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The New Classic: Inside an Interior Architect’s Edgecliff Apartment
Interior architect Shona McElroy proves classicism isn’t boring with her very own apartment renovation.
Having led the design of home after home for her clients, Shona McElroy, Principal of interior architecture firm Smac Studio, had her non-negotiables planned out well before she began the hunt for her own blank canvas. The result, aptly named Mirrorball, her refurbished Edgecliff apartment, is a study in how thoughtful design can transform a small footprint into something that feels decidedly grand.
Finding the Right Apartment: Shona’s Non-Negotiables
“I was looking for something pretty specific in terms of ceiling height, north-facing orientation, and ideally, I really wanted views,” she specifies. Despite a willingness to compromise on at least one of her criteria, Shona eventually stumbled across the one. She shares, “This one, obviously, had all three, along with a really strange layout that people couldn’t wrap their heads around. That was actually a bonus. Fewer competitors were circling because people couldn’t see past the drab presentation and imagine what it could become.”
A Calm, Parisian-Inspired Vision
Just as her work had clarified to Shona what she wanted in a home’s bones, so too did it distil her vision for the interiors. “I definitely wanted the space to feel really calm,” she explains. “At work, at the moment, our clients lean heavily towards colour, which we love, but in my own space I wanted it to feel serene. I don’t have kids right now, so I wanted to lean into a big white couch that’s been on my wish list for years. I aimed for a Parisian vibe, highlighting the high ceilings with grand architraves and skirting.”
Shona’s Take on the Sunken Living Room
In an alternate take on the sunken living room, Shona got creative with her 100-square-metre apartment. “The current living room was once a balcony, and when I bought the apartment, there was a 150mm step down into it, which I levelled off,” she explains. “The opening to this space was also small and hard-edged, so I made it a soft arch, extending and heightening it. This creates a seamless transition, making it feel like a natural fit for a lounge room. The view is so striking here, and I wanted a place where it could be fully enjoyed, which is why I made it the living room, where we spend the most time.
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Creating a Sense of Arrival
Despite working with a smaller space, Shona was intent on creating a strong sense of arrival in her apartment, which, as it happens, is a Smac Studio non-negotiable. “The original kitchen was right at the back of the apartment and is now my cream-coloured guest room,” shares Shona on the layout jigsaw. “We demolished the kitchen and expanded into that space to create a more defined entry foyer.” It is here, in the entrance, that Shona was able to inject another Parisian touch with a vintage table and bronze pendant light.
Using Mirrors in Small Spaces
Another tactic Shona used to prove small spaces can be grand was the use of mirrors. An entire mirror wall allowed Shona to reflect light and create a sense of grandeur, as well as leaning further into European classicism. Shona adds, “They extend the space visually and help brighten the area, especially with those beautiful north-facing windows in the living room, which provide strong light. When you move back into the apartment near the dining room, it can get a little dark depending on the time of day, so the mirrors reflect light and visually expand the space.”
Functional Art: Cornicing, Fixtures and Framing
Functional art, via cornicing, light fixtures, marble framing around the windows, and handles, was crucial in adding spunk to the small space. “The cornicing was something I deliberated over for a long time, reviewing about ten different options—from really detailed to simpler. This one struck me as a perfect balance: a little fun, a bit cute, and interesting. You can appreciate the detail without it being overly extravagant.”
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Renovating on a Budget
As with any project, challenges were inevitable and for Shona, this meant not overcapitalising. How? By mixing high-end and budget pieces, with a few superb Facebook Marketplace finds. For Shona, this also meant focusing on natural light, sourcing vintage items and choosing a few key pieces to hero. “Overall, it’s beautiful and luxurious, but I managed to do it for less than people might expect.”
Project Credits
Interior Design: Smac Studio
Principal of Smac Studio: Shona McElroy
Photographer: Dave Wheeler
Photo Styling: Shona McElroy
FAQs
Mirrorball was designed by Shona McElroy, Principal of Sydney interior architecture firm Smac Studio, as her own home renovation. Having led the design of countless client homes, Shona approached the project with her non-negotiables already clear, seeking a space with high ceilings, a north-facing orientation and views. The result transforms a compact 100-square-metre footprint into something that feels grand and calm. Shona also handled the photo styling herself, with photography by Dave Wheeler, making Mirrorball a near-complete expression of her personal design vision.
To make a small apartment feel larger, Shona McElroy used mirrors, natural light and considered proportions rather than square metreage. In Mirrorball, an entire mirror wall reflects the strong north-facing light and visually expands the space, particularly near the darker dining area. Soft arches replaced small, hard-edged openings to create seamless transitions between rooms. Grand architraves and skirting draw the eye upward to the high ceilings, while a restrained, serene palette keeps the 100-square-metre apartment feeling calm and open rather than cramped or busy.
Shona McElroy kept Mirrorball’s renovation affordable by mixing high-end and budget pieces and avoiding overcapitalising. She sourced several vintage items and a few superb Facebook Marketplace finds, then chose a small number of key pieces to hero rather than spending evenly across the space. Prioritising natural light also meant fewer costly interventions were needed to make rooms feel bright and generous. The outcome reads as beautiful and luxurious, but as Shona notes, she achieved it for considerably less than most people would expect for a home of this calibre.
A Parisian interior style leans on classical detailing, high ceilings and a calm, elegant palette, all of which shape Mirrorball. Shona McElroy highlighted the apartment’s ceiling height with grand architraves and skirting, and introduced decorative cornicing chosen from around ten options for its balance of fun and restraint. A vintage table and bronze pendant light bring a Parisian touch to the entry foyer, while marble framing around the windows adds a functional, sculptural quality. A large white couch anchors the serene, European-classical feel Shona wanted throughout.
Smac Studio is a Sydney-based interior architecture firm led by Principal Shona McElroy, known for thoughtful, detail-driven design. While the studio’s client work currently leans heavily towards colour, Mirrorball shows its range with a calm, serene and pared-back aesthetic. A strong sense of arrival is a Smac Studio non-negotiable, evident here in the reworked entry foyer. The studio’s approach balances high-end and considered budget choices, hero pieces and vintage finds, proving that classical, luxurious interiors can be achieved thoughtfully within a smaller footprint and a sensible budget.
