In an era of fast furniture and micro trends, it’s rare to meet a person who will spend hours dismantling and assembling an intricate chandelier every time they move house.
The Real Housewives of Sydney alum Nicole O’Neil is one such rare person, and one who appreciates a well-crafted chair or obscure, original artwork. Having launched businesses, hosted elaborate parties and raised thousands for charity, she’s also no stranger to hard, methodical work.
Above her formal living room in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs is the ‘Butterfly Ball’ pendant by English maker, Boatswain Lighting. “It’s a beautiful, big chandelier that I bought in Dubai in 2008 at a home furniture show,” recalls Nicole.
“It’s all white ceramic pressed onto antique lace, which casts the most dazzling light. But every time we’ve moved, I’ve had to unscrew every single butterfly so you can actually transport it, then hand-screw it all back together!”
And Nicole has relocated a lot, along with husband, Adam, and daughters Nawal, 20, and Neve, 19. The family lived in Dubai and London before settling back in Australia almost a decade ago. “London was a great place for the girls to grow up,” she says.
“It’s a very cosmopolitan city. People say Sydney’s a melting pot, but London is a melting pot on steroids.” After an extensive search Down Under, Nicole and Adam found the perfect blank canvas of a house, just 200 metres from where Nicole grew up.
“When you move enough times, you know what you want,” she says. “I knew straight away I could make this house my own. There was something magical about it.”
The renovation
The modern five-bedroom manse was reduced to its bare bones and reimagined with timeless, Nicole-approved finishes — with help from architecture and interior design firm Felton Studio.
Nicole was drawn to the studio’s portfolio, attention to detail and that it is a family-run operation. “They’re just the nicest people to deal with,” she explains. “You hear these horror stories about renovating, but I would do it again tomorrow.”
Nicole coveted a formal entertainer’s home but also wanted guests to feel they could kick off their stilettos and flop onto the Baker sofa.
“I envisioned interiors that were classic in design, with dark timber floorboards and beautiful wainscoting — almost like a Dior showroom,” she explains. “But at the same time, I wanted it to feel ‘young’, and a home anyone would feel comfortable in.”
Adding the layers
To achieve this, Nicole layered her home with treasured, often edgy, artworks and décor, collected over her many years of globetrotting. The family room features an artwork by the English painter, Endless. “It’s of Queen Elizabeth, but her name is Lizzie Vuitton, and she’s poking her tongue out,” describes Nicole.
“I bought it from a street artist in London who delivered it to my house with a bandana over his mouth — it was just in a cheap frame. He was this young, cool kid, and was so excited that I’d bought it. He was eventually picked up by a big gallery, and his works are now worth a fortune.”
The colour scheme in the formal dining room was inspired by a pastel Limoges dinner set Nicole and Adam received as a wedding gift.
“I had spotted the set years earlier in Paris and dreamt one day it would take pride of place in my dining room,” she told Home Beautiful earlier this year. “I then matched the six colours to some linen fabric to create the chairs.”
So, when Nicole spotted gorgeous hydrangea photographs by Rachel Levy in a gallery in London, she knew they’d complement the palette perfectly. Also elevating her elegant dining room is the Swarovski chandelier Nicole sourced while living in Dubai.
Then, there’s the resplendent rug that sits between the formal dining and lounge, which Nicole bought in Beirut. It pops alongside a pink Troy Emery silky draped sculpture. “People comment every time they see them,” she says.
“We have framed, antique butterflies on the wall, which I bought from Portobello Road in London. I remember speaking to the girl who was selling it; it was from her great-grandfather’s collection. He was a Belgian lepidopterist.
It’s the memories, stories and places attached to these pieces that make a house a home,” explains Nicole. “While they might not mean something to everyone, they mean a lot to me.”
How Nicole lives
Yes, Nicole and Adam’s home is pretty from every POV, but it’s also highly functional. With a six-metre kitchen island bench and wide double ovens, the kitchen is a foodie’s dream.
“I’m the type of person who will either cook for the two of us, or cook for 24,” laughs Nicole, who hosts a cooking channel on YouTube with fellow Housewives, Krissy Marsh and Victoria Montano. “I do a lot of vegetarian salads.”
With a background as a professional event planner, Nicole doesn’t entertain by halves. “We had a foam party for Neve’s 13th in the backyard; we’ve hosted 150 people for a sit-down dinner in a marquee. We even had a sushi train on the island bench once!”
Adam, on the other hand, does not cook. “He’s a very good cleaner,” quips Nicole.
While the couple have toyed with the idea of selling the house — and they’re currently based in New York, launching health brand BonPatch in the US — only a real-estate unicorn could inspire them to up sticks permanently.
“What we have is very hard to replicate, so it would have to be a very special property to replace this,” says Nicole. “I really do love my home.”
