ART and SOUL

Colourful visual elements elevate a three-storey California bungalow to a warm and welcoming family home.

- Chris Pearson

A weekend escape to the NSW Blue Mountains in 2021 had a lucky and unexpected outcome for Alison, the owner of this California bungalow in Sydney's Inner West. She was so smitten by the Airbnb she stayed in that she reached out to her host, who happened to be interior designer Josie Simpson of Altus Design Studio.

“The warm colours and artworks made me feel instantly at home,” says Alison. “The house was smart without being over-styled, with a level of comfort where you could instantly relax. I liked it so much I contacted Josie the following Monday.”

Alison and husband Alex had bought their three-level home five years earlier for them and their son, Will, now 12. “It was a double-fronted bungalow with stained-glass windows at the front, traditional when you walked in and then so much lovely light in the renovated living area at the back,” she says. Previous renovations had left it with an upstairs main suite under the roofline and a downstairs bunker with a bedroom and rumpus, which would prove an asset when Will grew older.

But it was “very white” and had little quirks such as a poky main ensuite, while the family bathroom was dark and uninviting. And, sadly, many heritage features, such as cornices and pendants, had long since vanished. While the kitchen was generous, its desk nook was redundant since there were already two studies, says Josie. Meanwhile, openings in the living areas failed to fully embrace the view and the outdoors.