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Real reno: the $2.5 million transformation of one of Sydney’s grandest estates

By Olivia Shead •

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When a renovation takes two years to complete and costs a whopping $2.5 million, you know you’re in for a pretty spectacular end result!

Home Facade

Restored by Sukari Design, the 1930s estate in Sydney’s Wahroonga features three dwellings: a main home, a gardener’s cottage and a pool house, alongside horse stables, a swimming pool and a tennis court! And the main home’s far from understated either, with six bedrooms, 10 bathrooms (yes, 10!), three kitchens and a theatre.

Before - Formal Lounge
Before – Formal Lounge
After - Formal Lounge
After – Formal Lounge

However, while the home is a testament to exemplary architecture, prior to its renovation it was a far cry from its glory days. Extremely worn and featuring some rather unsightly green carpets and yellow walls, the home had to be completely gutted. “It was very neglected however the beautiful curved walls, Juliette balconies and domed ceiling in the foyer showed that this home was once amazing and had the potential to be extremely special,” says Joumana Sukari, one half of Sukari Design. “So we completely gutted the home and several walls were removed to allow for an open plan kitchen/family room. Revitalizing the home was a key factor in the clients’ brief.”

Before - Kitchen
Before – Kitchen
After - Kitchen
After – Kitchen

With the new owners (who have chosen to remain anonymous) wanting to maintain the integrity and history of the estate, but with a more transitional design style, Joumana and her sister-in-law/co-owner Michelle Sukari created a grand and luxurious home, that they refer to as one of their all time favorite projects.

Before - Entrance Hall
Before – Entrance Hall
After - Entrance Hall
After – Entrance Hall

Yet that doesn’t mean it came easy, with the project seeing some nasty surprises and unexpected expenses pop up along the way. “When the old carpet was removed we discovered that the timber flooring, which we were hoping to retain, was infested with termites,” explains Joumana. “New hardwood timber flooring had to be installed, luckily we had budgeted for unexpected expenses.”

Before - Library
Before – Library
After - Library
After – Library

Challenges also came in the form of a rather testing brief, to create 10 different bathroom schemes! “Our clients wanted each bathroom to have its own individual look, so creating 10 schemes that complemented each other but were different was definitely the biggest challenge!”

Before - Main Bathroom
Before – Main Bathroom
After - Main Bathroom
After – Main Bathroom

While the home obviously went through quite the transformation, for Joumana the biggest change came in the form of the new kitchen and the decorative wall mouldings. “The location of the original kitchen and its deteriorated state devalued the home, however the new kitchen is fresh, elegant and sophisticated and has an abundance of natural light. Also the mouldings, architraves and skirting boards all made a huge difference. The walls seemed very bare prior to installing these.”

Before - Master Bedroom
Before – Master Bedroom
After - Master Bedroom
After – Master Bedroom

Undoubtedly a huge project, Joumana learnt some invaluable lessons during the renovation. “Make sure that every aspect of your renovation has been accurately budgeted for and allow for unexpected expenses (such as termites) to appear! Importing products from overseas and dealing with shipping companies, customs brokers and tax law is also a huge learning curve.”

But, when all is said and done, would she and Michelle do it again? “In a heartbeat!”

For more information.

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May 27, 2015

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About Olivia Shead

When she's not writing for Interiors Addict, Olivia is now a TV and radio news producer. She's a journalism graduate of UTS Sydney.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Daisy says

    May 27, 2015 at 11:42 am

    Sensational transformation! Joumana and Michelle have brought this home back to life.

    Daisy xo

  2. Joumana Sukari says

    May 27, 2015 at 11:55 am

    Thank you for the amazing article Olivia! For enquiries re full interior design services visit http://www.sukaridesign.com. If you require online interior design services visit http://www.theinteriorestablishment.com. You can have a room scheme created for you for as little as $349!

  3. Sally Byrne says

    May 29, 2015 at 1:02 pm

    So elegant! I’d love to know what the paint colours in the kitchen are.

    • Joumana Sukari says

      June 1, 2015 at 7:57 pm

      The paint colour is Dulux raw cashew nut and accent colour is Dulux whisper white.

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