Photography: Anson Smart, Styling: Kirsten Bookallil
Treating themselves paid off handsomely for Anne and Bernard, owners of this elegant penthouse in Sydney’s east. After living here for 10 years, they wanted to give it a makeover, a breath of fresh air befitting its stunning harbour views. But they had very different ideas on what that should be.
“My husband is far more daring than I am,” says penny-wise Anne. “He wanted a complete overhaul of the apartment, whereas I was happy adding a pantry, enlarging our laundry and updating our furnishings. But I’m thrilled we went his way!” So, too, was interior designer Marylou Sobel and her then-lead designer, Stephanie Nadel, who took on the more ambitious brief.
Who lives here?
Anne and Bernard, empty-nesters in their 70s, and their frequently visiting three adult children, their partners and six grandchildren.
Biggest splurge? Anne: “Starting all over again with the furniture – we bought everything new, apart from my late mother’s antique sofa, which we had to include. And those two red wall
lights in the lounge weren’t cheap, but they are such a feature.”
Favourite space? “Where do I start? I love the kitchen and the pantry at the end of the kitchen, divided by a TV cabinet and fluted glass. I love my lounge; it’s so calm and light. And
I love the beautiful dining table.”
Where do you spend your time? “In the kitchen or in the TV room, which we call the snug, while Bernard spends time in his new study.”
There was plenty to love when the couple bought the apartment in 2009, which they saw from afar when living overseas, thanks to video tours from their son. It ticked many boxes, says Anne, with three bedrooms, generous living spaces, a seamless open plan, water views and, most importantly, no stairs: “We are getting older, so that was not negotiable”.
The third-floor, north-facing balcony sealed the deal for the couple. But it was far from perfect. While the spaces were open plan, they were too open. “The patio, lounge, kitchen and study were all one room,” says Anne, who wanted a dedicated space for TV viewing and me-time, while Bernard needed a separate work area.
While quite large, the kitchen was elongated and plain, and seriously undercooked as an entertaining hub. A second oversized bathroom hogged space that could be better used.
Divergent tastes also had to be accommodated. “I love colour, especially rich reds and oranges but not overthe-top, while my hubby prefers monotones,” says Anne. Marylou and Stephanie redesigned the kitchen, with a dining table attached to one end of a generous island and a pantry concealed behind fluted glass at the other. The former study was transformed into a snug or media room, closed off with steel-framed doors.
“Each light fitting is an artwork” Marylou
“This was for light and aesthetics. With other internal glazing it allows light to filter down the passage,” says Marylou. Meanwhile, the huge family bathroom was sliced in half and the bath removed, providing the laundry Anne desired. The third bedroom was repurposed as a study for Bernard, with a sofa letting it double as a guest room. And the under-used balcony is fit for entertaining, with a built-in barbecue, dining table and low-maintenance, potted succulents (Anne admits she is no green thumb).
“With an emphasis on comfort, luxury and longevity, we’ve integrated soft neutrals and layered textures to create a calm environment,” says Marylou. Generous helpings of luxe travertine in the kitchen, green quartzite in the living room bar and grey marble in the laundry combine with warm mid-tone timbers and Rockcote Otsumigaki plaster wall finishes.
Warm brass highlights add a final flourish throughout. “These materials lend richness and texture, interacting beautifully with the natural light and providing visual continuity from one space to the other,” says Marylou. “And the palette is warm and inviting, while also being subtle and timeless.”
WE LOVE…walls of wonder
Tactile ‘Aberdeen’ linen wallpaper by S Harris flows through the main bedroom suite and into the walk-in robe, treating the walls to a beautiful, textural finish. Throughout the interiors, Marylou cloaked expanses of vertical space with soft floor-to-ceiling sheers and curtains, which bring gentle movement. Elsewhere, walls are plastered in Rockcote ‘Otsumigaki’, a clay and lime mix with a silky finish. For
more, visit rockcote.com.au.
The furniture and lighting add another luxurious layer. “All of the pieces were painstakingly chosen for their form, materiality, textures and colours,” explains Marylou. “With its two rounded pedestals, The Wood Room dining table is both grand and modern.
A design classic, the Giorgetti ‘Hug’ armchair in the snug boasts such beautiful lines and it’s so comfortable.”
Anne’s favourite features in her light-filled abode? “I love absolutely everything. We spent 10 times as much as I had originally envisaged, but it was so worth it. Bernard said, ‘Let’s do this, because we will never want to do a major renovation again’.” And these chic, timeless spaces ensure they will never be tempted.
ensure the space gets plenty of use after the sun goes down(Credit: Photography: Anson Smart, Styling: Kirsten Bookallil)
Source Book
Interior design Marylou Sobel Interior Design, marylousobel.com.au
Builder Critharis, critharis.com
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