State Of Grace
Yearning for something “never seen before”, the owner of this 1880s semi in Sydney put her faith in a fresh designer who was game to push the boundaries.
Victorian opulence, but not as you know it.
When Beverley Bosman was planning to remodel her stately inner-Sydney home in 2017, she really wanted to loosen the grand old lady’s corsets. Forget prim and proper for this Victorian: Beverley wanted a home that was dynamic and contemporary, but respectful of its past. Who better to bring new life to those beautiful 1880s bones than spatial designer Alexandra Marrotte of Amarot, who was then fresh from university and bursting with novel ideas from a Millennial’s perspective? “Alexandra was a friend of my son Oscar’s from university,” says Beverley. “I knew she had studied design, so I asked her for ideas about renovating my kitchen.” Such was the rapport between the homeowner and the young designer that the friendly advice mushroomed into a professional project embracing the entire house, including the garden.
Beverley and her late husband bought the semi-detached house in 1983, attracted by its Victorian architecture. “We really loved Victorian houses and specifically looked for one with its original features intact. We liked the character: the high ceilings, Italianate cornices, ceiling roses and the deep, deep skirting boards.” In the ensuing years, Beverley’s husband, a French polisher and cabinetmaker, lovingly deconstructed and restored the period details from architraves to skirting boards. The couple also replaced the kitchen and bathrooms, all while raising Oscar and his sister Emily, who still live in the home.
When Alexandra first visited, Beverley presented her with a brief that any designer, let alone one just launching their career, would find exciting and daunting in equal measures: “I want something I have never seen before”. But there was more. “I wanted to work with someone who is passionate, with fresh ideas, and who was willing to push my boundaries,” says Beverley. “That said, we had paid a premium for a Victorian house with its original features intact, so I wanted to maintain its integrity. I love the high ceilings and the polished woodwork, but I don’t want to live in a time capsule. I wanted the layout simplified and adapted for modern living, lots of natural light, better ventilation, and, because I love to cook, a bigger kitchen complete with walk-in pantry.” Storage, a feature sorely lacking in traditional Victorian homes, was also on the wish list. And plenty of it. Layout-wise, the original section of the house was little changed, with separate but connected living and dining rooms fronting onto each other and two bedrooms above them. Surprisingly, that section posed one of the trickiest elements of the renovation: reinstalling the dismantled architraves and skirtings. “Working out what went where was like putting a jigsaw puzzle together,” says Alexandra.
A heritage overlay meant that any additions had to remain within the building’s existing footprint, but they were able to demolish the termite-damaged rear section to create a schmick new kitchen on the ground floor and two bedrooms above. To eke out even more space, Alexandra designed a balcony for the rear bedroom that cantilevers over a small courtyard, while banks of doors abutting the patio open up the kitchen. In order to boost the brightness, Alexandra suggested installing a series of skylights. Beverley was initially reluctant to include them, but is now totally won over.
In keeping with the home’s origins, each room had to feel individual and boast rich colour, both typical of late 19th-century homes of this calibre. “I thought of the rooms as chapters in a book, keeping the overall ‘language’ and tone consistent,” says Alexandra. Cohesion is created by an integrated palette as well as the furniture choices.
“I definitely didn’t want all-white,” says Beverley, which topped the list of what she had “seen before”. “I was after something different and unique, and Victorian houses traditionally had lots of colour.” Accordingly, Alexandra chose a palette of jewel hues, including “dark and moody” ruby, garnet and sapphire to deliver the desired richness and glamour. In the living room, emerald satin curtains contrast with a topaz velvet sofa. “It’s luxurious, but not over the top,” says Alexandra.
Timber was also off Beverley’s wish list – initially, at least. “I was over woodwork, because there was so much of it already .” But Alex and ra pushed her boundaries by suggesting it for the kitchen cupboards to add warmth and, most daringly, for the ceiling, to contrast with the tiled floor. The benches are topped with honed granite because Beverley preferred not to have shiny surfaces in her house, a principle that extends to the textured matt wall finishes throughout. “We had fun exploring materiality, mixing cement tiles, stones, veneers and special wall washes and a timber ceiling,” says Alexandra.
When it comes to furnishings, there’s no hint of the stuffy, bloated styles synonymous with the Victorian era. Everything here is streamlined and contemporary, creating a striking contrast with the home’s intricate detailing and helping to unify the spaces. “We opted for contemporary furniture to create juxtaposition with the ornate architectural
“WE HAD FUN EXPLORING MATERIALITY.” Alexandra Marotte, designer
“WE RETAINED THE VICTORIAN RICHNESS YET EVERYTHING NOW FEELS FRESHER AND MORE FUNCTIONAL.” Beverley
Beverley spends much of her time in the kitchen, in the adjoining courtyard, or streaming TV in her living area. “I make sure each room is used every day,” she says. Working from home has seen the study become a centre of activity, but Beverley is looking forward to hosting soirees soon. With an eat-in kitchen, grand dining room and barbecue area in the courtyard, there are plenty of options to suit the occasion and mood.
detailing,” says Beverley. “But there’s no doubt that comfort and practicality played a part in my decisions. This is still a family home.”
Outside, Alexandra specified architectural plants such as agaves and kalanchoes to reflect the clean style of the furnishings inside. There, too, Beverley, uncertain of walls of glass, was persuaded to again push her boundaries, literally and figuratively. Kitchen and courtyard flow into one, thanks to a massive bank of sliders.
Today, both owner and designer are delighted with the renovation that changed both of their lives. “This was my first project since graduating,” says Alexandra. “It was huge, but it unfolded beautifully. It was challenging, but I loved every moment.” “We retained the Victorian richness, yet everything feels fresher and more functional,” adds Beverley. “This home is just a pleasure to spend time in.”