New open plan layout gives family more connection in 2-bed home

This two-bedroom townhouse in Sydney’s Rozelle was made open plan and given a better connection to the outdoors, and in doing so it became a much better looking (and functioning) home for its family.

“This property was completely gutted and reconfigured,” says interior designer Kate Vale. “Being an old townhouse, each room was separate. The client wanted an open plan that maximised the feeling of space. The whole back of the house was opened up to achieve this. Gorgeous large steel doors were installed to connect the indoor and the outdoor spaces, getting the most from the block.”

The client had a really clear idea of the look they were after. It was about making the space feel open, clean and modern with some distinctive design features added in a timeless and elegant way. “We used natural materials to add in that feeling of luxe, and chose predominately light and warm colours to ensure it still felt really homely.”

The bones of the home were always great but the spaces were too seperate and the finishes were old and in need of some love. “In the main stairway and in the entrance corridor, the original bricks have been left exposed, which adds such a beautiful feature and a nod to the home’s original state.”

The main areas Kate and her team worked on were the kitchen and bathrooms. “The bathrooms needed gutting and the kitchen needed opening up. The bedrooms were relatively easy to transform as it was mainly carpet, paint and a bit of joinery that completed the transformation.”

Having the kitchen, living and dining spaces opened up to one open plan space was the biggest game changer. “It allows the family so much more connection than previously. Those steel doors that allow the sun to stream into the room also create such warmth both visually and temperature wise.”

For the bathrooms, an affordable tile was used as the main material. “They are quite a neutral colour with just a little bit of movement and turned out beautifully. This kept costs down as well as allowing us to splurge on some feature tiles that really pop in both spaces,” said Kate, whose favourite features of the home are the kitchen and the skylights.