white wash
Classic monochrome makes a chic statement.
For a study in statement-making monochrome, be inspired by the freshly renovated Sydney home of fashion business consultant Helen Robbins.
Stepping inside Helen Robbins’ classic Victorian terrace in inner-city Sydney is a lot like climbing through a magic wardrobe. The traditional frontage belies the modernity and oasis of calm that you find inside the home, which the fashion business consultant shares with her partner Steven Rayk and their five-year-old twins, Ford and Willa. At once fresh and crisp, yet still heaving with personality, Robbins has managed to build a home that perfectly mirrors her sartorial sense of style. “I have always bought my best pieces of clothing in either black or white – I don’t ever do much colour and definitely never a print,” she says.
The family moved in after a top-to-toe renovation. “We basically renovated it from scratch, so when we finally got here, it ]
was a completely different house to the one we had bought,” she explains. The ambitious project also included a rooftop deck, now soaked in blinding white and peppered with contemporary greenery, which makes you feel more like you’re sunning in Santorini than Surry Hills.
As well as drawing on her own style aesthetic, Robbins consulted a pro. “It first started with a thousand Pinterest boards. And then the biggest influence has been interior designer Pamela Makin from Les Interieurs in Sydney’s Paddington – she helped me pull it all together and practically everything I bought has been sourced by her or from her shop. She has a 100 per cent strike rate with me, so I have to stop going to her shop or buy another house!” laughs Robbins.
But her clear affection for monochrome doesn’t mean ]
Robbins isn’t drawn to collected ornaments and a healthy dose of nostalgia. Her favourite pieces are those with a story and a little romance. “I love the boldness of the Fortuny lamp that sits in the lounge room. It feels like you’re standing in an old film set or photo studio,” she says. “And the Senufo bed from Africa, which we use as an outdoor coffee table, is also special. The Maasai people carve the beds out of tree trunks. There are two holes on either side, which they use when they strap their babies in – what a wonderful history.”
Like any great fashion lover, Robbins knows style and taste are fluid and ever-evolving. “Right now I’m living by the decorating rules of black, white, steel and wood, with accents of tan leather and luscious green plants. But that may change over the years. There might even be some colour! We’ll see.”
Add interest to a clean colour palette by mixing up textures and styles. Natural finishes like timber, linen and jute warm up the crispness of white. q