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Monochrome heaven: a low maintenance luxury family home

September 28, 2020 1 Comment

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Designed by architect Madeleine Blanchfield and constructed by One Up Building, this Sydney renovation is one of the most beautiful projects weโ€™ve come across. Monochromatic in scheme, it’s elevated by brass and timber accents while polished concrete and specialty plasters seamlessly blend the original Arts and Crafts era home with its new extension. 

Lounge room
Fireplace
The fireplace is something else!

Located in Sydneyโ€™s beachside suburb of Coogee, the house is home to Brett and Libby Newman and their three teenage children, who were looking to create a home that was beautiful but functional too. โ€œIt has spaces and places we can come together as a family, and with large groups of friends, but we can also find our own space in the house as well,โ€ says Brett.

The front of the home
The front of the home
Lounge
Sitting room

The home is a seamless blend of old and new; its monochrome palette working to unite the spaces. โ€œWe realised we needed some form of expression between old and new, so we provided a colour application to the new concrete stairs and the entire wall and ceiling which created a portal-like effect,โ€ says Rick Simmons, co-founder of One Up Building, of the homeโ€™s sumptuous Portuguese plaster detailing. Offset with a brass wall sconce, the finish really emphasises the lightโ€™s beauty.

The stunning Portuguese plaster
The stunning Portuguese plaster

With five family members, each with varying needs, the homeโ€™s spatial flexibility is highly prized. Everything from the childrenโ€™s study needs to parental work commitments and parties can be accommodated easily, making for a very liveable home.

โ€œWe wanted a place that was beautiful, well designed, comfortable to live in but not high maintenance, over engineered or over designed. We didn’t want something that we didn’t feel comfortable living in,โ€ says Brett, touching on the homeโ€™s understated, easy luxury.

Pool

โ€œNothing looks forced or purposely added without consideration. It is a simple thing โ€“ walking through a space feeling like it has been considered and was always meant to be. Thatโ€™s how I feel when I walk through this home,โ€ adds Rick.

Creating an air of casual sophistication wasnโ€™t always easy though; the homeโ€™s staircase design proved a significant challenge. Originally designed as a steel spine, the heritage section of the home couldnโ€™t hold the weight so Rick and his team had to improvise. โ€œTo realise the architectโ€™s design intent, we modified the structure to create the same effect. Anything can be done; you just have to approach working with heritage and renovations with an open mind,โ€ says Rick.

Staircase
Staircase

The design dedication certainly paid off with the family genuinely loving their home. “I’m proud of it, and we enjoy living in it immensely. This is a place I can see us living in for many years and enjoying as the kids go from teens to adulthood and then hopefully coming home!”

Master bedroom
Ensuite
Ensuite

For more on One Up Building

Photography: Anson Smart

Paddington terrace renovation is a modern visual feast
The following is an extract from the new book, Hare + Klein Interior by Meryl Hare, published by Thames & Hudson and available in all good bookshops. Crisp detailing throughout…

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A glass shower screen is not the only option! In A glass shower screen is not the only option!

In this 80s villa reno, @trentinidesign took inspiration from an archway typical of the era and used it throughout the home.

The bathroom was transformed from a classic three-piece set up that included a shower, bath and vanity. Kathryn removed the bath and split the room in half and designed an arch to sit between the two zones. 

โ€œI wanted something spectacular. Rather than having a vanity with a piece of glass like you would typically see, I was really trying to push myself as a designer. It was costly but it worked out well and the feedback has been great."

Swipe for the before and follow the link in bio to see the rest of this home.

#bathroomdesignideas #bathroomtrends2023 #showerscreen #showerscreens #archways #apartmentrenovation #interiorsblogger #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #realreno
One half of popular parenting podcast @wedonthavet One half of popular parenting podcast @wedonthavetimeforthis, turns out former Neighbours actor @gemma_peanut is even more multi-talented than we thought! Will you check out the joyful and colourful reno of her holiday home (and airbnb) @yo_caba_caba?!

Head over to the blog via link in bio to read all about why she went bold and full of pattern in this project, which is a stark contrast to her zen and neutral Northern Beaches abode.

There's also plenty of details about where things are from etc.

"Iโ€™m not an interior designer so I just chose what I liked and followed my gut. Ultimately this home has been an opportunity to explore my alter ego โ€“ it allowed me to do things that I wouldnโ€™t normally do.โ€

๐Ÿ“ท @tanikablair_photography 

#interiorsblog #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #gemmapeanut #wedonthavetimeforthis #parentingpodcast #parentingpodcasts #holidayhousesofinstagram #cabaritabeach #airbnbstyle #airbnbstyling #colourandpattern #wallpapergoals #patternedtiles #featuretiles #poolgoals #sparkjoy #yocabacaba #boldinteriors #funinteriors #colourfulkitchen
Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial family category and they're a special gift. So ends three weeks with @danisteve81 who left her husband and son in the UK (I'm forever grateful they lent her to me!) to come and cheer me up and help me in the most practical ways after I spent Christmas and New Year in hospital. There were tears and I miss her so much already but how amazing to have had all that time together as adults. Such a rare treat and would never have happened without having been through something so challenging. Silver linings and all that. So many other friends have also been incredibly thoughtful and kind. There aren't many times I'd say this without cringing but I am 100% blessed!

I still cannot believe we have been friends since we were 12! 12! Are you still close with your childhood besties?
The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_ho The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_house is a work of art and while almost every surface was updated, the decision to keep the original slate floor was genius if you ask us. 

Owner @clarehillier__ says: "With its purple, pink, red and brown tones, the slate was the starting point for our interior palette."

Come and check out the before and afters via link in bio now and read the reno story. It's a real beauty.

And you can book it for your next holiday too!

Blair Smith Architecture @kateshanasy

#slatefloor #slatefloors #80shouse #80sbeauty #camillohouse #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #realreno #holidayhousesofinstagram #morningtonpeninsulahomes #morningtonpeninsula #morningtonpeninsulasmallbusiness #blairgowrie #blairgowriebeach #airbnbstyle
Me and my boys ๐Ÿ’— Me and my boys ๐Ÿ’—
Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for thr Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for three decades going out for a child-free dinner ๐Ÿ’“๐Ÿ˜
Excuse me while I die of a cute attack ๐Ÿฅฐ @damia Excuse me while I die of a cute attack ๐Ÿฅฐ @damianfrancis 

This doesn't happen often these days!
Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks since leaving hospital and I'm doing much better than I expected to be at this early stage. A long recovery road ahead but making progress in how much I can move my arm and although I drag myself through some days non-stop yawning, others I can go for a little walk or out for lunch before collapsing on the couch! I can now tie my own hair back and put on a real bra which is very exciting ๐Ÿคฃ Having my bestie here to help us with the boys, drive me places and just be brilliant positive company is the best thing I could have asked for not to mention the many Dinner Ladies vouchers from friends! Thanks for all your kind messages, cards, flowers, gifts and offers of help โค๏ธ
I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping to raise some awareness off the back of my misfortune (and also very lucky escape).

@newsouthwaleshealth have just put out this warning about a rise in serious bacterial infections. iGAS (invasive group A streptococcus) is what caused my necrotising fasciitis and sepsis.

Apparently there's similar happening in VIC too.

It's extremely rare but very serious nonetheless so please have a read and be aware of symptoms. I've linked to the article from a button via my link in bio.

#interiorsaddict #jenbishop #necrotisingfasciitis #groupastrep #groupastreptococcus #sepsis
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Amy Collins Walker

About Amy Collins Walker

Amy is our regular feature writer, an experienced journalist and interior stylist living in Perth, Western Australia. Find out more about her styling work at http://www.amycollinswalker.com/

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Comments

  1. AvatarArthur Koulianos says

    October 4, 2020 at 7:59 pm

    Black, grey and white tones throughout. Some nice ideas.

    Reply

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