably sourced timber. Dressed in Koala’s 100% French Linen Bedding, the bed becomes a textural composition of layered softness and simplicity.

“The tactile quality of Koala’s linen brings calm to the room,” says Taeler. “It softens the architecture and gives you permission to slow down — to open the windows, to breathe.”

Completing the setting, Koala’s award-winning mattresses provide comfort engineered for longevity, creating a restful retreat that feels effortlessly luxurious yet authentically lived-in.

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A Living Space Built Around Connection

At the centre of Napoleon House sits the living room — a space designed quite literally around one defining piece: the Koala Corner Couch.

“The room was designed for this sofa,” explains Taeler. “Its generous proportions shaped the space. It needed to feel embracing and intimate, the kind of spot you sink into and stay awhile.”

The couch’s soft, rounded lines and natural upholstery echo the home’s earthy palette and architectural restraint. Surrounded by gentle light and views of the treetops beyond, the room becomes both sanctuary and social heart — an ode to the idea that comfort and design can be one and the same.

Conscious Comfort

At the core of both brands lies a shared philosophy: sustainability without compromise. Every Koala piece in Napoleon House — from its solid timber frames to its OEKO-TEX® certified linens — is crafted with responsibility and transparency.

For FTLO Design, this alignment was essential. “Koala’s approach to design feels human,” Taeler says. “They think about how things are made, how they’re used, and how they make people feel. That’s the kind of design that lasts.”

A Home that Feels Alive

Through her collaboration with Koala, Taeler has created interiors that are warm, honest and quietly sophisticated. The pieces don’t compete with the architecture — they complete it.

In Napoleon House, comfort is the constant thread. It’s there in the softness of linen, the warmth of timber, and the curve of a couch made for conversation. Together, FTLO Design and Koala remind us that great design is not just about how a home looks — it’s about how it feels to live in.