Built in 1981 by architect Espie Dodds, Smac Studio’s sensitive renovation of this
home ushers in a modern Sydney aesthetic. With the introduction of open plan
spaces, soft curves and elegant colour, the new house creates ample opportunities to connect with each other and the outdoors.
The owners wanted a haven for entertaining. A fashionable couple who love travel,
music and hosting, at the start of the project they said, “We want you to be really
creative.” They signed off on Smac Studio’s first round of hand sketches; early
drawings and finished rooms are almost identical. “At the beginning of a project, our
vision is at its clearest,” says Shona McElroy, principal of Smac Studio. “Right at
the start is when we think about the home in its entirety, all the linking features and
overall palette.” With every room staying true to the original concept, the finished house has remarkable unity.
“Of all the projects I’ve designed, this is the one I’m most proud of,” says McElroy.
“It perfectly encapsulates Smac Studio’s ethos and is completely aligned with my personal style.”
KEY DETAILS
Blush, green and cream
The colour palette accents pinks and greens, with a base of ecru, timber and bronze.
Green gestures are more sweeping, as the shade is more calm and timeless (for
example, the extensive green onyx used in the powder room). Pink gestures add
warmth, are more frequent and have been tied into furniture and lighting.
Materiality meets musicality
The homeowners collect records, play piano and wanted a music room for relaxation
and socialising. With a curved Pierre Augustin Rose sofa beneath artistic custom wall lights, the room feels both elegant and cosy.
Two new bathrooms inspired by Philo-era Celine stores
The distinctive tiling of Celine’s flagship floors under Phoebe Philo’s creative
direction inspired these bathrooms. Long strips of different coloured marble are laid
in jagged patterns, with colours pulling from the blush, green and cream palette.
Checkerboard tiling in pool echoes the kitchen
Blush and cream marble creates an eye-catching checkerboard floor in the kitchen,
which is echoed by burgundy and white tiling in the pool. The pattern repetition creates a playful indoor-outdoor visual connection.
Socialising ‘70s style
Inspired by conversation pits from the disco era, a U-shaped lounge in a warm blush
shade creates a comfy gathering space. Vintage green armchairs add to the ‘70s vibe.
Beautiful existing circular skylights were honoured
Architect Epsie Dodds designed circular skylights for this house in the ‘80s, which
have been preserved and highlighted in the new design. Where new skylights have
been added (for example, in the new bathrooms), they match Dodds original style.
Soft marble to the ceiling
Creamy Calacatta Oro marble in the kitchen reaches all the way to the ceiling,
cocooning the space in soft natural stone. Originally small and tucked away, post
renovation the kitchen takes centre stage with a large, social island.
Pink chandelier space was originally a bedroom
Initially the clients wanted to keep the original floor plan, but there was a strange lone
bedroom separating the kitchen and living spaces. That bedroom is now the room
with the pink Murano chandelier. It’s all been opened up, curved off and flooded with natural light, making it a much more connected and social space.
Upstairs layout reconfigured
McElroy relocated the master bedroom, making it open onto a north-facing terrace
and adding a walk-in wardrobe with a dressing table. The old master bedroom was
reconfigured to accommodate two bedrooms and a new bathroom.
