Life Of The Party

For one Sydney couple, large open-plan spaces and a summery alfresco area created a true entertainer’s delight.

- Carli Philips

This home on Sydney’s Lower North Shore is almost unrecognisable from the California bungalow the owners purchased in 2016. The couple, both of whom work in the property development industry, had been househunting for quite some time and recognised that the property, although tired and dated, offered great potential. “We knew there was a solid structure underneath the layers of Mission Brown paint, with beautiful high ceilings and ornate details that were worth keeping,” say the owners.

About two years after moving in, the owners were ready to renovate, calling on architect Nicholas Grimes of Place Studio. The plan was to reinvigorate the house by revising the floor plan and replacing the existing rear addition. Interior designers Heath Baldwin and Hayden Bagnall also came on board to help transform it into the sophisticated and liveable home it is today.