Style masterclass: Quiet luxe A refresh of a Federation-era abode that pays homage to its gorgeous heritage details
THE FULL-SCALE REVIVAL OF THIS HISTORIC SYDNEY HOME DEPLOYS DELICATE COLOUR, PATTERN AND TEXTURE TO STUNNING EFFECT
To Lauren Mahoney, creative director and founder of Sydney interior design firm Studio Trio, there was no question that this heritage home was ready for a new chapter. While the circa 1907 Federation Arts & Crafts-style abode was certainly liveable for owners Hannah and Craig and their three school-aged children, it appeared tired and dysfunctional.
With a major renovation by heritage architect David White, the time was right for Studio Trio to get to work on a dramatic cosmetic makeover. The brief? To bring the expansive home into a new era while embracing its gracious period architecture.
The designer was in her element, unveiling a rich colour and material palette. Complementary shades of green impart tranquillity and harmony, accented by sprinklings of misty grey and blush pink, through sophisticated furnishings, patterned wallpaper and botanical artwork (as seen in the stately landing, above).“Hannah and Craig are thrilled with the result,” shares Lauren. “And so am I.”
DESIGNER TIP
“You can be a little adventurous with a period home,” says Lauren. “Vamp up the furnishings. Find a fabulous fabric as your starting point in a room and mix larger patterns with smaller-scale ones. But do try and connect spaces by bringing in a touch of the same tones throughout. The devil is in the detail.”
INJECT GLAMOUR
“This living room is used only for guest entertaining, so we wanted to give it some real wow-factor,” says interior designer Lauren. Painting the walls (below) in the aptly named Dulux Tranquil Green was the starting point for an impactful yet undeniably elegant scheme. “The leopard-velvet sofa covered in Schumacher ‘Madeleine’ velvet in Cadet is also classic, but with a cheeky splash of pattern,” says Lauren. “And the crushed faux-silk blinds and curtains in Mokum’s ‘Couture’ in Celadon, from James Dunlop Textiles, give the room a grounding colour in a sleek, up-to-date style.” >
MAKE MATERIALS MATTER
It’s only fitting to pay homage to the past while looking to the future in a characterful period home. For this reason, the luminous kitchen showcases traditional Shaker-style joinery finished in satin 2-pac Dulux Silver Tea Set. Lauren also made the crowd-pleasing decision to top the benches in hardy Caesarstone Georgian Bluffs, reserving a luxe Calacatta marble slab for the vertical splashback. “The benchtops are super-practical for a family and also party-proof,” she explains. Statement lighting comes courtesy of the ‘Halle’ linear pendant light from Circa Lighting, while the ‘Collette B’ barstools from Casa Mia with curved back seats upholstered in Schumacher ‘Rocky Performance’ velvet in Sky deliver style and comfort. >
“HERITAGE DESIGN IS ONE OF MY PASSIONS, AND I WAS ALLOWED TO LET MY CREATIVITY RUN WILD” ~ LAUREN MAHONEY, INTERIOR DESIGNER
HIGHLIGHT THE DETAILS
In a heritage home, drawing attention to beautiful original detailing
– in this case, the exquisite archway (below) that frames the music room – makes perfect sense. “I like to paint the woodwork and ceilings in a contrasting shade to the rest of the room,” says Lauren. “It makes the lovely elements sing, rather than nestling these features into the walls. Here, I’ve used Dulux White On White – it’s a very crisp, clear white that makes an older home feel fresher and younger.”
ANCHOR THE SCHEME
Lauren has introduced rugs to all of the key living zones, which warms the timber base of ‘Roasted Peat’ engineered flooring by Nash Timbers and defines each domain. “Rugs also create a textural difference, which breaks up the timber or tiled floors,” she says. In the formal dining room (below), a ‘Verve’ carpet-rug in Marcasite from Cavalier Bremworth allows the custom-made walnut table to rightfully claim centre stage.
THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
Statement art can be anything from paintings to photographic prints, sculptures, installations and ceramics. In this corner of the formal living zone (above), Lauren innovatively transformed wallpaper murals into a stunning artwork. “This is two panels from an 11-panel scene called D-Dream by Iksel [available through Boyac],” she says. Lauren used another three panels from the series in the dining room (left). “It was wallpapered onto timber, and then art framer Artact carefully installed an Italian silver frame around the piece. It was so hard to do, but worth it!” It also pays tribute to another very important part of this renovation project. “The garden by Joanne Green is beautifully done,” says Lauren. “It was really important to bring the green from the outdoors inside through the artworks and the furnishings.” >
“THE HINT OF BLUSH PINK IN THE ACCESSORIES PROVIDES FEMININITY AND IS A BEAUTIFUL ACCENT COLOUR TO THE SOFT GREENS” ~ LAUREN, INTERIOR DESIGNER
MIX & MATCH
Don’t shy away from featuring contrasting patterns, textures and hues in the one space. In the formal sitting room (opposite), there’s a clover-shaped ottoman in ‘Madeleine’ velvet in Cadet by Schumacher. “It was made by Studio Trio and it’s perfect!” says Lauren. “I also love the ‘Chantelle P’ chair upholstered in Colefax & Fowler ‘Oriental Poppy’ fabric in the corner, and the grey-aqua velvet, diamond-button ‘Bellagio’ chair, also from Casa Mia. All of these are elegant and traditional selections, but in ‘young’ colours.”
MAKE WALLS WONDERFUL
Swathing a bedroom in delicately patterned wallpaper can instantly set the scene for a blissful sleep zone. “And a master bedroom should always be restful and beautiful,” says Lauren. In Hannah and Craig’s sanctuary (right), evocative ‘Betty’ floral wallpaper in Celadon by Schumacher – with matching pillows on the bed – also reflects Hannah’s love of all things green. “It was important to bring this colour into the space,” says Lauren. “I went with wisteria accents, with the fireplace tiles in wisteria and green.”
PREPARE TO PAMPER
“I wanted all of the bathrooms to be classic, but the use of the dove grey breaks up the white and brings a younger, more up-to-date vibe,” says Lauren. She has ensured that Hannah and Craig’s ensuite (left), with its soothing palette, traditional fireplace, ambient lighting and lovely artwork – Palm of the Tropics II from Chelsea House – delivers a sense of refined luxury. A floating vanity topped in low-maintenance Calacatta Primo from WK Quantum Quartz is as practical as it is stylish. “It’s so easy to mop underneath, and it doesn’t block the fireplace view,” says Lauren.