Springs Eternal Health-club entrepreneur Marcello Jimenez’s home is an oasis of Palm Springs style in the heart of Sydney.
Channelling the casual cool of mid-century California, the glamorous Sydney pad of health-club entrepreneur Marcello Jimenez is an oasis in the heart of the city.
With its dazzling whitepainted facade draped in bougainvillea, cactus and tall palm trees just visible over the fence, this mid-century house in Sydney’s east could easily be located in California. And that is exactly what the owner, health-club entrepreneur Marcello Jimenez, wanted.
When Marcello bought the three-storey house – once the Cambodian consulate – in 2014, it was very dated, with dark timber floors, an enclosed kitchen and 1980s decor. But the beauty of the 1950s design, by renowned Sydney architect Douglas Snelling, shone through.
Marcello says his vision was to “LA-ify” the property .“It’ s not a Frank Lloyd Wright house by any means, but between the home and the garden, it had a very Palm Springs feel.” He engaged interior architect/ designer Romy Alwill, principal of Alwill
Interiors, for the project. “I think the house was lacking focus and, as a result, soul,” says Romy. “There was plenty of space but it hadn’t been well allocated.”
The ground floor contains a sitting room, adjoining bedrooms for Marcello’s two children – daughter Arie, eight, and son Sol, five – a family bathroom, and a large open-plan kitchen/dining/living room with views over the pool and to the city beyond.
The lower-ground floor is largely the children’s domain. The generous family room is currently furnished comfortably yet practically for playtime. Marcello has plans for a circular leather sofa, but he’s waiting for the right time. “The kids are still young and I’m particular, so it’s fine as it is for now,” he says. There is also a
“It works really well as a family home now because of the way the spaces are organised.” Romy Alwill, interior designer
guestroom and bathroom and laundry on this level (a chute from the upper levels makes gathering the washing easier).
On the first floor, three small rooms were knocked through to create a luxurious penthouse-like main bedroom suite. The spacious room – divided into sleeping, dressing and bathing zones separated via sliding slatted-timber screens – opens directly to a balcony with panoramic views over the harbour and city. “This is a much richer feeling space than the rest of the house,” says Romy, who specified modern designer furniture, softly textured fabrics and a muted-peach paint colour (Dulux Christobel) for the walls.
“I think it really works well as a family home now because of the way the spaces are organised ,” says Romy. “There are three separate living areas, bedrooms and bathrooms on each level and a better connection to the garden and pool.”
There’s a bright and breezy feel throughout. An array of modern art enlivens the walls, including works by Australian artists Tim Storrier, George Raftopoulos and Charles Blackman to LA snap per George Burns and pieces by lesserknown artists bought at former paparazzo Darryn Lyons’ Sydney gallery.
“This was mostly a cosmetic makeover. We kept the defining features – large picture windows, coffered ceilings – and modernised it with interesting interior details.” Romy Alwill
“It’s been a long road but it’s very rewarding to sit here now and say ‘this looks great’.” Marcello Jimenez, owner
The house is built very close to the street and is of a substantial size – 550m2 on a 700m2 block. Marcello says the advantage of being sited so close to the street is that the rear garden is generous, in this case accommodating a pool, pool house and covered outdoor entertaining area with barbecue (all existing). Timber decking, sunloungers and a striped beach umbrella add to the laidback Californian ambience.
The pool had a beautiful shape which lent itself to the desired Palm Springs style, but the existing back garden was “bushy and busy”. Landscape designer Anthony Wyer of Wyer & Co overhauled the space, producing a fabulous desertinspired garden featuring an array of cacti, agaves and succulents. Mature palms that once separated the house from the pool were reused as accent plants around the property.
Marcello is delighted with the way the renovation has turned out – inside and out. “This home is one of my proudest achievements. It’s been a long road but it’s very rewarding to sit here now and say ‘this looks great’.” Alwill Interiors, Surry Hills, NSW; (02) 9699 5302 or alwill.com.au.
Wyer & Co, Potts Point, NSW;
(02) 9362 3333 or wyerandco.com.au.
“This home is one of my proudest achievements.” Marcello