This glamourous family residence was conceived as an ode to a high-end fashion store

To illustrate the desired aesthetic for her new home, Carla Barton’s client took the interior designer to the Dior boutique in Sydney’s CBD. “Dior is her favourite fashion house,” Carla explains, “and she wanted her home to convey some of the same sophistication and softness that Dior so elegantly portrays.”

“I wanted a Parisian look,” affirms the owner, “with high ceilings and detailing but with a modern take.” The home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs is a new build with seven bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms constructed in the Georgian style. Spread over three levels on a large block of land with a pool and two-car garage, it is home to a family that includes four young children and two live-in nannies, as well as providing accommodation for grandparents who visit from overseas. “Most of the time, the house is occupied by a large family group of 10 people,” says Carla.

The couple had purchased the dated house in 2019, always intending to demolish it and build anew. However, Covid and delays with planning approvals meant that the work didn’t begin until 2022. Though the brief to the designer was initially for a traditional-style house, gradually the concept took on a more contemporary slant. While he leaned towards the enduring elegance of traditional architecture and the timeless charm of clawfoot baths and crystal chandeliers, she gravitated towards a more experimental and playful aesthetic. “The result is a stunning fusion of classic forms and youthful modern elements, creating an intriguing home that beautifully tells both their stories,” says Carla.

On a north-facing block, the property is blessed with wonderful natural light, amplified by Carla incorporating light whites and soft pastel shades, flowing sheer curtains and well-planned furniture layouts. “It’s a soft glamour that melts together, slowly introducing the elements rather than them being in your face,” she says. “It’s a little traditional, but not in an old way – it feels like a young family lives here.”

That’s not to say there are no bold features. In the basement powder room, the ‘Safari Vibe’ wallpaper by Emile & Chen makes a strong statement backdropping the agate-stone vanity and unusual pond basin from Rocky Mountain Hardware, while the brass archway heralding the family room is a detail that the owner – and all her friends – especially love. “It’s a real talking point,” she says, “and even the feng-shui expert was impressed! It’s a great example of a traditional element with modern detailing, one of many such pairings in the house.”

However, the owner’s favourite space is the formal sitting room, where a sense of quiet luxury prevails, care of beautiful fabrics by the likes of Rubelli, Kravet and Calvin Klein, wall and ceiling panelling and sophisticated muted shades. Carla remarks, “It’s a mix of American-style traditional elements and proportions overlaid with a French femininity and softness.”

The room features an array of international accoutrements, such as the hand-carved marble mantelpiece sourced from Lamberty in London, paired with a firescreen embellished with ginkgo leaves by Texas-based Claire Crowe. Its swivel armchairs are from Dmitriy & Co in the US while the coffee table is from Tom Faulkner in London. R&Y Augousti in Paris supplied the shagreen and brass side tables and mirror, and the chandelier hails from US retailer Horchow. “We love to gather here with friends and have a glass of wine before dinner in front of the fireplace,” says the owner. “Even the kids like to come in and play.”

The children also play in the expansive rumpus room and each has a bedroom that’s been lovingly detailed, taking into consideration their personality and interests. Carla says she was able to use colour in these rooms to contrast with the muted tones in the rest of the house, specifying four-poster beds and custom canopies in zesty colours and patterns for the girls, with Tappeti rugs and Visual Comfort & Co lamps in all four of the rooms. “The children love their bedrooms,” says the owner, “so much so that when we go away they become quite homesick for them.”

Every space in the house is in constant use. The library does double duty as a formal dining room and home office. Furnished with a long custom table featuring power outlets hidden in the centre panel and a computer workstation concealed in a custom inlaid straw marquetry cabinet, it is also where the children do their homework or sit and read books. And for special dining occasions, the butler’s pantry that opens directly into the room is perfect for serving guests.

“I really love the house as a whole,” says the enraptured client. “It’s a great balance between traditional and modern, and so cohesive throughout. Carla’s aesthetic fits very well with mine, so she was absolutely the right designer for us.”

The Design Team

Carla Barton: carlabarton.com.au

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