Family Jewel by Arent & Pyke
Family Jewel, by Arent & Pyke, is a fusion of classical elements – combining materials, finishes and forms which lean into joy and softness.
Words: Juliette Arent & Sarah-Jane Pyke I Photography: Anson Smart
Photo: Anson Smart. Editorial stylist: Claire Delmar
Downstairs, whimsical waves appear in a relief pattern on the kitchen island cabinets and are echoed in the defined arch details of the French doors. Photo: Anson Smart. Editorial stylist: Claire Delmar
Some designs are all the more rewarding for us because of their deeply personal nature, where creating something special for a client is an endeavour close to our hearts. This was the case the minute we met the owner of this 1890s Sydney terrace house and began crafting an elegant, inviting home for her that was full of wit and whimsy.
Maryanne had lived in this eastern suburbs house for a few years before she was ready to make it truly feel like her own place. A pleasant but tired-looking terrace facing the park, it had undergone an earlier extension that left behind an awkward floor plan and a lack of flow. Our design for the renovation focused on reconfiguring certain areas to bring in more light, a better sense of space, and a bespoke decorative approach that reflected her style and engaging personality.
If any space in this house illustrates the importance of understanding the owner’s individual lifestyle, it is the new master bedroom. Rather than inhabiting the large front room on the first floor, which is usually chosen as the main bedroom in a terrace, our client preferred the quieter ambience of the back bedroom. It is a private spot with plenty of light and a pretty outlook over the back garden. This was a choice we quickly embraced when we appreciated the calm and sanctuary it brought her.
The room itself, however, was poky and crowded. It had an ungainly ensuite, which we removed and rebuilt in the adjacent unused landing space. The new layout allows for a beautiful bedroom and sizeable ensuite without affecting the proportions of the other bedrooms or the second bathroom on this floor.
There is a pared-back delicacy to the master bedroom that evokes a wonderful sense of calmness and is attuned to a softly feminine quality. This is enhanced by the delectable vintage pink Murano glass wall sconces and some unexpected custom curves that we introduced throughout the house. On the ivory bouclé bedhead, the generous arch visually enlarges the room; on the linen curtains, the wave motif brings a serene sense of fluidity.
From this room, another series of curves can be seen in the ensuite, expressed in a vivid burst of pink. We started with a refined finish of milky grey marble floor and wall tiles, but, inspired by the owner’s response to the design, we turned up the energy with a cabinet painted the colour of raspberry lipstick and an undulating Calacatta Viola marble benchtop. Above this, pink wallpaper with a repeated arch pattern continues the theme, creating a room that is dynamic, joyful and utterly appealing.
Photo: Anson Smart. Editorial stylist: Claire Delmar
Photo: Anson Smart. Editorial stylist: Claire Delmar
“With the curves and a mix of materials, the kitchen is a classical room with a feminine twist.”
Photo: Anson Smart. Editorial stylist: Claire Delmar
Photo: Anson Smart. Editorial stylist: Claire Delmar
“Our client’s delight in every hue and every part of the process made it even more delightful for us to create a treasured personal space that is both a special home for her and the heart for her whole family.”
There is a pared-back delicacy to the master bedroom that evokes a wonderful sense of calmness and is attuned to a softly feminine quality. Photo: Anson Smart. Editorial stylist: Claire Delmar
A final joyful flourish in the second bathroom upstairs is as much a tribute to our client’s enjoyment of colour as it is to her desire to incorporate spaces for visiting children and grandchildren. Photo: Anson Smart
Joy and colour extend to all the spaces, including the main bathroom. Photo: Anson Smart
Downstairs, more whimsical waves appear in a relief pattern on the kitchen island cabinets and are echoed in the defined arch details of the French doors – a romantic element we introduced to connect this room to the internal courtyard. With the curves and a mix of materials that includes sage green cabinets, grey marble benchtops and brushed brass drawers, the kitchen is a classical room with a feminine twist. Some deft spatial manipulation, including the removal of a large column, allowed us to open the sink area to the courtyard and transform this narrow space into a light-filled room that appears larger than it actually is.
At one end of the island, we built a small banquette seat with a playful peach-toned ocelot print and had a piece of forest green marble made into a petite tabletop above a brass base. It is a sunny spot perfect for one – or two, with the addition of a chair – and it evokes a wonderful feeling of intimacy that extends from the kitchen to the casual living area on the other side.
Light, welcoming tones feature in the furnishings here, and the space flows into the backyard through more French doors. Curves come courtesy of a television cabinet with a wave motif and a salmon-coloured sculptural table of reclaimed clay that has so much character you can almost picture it following the owner around the house on its robust legs.
As we designed these intimate spaces, we also had in mind the house’s role as a hub for extended family. This is where the terrace’s typical front formal living and dining rooms come into play, with the vintage dining table the scene of many gatherings. There is a lovely progression through these two spaces to reach the kitchen and courtyard, which is enriched by the connection of colours between the rooms and the hallway beyond.
The butter yellow walls of both rooms create a warm, benevolent mood, against which the emerald dining chairs and the green and pink tones of the ottoman in the living room sing. These greens speak to the calming grey-green walls of the hallway, and the forest green ceiling in the entry offers another vivid moment.
A final joyful flourish in the second bathroom upstairs is as much a tribute to our client’s enjoyment of colour as it is to her desire to incorporate spaces for visiting children and grandchildren. Positioned beside the other bedrooms, the room vibrates with hues, from the blue and orange Fornasetti wallpaper with its print of monkeys sitting in pomegranate tree branches, to the tiled floor with its pattern of colours spanning terracotta to ivory.
Our client’s delight in every hue and every part of the process made it even more delightful for us to create a treasured personal space that is both a special home for her and the heart for her whole family.
