Home Tour: Quiet Maximalism

When retired lawyer and self-confessed maximalist, Gina, approached Smac Studio Interior Architecture to reimagine her Woollahra home, the brief was to craft a calm, minimal space that wasn’t boring and most definitely not all-white. A palette of aubergine and olive was settled on, alongside a ‘timeless, feminine and elegant feel’. The result — Pied-à-terre, a little sanctuary in which Gina could potter away in the garden and soak up the newly opened space.  

Proof that minimalism does not have to equate with ‘white and bright’, the home features a curation of carefully sourced statement pieces, including the kitchen stone, which happens to be one of the first items purchased. Selected together by Gina and Smac Studio Interior Architecture Principal Shona, the brief was “durable, green and beautiful”. “We didn’t want anything that was going to date or anything too commonly seen. When we came across the stone, which is actually granite, we both fell in love and knew we were going to work the kitchen around this slab”, shares Shona.  

Other key pieces, including the Christian Delecourt coffee table (“one of my favourite pieces we’re ever procured”, notes Shona) and mid-century bar cart, were bought at auction to ensure the home felt unique. Some other favourites include the three mirrors Gina bid on in one night, assuming she’d get at least one, but instead “woke up in the morning to three ‘congratulations, you’ve won’ emails”, laughs Shona.  

In line with the minimalism brief, Smac Studio worked to purposefully reduce shelving so only Gina’s ‘hall-of-fame’ items would win a coveted place on display.  

Structurally, the home required minimal changes. Those that were made focused on natural light. “The residence was originally a very dark ’90s build, which faced inwards. To address this, we made small interventions to the layout, which made a big difference to how the client lives. By changing a tucked-away, U-shaped corner kitchen into a centred kitchen island, we shifted focus outwards towards the garden and welcomed more natural light”, notes Shona.  

In another bid to maximise on light, Smac Studio added a mirrored splash to reflect the garden and bounce sunshine around.  

Other clever decisions made to ensure brightness, whilst maintaining intrigue and texture, was the choice to preserve the white stone vanity, which brightens an otherwise dark room. Merging the vanity with decadently patterned wallpaper, the powder room is at once feminine, timeless and striking. Shona shares, “The William Morris wallpaper has aubergine tones which tie in with the rest of the house, while still being really different. There’s also a little curve where the stone vanity meets the wall, which always looks great.” 

It wasn’t just natural lighting that guided Shona and the team on design choices. “Lighting is always a key consideration for us; we think of it like artwork. When I do my first round of sketches, I pretty much always know what I’m thinking light-wise!”, she shares. The finished collection of unique lighting elements was sourced from independent vintage stores, Gina’s existing collection and luxury homeware providers, including Aerin and Coco Republic.  

But the favourite room for Shona? “The living room, it’s everything I personally love in a room. Those curved sofas, the big plush rug, the fireplace centring the room.” She continues, “In the living room, can you see the column to the left of the cabinetry? That’s where the fireplace used to be, in the middle of nowhere, which made it hard to zone the living and dining areas. Now that column delineates the two spaces really nicely.” 

With all parties thrilled with the project, Shona notes, “This house feels timeless, like it could have been built years ago or last week. It’s Parisian in a way I’ve always been drawn to, without having that overly kitsch French look. It uses space cleverly and is a perfect reflection of Gina. It feels like it really belongs to her.” 

Project Credits:

• Interior Design: Smac Studio @smac_studio 

• Styling: Jack Milenkovic @jackmilenkovic 

• Build: Aston Building

• Photography: Dave Wheeler @dave_wheeler 

Loved our tour of this sleek home and want more stylish home inspiration? Take a peek inside this inviting family haven in Drummoyne, and the Sunshine Coast home that perfectly blends the past with the present.

Writer

Olivia Storrie

9 October 2025

Armed with an Arts Degree in History and Psychology from the University of Sydney, a natural curiosity and a ravenous appetite, Olivia is your go-to for restaurant recommendations across the city. She also has a keen interest in hiking, patting other people’s dogs, travelling, curating her maximalist home and reading every book she can get her hands on.