An interior designer’s touch proved the best bet for this coastal home

06/05/2024

At one point in time, this double-storey home in Sydey’s coastal suburb of Clovelly was destined for a large-scale renovation. An architect had been engaged, an extension was planned and the overhaul was all but in motion.

The lightbulb moment came when the homeowners realised that most of their budget was allocated to the remodel, leaving the interiors to fall short. Refusing to give up their beloved home just moments from the beach, the couple instead enlisted interior designer Mariah Burton of Folk Studio, who stepped in to make the home shine from the inside out.

Here, Mariah talks us through nine of the most clever design details.

an interior designer’s touch proved the best bet for this coastal home

Photography: Jacqui Turk

1. A feature fireplace

At the early discussion stage of this home’s redesign, the couple who owned it had just found out they were expecting their first child. By completion, they had a nine-month-old little boy. So, Mariah knew all along that this makeover needed to deliver on the family-friendly front while also fitting in some specific requests.

A feature fireplace was one such ask that’s not so common here in Australia (particularly where they are in Clovelly, close to the beach). “This was quite important for the clients because they’re Polish,” says Mariah. “They told me that in Poland the fireplace is the centre of the living room because their winters are so harsh. For them, it’s everything.” A new gas fireplace replaced the “pretty terrible” old one and is surrounded by blush-coloured tiles from Surface Gallery. The hearth and shelf are Calacatta Viola marble from Artedomus, with a feature wall in Dulux Blossom Time. Curves are echoed in the Koskela ‘Boowambillee’ nesting tables on top of the Jardan ‘Penny’ rug.

Photography: Jacqui Turk

2. Entryway bench

As the owners enter the double-storey home at ground level, they’re welcomed by a built-in bench. “They wanted a space where they could sit and put their shoes on,” says Mariah of the seat upholstered with Hudson fabric in Mustard from Warwick. “The drawers are for knick-knacks like keys and things.” They have unique wavy brass handles from a range called Karu, a collaboration between Folk Studio and Lo & Co. Next to them is a cupboard for coats and umbrellas, while Tigmi ‘Curve’ mirrors allow for a last look before heading out the door.

Photography: Jacqui Turk

3. A soft and subtle colour palette

This home has a lot of colour, but somehow manages to remain subtle. “The owners wanted us to think outside the box in terms of how we would inject colour without it feeling like a maximalist interior,” Mariah explains. Soft pinks, blues and greens, mustard and maroon combine in the living space, anchored by a V-shaped Thursday lounge by Jardan made with luxe Poppy fabric in a shade called Palm.

Opposite is a vibrant wall of art, with a TV snuck in there. “In the initial brief, they said, ‘We need to have a TV, but don’t want it to be the main feature.’ So I said, let’s get the Samsung Frame TV [showing image of trees] and we can create a gallery wall around it,” says Mariah. Nearby artworks include a yellow piece by Kane Lehanneur and blue work by Emily Ebbs, with a Jardan ‘Nelly’ table light in Mist on the entertainment unit.

Photography: Jacqui Turk

4. A hidden laundry

A small laundry was removed to make way for a dining banquette, but was deftly rehomed in new kitchen cabinetry. “We integrated the laundry into the kitchen, so it’s hidden next to the fridge. There’s a little sink in there, and it has a washer and dryer,” says Mariah. “A lot of European laundries are really compact, and quite often European clients tell us they don’t need a whole room for a laundry.”

On top of the Laminex Porcelain Blush island is Calacatta Viola marble from Artedomus. A DesignByThem ‘Bobby’ stool in Oak tucks tidily underneath. “I wanted to give them a spot for extra seating, for things like a coffee in the morning or the high chair for the baby.”

Photography: Jacqui Turk

5. Material whirl

Timber open shelving contrasts with the solid look of the cabinets above the marble splashback. The natural stone with its beautiful veining was a one-of-a-kind find. “The only thing was that it went a bit more white in one section, which I actually love, but the client said, ‘Oh, I wish there was a bit more of something happening in that space,’” shares Mariah. At the last minute, she added a brass rail from Imprint House to fill the void on the right and it’s proven useful for hanging bits and bobs.

“In the kitchen, we wanted to include timber where we could to soften it a bit.”

MARIAH BURTON, INTERIOR DESIGNER

Photography: Jacqui Turk

6. Banquette dining nook

The neat dining space feels bigger, thanks to a banquette in the same mustard fabric as the entry, teamed with a Huxley table and Gus dining chairs in Duck Egg, all from Jardan. “That allowed more circulation space around the nook,” says Mariah.

A Dan Rushford artwork brings the fun, while the built-in seating has sensible storage underneath. “Knowing that this family was growing and they’re going to raise their son here, I felt like the more storage, the better. They can put toys or whatever else in those drawers below the dining table.”

Photography: Jacqui Turk

7. Bar area

For the keen hosts, a space was dedicated to making drinks, complete with wine storage and a glass-hanging rack. “The owners love having their friends over, so I thought, ‘Why don’t I include a little bar?’” says Mariah. “We asked them what type of wine they like and customised the rack to the exact brands.”

A Flowerpot VP3 lamp in Dark Plum from Cult Design was picked early on and influenced the choice of maroon-veined marble. This hue also appears in the art of Victoria Zschommler.

“Next to the dining area is a bar zone with a vertical rack to display favourite wines.”

MARIAH BURTON, INTERIOR DESIGNER

Photography: Jacqui Turk

8. Bathroom layout

The upstairs bathroom had light going for it, but the original layout was tricky to work with. The spa bath had to go, however, the owners wanted to retain a bath option and have a separate shower. “It took quite a lot of playing around to get it right,” says Mariah.

Her solution was a bath on the far wall, surrounded by handmade Moroccan tiles from Surface Gallery, with a shower in front. Fluted glass now creates a sense of privacy and designates the wet zone. “They also have a ceiling showerhead, which means the water is going down as opposed to out.”

The sink is seamlessly built into the bench marble. “It’s a costly process and not easy to construct, but creates a real sense of luxury,” she adds.

((Credit: Photography: Jacqui Turk))

Photography: Jacqui Turk

9. Artwork selection

An expert was enlisted to help with the artwork selections. “We worked with an art curator to fill in some of the spaces that we just couldn’t find pieces for,” says Mariah. In the main bedroom, a Pia Murphy work sourced by Folk Studio reflects the sorbet shades perfectly, while Eliza Fugar from Elide Studios found a few other pieces, such as the blue painting on the gallery wall downstairs and the large vessel by the fireplace.