(my_space)
STYLE steals (from top) YUTA BADAYALA pendant light, similar from $1500, koskela.com.au freedom jar, $39.95, freedom.com.au JOE VINKS ECO DESIGN table, $5300, joevinksecodesign.com
breakfast TABLE Fornasetti isn’t usually my favourite, but this table (right and above right) is truly unique and an amazing piece we bought at auction. bedroom Hector is the best bulldog in the business! Other than the deck, the most lovely view is from the bedroom. It looks down over Rushcutters Bay.
TAILOR MADE
vignette The iconic Beverly Hills Hotel palm print emulates the treetops outside. The camel came from MCM House in Surry Hills. Charlie [Hinckfuss, the managing director] is a friend and I borrowed this five years ago and never gave it back; technically, it’s stolen.
YOUNG CREATIVES ARE THE keepers OF THIS HOME WITH AN OLD SOUL WHO Interior designer Tamsin Johnson (tamsinjohnson.com.au) and her husband, tailor Patrick Johnson (pjohnson.com.au) WHERE Darling Point, Sydney WHAT Inviting ’30s apartment combining elegant antiques with eclectic, contemporary design
My husband and I are both Australian but met in London six years ago where he was training to be a tailor and I was studying interior design. After a few years we moved back home and, in 2009, Patrick opened a showroom in Paddington. At first we lived above it, but it got to the point where we were literally sleeping on suit bags. That was our cue to look for something else. Initially we wanted a place that we could live and work from, but that idea went out the window when we found this apartment. Keeping work and home separate has proved to be the right decision. The previous owner was a crazy old lady who used the dishwasher as storage. We negotiated with her for quite a while before buying. It was an absolute wreck when we moved in, with peeling paint, cobwebs and rotting floors. So we painted, installed new floorboards and gutted the kitchen, opening it up to feel like one big space. The bones were great, so there was no need for any major structural changes. Even though it’s small, we were drawn to the light, huge deck and location. Through the trees, we can see the harbour and have views over the park. It’s not that pretty from the outside, but the interior is great and house-like because it has its own entrance. The deck is the best thing about our home; we’re out there all the time in summer. The greenery and indoor plants are Patrick’s touch. He loves them and even names them. He’s a bit of a green thumb, but sometimes I wonder if he thinks we’ve got a rolling green lawn given the amount of time he spends out there – any excuse to go to the nursery and bring things home.
40 | sundaystyle.com.au
Edited by Katherine Chatfield. Words: Carli Philips. Photography: Ellis Parrinder
LIVING AREA The furniture in the main living room is a mix of things collected over time. The leather-studded sofa (this is the dog’s) is half of an antique pair from my dad. The rugs and straw mat help retain warmth.
kitchen The ply cupboards and antique oak central table soften the marble benchtops and brass taps. The Brendan Huntley (left) and James Davis portraits add a bit of character.
We have different styles, but I think our aesthetics are complementary. For the most part, he lets me have free rein – unless I’ve found something completely wrong and then he brings me back into line! The interior is definitely a cocktail of both our tastes, and I’m probably leaning slightly on the more colourful side than him. I find colour really important. It’s more than just decoration; it affects mood, place and people. My parents are antique dealers and they have heavily influenced me. I like casual yet beautiful things that are eclectic and refined without feeling over-designed. Most of our pieces have been collected or inherited over time and we buy a lot locally at auction. So many things get missed at auction rooms, but when you spend the time looking you reap the benefits. We bring things back from travels and shipped a lot home from London. I think an interior should look as relevant now as it will in 10 years. Good-quality things will always, always have a place.
Because Patrick is from Adelaide and I’m from Melbourne, we’re constantly entertaining. We’ve either got people staying or just coming over for dinner. There’s no internet at home and for the past 18 months we took the TV away, too. It was really nice, because after being at work all day we could come home and completely switch off. You’re forced to do other things, such as read and have lots of conversation. As an interior designer, I think it’s vital to work with the setting, client’s personality and lifestyle. For example, we live in Sydney – a coastal city – so things should be relaxed. Half the fun is working with what you have rather than forcing a signature style. I believe an interior should be sympathetic to the building it’s in and look like it’s always been there, rather than appearing too ‘decorated’. We’re currently redoing the bathroom, but after that we’re done. Our home has a really nice soul. Once you’re inside you don’t want to leave.
i can’t live without…
PAINTING This Lucy Culliton chicken painting from The Hughes Gallery was my birthday present this year.
COCONUT LAMP I managed to sneak this out of my parents’ place when I left home.
BOOKS These books about the Russian abstract painter Kazimir Malevich look as good as the content within.
SCAN PAGE TO BUY
VASE This Mark Douglass vase was an engagement gift from my parents. They have brilliant taste.
CHAIR It’s not a comfortable seat, but it was the first thing I made at woodworking and I love it.