Set For Life In Sydney, a pair of empty-nesters made a fresh start without leaving the home they loved.
Becoming empty-nesters gave the owners of this Sydney property the chance to make a fresh start without leaving the home they loved.
While many empty-nesters downsize, Judi and Paul, the owners of this tranquil retreat on Sydney’s Lower North Shore, preferred to stay put. Instead, they opted to revamp the four-bedroom home to ensure it will remain the perfect fit through their retirement years. They bought the house in 2001, when their adult children, James and Georgia, were youngsters. “We had been living in Hong Kong for about 10 years when we thought it was time to look for a property back in Sydney,” says Judi. After searching the area for six months, the couple found this house, built just a year prior. “We loved the location – north facing, with a flat block leading down to the river and a private jetty – but also its simple, clean design.”
They tweaked a few things in the ensuing years, including adding a pergola on the north side upstairs, but since the house had been recently built and simply decorated, it was easy to live with, says Judi. After James and Georgia left home, the couple decided it was time to remedy the things that had niggled them and elevate the practical, family-oriented house to something more graceful and elegant.
The existing fittings and finishes – red timbers, glass benchtops and acres of tiles – were looking a bit tired and dated. The scale, too, was overwhelming: fine for a family, but not for a party of two. “It was flooded with space, wide and tall, including 3.4-metrehigh ceilings at the back, so the areas merged into one, with no definition,” says interior architect Andrew Waller of Mr Waller. And, despite the seductive river view, a solid balustrade at the end of the broad hallway sliced off the open-plan living spaces at the rear, blocking sightlines to the water. “Judi and Paul wanted a classic, yet timeless, refurbishment,” says Andrew. “I set out to reconstruct 20 years of family living.” To this, Judi adds: “Andrew visualised our house in a relaxed contemporary classic style, moving away from sharper modern minimalism to a much softer, tranquil look.”
Keeping within the ground-floor footprint, Andrew converted the study into a wine cellar and sliced up an over-generous laundry to create a butler’s pantry. Abutting the pantry, the kitchen has resurfaced in a country-house style, with
“THE REVAMPED KITCHEN, LAUNDRY AND BUTLER’ S PAN TRY ARE ALL FANTASTIC– USER-FRIENDLY, ARCHITECTURALLY
CLEVER AND BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT .” JUDI, OWNER
ANDREW FOUND PERFECT PLACES FOR THE OWNERS’ MOST PRECIOUS TREASURES, SUCH AS ART WORKS, THE BEAUTIFUL ORIENTAL RUGS AN DOB JETS D’ ART, TEA MING THEM WITH CONTEMPORARY ELEMENTS SUCH AS GLAMOROUS LIGHT FITTINGS.
VJ panelling, crafted joinery and marble benchtops. Upstairs, a family room became the study, the main ensuite reconfigured to include a bath and the fourth bedroom repurposed as a TV room. In the name of future-proofing the home, the staircase was realigned to make room for a lift.
An open balustrade at the end of the hallway ensures clear sightlines through the house. Andrew addressed the scale issue by dividing the layout into zones. Custom joinery, his signature, also adds character and warmth throughout. Paradoxically perhaps, the furniture was upscaled and low-key lights replaced with statement chandeliers.
The palette predominantly comprises muted, muddy tones to create a tranquil atmosphere. It’s enlivened by discreetly patterned pieces, the exception being an oversized floral on the walls of the main bedroom.
Treasures from the family’s travels were woven into the new interior, helping Judi and Paul enjoy them anew. A Picasso sketch migrated from the main bedroom to the kitchen; a mirror from a Hong Kong hotel was repainted; and a marble side table – a souvenir from a visit to India’s Taj Mahal – graces the new breakfast area. “Andrew found perfect places for all of our most precious items, such as the beautiful oriental rugs and objets d’art,” says Judi. Among the contemporary elements are light fixtures to fill what would otherwise be gaping voids, a long dining table and chairs, and more formal living room furniture.
For Andrew, it wasn’t just a job, but a labour of love. “Judi and Paul trusted me to do all of the structural work as well as the decorative detail. Bespoke joinery, more buoyant spaces and blue accents have created the perfect oasis by the water.” Mr Waller, St Peters, NSW; 0422 992 676 or mrwaller.com.