When Shona McElroy’s partner Hamish decided to propose, it was only fitting he chose the sunroom in their beloved Sydney home as the location. “Sunday mornings with the windows open, sun shining in and a coffee on the couch are my favourite,” Shona says.
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A marble kitchen island was a nonnegotiable for Shona. “The CDK Stone Calacatta Verde marble allowed me to draw so much subtle colour into the space,” she says. “The green, burgundy, gold and turquoise veining creates such a beautiful statement.” It complements the creamy tones of the living room. (Credit: Photographer: Dave Wheeler )
This room, with its wrap-a-round windows and sweeping views across Sydney Harbour, also happened to be the space that drew Shona to the 1920s Spanish Missionary-style apartment when she first saw it in late 2023. “My mind was buzzing with opportunities,” says Shona, whose experience as the principal of Smac Studio pushed her to look past the awkward layout. “The style of the building, with its sandstone archways, high ceilings, and ornate cornicing, gave way to features you so rarely find in apartments these days,” says Shona.
The living-cum-sunroom, with its ’70s-inspired conversation pit-style sofa, upholstered in Zepel’s ‘Woolskin’ fabric in Marzipan, is Shona’s favourite area of the apartment. “It’s such a great space to sit and watch the coming and goings of the harbour, curl up and watch TV with my partner or host a party. The lounge itself is custom designed by us so I could be particular with fabric, foam, size and style choices,” Shona says. The sculptural ‘Moreau’ hanging light from The End Piece lends a sense of near-classical grandness to the space, drawing the eye up to appreciate other ornate touches, including the detailed cornices. (Credit: Photographer: Dave Wheeler )
With these heritage features naturally lending themselves to the Parisian-style interiors Shona had always admired, the renovation provided a chance to bring a moodier, European palette into the light-filled Sydney space.
The apartment takes in idyllic views of Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs and the iconic harbour. (Credit: Photographer: Dave Wheeler )
The apartment is just as beautiful in the darkness of a swirling storm as it is on a sunny day with the windows open and the breeze blowing in.” Shona McElroy, interior designer and homeowner.
Renovating an older apartment
A series of bold abstract artworks adorn the walls, including (opposite, from left) ‘Lust Moon’ by Jonny Niesche, ‘Bone’ by Gia Marie and ‘Imagine’ by Peter Summers. A Paolo Castelli stool complements the marble dining table. (Credit: Photographer: Dave Wheeler)
Shona reimagined the apartment through a series of structural changes, the most significant being the relocation of the kitchen to the space adjoining the sunroom to create an open-plan kitchen and living area. The original galley kitchen was converted into a petite boudoir.
An oval marble table (a stunning Facebook Marketplace find) and blush-toned built-in banquette seat cleverly squeeze a dining space and additonal under-bench storage into the open-plan kitchen and living area.Antique-style bronze can lights subtly assist the sparkling Murano chandelier with lighting. (Credit: Photographer: Dave Wheeler )
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Drawing upon her love of Parisian Haussmann apartments and French designers like Joseph Dirand, Shona enveloped the apartment in soft blush hues, swathes of statement marble and a glamorous vintage lighting scheme. “I didn’t ever want to have overhead lighting as the main source, so every room has sconces,” Shona says. Even the chevron ‘Penza’ flooring from Tongue & Groove is anchored in European elegance. “I intentionally went with darker flooring to move away from the usual Australiana feeling,” Shona explains.
Enveloped in a dusky shade of Wattyl Copra, the second living area is a true luxury in an inner-city apartment. “If Hamish decides the Real Housewives is too loud for him, he retreats to what we fondly refer to as ‘his pink room’,” Shona jokes. Small details, such as the sheer Decorating Decor Interiors Roman blind, Bloomingdales Lighting wall lights and the Own World sofa with a custom fringed skirt, evoke a romantic mood.(Credit: Photographer: Dave Wheeler )
Space saving tricks in a small apartment
A guest bed layered with Ivy Lane cushions and In Bed bedding serves as a relaxing public daybed before transforming to a private guest bedroom with the close of a curtain when needed. (Credit: Photographer: Dave Wheeler )
The apartment’s clean, clutter-free look is no accident. “I have designed this space to be easy to organise – and stay organised. Everything that’s out is out with a purpose,” says Shona. Storage is squeezed underneath beds and under the dining banquette, while appliances are tucked neatly away inside kitchen cupboards with marble shelves and concealed powerpoints. But Shona didn’t simply hide her appliances.
The main bedroom exudes a vintage elegance with a deep red Coco Republic bed base, Rachel Donath burlwood bedside table and fur wall light from Bloomingdales Lighting (Credit: Photographer: Dave Wheeler )
Perhaps most effectively, she reduced the number of them as well in a series of smart swaps. “We have a hot water tap so there’s no need for a kettle,” she explains. Thanks to clever design, guests are unlikely to notice the location of the laundry and the linen cupboard. In a neat trick, these spaces are “tucked off the entrance in a pushcatch door the same colour as the wall,” she says.
While the main suite is spacious, there are more restrictive areas. Shona maximised the floor plan in the guest bedroom with multipurpose furniture, including a daybed-cum-guest bed. (Credit: Photographer: Dave Wheeler )
“I am fond of its ability to shift moods and cater for many things,” Shona McElroy, interior designer and homeowner.
Swathes of marble flow into the ensuite bathroom, gracing the Calacatta Oro marble vanity from Marble Hub, the shower walls and the mirror trim. (Credit: Photographer: Dave Wheeler )
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Inigo Jones & Co tiles, designed in a custom pattern by Smac Studio, add a layer of interest to the floor in the ensuite, as well as the shower in the main bathroom. (Credit: Photographer: Dave Wheeler )
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Photographer: Dave Wheeler
