Featured in Australian House & Garden: Heritage Harmony

WORDS JUDY PASCOE | STYLING OLGA LEWIS | PHOTOGRAPHY PRUE RUSCOE

Heritage harmony

Playful colour and a material depth add pizzazz to the forever home of a blended family in Sydney’s Inner West.

Sweeping city skyline views, a generous north-facing yard and heritage features gave this home instant appeal to buyers Rachel and Steve.

Creating a liveable, joyful environment for their blended families was top of mind and the 1930s-built California bungalow in Sydney’s Inner West offered great potential.

Located in a heritage conservation area, the brick house had undeniable charm although the two-storey extension at the rear was dated and not suited to contemporary living. The owners consulted Innovate Architects who introduced Alexandra Mason, director of Studio aem, to remodel the home, replacing the rear with a spacious extension.

Despite it taking three “tortuous” years to get council approval for the project, builder Mike Wales of Wales Built managed the work in less than 12 months.

“They did a fabulous job,” says Rachel.

With a brief to create a welcoming family home catering to the various ages and needs of the occupants, the designers delivered carefully zoned spaces that work effortlessly and reflect the owners’ personalities.

“They wanted colour, fun and individuality as well as elegance and timelessness, respecting the heritage characteristics while introducing a modern contrast,” says Alexandra.

The heritage facade, freshened with a coat of Dulux Teahouse, presents as a classic dwelling, belying the dynamic design inside.

Alexandra says the house feels playful yet maintains a sense of sophistication. A palette of natural materials – sandstone, oak, concrete and quartzite – anchors the scheme.

Three living areas provide private and communal family spaces for Rachel’s pre-teen daughters and Steve’s visiting adult children.

Four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a powder room complement the living and dining areas, open-plan kitchen, wine cellar, deck, plunge pool and sauna.

A lively mix of colours has given the home a mood of youthful exuberance amplified by whimsical details.

“Rachel loves vibrant hues and is brave with her use of colour,” says Alexandra. “Fortunately, Steve was open-minded and went along for the ride!”

Midnight blue velvet wallpaper and a tangerine velvet bedhead are bold expressions of colour in the main bedroom.

The proximity to the garden adds lush green to the palette, as does the blue of the pool. Vivid artworks by Mitchell Cheesman and Kasper Raglus, patterned cushions by Tigger Hall Design and Perryman Carpets, and limited-edition pieces, such as the ‘Sphere’ chair by Hegi Design House, catch the eye.

Alexandra selected new flooring: warm brown herringbone timber in the original part of the house, and at the threshold of the extension, ‘Doga’ Botticino mosaics with pops of terracotta, grey and black.

Each bathroom has its own personality. The main ensuite is wrapped in glamorous glazed black ceramic tiles offset by a sandstone wall, concrete floor and Pietra Basaltina vanity top. On the ground floor, pink and white prevail with classic marble mosaic floor tiles with pink dots, an ice pink border tile and white wall mosaics.

The powder room is finished with grey tumbled marble cobblestones, a dark grey stone vanity and a moody wallpapered ceiling, while the bathroom near the study is washed in deep blue variegated ceramic tiles.

In the open-plan, soaring pitched ceilings and high glazing admit an abundance of natural light and views to the Harbour Bridge and city. The kitchen features joinery by Leading Edge Kitchens in grey green and dark timber veneer, leathered quartzite benchtops and a sandstone splashback.

For Rachel and Steve, this is a great space for cocktail parties and dinners with the city lights twinkling in the background.

FORMAL LIVING

Original heritage leadlight windows and decorative ceilings have been preserved. Curtains in Unique By Chivasso ‘Two Tone’ and ‘City Velvet’, Unique Fabrics. Antique chandelier. Amura ‘Noa’ armchairs and Missoni ‘Inntil’ sofa, all Winnings. SP01 ‘Mohana’ coffee table, Space. Vase by Kelly Brown, The DEA Store. ‘Marco’ rug, The Rug Est. Opposite The new extension is delineated by tumbled Botticino floor tiles from Aeria Country Floors, inset with Nero, Grigio Carnico and Rosso Verona stone. ‘Sphere’ chair, Hegi Design House. Artwork in hallway by Constantine Popov. Artwork above sofa by unknown artist. Floor in Black Raven engineered oak, Antique Floors.

COLOUR PALETTE

Dulux Teahouse (exterior)

Taubmans Dragonstone (kitchen joinery and powder room)

Porter’s Paints Watermark (interior walls)

KITCHEN

Top and bottom left Joinery painted Taubmans Dragonstone and in NAV Navurban Ashgrove, Leading Edge Kitchens.

Island in Bianco Alpi quartzite, Gitani Stone. Splashback sandstone, Eco Outdoor. Pendant, Vode. Fisher & Paykel appliances and

Zip ‘HydroTap’, all Winnings. Astra Walker mixer, Sydney Tap & Bathroomware. Vase, The DEA Store.

STAIRS

Treads in ‘Classic’ engineered oak in Nude by Antique Floors. Stone mosaics by Aeria Country Floors announce the new extension.

DINING

Opposite Table, MCM House. Chairs and stool, all Voyager Interiors. Pendants, Urban Lighting. Vase, Curatorial+Co.

THE CELLAR

Make any space work for your best vintages.

SELECT THE LOCATION

Find a cooler location away from windows and vents, with higher humidity levels (around 70%) and a fairly consistent temperature, between 12–14°C.

PLAN TO SUIT

Choose a storage system that can grow to fit your collection. Wine bottles come in different shapes and sizes, so having a variety of shelving with flexibility will help.

SPACE SAVERS

‘Titoa’ bar cabinet, $7299, Freedom. ROOM NOTES ‘Vino Series’ wine display system, Vintage View. Walls in ‘Barming’ stone cladding, Eco Outdoor. Artwork by Jasper Knight.
“Bottles with corks store better on their side; they need to be turned on occasion so they don’t dry out.”
— ALEXANDRA MASON, DESIGNER

Blessed with a basement level, this Sydney home had the ideal space for generous wine storage, tucked under concrete stairs and not far from the lower ground rumpus room. “The owners are lovers of fine wines,” says Studio e am director Alexandra Mason. “We opted for a walk-in wine room due to the naturally occurring temperature-controlled element to the space.” The floor-to-ceiling pinned shelving system by Vintage View is surrounded by sandstone cladding, steel-framed glazing and soft concealed lighting. “A mirrored end wall with floating shelves created a sense that the wine area was larger and bounces the light around the space,” adds Alexandra

RUMPUS ROOM

Leading out to the pool and garden, this room is a favourite spot. ‘Jasper’ sofa, King Living. Cushions, Tigger Hall Design and Perryman Carpets. Coffee table, owners’. Bowl, Mesa by Tony. Flos ‘Snoopy’ lamp, Euroluce. Rug, Cadrys. Opposite top Purely artwork by Kasper Raglus, Curatorial+Co. ‘La Palma’ floor lamp, East Wing Studio. On shelves, from top Copper bowl, Watertiger. Vase, Orient House. Bowl by Kelly Brown, The DEA Store.

OUTDOORS

Cushion, Jardan. Bonsai, Tildys Studio Living.

MAIN BEDROOM

The ground-floor main bedroom leads to the pool and garden. Wall in Phillip Jeffries ‘Velvet Cocoon’ in Inky Twilight. Bedhead in Barkley in col.49, Verve Designer Collections. ‘Rune’ linen bedcover in Mulberry, Jardan.

ENSUITE

Arute ‘Kohsuta’ wall tiles in Black, Artedomus. Bath wall in ‘Barrimah’ cladding, Eco Outdoor. Vanity in Eveneer Alpi Xilo Grey, Elton Group. Vanity top in Pietra Basaltina stone, Artedomus. Joseph Giles hardware, Keeler Hardware. Astra Walker ‘Icon +’ tapware, Sydney Tap & Bathroomware. Articolo ‘Fizi’ wall lights, Est Lighting. Claybrook ‘Skye’ bath, Winnings. Vase by Kelly Brown, The DEA Store.

POOL

The plunge pool was an important addition, says designer Alexandra. Fence painted Dulux Monument. Pool coping in Travertine Grigio Chiaro, STS Stone. Emu ‘Re-trouvé’ chair, The Merchants Warehous

THIS IS THE LIFE

As well as providing several distinct spaces for entertaining, including the ground-floor rumpus room and the upstairs living/dining area with panoramic city views, the home also offers some of the attributes of a wellness retreat. Keen exercisers and bike riders, the family makes the most of the plunge pool and sandstone-lined sauna after a day out riding or a weekend camping.

THE SOURCE

‘Slavia’ crystal chandelier in Silver Leaf, $4495, Beacon Lighting.
Victoria & Albert ‘Barcelona’ freestanding bath in Gloss White (1800mm), $6915, Harvey Norman.
‘Riad’ tile in Red (10x10cm), POA, Signorino.
Overlapping Geometry 13 framed canvas (70x50cm), $299, Art and Framing Co.
‘Bengal Tiger’ velvet cushion, $210, Homme Upholstery Studio.
Handmade Mid-century brass wall light, $529, The Lighting Agency.
Wendelbo ‘Boketto’ four-seater sofa, $7360, Trit House.
‘Serenade’ marble bedside table, $1420, King Living.
Astier de Villatte ‘Adélaïde’ salad bowl, $630, Abask.
Ellison Studios ‘Block’ rectangle coffee table, $1699, Life Interiors.