Designer masterclass: Monochrome magic A 1920s heritage home in Sydney’s north gets an injection of glamour and style

A SOPHISTICATED SENSE OF STYLE AND GLAMOUR INFUSES THIS BEAUTIFULLY RENEWED PERIOD HOME IN SYDNEY

From the statement lighting in the entry to the graphic floor tiles grounding the outdoor room at the rear, interior designer Lauren Mahoney of Studio Trio has created beauty and interest from every angle in this heritage home in Sydney’s north. For Lauren, founder and creative director of Sydney interior design firm Studio Trio, the brief was clear when she was enlisted by owners Kate and Andrew to give the mid-1920s home a top-to-toe overhaul. “Kate loves fashion and wanted the home to be quite edgy and modern with a twist of classic,” says Lauren. “It was to have a masculine and contemporary undertone, but with an element of femininity.”

In its pre-makeover state, the home was certainly in a liveable condition for the couple and their two young children. It was clear, however, that it presented far from its best. “The house was definitely quite tired, with everything in cream and beige,” says Lauren. “It was dated and lacked finesse.” Over a six-month period, Lauren’s vision was brought to life. The home is now as welcoming as it is sophisticated, with soft sprinklings of colour, luxe materials and exquisite detailing set against a striking monochrome base.

EMBRACE TEXTURE

The kitchen (right) is a textural triumph with custom-panelled joinery delivering the classic backdrop to showstopper slabs of New York marble. “As Kate and Andrew have a young family, we decided to only put the marble, which is more prone to staining, on the vertical surfaces – the island front, splashback and rangehood,” says Lauren. Essastone ‘Caolino’ is used on the island benchtop. “You still have the wow factor in the room of the marble, but don’t have to worry about marks on the bench,” says Lauren. “It’s the best of both worlds.”

CONNECT PAST & PRESENT

Linking the hub of the home to the pantry and laundry in fitting style is a glass, steel-framed barn door (above right), made on site by builder Shane Green of Kraken Projects. “The steel doors in the kitchen and other areas of the home are highly contemporary, but at the same time they’re very appropriate in a 1920s house, as fluted glass was heavily used in homes of this era,” says Lauren. The attention-grabbing Visual Comfort ‘Halle Linear’ pendant by Ian K Fowler above the island is in keeping with the aesthetic.

BUILD IN A BENCH

Long cherished by designers and homeowners the world over, a banquette can make clever use of a compact space, offering a highly versatile seating option. In this case, the custom-made upholstered bench seat (right) also provides valuable storage, courtesy of hidden drawers in its base. “It’s such a practical form of seating,” says Lauren. Here, Lauren selected an easy-to-clean leather-look vinyl – ‘Mojave’ Pale Rose by Designers Guild – in a beautiful shade of blush. The dining table and chairs are by Globe West. >

“YOU CAN EMBRACE COLOUR WITHOUT FLOODING A HOME WITH IT” ~ LAUREN MAHONEY, INTERIOR DESIGNER

DELIGHT IN LIGHT

The impact of statement lighting is undeniable, literally making a room glow. Eye-catching pendants create interest everywhere from the hallway to the kitchen. “I’m a bit of a lighting nut,” says Lauren with a laugh. When it comes to sourcing the perfect finishes for a home, good things really can come to those who wait. “The incredible Kelly Wearstler ‘Rousseau’ wall sconces in the hallway [left] had to be wired to Australian standards, as we were among the first people here to use them,” says Lauren. “But I said ‘We’re going to wait!’ I was absolutely determined, and wouldn’t compromise. I think they bring the perfect edgy but classic feel to the hallway.” As do the aged iron and glass Visual Comfort ‘Halle Petite’ ceiling pendants by Ian K Fowler.

DELIVER DRAMA

A more formal living room for guest entertaining calls for an injection of glamour (below). “Kate and Andrew love to have friends over, and wanted to make this an elegant room with a bar where they could serve pre-dinner drinks away from the kids,” says Lauren. Here, soft notes of pink amp up the allure factor, from the Thibaut ‘Shang Extra Fine Sisal’ wallpaper in Blush to the bar’s Norwegian Rose stone benchtop and Seven Hills Glass mirror splashback in Peach. The striking flooring is Tongue n Groove European oak chevron in Raba.

DESIGNER TIP “Introduce a particular tone and use it harmoniously throughout the spaces to create a lovely flow. In this house, the highlight colour that I’ve used is a beautiful blush pink,” says Lauren. >

DESIGNER TIP “A matt black finish, in everything from steel-framed doors to tapware, balustrading and lighting, may seem like a dramatic choice, but it’s actually a happy neutral. To me, it’s a timeless but very contemporary finish,” says Lauren.

DESIGNER TIP “Kate loves the Parisian style, which features a lot of panelling. I decided in this home to do a double panel. It adds a lovely element of femininity to the home,” says Lauren. “With panelling, white always wins – it always works. It’s fresh and opens up spaces.”