This harbourside home wasn’t maximising the view. Then a young couple tore it up
A 1920s apartment with harbour views is transformed into a Parisian-inspired haven.
The home: A top-floor apartment in a 1920s Spanish Mission building in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. It features sandstone arches, soaring 3.3-metre ceilings and boasts an elegant street presence.
Who lives here: Interior designer Shona McElroy, principal of Smac Studio, and her partner, Hamish Cooke, an agent at Inglis Rural Property.
What we did: “We re-imagined the layout, turning two bedrooms and one bathroom into a Parisian-inspired three-bedroom, two-bathroom home,” says McElroy. “It has an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area overlooking Sydney Harbour.”
Favourite room: “For the living room, we created a three-sided ‘lounge area’ inspired by ’70s conversation pits,” says McElroy. “The whole room is essentially one large white couch.”
The ’hood: “Edgecliff is perfectly positioned next to my favourite social hubs,” says McElroy. “It’s convenient, walkable, leafy and beautiful.”
Future plans: “As every designer knows, the work is never truly finished,” says McElroy. “I’d love more art to line the hallways.”
Best advice: “In smaller spaces, or in areas that need light, add mirrors, mirrors, mirrors,” says McElroy. “They make a room feel twice as big.”
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