Photography: ESS Creative/ Styling: Bree Oliver
When Carina and her husband Phil found a generously sized home just a short walk from the beach on Sydney’s Lower North Shore, they were happy to overlook its tired interiors in exchange for the dream coastal lifestyle. “The house was completely rebuilt in 2000 and, while its design had solid foundations, the years were beginning to take their toll,” says Carina.
“The interior felt a bit ordinary, with a lot of tan wood joinery – nothing that sparked excitement.” A longing for more character and colour led the couple to Danielle Bonello- Dunsford of Danielle Victoria Design, who helped weave Carina and Phil’s love of British Colonial design, and their desire for greater functionality, into the refreshed interiors.
Who lives here?
Who? Carina and Phil, a married couple.
Where? Sydney’s Lower North Shore.
Original property? A generously scaled but uninspiring 2000s build.
Time frame? Six months.
Why renovate? To make the house as inspiring as the beachside location.
Must-haves? More colour and character, a private open-plan kitchen and integrated storage.
The works? Structural changes in the kitchen and family bathroom, with the rest of the home receiving an aesthetic refresh.
Favourite aspect? “It is a tie between the downstairs bedroom (we like it so much that we’ve made it our own rather than reserving it for guests) and the open-plan living room and kitchen,”says Carina.
The makeover
Having already embarked on an exterior renovation in 2019, Carina and Phil were eager to bring the interiors of their home up to the same standard. At the top of their wishlist was the kitchen, which was not only closed off from the living space, but also didn’t offer enough privacy.
“The original kitchen had one of those splashback windows that looked over to the neighbour’s pool, so they would always catch glimpses of each other,” explains Danielle.
Blocking up the problematic window and removing the dividing wall between the kitchen and living room created a more inviting, open-plan layout that naturally saw the cooking space transform into the new heart of the home. “The green marble island has become a central gathering spot for family and friends,” says Carina.
The renovation covered much of the home’s sizeable floor plan, with each room reimagined to better reflect the couple’s desire for a more classic style. Luxurious natural stone, brushed brass hardware and marble mosaic tiles are anchored in the fresh green palette. “The goal was to open up the kitchen and living room and add some real wow factor to the spaces – and we think we have achieved that,” says Carina.
Already dressed in Sanderson ‘Chiswick Grove’ wallpaper in Sage prior to the renovation, the main bedroom provided the perfect starting point for the soft green palette that continues throughout the home. In fact, Carina and Phil like it so much that they have made it their own room instead of reserving it for guests, as originally planned.
By knocking through the main bedroom wall to install fluted glass French doors, the underused family bathroom was transformed into a sophisticated and highly functional ensuite
A Victoria + Albert ‘Amiata 1500’ freestanding bath and Brodware ‘Neu England’ dual showers in Brushed Nordic Brass add luxe touches. The final flourish is Intrim wainscoting and the green Marble Mosaics ‘Lucille’ tiled splashback
“We love the colour green as it’s the shade most connected with nature. It’s also a versatile colour in interiors as it pairs well with materials like wood, linen, brass and stone.”
Carina, homeowner
Dulux Precision envelops the walls, ceiling and joinery in the moody guest bathroom. It’s complemented by Ijen Blue quartzite from Styled In Stone on the vanity top and Surface Gallery ‘Oxford’ wall tiles in Cobalt.
Thanks to considered cabinetry with subtle mesh detailing, the laundry is cleverly concealed within the guest bathroom. “Carina has a drying cupboard in there, space for the Dyson vacuum and an integrated ironing board. There are two laundry hampers, because the laundry doubles as a bathroom, so it had to look lovely as well,” says Danielle. Dulux Sage Monica softly coats the joinery.
Best advice
Carina went into the renovation with a flexible mindset, after being advised by friends that things don’t always go to plan. These pearls of wisdom proved useful when the homeowners needed to change course to work within their budget. “We were going to do detailed cornices, but it was going to add too much cost. Instead, we splurged on natural stone, high-end tapware and marble mosaic tiles,” says Danielle.
Lessons learnt
Carina and Phil lived in their home for five years before commencing their renovation journey. The exteriors were completed just before Covid and the couple had an additional four-year wait before undertaking the interior updates. Allowing the project to unfold in its own time ultimately paid off in the end, as they knew exactly what they needed and wanted from the interiors. “Patience makes perfect,” shares Carina.
Source Book
Interior design Danielle Victoria Design, daniellevictoria.com.au
Builder Tranquil Projects, tranquilprojects.com.au
Joinery CK Joinery, ckjoinery.com.au
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
