High DEFINITION

With its classical proportions and sumptuous finishes this Sydney home references the sophisticated style of grand and gracious Mediterranean villas.

- JUDY PASCOE

Consider the staircase, which can be a purely utilitarian way to access different levels or can make a dramatic and glamorous statement, catching the eye and setting the scene for what lies beyond. In the case of this newly designed and built home in Sydney's eastern suburbs it is most definitely the latter, and interior designer  Thomas Hamel goes so far as to say, "It's all about the staircase!"

The owners had long admired the location of this property, both the street and the suburb, nestled within the community where they had grown up. "They used to drive past looking at it longingly and would discuss what they would do if they were ever lucky enough to buy it," says Thomas. As luck would have it they did subsequently buy the house and lived there for a few years before deciding to redevelop the property to better suit their family and way of living.

Engaging the 'dream team' for the project - Thomas, plus Michael Suttor as consulting architect and Paul Bangay as landscape designer - the plan was to recreate the grand and gracious style of a home on the French Riviera while embracing the Sydney terrain.

As frequent entertainers the owners requested multiple areas for welcoming family and friends, whether for intimate dinners, garden parties, movie nights or pool parties, as well as comfortable and intimate spaces for family life. Special luxuries such as a cinema, golf room, sauna, gym, games room, wine cellar and cigar lounge were also on the wishlist.

The four-bedroom house has the handsome appearance of a classic Mediterranean villa with Palladian proportions in true Michael Suttor style. "The ground and first floors reflect all the classical details of a luxury home while the two lower levels have a more transitional, contemporary aesthetic," says Thomas.