Large As Life A 1950s bungalow is beautifully reworked to better suit the needs of a growing family.
As its family grew so did this Sydney house – expanding from a two-bedroom cottage to a three-level masterpiece that’s perfectly planned for the six people who call it home.
Communication has the power to make or break a major renovation – Kristian and Jackie, the owners of this home in Sydney’s inner west, know this to be true. Over a period of about five years they worked with interior designer Natasha Levak on an extensive overhaul of their bayside home. “Natasha is an exceptional listener,” says Kristian. “Very early on in the process she paid close attention to our wishes and the brief we put to her. She provided us with consistently great guidance and never once tried to push her own style agenda. It’s Natasha’s approach that has ultimately delivered us the home we have now.”
Today, the couple and their four children – Elijah, 20, Boston, nine,Lily,seven,andKingston,four–liveinathoughtfullyplanned five-bedroom home that sprawls over three levels. It’s vastly different to the simple single-level 1950s red-brick bungalow (two small bedrooms, one bathroom) they bought back in 2012.
“We moved in after Boston was born, then Lily and Kingston came along and Elijah was returning from the US to live with us,” says Kristian. “We needed to embark on a substantial renovation to accommodate our growing family.”
Spotting Natasha’s work in a magazine, Jackie and Kristian were drawn to her classic-meets-contemporary style and engaged the designer to take on their renovation, which at that point was at the concept and planning stage. “We wanted lots of functional spaces as well as quiet places,” says Jackie. “Bay windows in all the children’s rooms and ‘breakout’ areas for them to have their own space, plus a parents’ retreat with a walk-in wardrobe.”
Also on the wish list were wall panelling and detailed cornices; a bar and kitchenette on the basement level for indoor/outdoor entertaining; and an open-plan kitchen, dining and living space on the top level that would take advantage of the home’s lovely water views. This was a full-service job for Natasha, who took on the design direction and documentation for the entire project. She advised Kristian and Jackie on everything from windows and carport materials through to tiles, furniture and fabrics.
The front door of the house opens onto an expanse of bold Tunisian stone tiles. “Jackie and Kristian absolutely adore those tiles,” says Natasha. “They’re cheery, fun and welcoming. Perfect for an entryway.” Wall panelling surrounds the central staircases, which lead up to kitchen and living zone, and down to the entertaining area in the basement.
The stairs and flooring throughout are solid Tasmanian oak and this beautiful timber also plays a prominent role in the kitchen. “There’s not a lot of wall space, so my thinking was that timber joinery should be the hero of this space,” she says. Hardy, family-friendly Corian was Natasha’s suggestion for
the kitchen’s rear benches, while striking quartzite was reserved for the island’s benchtop. “The blue of the island bench was inspired by flecks in the terrazzo tiles on the floor,” says Natasha. “All the elements of this room relate back to each other.”
Flowing off the dining zone is the living room, where a touch of warmth is cleverly added with Belgian linen behind glass doors in the joinery that conceals the TV. Highlight windows allow more light into the room while also creating character.
Natasha’s approach to the home’s bathrooms was that they should be “clean, simple and open”. The powder room’s glosswhite mosaics quietly complement its wall panelling while the ensuite’s stretches of blue terrazzo offer a nod to the kitchen tiles. “Both the ensuite and the main bedroom each open out to a large rear balcony that has views over the garden,” she says.
A little fun has been factored into this house – the internal doors are a soft mint colour – but never at the expense of its more refined details (custom panelling, solid-timber floors). “From the minute the front door is opened, there’s a sense that this is a comfortable home where the focus is on family,” says Kristian. “It’s full of details that make it unmistakably ours.”
Natasha Levak Interior Design, Paddington, NSW; natashalevak.com.
“IN THIS HOUSE, THE MATERIALS
AND JOINERY WORK HARD TO CREATE INTEREST AND REFINEMENT .” NATASHA L EVA K, INTERIOR DESIGNER