When a well-travelled, retired lawyer asked Smac Studio to create original interiors
blending serenity with character, it was a very welcome challenge. “The client wanted
her home to feel timeless, feminine and elegant—but also with a bit of cool factor,” says Shona McElroy, Principal of Smac Studio.
Embracing and reflecting the lush garden was a priority, with olive green and
aubergine tones specified in the brief. Originally a very dark ‘90s build facing inwards,
small interventions to the layout made a big difference to how the client lives and
entertains. By changing a tucked away, U-shaped corner kitchen into a centred kitchen island focus has shifted out towards the garden.
“This house feels Parisian in a way I’ve always been drawn to,” says McElroy. “It uses
space cleverly and is a perfect reflection of the client. It really belongs to her.”
KEY DETAILS
The vividly patterned kitchen stone is actually granite. Hardy with a leathered finish, the client saw this slab as soon as she walked into the stone warehouse and instantly knew it was The One. Reflecting the verdant tones of the garden, it is featured on the kitchen island, splashback and fireplace mantle.
Whimsical, jewel-box powder room features William Morris wallpaper. One of the more classic and feminine powder rooms in the Smac Studio repertoire, the wallpaper has aubergine tones to tie in with the overall colour scheme. A curvy white stone vanity brings brightness into what could be an otherwise dark room.
A warm, distinctive entrance sets the tone for the rest of the house. Smac Studio is always strong on creating proper landing areas that welcome and set the mood. This entrance is a generous size for a special moment. The design plays with an aubergine checkerboard floor, wave rattan console and sunburst mirror.
The interior design needed to facilitate a more calm, minimalist style. A self-confessed maximalist with collections of bottles, teapots and shells from her travels, the owner needed design to help her declutter. “I find it really difficult, it’s not in my nature,” she says. Smac Studio purposefully reduced shelving so only hall-of-fame items win the prize of being displayed.
To ensure spaces felt unique, many pieces were purchased at auction. A Christophe Delcourt coffee table and mid-century bar cart, both purchased at auction, elevate and individualise the living room. The owner also bid on three mirrors in one night (including the sunburst at the entrance). Assuming she’d get at least one, she then went to bed—and woke up in the morning to three “congratulations, you’ve won” emails.
