TWENTIES DARLING [Sydney]

Architect Tom Ferguson

DESPITE HAVING largely moved away from design and into photography, Tom Ferguson simply couldn't pass up the opportunity to be involved with a long-time friend - and editor of Wish lifestyle magazine - David Meagher's home interiors project when offered, at the beginning of the 2020 lockdowns. The Sydney apartment within an elegant Claud Hamiltondesigned building had almost all of the original 1920s details intact, so the goal was to "retain the period feel and create a simple and clean aesthetic" where David's mostly mid-century furniture would look right at home.

What were some of the requirements for your home and what initially appealed about this property?

David Meagher: It's an unusually large one-bedroom apartment with a really functional floor plan. I just wanted as much storage as possible and a place for a desk so I didn't have to work from the dining table, as it was the beginning of the Covid lockdown. My previous apartment was tiny by comparison and never felt big enough to have people over, so I wanted space for a table and a kitchen where I wouldn't have to store things on top of other things.

What was the starting point for the interiors?

DM: I kind of think of myself as a modernist and if I had the opportunity to build something from scratch, I would want it to be super-minimal.

What were the challenges of the space and how did you resolve them?

DM: I wanted cupboards, especially in the bedroom, as far as the eye could see.