H&G INSPIRED BY A serene internal courtyard is directly connected to the home’s social spaces. The green groundcover meshes visually with a Japanese maple and botanical artwork inside. Planter, Orson & Blake. Artwork by Chris de Rosa. OPPOSITE Kate relaxes in the rear courtyard as Helena and Harry play in a sandpit made out of old pallets. Table, Eco Outdoor. White planter, Space. Artworks (living room, rear wall) by Parish Stapleton. For Where to Buy, see page 188.
ROOM TO GROW
A Sydney couple found the space and functionality they needed for their family in this terrace home, just waiting to be stamped with their style. STORY CHRIS PEARSON v STYLING MARSHA GOLEMAC v PHOTOGRAPHY BROOKE HOLM
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hen Kate Pascoe Squires and her husband Tony embarked on a space mission for a new family home, they found more room than they had ever imagined in this terrace in Sydney’s east. Looking at this four-bedroom home from the street, you’d never guess that it occupies four levels. “I’d always wanted a house more spacious than it appears,” says Kate. “People walk in and are amazed at the amount of space.” Designed and built by architect Graham Ormsby, now of Ormsby Design Group, as his home, the house ticked all the right boxes for Kate and Tony when they first viewed it back in 2011. Expecting their second child at the time, they needed to upsize, for both their family and their possessions. Along with all the space on offer, the couple appreciated the meticulous attention to detail
Streamlined storage facilitates clutter-free family living. Table, Orson & Blake. C170 chairs, Feelgood. Fruit basket, Alessi. Pendant lights, Cult. Photographs by Benjamin Storrier (left) and Samuel Hodge. French oak flooring, European Timber Floors. For Where to Buy, see page 188.
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evident in the house – not surprising in an architect’s home – and were, well, floored by the wonderful French-oak floorboards, their width and intrinsic warmth. “I also love the huge windows and the ability to open the back right up,” says Kate. “The living area is on the same level as the courtyard so when the doors are open, you have one huge space. “And I love the clean lines. I’m not a minimalist but I do like things pared back. It’s a clean look; a little industrial with its concrete, glass and aluminium, but not too much.” However, the house did need some tweaking to accommodate the growing family as well as their fox terrier Skipper and cat Lila. Tony and Kate hired architects MCK to convert the attic space into bedrooms for their children Harry, now four, and Helena, three, featuring dormer windows that create a
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‘ WE LIKE TO THE KEEP SPACES WARM AND FUNCTIONAL. I LEAN TOWARDS THE SCANDINAVIAN LOOK.’ KATE
H&G INSPIRED BY ‘ E VERYTHING HAS ITS PLACE. THERE’S SO MUCH STORAGE, AND EVERY LITTLE NOOK AND CRANNY IS USED.’ KATE
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storybook feel. What had been advertised as a third bedroom, off the living room, then became a second, more casual sitting area and TV room. The home is served by two staircases (one of Kate’s less favoured features), which are a legacy of the time when Graham ran his architectural business out of the house. The main bedroom and the office were on the same floor but completely separate. Kate and Tony had a doorway created between the two spaces for easier access, and the office is now used for Kate’s textiles business, Kate & Kate. Aside from new paintwork, including a wash of bold chartreuse for the front door, the house needed just a few more touches to bring it up to
date and create a sense of warmth. Timber balustrades were added to the stairs to “give some texture” and the couple extended the wide-gauge floorboards in the living areas through to the main bedroom. The courtyard, too, came in for a makeover, with the existing concrete surface polished and a built-in barbecue added. Entering from street level, there’s a hallway with a kitchen on one side and the TV room on the other, both of which flow onto an openplan living/dining space. To one side of this is an internal courtyard, with another, much larger courtyard at the rear. Stairs lead down to a guestroom, double garage and storage on the lower level. Upstairs, there’s the
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‘ I LOVE THE MAIN BEDROOM, WHICH TAKES IN BOTH AFTERNOON SUN AND DISTRICT VIEWS.’ KATE
TOP LEFT A custom-made modular sofa from Contents International Design makes a comfy perch for the whole family. Side table, Dedece. Feature cushion, Koskela. Lamp, Cult. Artwork by Michael Bennett. TOP RIGHT Componibili storage units from Kartell contrast with an artisanal vessel from Koskela. Artwork, Orson & Blake. LEFT Soft textiles and shades of white set up a cloud-like haven. Console, Orson & Blake. Bedside table, Contents International Design. Woven ottoman, Ikea. OPPOSITE Pops of colour, from the tender pistachio of a repainted child’s chair to the vivid blue-green of Japanese vessels, give this kitchen personality. The long bench surface is brilliant for preparation. For Where to Buy, see page 188.
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‘ THE NEW CHILDREN’S ROOMS HAD TO LOOK LIKE BEDROOMS, NOT LIKE SPACES JUST STUCK INTO AN ATTIC.’ KATE
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generous main bedroom suite as well as Kate’s office, which overlooks the street. As well as the seamless indoor-outdoor connection, a standout feature is the galley kitchen with its seven metre-plus bench, “a huge straight line”, as Kate calls it. This space has turned out to be a boon for these enthusiastic cooks and entertainers. Throughout the home there’s an appreciable sense of airiness. Floor-to-ceiling glazing, including walls of sliding windows on two sides of the living area, plus louvre windows, ensure there are constant crossbreezes, while natural light pervades the interiors. Kate’s decorating style tends toward organic finishes and simple lines, kept clear with the help of abundant storage, one of the factors that first drew her to this house. “We like to keep the spaces warm and functional. I lean towards the Scandinavian look,” she says. “The look is quite clean and everything can be packed away at the end of the day, so we’re not looking at toys all the time. We have a sense of returning the home to its true glory.” MCK, Surry Hills, NSW; (02) 9211 4146 or mckarchitects.com. Adam Robinson Design, Surry Hills, NSW; 0451 299 920 or adamrobinsondesign.com
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ABOVE (left and right) Helena’s bedroom has a sweet fairytale ambience. The table and chairs were roadside finds, repainted by a friend. Bear print, Sonnenzimmer. Oeuf Sparrow wardrobe, Kido Store. Big brother Harry painted the canvas on the table. OPPOSITE Four-year-old Harry charges up the bunk ladder in his bedroom. The Humpty Dumpty toy (on chair) belonged to his mother when she was a child. Bunk beds, Kido Store. Teepee, Mediterranean Markets. Cloud pillow, Top3 by Design. Rug, Ikea. For Where to Buy, see page 188.
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A look we love Sprinkle pretty feature pieces into a clean and functional home scheme for a designer look that’s also supremely family-friendly.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Blush Feathers limited-edition print, $50, White Forest Home, www.whiteforesthome.com, in Ribba fibreboard frame in white stained oak effect, $50, Ikea; (02) 8020 6641 or www.ikea.com.au. Sol American-oak and powder-coated steel floor lamp in Admiralty, $1957, Jardan; (03) 8581 4988 or www.jardan.com.au. Jiro large ash bowl in Pop Yellow, $35, and Jiro small ash bowl in Pale Pink, $25, Country Road; 1800 801 911 or www.countryroad.com.au. Karlstad three-seater sofa bed with cotton-blend upholstery in Isunda Grey, $1599, Ikea. Karimoku New Standard Colour Bin wooden containers with leather straps, $310 (medium) and $377 (large), Stylecraft; 1300 306 960 or stylecraft.com.au. Sandy hand-painted medium fibreglass plant pot, $190, Pop & Scott; www.popandscott.com.
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Produced by Lauren Barakat.
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here’s an elegant cohesion between the timeless palette of materials in this comfortable home and its contemporary grace notes. Each element whispers quality and are intended to last: wide-gauge oak flooring never goes out of style and the solid sofas will withstand the rough and tumble of young children. While that sets an owner’s mind at ease, a visitor’s eye is drawn to surprising sweet spots: tender colours, lace-like textiles and whimsical shapes coming through in accessories and soft furnishings – all elements that can be updated at whim as the years go by. Potted plants throughout highlight the indoor-outdoor connections, an effect heightened by artworks featuring botanical imagery and homewares in pleasing organic textures. #