Flying Colours
Photography by Johan Palsson
Styling by Greg Sukendro
This Mosman family home has certainly stood the test of time. Bought 25 years ago by Julia and Barry, it has grown with the family to accommodate their needs along the way. Rather than move to give their growing family more room, they extended the place gradually over the years. "Every time we had another child, we did another extension!" Julia laughs and, with four children, that's a lot of renovating.
Today the site is split-level with a herb-filled courtyard outside the kitchen, which the family use for entertaining, and steps up to the pool. A spacious deck at the front captures water views across to Northbridge. "This place is our absolute haven," says Julia. Renovations to the home were done gradually, helped by a bit of luck along the way. When they ripped the old carpet up, for instance, they were incredibly fortunate to find a beautiful tallowwood floor under it, which was soon polished and restored to its former glory.
A keen cook, Julia was closely involved in the design of the kitchen and Scullery & Holz of Willoughby, Sydney, designers of bespoke timber kitchens, were chosen for the job, as Julia loved the classic look of their cabinetry. "I didn't want people to walk into it and be able to date it," she states. "I wanted something with timeless appeal." And indeed, the custom-made kitchen combines modern function with authentic traditional decor. Timber cupboards painted in Dulux Alencon Lace feature traditional joinery and carved detailing, while marble benchtops give plenty of very attractive workspace.
Julia feels that the different shades in the house, from warm Dulux Sunset Rose in the lounge and dining rooms to calm Dulux Privet Hedge in the master bedroom, reflect her own moods and personality. "Colour is everything in my life," she explains. "I've always loved rich fabric and strong tones and they're a very easy way to change the look of a room." Julia is hands-on in her approach to decorating and painted all the rooms in the house herself. "I redid all the bedrooms over the Christmas holidays," she grins. For the children's bedrooms, however, Julia departed from these strong colours and chose the neutral tones of Dulux Parchment USA.
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