Photography: Dave Wheeler
Overlooking the water, this property in Sydney’s Lower North Shore is a luminous home awash in natural light. The project — a knock-down and re-build by ARC Architects — was crafted by Louisa Shipman of Shipman Interiors, who was responsible for the decorative elements, fixtures, fittings and materials.
The owners had a Pinterest board that Louisa ardently encouraged them to continue adding to. She realised their brief for something “neutral but no white” by opting for “soft, mushroom colours that were elegant and warm”. Anything stark and sharp was avoided at all costs. Louisa also added depth and dimension to areas of the architecture she considered slightly “flat” by installing joinery with a fluted, 3D profile.
“I wanted lots of neutrals and nothing that was going to date quickly,” says one of the owners. “I like a classic look with lots of simple lines, but nothing cold. I wanted the house to feel like the sort of place everyone would be happy to come home to and that we could share with family and friends.”
The couple, who have two children, didn’t want anything too precious, so Louisa introduced a Taj Mahal quartzite as it’s more stain resistant than marble and its veining can disguise mess; flush-mounted kitchen and butler’s pantry sinks to minimise any chance of chipped edges; easy-clean leather sofas and bar stools; and high-quality engineered timber flooring, which provides peace of mind should water damage ever occur while kids traipse through the house post-swim.
The view is the hero, so it was important to simplify the palette and any other elements that could be a distraction. By co-ordinating a tight selection of materials and a refined colour palette, Louisa ensured the interiors wouldn’t compete for attention. For the furniture, it was all about simple lines with softened edges; buttery khaki leather; a milky white ‘Fleur’ sofa from King Living; olive green swivel club chairs; and brushed brass and cream velvet dining chairs from Casa Blanco.
THIS IS THE LIFE
“We love the area. It’s a quiet street with a north-facing block and the house has a lot of natural light,” says one of the owners. “The kitchen overlooks the water, which is very soothing – it’s the heart of the home and we are so pleased with the layout and the butler’s pantry. It works so seamlessly with the family and when we have guests over, everyone just gathers around.”
Louisa calls the plan “upside down” as it contravenes the typical organisation of spaces. The main entrance to the ground floor is accessed via a hefty spotted gum timber door that opens onto a foyer lined in small format limestone. Taking inspiration from traditional black and white Victorian chequerboard tiles, the diamond-shaped pattern is contemporised in dark grey stone with subtle flecks. On this level is a guest bedroom, laundry, rumpus, bathroom, mudroom and wine cellar.
“I wanted the house to feel like the sort of place everyone would be happy to come home to.”
THE OWNER
A flight of stairs leads up to the first floor where all the action is. The ceiling height was raised and walls removed to form an L-shaped floorplan where Louisa demarcated a dining area, kitchen, family living and cosy sitting room with a roaring fireplace. “Open plan isn’t always the best with teenagers, so we separated the two communal areas with a Jardan ‘August’ dining table,” she explains.
Natural light pours through the house via clerestory windows, internal glass doors, and skylights in the bedrooms, study, butler’s pantry and bathroom. There are also swathes of glazing that partition the carpets of verdant greenery just beyond. With so much glass, there was a fear of too much sun, so Louisa installed external blinds along the north side of the home, internal blockout blinds, and curtains to manage the heat and light.
The kids’ bedrooms were a major consideration. “We have two teenagers, so the house needed to be age appropriate for them, too,” says one of the owners. “Louisa has done an amazing job creating an oasis in their bedrooms, which they love.” This involved intense customisation, creating everything from cabinets with site-specific ledges deep enough to display Lego figurines, to a cosy armchair cleverly designed to provide adequate storage for make-up. The parents’ wing features an ensuite and a spacious, four-metre-long walk-in wardrobe.
“There is strength and intention to this house, but it also has a sense of ease without yelling ‘look at me,’” says Louisa. “An incredible amount of thought has gone into the selections and layers to create a warm, gentle environment that allows the breathtaking view to have its well-deserved moment.”
The Design Team:
ARC Architects: arcarchitects.com.au.
Shipman Interiors: shipmaninteriors.com.
Select Construction: selectconstruction.com.
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