Crowd Pleaser

A Smart New Build Combines Mid-century Touches and Natural Elements to Create a Light-filled Home for the Whole Family
 

- Anna McClelland

GRAND ENTRANCE

In 15 years of dreaming about the home she and her husband Theo would create for their family – with sons James (pictured) and Samuel – Alison had plenty of time to ponder the details. At the front of the Sydney home (below), an ornate wrought-iron gate, inspired by a trip to Ravello on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, greets visitors. “I took a photo looking through a fence there six years ago, and I said, ‘One day I’m going to build a house, and that’s going to be my front door’,” explains Alison. Inside, at the entrance (opposite), guests are greeted by a mix of modern and classic style, a look that flows through the whole house. 

LIVING ROOM

The sunken living area is the family’s haven and epitomises Alison’s wish for a sanctuary that didn’t sacrifice style (below). “We lived on bean bags for six months while we chose all our furniture,” she recalls. Gorgeous Globe West Juno ‘Conrad’ armchairs in Khaki Velvet with bronze legs pick up on the tones of the ‘Le Forge’ coffee table from Boyd Blue — as well as Maximus, the French bulldog! — while the ‘Madison’ New Zealand wool rug from The Rug Collection has a plaited weave that plays up the room’s natural textures. The striking Eames chair and ottoman in Walnut and Vincenza leather — a favourite of Theo’s that James (pictured opposite) also enjoys — is illuminated by a standout Foscarini floor lamp from Space.