Kirribilli House: A Luxurious Home Makeover

Who lives here

A couple who downsized after their three adult children left home. 

Location

Kirribilli, a harbourside suburb of Sydney. 

Decor style

Modern Australian

Favourite room

The living room. I love how all the colours work so well together, and how the joinery looks like it’s been there forever. Having the curtains between the foyer and living room, as well as the fireplace also means that the space works equally well in summer and winter.

Favourite pieces

The Cloud Pendant is such a hero piece. It is such a beautiful, unique design with so much care and attention put into it. I was lucky enough to visit the Apparatus Studio in Manhattan, where the light is designed and assembled, and this was just the perfect project to place the light.

Steps away from the glistening waters of Sydney Harbour, Kirribilli's stylishly casual vibe is the backdrop to a mid-century abode that was in desperate need of a makeover. Enamoured by the location and the home's potential, a couple downsizing in Sydney's Lower North Shore engaged Alex Gourlay of Vellum Interiors to create a home befitting of its glamourous surrounds. 

The Kirribilli house hints at Sydney's architecture – a rope staircase, tallow-wood floorboards and highlights of sandstone throughout. Add a colour palette of deep blues and greens, pinks, lilacs and crisp whites, and bespoke furnishings predominately designed by Alex, and you have a home that embodies modern Australian. 
 
"The new interiors are joyful and a breath of fresh air. They don't subscribe to a particular aesthetic. Still, if I had to define it, it would be Modern Australian — sophisticated, yet low key and very liveable, without being uber-contemporary," says Alex.

The home, seemingly caught in a time-warp, had an irregular floorplan, large foyer, heavy, outdated curtains and blinds, impractical lighting, and a quirky colour palette – think eucalyptus green with dark red ceilings. The couple tried to bring a cohesive feel throughout by painting the interiors white, but it still left the home wanting. 

"The house lacked warmth, and although there were many original features, the house hadn't been touched since the 70s and didn't suit the new homeowner's lifestyle," says Alex. "The overall brief was to add colour and life – designing and decorating the foyer, living and dining rooms, bedrooms, hallway and staircase, as well as re-configuring the lighting plan and paint colours throughout." 

For Alex, it was about having fun and playing on the home's original features and distinctive floorplan.

"My vision was to create a light, bright and fun home for my clients who are very much young-at-heart empty nesters," explains Alex. "Mid-century modern design has a lot of quirky and playful elements, so I was very much inspired by the home's architecture, as well as the harbourside location and the owners themselves." 

Setting the scene for what lays beyond is the foyer with a collection of Australian designed pieces. A marble table from Jardan (with a pendant light overhead from Dutch designers, Ay Illuminate), custom upholstered bench seat from Arthur G (upholstered in Hermes fabric from South Pacific Fabrics), wall hooks by Studio Henry Wilson, and the most defining feature of all, the rope staircase. 

Sitting off to the one side of the foyer is the living room, enveloped in sheer curtains to give the space a light, breezy feel. A rug in bold custom colours chosen by Alex from Designer Rugs and a Vintage Parker coffee table anchor the room. Yet, it’s the Cloud pendant by New York-based Apparatus Studio that defines the space.

Tying the living room to the rest of the home is the custom joinery next to the fireplace, which was designed by Alex to have a lot of irregular rectangles – a nod to mid-century shapes. 

"I love how the living room turned out, how all the colours work so well together, and how the joinery looks like it's been there forever," says Alex.

Intimate and warm, with colours, textures and bespoke furnishings, the dining room has the feel of a Captain's room in the hull of a ship. Custom panelling on the wall continues the home’s cohesive feel. And although the Vintage Danish mid-century dining table is the perfect craftsmanship and detailing for the space, the custom-built buffet is the hero piece. 
 
Designed by Alex and built by Porter & Maple, the buffet's Calacatta Viola marble top, walnut veneer, and deep blue cabinet interior adds another layer of character and intrigue to the home. 
 
"I love that the house has a completely different feeling and energy about it. It's now a light, colourful and fun home, that strikes a great balance between sophisticated and laid-back, while still tying into the architecture and surrounds," says Alex.

Beautifully positioned on Sydney Harbour, Kirribilli really knows how to turn on the charm with its stylishly casual village, foreshore parks, heritage homes and boutique outdoor markets. Sitting in the shadows of Sydney Harbour Bridge, Kirribilli Village has a multi-cultural dining scene to whet any appetite, from waterfront cafes to boutique fine dining to hole-in-the-wall eateries. Absolutely everything is within walking distance, including the city which is a casual stroll across the bridge, plus you have the iconic North Sydney Olympic Pool and Luna Park right on your doorstep.

For coffee/breakfast

You can’t beat Celsius Coffee Co, which sits right on top of the water on Kirribilli Wharf.

For lunch

Ripples for long weekend lunches, Batch Burgers for a quick bite. 

For dinner

The Botanist and they also do really good cocktails. 

For drinks

Foys is a beautiful spot with great seafood and drinks.

Go-to local boutique

Not a boutique, but Kirribilli Markets have been a staple of the area for decades and are still a local favourite

Best kept secret in the local area

The Ensemble Theatre is a very well-kept secret. There are also some beautiful walks in the area — walking over the bridge and back is breathtaking, and the new Bondi to Manly walk passes through Kirribilli too.

Credits:

Words – Margaret Quilter

Photography - Pablo Veiga

Interior design & decoration - Alexandra Gourlay of Vellum Interiors

Landscape design – Good Manors