Dress Circle The home of style maven Eugenie Kelly is one classic beauty.
Attentively renovated over many years, this elegant Sydney home is as classic and comfortable as a cashmere jumper.
From the moment Eugenie Kelly stepped into this home, she had a good feeling about it. There were sweet leadlight windows at the front door, open fires crackling downstairs, and high ceilings that made every room feel elegant and generous. It needed work – the salmon-coloured walls and velvet curtains would definitely have to go – but there was a sense of comfort and nostalgia about the place that felt right. It was 2006 and Eugenie and her husband Richard O’Neill were home hunting. They had just welcomed their second daughter into the world and were suddenly feeling the squeeze of their two-bedroom inner-Sydney terrace. They were on the lookout for a more spacious family home and were focusing their search on the city’s Lower North Shore. This home, built circa 1910, struck a chord.
“It’s built in the Arts and Crafts style and has a lovely rambling feel, which adds to its character,” says Eugenie. “I grew up in an old Federation house so I’ve always had a thing for fireplaces, high ceilings and ornate leadlight windows.” They bought it, and moved in with their young daughters Charlotte, now 16, and Daisy, 14. “The first thing we did was paint it all white,” says Eugenie, who is a well-known face in the fashion and beauty industries after a long career in publishing, most notably as editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar magazine.
At first, the couple was overwhelmed by the size of the three-storey home. “Suddenly we had all this space and no furniture,” says Eugenie. “A few of the rooms – the formal dining room, for example – were empty for the first six months because we just didn’t own those bigger pieces.”
The decision was made to tweak the interiors in “chunks”, as time and budget allowed. They started on the top floor and worked downwards, consulting design experts along the way and managing the projects themselves. Upstairs, there were four bedrooms and one outdated bathroom, which needed urgent revamping and became their first project. For this, Eugenie called on interior designer Sarah Davison, who helped with the layout, fittings, lighting and tiles. Next, Eugenie and Richard converted an empty space off the main bedroom into an ensuite. Drawing on advice from interior designer Justine Hugh-Jones, they installed a double-ended freestanding bath, positioned under an arched window, with white tiled walls and marble hexagonal floor tiles.
Five years ago, the couple were ready to revamp the kitchen, which is located at the rear of the ground floor. The formal living and dining
“WE TACKLED OUR RENOVATION IN STAGES, AS TIME AND BUDGET ALLOWED.” Eugenie Kelly, owner
rooms are also on this level, at the front of the house. “The beauty of the original architecture is found in those two rooms, so keeping them as separate formal spaces was important to us,” says Eugenie. To offset the formality, they wanted to create a more relaxed, open-plan family area at the rear. They removed a wall, opening up the kitchen to the casual family room, and installed a new L-shaped kitchen with an island bench that looks out onto a balcony. Eugenie opted for a simple white scheme: “It’s a simple, classic style and I love it,” she says. “The best thing about an all-white kitchen is that you can refresh it every now and then.” She has done exactly this, most recently installing a pair of smoky glass pendant lights above the island bench.
Downstairs, an oversize laundry was refurbished and equipped as a third bathroom, while a fourth living space – once Charlotte and Daisy’s playroom – has been painted and carpeted, turning it into an entertainment zone that’s perfect for teenagers.
Most recently, Eugenie’s home projects have all been cosmetic, focused on “adding comfort through furnishings and art”. For the latest refresh, she enlisted the help of Brooke Acton from Acton & Rumble Interiors. “Brooke was amazing. She helped me source new pieces, including some beautiful cushions and an ottoman, and advised on editing other pieces.” Part of this refresh included painting the formal living and dining rooms a soft grey (Resene Truffle Half), which imbues these spaces with a refined air. Externally, the front brickwork has been tuck-pointed and the timber work repainted.
Throughout the serial renovations, Eugenie’s focus has been on maintaining a style that’s classic and comfortable. She loves the home’s quiet, calming energy. “Whenever I buy pieces for the house I look for things that are polished and elegant, but not overly formal,” she says. “I have to be conscious that it’s a house that sees a lot of action, with two rowdy teenagers, a dog and generally busy lives.”
For a fashionista who has spent much of her life writing about the latest directions, Eugenie’s interiors style is “not at all driven by trends”. If she was to equate her home with a fashion label, which would it be? “It would have to be a designer who is into celebrating the classics, someone who was into comfort and timelessness,” Eugenie says. “Something like a Barrie cashmere jumper – the ultimate in chic when it comes to comfort dressing!” >
“I LOOK FOR THINGS THAT ARE POLISHED AND ELEGANT BUT NOT OVERLY FORMAL” Eugenie
“THE FIRST THING WE DID WAS PAINT EVERYTHING WHITE – IT’S BEAUTIFUL WITH THE FLOORBOARDS.” Eugenie
“THE HOUSE HAS A QUIET, CALMING EVERGY; IT PROVIDES RESPITE FROM OUR BUSY LIVES.” Eugenie