SYDNEY
For this Sydney family one house has answered all their desires for nearly three decades, thanks to the clever design skills of Thomas Hamel.
Location, space, history and northern aspect: Thomas Hamel refashions the home with everything going for it.
This page A new, elegantly curved stair with bespoke metal spindles by AWIS (Artistic Wrought Iron Suppliers) replaced the original. Artwork (left) by Paul Baskin. Indigenous standing sculptures by Jack Lanranggai, Balanjarngarlang Spirit (right), and Lena Kuriniya, Mimih Spirit. French oak flooring by Ocean & Merchant. Opposite page In the formal living room, custom sofa by Thomas Hamel & Associates upholstered in Castel ‘Winston’ in Ciel, with cushions in Fortuny ‘Spagnolo’ from Ascraft. Custom Oushak rug from J.D. Staron. Custom extendable dining table in bleached walnut and chairs in American oak upholstered in Kerry Joyce ‘Watervine’ in Ocean from Fabric Pavilion, all by Thomas Hamel & Associates. Bespoke ‘Midlands’ chandelier by Gregorius Pineo from Kneedler Fauchère. Porta Romana ‘Icarus’ wall sconces from South Pacific Fabrics. Artwork by Mike Worrall. Sculpture behind sofa is Jarro Pato No 2 by Isabel Izquierdo from 1831 Art Gallery.
This page Commissioned artwork by Xue Yongjun provides a calm backdrop in the living room. Custom chaise by Thomas Hamel & Associates in Jim Thompson ‘Tau’ in Rice from Milgate, with cushions in Fortuny ‘Spagnolo’ from Ascraft. Hermès throw. Custom Oushak rug from J.D. Staron. Opposite page, clockwise from top left Custom extendable dining table in bleached walnut by Thomas Hamel & Associates with custom chairs in American oak upholstered in Kerry Joyce ‘Watervine’ in Ocean from Fabric Pavilion. ‘Midlands’ chandelier by Gregorius Pineo from Kneedler Fauchère. Antique mirror from Vandeuren Galleries. Flowers and People interactive digital installation by teamLab from Martin Browne Contemporary. Looking through the butler’s pantry to the kitchen with overhead cupboards finished in bespoke antique glass from Glass Artistry. Calacatta marble from Granite & Marble Works. Hansgrohe sink mixer from Candana. Vase from Ruth Levine. Flowers from Mandalay Flowers. Custom kitchen stools in American oak upholstered in Zimmer + Rohde ‘Travers’ (back) from Unique Fabrics, and ‘Whitman’ in Denim (seat) from South Pacific Fabrics. Thomas Hamel & Associates designed the cabinetry, which is made in Polytec laminate, and the rangehood, made in ‘Grafias’ pewter aged stainless-steel by Astor Metal Finishes.
It’s an apt way for an owner to describe a long-term home – ‘autobiographical’ – when it has witnessed so many chapters of family life. And this grand house in Sydney’s eastern suburbs keeps on giving, now in a new and more luxurious mode. When the owners moved in to the c1929 house 27 years ago with their three young children, it was dark and dated, so they called on interior designer Thomas Hamel to upgrade it and the renovation stood them in good stead for more than two decades.
However, once their adult children had moved out, it was time for a change. They searched extensively for a different property before realising that theirs had the right combination of location, space, history and northern aspect. So, Thomas was called in for a second time and he worked with architect Virginia Zanarini to rethink and refashion the spaces into a sophisticated abode for a couple and their visiting family that now includes four grandchildren.
“When we realised we were going to stay, we decided the first thing we needed was a lift,” explains the owner, “as there are 26 stairs from the garage to the kitchen.” Putting a lift in an old house is no easy matter, however, and it created a domino effect as every room ended up being changed.
Locating the lift in the original formal dining room necessitated the creation of a shared formal lounge/dining area, which was doubled in size by extending into the front garden. As Thomas says, “While we took away some of the garden, it now works so much better.” With the levels rationalised the garden has become more accessible from the house and the grandchildren love to play there. The former dining room was then carved up to create not only the lift space, but a butler’s pantry and a library with a dramatic curved multi-paned window (“my Jane Austen window”, as the owner calls it). »
These pages The formal living room was extended to incorporate a dining area and now connects seamlessly with the garden landscaped by Paul Bangay. Curved seating provides pleasing angles in the rectangular space. Vladimir Kagan sofa from Ralph Pucci upholstered in Glant ‘Couture Etoile No 13’ in Pale Rose from Ascraft. Custom cushions in Kerry Joyce ‘Vibrato’ in Blue/Oyster from Fabric Pavilion. ‘Ava’ floor lamp from Holly Hunt. Custom chaise in Jim Thompson ‘Tau’ in Rice from Milgate and cushions in Rogers & Goffigon ‘Versailles’ in Rose Quartz from Kneedler Fauchère. Hermès throw. ‘Goccia Supremo’ side table by Philip Nimmo from Jean de Merry. Thomas Pheasant ‘Bali’ table lamp from Studio Cavit. Antique mirror from Vandeuren Galleries. Thomas Hamel & Associates designed the American oak coffee table with timber top and bronze base, as well as the ottoman, upholstered in Penny Morrison ‘Tulkan Blue’ from Tigger Hall Design that fits beneath the coffee table.
« Functionality was key throughout, with the owner having a particular penchant for spaces that do double duty. With pocket doors to separate all the rooms, the butler’s pantry becomes a cocktail bar when the couple are entertaining, and the library morphs into a Pilates studio or a cosy dining area for small gatherings. Out on the pool terrace the expansive glass doors from the family room slide right back to allow a long table flowing from inside to out for large parties.
The kitchen is command centre, with direct sightlines to the library, playroom and family room. “Not only is there an island but an atoll as well,” laughs the owner, referring to the bench that houses the double sink and enjoys a view to the harbour. “I’ve lived here so long and I wanted the sink where I could look at the view.”
It was a small bone of contention with Thomas who didn’t want it positioned so close to the living spaces, but the owner won out. The win, he concedes, was that it allowed for the addition of a generous pantry tucked in behind. Glamour elements such as the foxed-mirrored overhead cupboards, scads of marble and sleek appliances are the stars. “Thomas rationalised and simplified the spaces,” says the owner, “Everything looks great but it’s also practical. We wanted classic features that wouldn’t date, and then fun and personality come from the things that can be easily changed.”
The starting point for the colour scheme was a MirÓ print the couple had bought in Saint-Paul-de-Vence many years ago. A wash of Provençal hues of blue, lavender and dusty pink, it now hangs in the main bedroom suite. Nuanced versions of these shades are repeated throughout the house, creating a low-key, sophisticated mood. In the living room a baby pink Vladimir Kagan sofa, a soft-blue sofa and cream chaise longue offer a restful atmosphere, while the unexpected deep-green velvet curved banquette in the library packs a punch.
Not everything in the house is new and the couple were keen to keep their much-loved pieces such as the parquetry table in the family room and their artworks. Favourite sofas were reupholstered and light fittings and art were repositioned for a fresh look. “Thomas valued the things we value,” says the owner.
Upstairs, the master suite is pure indulgence. “We cannibalised a couple of bedrooms for the walk-in robe,” says the owner unapologetically. The elegant ensuite with custom marble tiles and an extravagance of space occupies the former study, now repositioned on the other side of the house and boasting a mezzanine gym. Both the master bedroom and ensuite lead to a sun-drenched terrace enclosed with motorised retractable shutters and affording views of the harbour and city.
As “family headquarters”, the owner says the house is now a better version of what was already there. “The house is our story,” she says. It sounds like there are more chapters still to be written.
thomashamel.com; paulbangay.com.
This page The luxuriously sized master bathroom leads to a sunny terrace that can be enclosed with retractable shutters. Custom-designed oak cabinetry with laser-cut detailing by Thomas Hamel & Associates. Benchtop from Granite & Marble Works. Alison Berger Glassworks ‘Lure’ wall sconce from Holly Hunt. Flooring is custom design mosaic Hermes and Bardiglio marbles from Euro Marble. Moda ‘Lucia’ freestanding bath from ACS Designer Bathrooms. Loom towels. African stool from Orient House. On the terrace, ‘Swingrest’ hanging seat from Dedon. Petrified stool from Orient House. Rattan pendant light from Bisque Interiors. Opposite page, from left In the powder room, Boyd Alternatives bronze/green basin with Brodware ‘City Lever’ tapware in weathered brass, both from Candana. Custom mirror with aged brass frame by Thomas Hamel & Associates. Apparatus ‘Tassel‘ wall sconces in Aged Brass from Criteria. Artwork (in reflection) by Paul Baskin. The library doubles as a cosy dining area. Custom banquette by Thomas Hamel & Associates upholstered in Perennials ‘Plushy’ in Grass with custom round pink cushion in Perennials ‘Sail Cloth’ in Hibiscus. Black and white cushion from Lawson-Fenning. Custom circular table in American oak by Thomas Hamel & Associates. McGuire ‘Hayes’ dining chair from Studio Cavit upholstered in Pierre Frey ‘Sunrise’ in Raphia from Milgate. Caste Design ‘Ravalli’ armchair from Holly Hunt, upholstered in Glant ‘Verbier’ in Stone Melange from Ascraft. Antique wall sconce by Robert Mathieu from Portuondo.