The Bright Side This Sydney home now hums with personality – and that makes its owner very happy.
Creative thinking and clever inclusions imbued this Sydney home with charm and personality.
“S UZI LOVES ENTERTAINING SO GETTING THE KITCHEN RIGHT WAS CRITICAL .” KYLIE HICKMAN, INTERIOR DESIGNER
“Great bones but lacking in personality.” That’s the way interior designer Kylie Hickman of Zavie Creative describes the state of this twostorey red-brick property in Sydney’s inner west. Before she and her business partner Gil Bennett worked their magic on it, that is. “The layout was made up of a series of small rooms that felt dark and cramped. The kitchen was bland and awkward to use, the bedrooms felt cold and uninviting. Storage was minimal and the gardens were very basic,” Kylie adds.
Homeowner Suzi agreed with the designers. She wanted a “fun but functional” home for her children – Rosie, 11, Coco, seven, and Ben, three – and their bordoodle pup Oreo. It had to feel light and airy, with easy flow from front door to back garden. Robust child- and dog-friendly surfaces were imperative, as was lots of storage and outdoor space where Suzi could relax while the kids used up excess energy.
It was agreed that the best solution was an extensive renovation. The rear of the home was demolished and extended to create an open-plan kitchen/dining/living area, butler’s pantry, bathroom, mud room and laundry.
Upstairs, the bedroom count grew from two to four. There’s a new family bathroom and ensuite and walk-in wardrobe for the main bedroom. Outside, the gardens were relandscaped and an alfresco kitchen, covered entertaining area and pool installed. “Suzi loves entertaining, so getting the kitchen right was critical,” says Kylie. “She also needed lots of clever storage to contain the children’s clutter.”
In the kitchen, an appliance drawer is concealed behind Häfele pocket doors and the central island has underbench cupboards and drawers. There are also drawers for spices, chopping boards, baking trays and utensils, plus a coffee-making station near the fridge. In the living/dining zone, there are deep drawers within the joinery – ideal for quickly stowing toys – and a window seat that looks out to the herb garden.
As there’s no room for preciousness in this busy household, finishes were chosen for their durability, as well as their ability to deliver textural
warmth and interest. “European-oak floorboards are laid on the ground floor, stairs and first-floor hallway. The boards are lightly whitewashed so scratches won’t show,” says Kylie. Elsewhere, the bedrooms have soft yet hard-wearing loop-pile carpets and the bathrooms feature terrazzo tiles. Tactile oak-veneer joinery is an organic touch; linen curtains lend softness to the spaces. Staron Solid Surface, a quartz composite, was chosen for the benchtops throughout, specifically because of its ability to be refinished if required.
Kylie and Gil deduced that each family member would need a space to call their own, so the bedrooms have been designed as places of sanctuary. Rosie and Coco weighed in on the decorating schemes for their rooms, while plane-obsessed Ben’s room is the stuff of three-year-old dreams. When in need of respite from family chaos, Suzi can retreat to her serene main bedroom suite, which enjoys picturesque bay views from the balcony.
The home’s nature-inspired palette provides a lovely connection between indoors and out. There’s plenty of warm timber, which is complemented by soft greens, dusty pinks and occasional touches of blue. “Giving the home personality was a key aspect of the project,” says Kylie. “Suzi loves colour, so we introduced pops of vibrant yellow, burgundy and mid blue in the soft furnishings. These colours bring energy and fun to the place.”
Outside, a generous lawn area is large enough for Rosie – a talented competitive diver – to practise her tumbling on an inflatable track. A comfortable day bed by the pool is the perfect spot for Suzi to relax while supervising the kids.
“Suzi is thrilled with her finished home, especially the range of spaces in which to entertain – inside, outside or poolside,” says Kylie. “The family practically live in the new open-plan area. It’s a great spot for sharing a meal, doing homework, playing board games or curling up on the sofa. It’s absolutely the heart of the home.” >
“S UZI LOVES COLOUR SO WE INTRODUCED POPS OF VIBRANT YELLOW, BURGUNDY AND MID BLUE IN THE SOFT FURNISHINGS. THESE COLOURS BRING ENERGY AND FUN TO THE PLACE .” KYLIE HICKMAN
“THE SAME BENCH TOP MATERIAL, JOINERY COLOUR AND FEATURE TILES ARE USED INSIDE AND OUT FOR COHESION .” KYLIE HICKMAN
GARDEN Landscaping by LandArt Landscapes. Merbau decking. Swing from Bunnings. OUTDOOR KITCHEN Husky wine fridge, Whitfords Home Appliances. Tapware, Abey. Splashback in Sintesi Ceramica ‘Met Arch’ tiles, Premium Tile & Mosaic Outlet. Column clad in Burlesque Brock bricks, Austral Bricks. POOL AREA Custom cushions in Tullum Marine (seat), Mallacoota Sunshine (back), Mykonos Coral and Noosa Sunshine, all from Warwick Fabrics.