Urban Legend
Natural light and an industrial flavour flow through this Sydney warehouse conversion, a place of work, rest and play for its lucky owners.
After years abroad, the owners of this Sydney home had their hearts set on warehouse living.
The patchy facade of this former warehouse in inner Sydney gives little clue to its dramatic interior – and that’s exactly what owners Suzi Dafnis and Peter Johnston (PJ) intended. “It doesn’t reveal what’s inside and we like it that way,” says Suzi. The couple purchased the 1920s warehouse in 2010, after having considered 11 other properties like it. “We’d been living in the US for seven years and decided that when we moved back to Sydney, we wanted to live in a converted warehouse,” says Suzi. “This one was very basic and pretty rundown – essentially just a garage with an office above – and completely unliveable as it was.” But the corner position and its proximity to the city made it too good to pass up.
Suzi and PJ engaged the late architect Jaime Kleinert to design a three-level contemporary residence for themselves and their dog, a soft-coated wheaten terrier named Kona. The plan was to strip the warehouse back to its shell, taking care to retain its high ceilings and brickwork for a characterful home that referenced the building’s industrial heritage.
The front door opens to a small lobby that gives access to two bedrooms, a private guest suite and stairs to the first floor, which is dedicated to cooking, relaxing and entertaining. This level is largely open plan, with separate but connected kitchen, living and dining areas wrapping around a central courtyard and barbecue area. Floor-to-ceiling glass panels pivot open to unite the interior and exterior spaces, with green views from every angle creating a sanctuary feel. “It’s so comfortable and inviting, you almost forget you’re in the inner city,” says Suzi.
The home’s top floor, a new addition, is Suzi and PJ’s luxurious private retreat. As well as the glam bedroom with ‘floating’ bed, it contains a walk-through wardrobe and ensuite, spacious sitting area and a terrace that looks out over the treetops. Since there are 44 steps from ground floor to top, the pair opted to install a dumb waiter to make carting groceries, suitcases and so on between floors a little easier. “As much as I appreciate the incidental exercise, the dumb waiter certainly comes in handy,” Suzi says.
The couple wanted their home to have a sense of abundance and space with plenty of natural light, and the design meets that brief in myriad ways. In the kitchen, for example, timber-veneer joinery extends the full height of the space and is complemented by a polished-concrete topped island that spans 7 metres. To ensure the home is filled with plenty of natural light, there are generous windows throughout plus a double-height void over a ground-floor courtyard garden.
Suzi and PJ were keen to retain the warehouse vibe, so opted for materials – concrete, recycled timber and exposed brickwork – with an industrial look and feel. “We sourced timber salvaged from the Hornibrook Bridge in Brisbane to use for the beams and flooring, and removed the render from the internal walls to expose the brick underneath,” Suzi says.
“The kitchen had to have presence in such a large space. It does, and it’s a total joy to cook in.” Suzi Dafnis, owner
The brickwork, a standout feature of the home, is a unifying thread through the building’s original spaces, indoors and out.
Suzi’s stylist cousin Olga Lewis was behind much of the home’s decorating and lighting selections, working to a predominantly neutral palette and adding colour through artworks, furnishings and feature tiles. “Olga has a wonderful aesthetic and is so easy to work with; she really helped us think outside the box,” says Suzi. “And being family, she has a great feel for who we are, how we live and what works for us. She helped us create a streamlined and contemporary look across the board.”
Suzi, the CEO of online training and mentoring community HerBusiness.com, and PJ, a property investor and business mentor, currently use two of the home’s four bedrooms as offices – with Kona a regular fixture at their feet. When you live in a place like this, working from home isn’t a hardship. And, as a bonus, it makes a wonderful backdrop for Suzi’s webinars and training courses. “There are lots of different spaces with compelling backgrounds!” she says.
Suzi and PJ love sharing their home with friends and family, so the well-appointed guest suite is in regular use. “In the warmer months, we open up all the doors, crank up the music and enjoy cocktails on the deck – it’s the house in ‘show-off’ mode,” says Suzi, laughing. “It’s a very unique-looking property and people are always asking us about who designed it. I never tire of that, and I still feel the same awe and sense of gratitude whenever I look around my home. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
“We like simple, clean-lined design but also enjoy art and creativity. I think we’ve struck a good balance.” Suzi Dafnis, owner