PARIS MODE
[ Potts Point ]
This page A Phillip Jeffries ‘Manila Hemp’ grasscloth wallcovering in Pear lines a corridor looking through to the dining room, where an antique console from Arida displays a Foscarini ‘Lumiere’ table lamp from Space beneath a painting that is a family heirloom. Opposite page With its handsome art deco features, the Macleay Regis remains redolent of the urbanity and glamour that marked the building as utterly unique for Sydney upon its completion in 1939.
This page Looking over Elizabeth Bay, the study is furnished with a Henning Jensen & Torben Valeur rosewood desk and ‘Model 42’ chair, both by Kai Kristiansen from Great Dane. White ceramic bowl from Ondene, Guaxs carafe and drinking glass from Conley & Co and sculpture by the owner. Opposite page, clockwise from top Sauce Pans by Elisabeth Cummings hangs above a 1950s blackwood console table with green marble top by Dario Zoureff. White ceramic vase from LuMu Interiors, Byredo candle from Mecca and Jan Vogelpoel sculpture from Becker Minty. In the breakfast room, a Guaxs vase from Conley & Co and ceramic dish from Ondene are centred on a 1950s rosewood table by Helge Sibast and Arne Vodder from Great Dane ringed with ‘Model 42’ chairs by Kai Kristiansen, also from Great Dane. Beneath a pair of mid-century brass and glass chandeliers from Prague, a walnut and sculpted-steel dining table by Osvaldo Borsani from Italy is surrounded by vintage Spanish chrome and leather cantilevered chairs from Jayson Home, Chicago, all on a contemporary Afghan hand-knotted rug from Robyn Cosgrove. On the mantelpiece is a ceramic vase from Neil Bradford flanked by a Moroccan terracotta vase and bowl, both from Water Tiger.
”THE INTENTION WAS TO KEEP THE APPEARANCE SEAMLESS AND AUTHENTIC, WITHOUT IT BEING A PASTICHE OF A 1930S FLAT.”
OWNER PETER STEWART helmed the merger of two art-deco apartments into one, then sensitively mastered the clean, mid-century aesthetic that sits happily within the generous new space. What was the starting point for your home? It is the lateral conversion of two mirrorimage apartments. I imagined what might be possible if they could be joined. Each had a logical layout and flow, so the design aimed to make as few changes as necessary while ensuring that the finished apartment would feel coherent and original. Happily, the new space seems bigger than the sum of its parts. What were the challenges and how did you resolve them? The structural challenge of combining the two was quite straightforward and involved creating a linking corridor from two walk-in cupboards. This forms the spine of the bigger apartment, off which all the rooms flow. A minor challenge involved aligning the mismatched corridor walls – one jutting out further than the other – but a few sheets of plasterboard solved that. The biggest challenge was obtaining approval for the project, and this took several years of negotiations. Whenever I felt like throwing in the towel, I was reminded of the potential of the finished place and of a favourite family phrase: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again!” The result was worth the effort. How would you describe the completed interior? Completed in 1939, the building is a good example of residential art deco design in Australia. The generous room proportions and period details such as parquet floors, geometric cornices and stepped architraves were kept intact. The heritage significance was always top of mind. Previous unsympathetic modernisations were reversed, mirrored walls stripped back in the reception area and bathrooms restored to original condition. The intention was to keep the appearance seamless and authentic, without it being a pastiche of a 1930s flat. The finished space retains its pre-war detailing and layout, and is simply furnished with 20th-century and bespoke pieces and personal objects. Curated interiors can sometimes feel stiff, so the aim was for a home that was relaxed, individual and not too considered. The twin chandeliers in the dining room are the only exuberant touch, but the room can take it. What are some of your favourite design elements? To visually shorten the
long, linear apartment, focal points were created by filling in doorways at either end of the corridor. Consoles were placed in front of these and paintings hung above so there is always something to look at when moving between rooms. Every room has a lovely view, including the bathrooms and kitchen. Mirrors were hung opposite some doorways to bring views and light into the corridor. On a sunny morning it really sparkles. What informed the selection of furniture, art, fittings and finishes? Two factors underpinned this: selection of furniture of the appropriate scale and my preference for a clean, mid-century aesthetic. Placement was roughed-in on a floor plan, then confirmed in the room using newspaper cut to size and laid out on the floor to ensure the pieces would fit and rooms felt uncluttered. When suitable furniture could not be found, it was commissioned and made locally. What do you enjoy about living in your home? When a home doubles in size, the risk is that some of the new space doesn’t get used. So, at planning stage we made sure that a few frequently used rooms were scattered throughout to ensure the whole space was well utilised in the course of a day.