Tiers of joy

On returning to Sydney after a stint overseas, one family set about finding a home that would help them make up for lost time in the sunshine.

- Georgia Madden

REAR EXTERIOR “There are curves on the exterior of the house so we introduced them inside as well for a sense of unity,” says interior designer Maryann Schmidt.

SUNKEN LOUNGE Nook sofa, Memphis coffee table and Luna cushions, all Jardan. Space Copenhagen ‘Swoon’ lounge chair, Great Dane. Cumulus rug, The Rug Establishment. Throw, L&M Home. Outdoor dining setting, owners’ existing.

After 15 years in London, Nick, Nicola and their daughters Emily, 20, and Sophie, 17, were more than ready to return home and enjoy Sydney’s enviable lifestyle. When a friend alerted them to a three-level, four-bedroom waterfront property for sale on the sought-after Lower North Shore, they wasted no time in snapping it up.

“We love entertaining and the outdoors, so a property that allowed us to create that lifestyle was a must,” says Nick. “The location was amazing – just minutes to the city – and the home had easy flow between indoors and out, several substantial entertaining areas and uninterrupted water views.”

While the house ticked every box in terms of location and amenities, including its own private jetty and a small beach, it did have a few issues internally. “The second and third bedrooms were too small to fit a double bed, the kitchen was awkward and closed off from the living area, and the bathrooms had not been touched in 30 years,” he says. “The living room had a huge fireplace and a beautiful, but impractical, 10-meter-long fish tank. It was lacking on the energy-efficiency front too.”