OPEN FOR VIEW
A character-filled 1920s home provides an oasis of calm with Sydney’s Pittwater as its sparkling backdrop.
A character-filled 1920s home provides an oasis of calm with Sydney’s Pittwater as its sparkling backdrop
The original charm of this 1920s holiday house in Sydney’s Palm Beach was begging to be discovered when interior designer Siobhan Rothwell was brought on board. Having worked on many historic homes since setting up her practice seven years ago, this project was right up her alley. “The house was under-utilised and the client saw the potential of the original layout and decided to give it a makeover so they could maximise on this without doing too much work,” she says. Budget was a key factor in the renovation, but it certainly hasn’t detracted from the end result: “Low budgets lead to lateral thinking.” The challenge didn’t stop there. “All the materials had to be carried up the stairs from the street below, and this had to be taken into consideration when selecting furniture and fifinishes,” recalls Rothwell of the 12-month process. The steep, narrow pathway decorated with festoon lighting wasn’t popular with tradesmen or furniture deliverers, but the decision had been made to keep it rather than add an inclinator. “I wanted to instil a sense of nostalgia for the days before technology,” says Rothwell. “A place to switch offff and spend quality time with family and friends.” The designer chose to retain and enhance the character of the home, built from local sandstone. “All the unsympathetic additions from the 1970s were demolished,” she says. ››
« Changes were also necessary to bring the dilapidated house up to speed. “The rotting flfloorboards were replaced and a new kitchen and bathroom were added,” Rothwell says. New windows were installed on one side, plus there are new doors and wiring. “Being an old house, there are always surprises along the way that increase the cost, leaving less available for fifinishes and furniture.” This waterside getaway about 40 kilometres north of the city needed to be functional, but that feeling of escape was equally important. “The brief was to create a low-maintenance, open and airy weekender that immediately makes you feel like you’re on holiday when you walk in,” says the designer. An outdoor shower was added and the new ensuite opens to a cast-iron bath on the same front decking. The furnishings, predominantly made to order and sourced from Bali, boost the ambience. “I was inspired by my travels,” admits Rothwell, who envisioned the Greek islands when designing the modular outdoor seating beneath a netted fabric awning. Perched in the bird-fifilled treetops overlooking the water, the location also played a part in the design. “We added a timber deck to the west that overlooks Pittwater,” Rothwell says. Even on a wintry day, the view can be enjoyed from a daybed in the living room, a zone she chose to open up to create a spacious central hub for the often-bustling house. A large, steel-framed mirror has been placed in this same area, to add to this sense of bringing the outdoors in. ››
« Rothwell stuck to a calm colour palette. “The main living area is neutral with highlight pieces, while the master bedroom has been softened through variation in textures and tones, to engender year-round comfort and relaxation,” says the designer, who looked to the colours of an oyster shell for inspiration. The various paint shades, marble benchtops and limestone echo her intention. One aspect of the brief was that the holiday home wasn’t too “precious”. “It had to be family-friendly and flflexible in its ability to cater for difffferent numbers and confifigurations of guests, and the changes in season,” Rothwell explains. Outdoor fabrics were selected for some of the upholstered interior pieces, the white-painted flfloorboards are easily cleaned — and while there are several seating and dining areas, the three-bedroom house feels not only proportionate but ideal for either a couple or a large group. This cost-conscious renovation was completed late last year, but further improvements are already being discussed. The landscaping is a work in progress, with white pebbles recently laid at the entrance to ensure better drainage. An artist’s studio in stone is overgrown with greenery for now, and there is scope to add further bedrooms beneath the house. Despite all this potential, it’s perfect as it is — a place to unwind and relax as it was designed to be.