Balmain East House

The new owners are returned expats and avid entertainers. They lived in the house for a year before engaging Studio Johnston to rethink the interiors, with a focus on practicality, outdoor connection and colour.

A goal of the renovation was to emphasise the harbour view and make better use of the first floor living level and outdoor terrace. They wanted the kitchen designed as the home’s fulcrum, plus two separate studies and for the ground level to be reconfigured as a potential separate apartment for their young son. They wanted to bring more life to the interior with colour and texture.

Two adjustments to the floorpan significantly improved functionality. Upstairs, to unite the harbour-facing kitchen back to the generous living / dining space at the rear, a section of the void was infilled, and covered by the lightweight micro-cement floor throughout that mimics polished concrete.

Downstairs, the large yoga space became a combined kitchen / dining / living space, opening onto a garden terrace, with three bedrooms, bathrooms, a mud room and second study completing this self-contained guest level.
To amplify the view, new floor-to-ceiling Kazimir windows (minimally framed) replaced the original waterfront windows and curved bulkheads were created to created to soften the lines and accentuate the ceiling height which peaks at 8 metres above the stairwell.

A palette of blues, greens and mustard weaves throughout the fixtures and furniture, bringing dynamic energy to each space. Walls are a Venetian plaster finish in shades of platinum, pale green and oyster to softly bounce light.

“There’s a colour story that connects the interiors and outdoor spaces cohesively. The once drab galvanised spiral stairs given new energy with a punchy mustard sprayed finish that relates to interior architectural elements such as pendant lights and tiles. That sense of fun was very important to the client.”
—Stefanie Reynolds, Studio Johnston Project Director & Head of Interiors