Pretty little things

This Sydney townhouse exudes Parisian-inspired elegance and atmospheric calm, thanks to a clever redesign.

- Carli Philips

When it came to renovating this townhouse in Sydney's east, the owner - a well-travelled, retired lawyer -was inspired by vegetables. Aubergines and olives to be exact.

"We often joked about it because I would present her with colours and she would say 'no, that's purple' or 'no, that's green'. We went through many iterations of the colour palette," says Shona McElroy, principal of Smac Studio.

It was initially intended to be a small project, but Shona saw the home's potential early on and managed to convince the owner that the open-plan zone could be better utilised and the tucked-away, U-shaped kitchen could be unwrapped for better garden views.

"She was reluctant at the start, but I was sure it could operate better for her and the way she lives," says Shona. "The kitchen was relatively small in comparison to the rest of the house and for someone who likes to cook and entertain, it wasn't ideal."

Dark and inwards facing, it awkwardly butted up against a wall. Shona was able to increase the size by re-orienting it to a horizontal layout and absorbing what was the casual dining area while giving the kitchen a better garden view. The new framework meant she could fit in a banquette and generous kitchen island in a rare slab of Green Explosion granite.