NewsBite

Felicity McVay and her three girls outside Moreton Manor. Picture: Jennifer Soo
1/14Felicity McVay and her three girls outside Moreton Manor. Picture: Jennifer Soo
Felicity and Sam McVay’s favourite room, the family room featuring a huge couch from Restoration Hardware Modern called the “Cloud” sofa.
2/14Felicity and Sam McVay’s favourite room, the family room featuring a huge couch from Restoration Hardware Modern called the “Cloud” sofa.
“We’ve come to realise that our house is still a work in progress and finishing it off will be a journey that will continue for the rest of our lives,” says Felicity.
3/14“We’ve come to realise that our house is still a work in progress and finishing it off will be a journey that will continue for the rest of our lives,” says Felicity.
Part of a gated community surrounded by apartments and terraces, the McVay’s home is a piece of eastern suburbs history.
4/14Part of a gated community surrounded by apartments and terraces, the McVay’s home is a piece of eastern suburbs history.
The bathtub in the master ensuite, was cut from a single chunk of marble imported from Greece, modelled in a CAD program, cut with a robot and then hand finished. It weighs over 1.4 tonnes and was lifted by crane up and over our balcony and then moved on custom tracks into place in our bathroom.
5/14The bathtub in the master ensuite, was cut from a single chunk of marble imported from Greece, modelled in a CAD program, cut with a robot and then hand finished. It weighs over 1.4 tonnes and was lifted by crane up and over our balcony and then moved on custom tracks into place in our bathroom.
Paint (from Porter’s Paints) has played a big role in creating these spaces. For example, we love the study with its dark ‘Whale Watching’ shade on the walls. We wanted to create a room with a Ralph Lauren, hunting lodge vibe and used different textures to achieve this. I especially love the floor to ceiling bookshelf which is packed to the rafters with things we’ve collected over the years, including my dad’s old medical textbooks.
6/14Paint (from Porter’s Paints) has played a big role in creating these spaces. For example, we love the study with its dark ‘Whale Watching’ shade on the walls. We wanted to create a room with a Ralph Lauren, hunting lodge vibe and used different textures to achieve this. I especially love the floor to ceiling bookshelf which is packed to the rafters with things we’ve collected over the years, including my dad’s old medical textbooks.
“Sarah Davison Interiors had worked with friends of ours on their beach home in Clovelly,” says Felicity.
7/14“Sarah Davison Interiors had worked with friends of ours on their beach home in Clovelly,” says Felicity.
“I also love our grand piano. It was my Dad’s wedding gift to my Mum and it’s beautiful,” she adds.
8/14“I also love our grand piano. It was my Dad’s wedding gift to my Mum and it’s beautiful,” she adds.
“We wanted the house to feel homely and comfortable and somewhere you don’t want to ever leave! I think “forever home” was part of the brief,” says Felicity.
9/14“We wanted the house to feel homely and comfortable and somewhere you don’t want to ever leave! I think “forever home” was part of the brief,” says Felicity.
There are 11 restored and working fireplaces in the home.
10/14There are 11 restored and working fireplaces in the home.
The McVays in turn bought the home from Mirvac in 2016.
11/14The McVays in turn bought the home from Mirvac in 2016.
Moreton Manor, is a heritage listed Victorian house that sits amongst modern low rise apartment buildings that is The Moreton, Bondi, a Mirvac development. It is at the site of the old Benevolent Society in Bondi.
12/14Moreton Manor, is a heritage listed Victorian house that sits amongst modern low rise apartment buildings that is The Moreton, Bondi, a Mirvac development. It is at the site of the old Benevolent Society in Bondi.
“It was important for us that the interior design be timeless but feel young, fresh, beachy and inviting,” said Felicity.
13/14“It was important for us that the interior design be timeless but feel young, fresh, beachy and inviting,” said Felicity.
Milly, 8, completed a school project on her home.
14/14Milly, 8, completed a school project on her home.
More related stories

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/wentworth-courier/through-the-keyhole-inside-the-extraordinary-renovation-of-bondis-moreton-manor/image-gallery/384a486ee31508ff6baf798e203be4b1