Romantic Glow

Photography by Dave Wheeler

Smac Studio has transformed a fragmented, terracotta-toned 1980s property into an elegant family open-plan home in Sydney.

Located in a coastal suburb of Vaucluse, original arched windows of this 345 m² house look out at Macquarie Lighthouse, the Australia’s oldest one. The original architect took a trip to Tuscany in the 1980s and when he returned, he built this house, incorporating a lot of traditional Italianate style. It was completed in 1990, and he built it as a family home for himself, his wife and their kids. The new owners wanted light and large spaces suitable for entertainment but, at the same time, classic to blend with existing architecture.

The entrance foyer received a notable update. Previously the floor was a slab of Verde Alpi marble, walls were limewash orange, and the space had a small front door, given the grandness of the staircase. Black steel balustrades carved the staircase at sharp angles. Therefore, Smac Studio smoothed the hard edges into inviting white Venetian plaster curves and created a checkerboard floor from Carrara and Verdi Alpi marble - this design decision is a tribute to the original stone slab. A larger front door has been added with fluted glass to have more natural light and privacy. In the double-height entrance the bubble chandelier floats like a cloud - a kind of a heavenly sense of arrival. The pop of color is added by the artwork ‘Midday Heat, Summer Light’ by Peter Summers. From the entrance, you access the study, the laundry room with an exit, the powder room and a small corridor that leads to the other formal and informal areas.

Smac Studio used Ristretto by Porter's Paints, a very dark warm gray color with a hint of green for the walls of the home office. The playful Lavinia desk by Hegi Design designed for Pietro Franceschini is part of a limited edition of only 12 pieces. It is designed in the Ligurian Riviera which makes it perfect for empathizing with the Italian style of the house. Its soft lines and curved legs covered in Ombra Rubelli Velvet offer fluidity, sensuality and a touch of lively feminine and masculine. Above, Rachel Donath's sculptural burl wood Bohan table lamp plays with form and shadow to challenge perception as it changes shape from different perspectives. The sculptural design of the room is completed with Aerin's sculpted white plaster chandelier: inspired by the surface of a seashell, its stylized shape has a beautiful organic charm that brings the feeling of coastal living.

In traditional homes you often see studies, libraries and living rooms made of dark, heavy wood and that's what I wanted these rooms to evoke. It's a modern take on this.

Due to this house being a little more classic, the design team stuck to a theme of gold in the powder room. We have gold grasscloth wallpaper from Porters Paints, Articolo's sconce that looks amazing lit up, and gold Parisi tapware with lots of Arabescato marble on the vanity. Moving on to the corridor, the atmosphere becomes increasingly welcoming thanks to the herringbone floor. While above, we find a soft and enveloping space with a skylight. Here the design team replaced an open metal balustrade with a closed pen wall, thus providing greater privacy and drama. Originally clad in dark wood, symmetrical Arabescato marble doorways along both sides of the corridor lead to the formal dining room and cigar room, creating a special sense of entry into these more formal and traditional spaces.

The cigar room is painted the same moody color as the office. The bar features bronze veneer and a marble backsplash that contrast well with the dark color of the walls; plus, the choice of high-end materials creates a sense of opulence in this formal space. The large pale gray chair by Dimitri Vargas is elegant and sophisticated despite its large size. A pair of iconic chairs by Carl Hansen & Søn and the Fred International poetically shaped sculptural stool complete the design.

The dining room has the original Verde Alpi marble fireplace, while the cigar room has Arabescato marble shelving. A large wooden table is surrounded by chairs with long white upholstery - a perfect combination to recreate the classic atmosphere. Next to it we find a walnut chair by Andreu World. The design team also added detailed panels, cornices, more conventional pendant lights; as well as more traditional curtains and curtain tracks in these rooms. They needed to work closely with the classic feel of the entrance.

Passing the formal dining room and dark, moody cigar room you enter the bright, open-plan modern space at the rear. This is where the most significant change to the house took place. The existing rear of the house was quite sectioned off into formal and informal living rooms and kitchens, and it had to be transformed into the large living area. In particular, three small rooms have been reconfigured into one expansive space, formed by kitchen, living and dining zone. The whole room opens onto the pool and pergola that makes the house ideal for entertaining. In addition, the rear wall was moved out to create more internal space. On the left, we find a symmetrical kitchen with a huge island in the center and the Articolo lamp above. While on the kitchen wall, Kelly Wearstler worn lights that look like bent pieces of brass were included. Parisi's tapware echoes the gold accents of the chandelier. The kitchen joinery is custom designed by Smac Studio in Timber Veneer from George Feathers. Luxurious Arabescato marble slabs grace the kitchen island and splashback.

Next to it, an informal dining area composed of a light wood table accompanied by a series of interesting seating pieces. They are all different from each other, from the shapes to the materials, but they match perfectly: Artifort's Suit chair with its elegant open back, Sequoia pouf by Space Copenhagen, the sculptural Wiggle side chair in cardboard by Frank Gehry for Vitra.

Like the kitchen, the living room on the opposite side offers a certain symmetry and incorporates features. The Arabescato marble fireplace is flanked by bronze fold sconces by Kelly Wearstler, and two French windows have been inserted along the sides. The choice of furniture is also very varied here. Bloc coffee tables in burnt orange and zinc yellow by Established & Sons take up the corners of the path and the artwork ‘Silence Is Golden, Focus Is Everything’ by Peter Summers. The rest of the furniture follows the trend of curves. The Maggiolina chaise longue by Zanotta goes hand in hand with Sancal’s Remnant armchair: both add a touch of playfulness with their visual lightness and apparent simplicity. While brown Bilgola daybed by Nau Design reminds us of the Australian modernist architecture prevalent on Sydney's northern beaches. Warwick Fabrics' white sheer curtains fall from ceiling to floor offering plenty of natural light and privacy at the same time.

The Arabescato marble is everywhere except for the original Verde Alpi marble fireplace in the dining room. I chose Arabescato because it’s Italian and timeless, with dramatic textured veining. This is quite a big house by Sydney Eastern Suburbs standards, so to have the continual material link of the Arabescato keeps the design consistent. It links the spaces and tells a design story.

The second floor is reserved for the sleeping area: it includes a master suite with an adjoining bathroom, and three other bedrooms and two bathrooms. In one of the bedrooms, the designers opted for a simple bed with a white keyboard but embellished with 18th century tapestry by Parterre Australia. Instead of the usual bedside tables, the designers opted for a pair of Marlo Lyda side tables created from pieces of stone that are too small or cracked for common use - making them unique pieces. Peters Summer's yellow artwork gives a dash of avant-garde.

In the master suite, the design team decided to include the double island walkin wardrobe with the Arabescato marble top and cabinetry custom-designed by Smac Studio. The handles on the polished brass drawers recall the Reed Small chandeliers designed by Thomas O'Brien with paper lampshades. From the same Wiggle collection, the iconic Vitra stool gives a strong visual impact to the environment. The floor of the adjacent master bathroom is covered with Herringbone Tiles. Smac

The master suite came from my personal suite of dreams. So, we channelled symmetry in this project in a few locations, and the master walk-in wardrobe is one of those. The islands are just so luxurious and with that much space, I just had to do it. A double island walk-in wardrobe is every woman’s dream.

Studio created the custommade joinery cabinet which features a double sink and a shelf in Arrabescato marble as well as the two mirrors. On the opposite side we find another small custommade piece of furniture with a marble top, and above a split extending to the rest of the wall which gives the room a theatrical feel. A freestanding bathtub has been positioned next to the window while on the opposite side we find the shower with a marble portal.