Christmas surprise This newly renovated home is set for the holidays

WITH A NEW BABY AND A BEAUTIFULLY RENOVATED HOME ON SYDNEY’S NORTHERN BEACHES, THERE’S NOT MUCH LEFT ON THE CHRISTMAS LIST FOR THIS YOUNG FAMILY

Christmas came early this year for interior architect Sally and her husband Ben, with the arrival of the best possible gift – new baby Hazel. “This Christmas will be extra special with her here,” says Sally, whose clan already includes much-loved pooches Violet and Duke. The wait for Hazel has been far from idle, with the couple kept busy transforming their home, an adorable ’60s weatherboard cottage on Sydney’s northern beaches, bought two-and-a-half years ago. Hooked in by the charming local village and beach (“It’s like being on holidays all the time,” says Sally) and the cottage’s pretty face, the couple were willing to overlook a few flaws – and to forgive those problems that came to light later. “It was tiny, but had character – the front verandah and palm trees sold it to us, really,” says Sally. “It was liveable, but when we started the reno, we realised it was in a worse state than it appeared on the surface.” Even with Sally’s experience and a crack team of super-efficient builders, there were unpredicted issues, including rodents of unusual size. “We had a rat infestation in the ceiling and a rogue possum the size of a dog who needed to be removed when our sparky refused to go back in the roof after meeting him!” Sally recalls with a laugh. Completed in an astonishingly quick 10 weeks, the renovation opened up the home’s poky kitchen, laundry and living rooms into one airy, open-plan space. The back deck also enjoyed a dramatic transformation, from damp and dreary sunken courtyard to an entertainer’s dream space, flowing out from the kitchen to a level timber deck, perfect for hosting parties year-round. Having launched into a renovation soon after moving in thanks to some snappy decision-making by Sally, the home was finished in time to host Christmas last year, when the family descended to fill the little house to the brim with festive cheer. “We had a table for 30 on the front verandah and the back verandah was the bar area,” she says. “We have a few ukulele players in the family, so they came out after lunch for a Christmas jam session and there was cricket in the park across the road.” Now baby Hazel has arrived, the party, cricket team and family band just got a bit bigger, with this year’s celebrations set to be more magical than ever.

“MY INTERIOR STYLE IS relaxed, SIMPLE AND COASTAL – NOT too FUSSY OR PRECIOUS” ~ SALLY

DINING AREA When they’re not dining outdoors, the eight-seater dining table (opposite, try Veranda for similar), paired with Matt Blatt ‘Bentwood’ chairs, can host a modest crowd. Tying in with the home’s coastal theme, Sally (pictured above, with Ben’s mum, Sue) added stronger hints of colour in the brilliant blue photographic print from Salty Wings and a moss-green vintage rug, sourced from 1800 Get A Rug in the US. Touches of black – as seen in the spotlight over the artwork and the hardware on the rescued and restored French doors – cleverly contrast with the muted coastal hues.

LIVING ROOM A bold spray of foliage – including pencil cactus and grevillea branches – is a stylish alternative to a traditional Christmas tree in the living room (above); just add a few strategically placed baubles and a stack of presents wrapped in beautiful papers from Vandoros for a thoroughly Australian Christmas vignette. Cooling breezes flow through the louvre windows over this cosy corner of the home, which is furnished in a slipcover sofa from Urban Couture (with scatter cushions from Hamptons House) and rattan chairs (try La Maison for similar), evoking a relaxed holiday-at-home feeling.

NURSERY

“I’ve never been into cliched blues or pinks for kids’ rooms – I wanted it really neutral,” says Sally, who added just a few pink accessories to the nursery (top left) to please Ben, who was after a girly room for his baby daughter. Practical inclusions – custom cabinetry designed by Sally and made by Captive Cabinet Making and a Hobbe ‘London’ rocker – are dressed up with divine accessories, including a whale watercolour by Libby Watkins, beaded chandelier from Serendipity House & Co, and a side table custom-made as a gift from Sally’s stone supplier, Central Coast Granite.

DINING AREA DETAIL

The Freedom sideboard in the dining space (top right) is easily dressed up for the festive season, with timber trees from Ruby

Star Traders and lush foliage in a ceramic pot from Water Tiger joining the existing accessories of assorted crosses, found on trips to Bali and Mexico. The ‘Arlo’ mirror from Grand Designs Home Collection (try Zanui) is a tried and tested designer’s trick, reflecting light from the French doors opposite and opening up the room.

BATHROOM

“I spend my life designing bathrooms, so I wanted to do something at least a little brave for my own,” says Sally, who chose a baby blue – Dulux Oriental Bay – for the bathroom vanity (right), a colour she loved so much, she had to repeat it for the front door of their property. Aside from this appealing splash of colour, Sally kept the palette very simple in the bathroom, with marble tiles across the floor and handmade subways from Tiles By Kate on the walls, a simple BT Merrica basin from Beaumont Tiles, and a white Nordlux wall lamp. “The space is seriously tiny, so I let the materials do the talking,” she explains.

“THINK ABOUT WHERE TO spend AND SAVE; SPEND ON investment PIECES YOU LOVE, THEN SAVE ON THE SMALLER, MORE REPLACEABLE ITEMS” ~ SALLY

KITCHEN Often tasked with creating gorgeous kitchens for other people, interior architect Sally was thrilled to design one for herself and husband Ben (pictured), and she indulged in some of her favourite materials – V-groove cabinetry and Carrara marble – to create this classic coastal-style space. Timeless features, from the Perrin & Rowe tap to the bar stools from Provincial Home Living, are mixed with modern finishes, including sleek cabinetry. This hardworking space also hides a secret – a laundry is concealed behind bi-fold cabinets at the front of the island. “This meant the island needed to be extra wide, but that has made for a real showstopper bench that has tonnes of prep space,” says Sally.