BAY OF PLENTY
Decked out with year-round comfort in mind, this Sydney home holds all the cards in summer.
For a well-travelled couple keen on architecture and ready to create their forever home, a clifftop site for sale on Sydney’s lower north shore presented all the answers. Utterly seduced by its harbour views, the couple – who both have backgrounds in technology – snapped up the property in 2013 and set about planning something special.
The result, by Sydney-based architectural firm Walter Barda Design, is a beautifully considered, smartly appointed home completed in 2017. Under a gently curving roof and sitting lightly on its rocky base, the house is built over four levels in steel and off-form concrete, with large expanses of floor-to-ceiling glass.
“It’s designed as a series of excavated terraces stepping down the slope,” explains director Walter Barda. The terraces and courtyards flow organically into the interiors and natural outcrops of sandstone have been woven skilfully into the structure, ensuring the home rests comfortably in its setting, despite the extensive floor plan.
Charged with layering up the interiors, design practice Arent&Pyke took inspiration from the landscape and the raw materials used in the build. “The owners really wanted an inviting, comfortable home,” says co-principal Juliette Arent. “We were able to create warmth and intimacy through the selection of furniture and accessories, lighting, rugs and artwork.”
Juliette, in conjunction with co-founder Sarah-Jane Pyke and associate Genevieve Hromas, came up with a sophisticated scheme featuring statement pieces sourced from around the world, together with custom designs they commissioned. Their calming colour palette is full of richness and depth, referencing the eucalyptus trees and stone prevalent in the local landscape as well as the soft grey of the concrete walls.
The high degree of personalisation begins at the front door, which is crafted from jarrah in a nod to the owners’ roots in Western Australia. Once past the practical boot room and media room, a long corridor takes you to an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area. Upstairs is the main bedroom, along with a bathroom, office, library and landscaped terrace. The lowerground floor has three bedrooms, all with ensuites, and a laundry. On the bottom level is an art studio (the owners have a great love of art and a passion for painting and printmaking), an alfresco entertainingarea,aswimmingpoolandchangeroom.Connecting all the levels is a lift of glass and steel.
Standout elements include the bespoke blackbutt joinery throughout, a television concealed behind a motorised artwork in the living room, and the commercial-grade kitchen, which features a three-dimensional design based on abstracted boats. The shipping reference was well considered; given the waterside location, the notion of the building as a habitable vessel arose early in the project and it came to be known as the Slipway House.
After a successful two-year build, the owners moved in with their two adult children in the middle of 2017. Thrilled with every element of their new home, they hosted a celebratory dinner for all the designers, consultants and builders involved – the equivalent of christening a new ship with Champagne.
“They truly feel every inch of their home is what they had dreamt about and more,” says Juliette Arent. “It’s so rewarding for us to be a small part of the joy that a wonderful home can create for a family.”
Walter Barda Design, Sydney, NSW; (02) 9264 4240 or walterbardadesign.com.au. Arent&Pyke, Surry Hills, NSW; (02) 9331 2802 or arentpyke.com.