CLASSIC FIT
Belle Magazine Australia|August - September 2023
Due to a dexterous makeover, a family home in Sydney's east lets its hair down while still retaining its timeless appeal
CHRIS PEARSON
CLASSIC FIT

Designer Dylan Farrell has performed a smart conjuring trick with this glamorous four-bedroom home in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. In a magical transformation, he has deftly upped its formal, classical credentials, while, paradoxically perhaps, also making it fun and functional for family living.

The owners found plenty to love in this classically styled 1990s home, with its proverbial good bones, its large sloping block and huge fig tree in the front garden that dusted the interiors with dappled light. But it was also stiff and starchy, needing to let its hair down if it was to become an inviting family home. And it was also bland, with bare white walls, relieved by token cornicing and other scant architectural details, with the finishes and fittings poorly executed. Perhaps most jarringly, however, the scale was awkward.

"The interiors had a dollhouse-like quality," says Dylan, who first stepped over the threshold in early 2021. "The proportions were not palatial, yet they suggested a whimsical formality." And he knew how to turn that apparent paradox into a plus with a little skill. "The owners wanted a classical language without the rigidity that often comes with it. They were drawn to our design style for its duality of classicism and levity." In their brief, the owners requested complete redos of the kitchen and bathrooms, while all of the carpentry and joinery had to go.

In the brave new era of WFH, they wanted a home office, while Dylan gently coaxed them into adding a wine cellar, "as a bit of fun, because the husband wanted to start a collection".

Denne historien er fra August - September 2023-utgaven av Belle Magazine Australia.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra August - September 2023-utgaven av Belle Magazine Australia.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA BELLE MAGAZINE AUSTRALIASe alt
Double handling
Belle Magazine Australia

Double handling

Leading architectural hardware designer Bankston has collaborated with New York's Civilian on a new range of door handles and levers.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
Coastal COOL
Belle Magazine Australia

Coastal COOL

A Hamptons-inspired weekender on the Mornington Peninsula is remodelled for three generations of one family.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
CLOUD STREET
Belle Magazine Australia

CLOUD STREET

A sophisticated design with exquisite detailing elevates a top-floor penthouse into a world-class home for a returning local family.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
Future proof
Belle Magazine Australia

Future proof

Crafting a beach house that could eventually become a permanent residence meant walking a fine line between relaxed and sophisticated.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
Going with the ith flow
Belle Magazine Australia

Going with the ith flow

Two melds enticingly into one when an inner-city terrace tones up for contemporary living.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
CHEF'S kiss
Belle Magazine Australia

CHEF'S kiss

Entertaining by a smart renovation for a family of foodies on a grand scale was made possible

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
MAISON D'ART
Belle Magazine Australia

MAISON D'ART

Step into the captivating world of French gallerist Amélie du Chalard, for whom life, art and history are in perfect harmony.

time-read
4 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
ERA DEFYING
Belle Magazine Australia

ERA DEFYING

An interwar bungalow moves boldly into the 21st century while also celebrating its fabulous past.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
PALM CANDY
Belle Magazine Australia

PALM CANDY

Pink tones cap off a romantic mix of Spanish and Moroccan styles at a designer's weekend retreat.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
HOUSE ROYAL
Belle Magazine Australia

HOUSE ROYAL

A pair of scented leather gloves sent to King George III marks the birth of one of the world's most enduring fragrance houses.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025