Such was the grace already embedded in this 1928 Spanish mission-style apartment in Bellevue Hill that it required a delicate touch when it came to the renovation.
Owner Kim McKay, CEO of Creative Consultancy Klick X and her husband Karl Wissler instantly fell in love with Villa Amor, a four-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment home, which occupies the entire top-floor of a Spanish Mission block of four apartments overlooking Rose Bay.
McKay enlisted Surry Hills interior design firm Arent & Pyke to transform the apartment but stay true to its Parisian sensibilities after they purchased the penthouse three years ago.
Situated in the leafy streets behind New South Head Road, the home is blessed with unobstructed views of Sydney Harbour, an abundance of natural light, vaulted ceilings, exquisite Art Deco plasterwork and fluted archways.
“Entering our home is like walking into another world,” says McKay. “The door closes behind you and you are transported into a place that lifts your spirits and relaxes you immediately. You are swept away by the views of the bay and from every window you see beautiful boats bobbing away.”
Tell us about choosing Arent & Pyke to re-design your apartment. They weren’t just a good fit, they were the only fit. I wanted something in keeping with the heritage of our building but also something that I hadn’t seen in every hotel lobby or open home before.
On our first onsite meeting we knew we wanted to work with them.
What was the design brief? Our brief incorporated three things: Comfortable elegance - we wanted a retreat. Something relaxing; a put your feet up, feel at home kind of place. Next, Parisian Romance - using the generous scale, light and walls, a nod to the era of the building. This was inspired by our travels. Finally, we wanted to create an element of surprise, moments when you see something you wouldn’t expect. So we were able to get super creative with art, colour, texture, and use of space
What inspires you when it comes to homes and interiors? Owing to all the travel we do in our personal and professional lives, most of our design inspiration has come from beautiful hotels and restaurants.
Luxury to us is carefully considered design, things that lift the spirit. We’ve been inspired by some of the world’s most beautiful dining rooms, design hotels and believe it or not airport lounges (for what NOT to do).
How we live in a space is just as important as what a space looks like. Arent & Pyke were always crafting the design and experience around how we will live in it.
What is your favourite room in your home? Our formal living room is the perfect spot to take in the views, natural light and admire the design of our furnishings and art.
What did you find most challenging when designing your home? Beginning. Endless choice isn’t good for you. Once the vision became clear and it was an enjoyable process from there. I loved every minute of learning new things, working on a new project and working with our amazing builder (Daran Building) and the entire team at Arent & Pyke.
What is the most unique feature of your home? We have created one side of the apartment for just us. Like a mini apartment, featuring, our bedroom, pilates studio, dressing room and master bathroom.
Where is the best place to stand or sit to best enjoy your home? Mornings and rainy days are blissful in our kitchen / living space. Sunny afternoons are perfect for lazing in our formal living room. Cold winter nights are just made for plonking in front of our fireplace.
Where are some of your favourite interiors and key pieces of furniture from? A beautiful ornate vintage screen from The Vault and a repurposed crystal side table from Edward Waring are some key favourites, mixed beautifully with new Italian design pieces from Cassina and Moroso.
Where do you like to shop for interior pieces? Seriously, I do most of my curating on Instagram. Transvaal Ave in Double Bay is somewhere I can always find a piece to add to my home. Conley and Co, Palmer & Penn, Maison et Jardin and Ondene are on my regular list.
We were lucky to work with Claire Del Mar to style the apartment and many pieces were sourced from these stores.
How have you uses art in your home? All of our artwork was sourced especially for this project to create the element of the unexpected in our brief. It’s all be sourced locally and all by Australian artists and photographers.
Our favourite piece is by Cameron Stead, Rehappening 2018 (the large yellow piece in the lounge). Cameron used to work with my in my company before he followed his dream to become an artist. I love owning this piece.
What would you change about your home, if anything? I dream big and there are many things I think about doing that aren’t possible ie a rooftop garden, but really if there was one thing, it would be a large workspace so I could move my business here and never have to leave.