A modern family home in Randwick with timeless style.
Buying a rundown house in a street they loved was their first clever move, then this young Sydney family built a home that suits them perfectly.
Kitchen | Owner Alison says the kitchen is grand in style but wonderfully functional. Her deep butler's sink is backed up with a butler's pantry (next to the oven). Super White Dolomite was used for the island and benchtops. The legs at the end are brushed brass. Iva stools, Grazia & Co. Bowl and ceramic vase, Jardan.
Staircase | The metal balustrade was designed by interior designer Caitlin Parker. It's painted in a black gloss to match the home's metal windows.
Who lives here — Alison Milner, a solicitor; her husband Dean, an investment banker; and their children: Leah (seven) and Caleb (five).
Style of home — New five-bedroom home on the site of an old Federation cottage in Sydney's east.
Timeline — The family bought in July 2018 and had moved into the new house by September 2019.
Budget — Total cost of the build plus furniture was about $2m.
Alison Milner had long known she wanted to live on the street she now calls home. "It's always been one of our favourite streets; it's just a very charming little pocket in the neighbourhood," says the Sydney solicitor, who shares her newly completed Randwick home with her husband Dean and their two children.
After buying in mid-2018, the family decided to demolish the old Federation home on the block and rebuild something more family friendly with the help of residential specialists Vaughan Architects and Build By Design.
As entertaining family and friends is very important to the Milners, the various teams made sure the kitchen was particularly large and lovely.
"The open-plan kitchen, dining and living space wraps around an outdoor entertaining area with a built-in barbecue, so it's very easy to have loads of people milling around in the new design," says Alison, adding that the Super White Dolomite island with brass details is the kitchen's best feature. "Everyone kind of came to us last summer and we just put the food out on the island for them all. It's really informal and that's how we like to live."
Living room | The beautiful feature fireplace, which can also be seen from the back garden, is clad in Bronte Rock from Surface Gallery. The Rydell sofa is from Molmic. Huggy faux-shearling armchair, Sarah Ellison. Hudson custom rug, Rug Culture.
Living room | The beautiful feature fireplace, which can also be seen from the back garden, is clad in Bronte Rock from Surface Gallery. The Rydell sofa is from Molmic. Huggy faux-shearling armchair, Sarah Ellison. Hudson custom rug, Rug Culture.
To help with the design detail of the home, Alison hired interior designer Caitlin Parker of Parker Studio, whom she met through a family friend. Caitlin was briefed for a stylish yet comfortable and child-friendly scheme and set about enhancing the indoor-outdoor feel at the back straight away.
For a cohesive and thoughtful look, Caitlin also felt it was important for each room to have a common thread linking back to the overall design.
"I incorporated terrazzo, Super White Dolomite stone, white-oiled timber and brushed-brass accents as recurring features," she explains.
Laundry | Pink Italian terrazzo flooring from Surface Gallery gives this space a little pizazz. White laminate cabinetry from Laminex. Atticus brass knobs from Hepburn Hardware. Caitlin designed the hanging rail. Accessories in all wet areas, Oliver Thom.
Children's bathroom | Super White Dolomite works well in here. The polyurethane cabinetry has a Dulux Silkwort satin finish. Lord sconce, Catapult Design.
'Sprinklings of colour' include the artworks throughout. The most significant piece is a 2m-square painting in the dining area, an abstract work by Casey Burrill. It's called Love and is a perfect representation of what the designer has achieved.
Alison worked closely with Caitlin on the project and says it was a wonderful creative outlet.
"The architecture is very modern, light and airy," says Alison. "So we just wanted all the spaces within that to really complement the open feel. The floorboards were the first step. We ordered in extra-wide European oak timbers in a white-oiled finish and went from there. I wanted something a little bit quirky but still elegant. We didn't want it to be stock standard."
That approach is especially apparent in the home's bathrooms. With its striking emerald-green colour scheme and green terrazzo surfaces, the ensuite is something of an oasis for Alison.
The open walk-in shower and bath area give it a wet-room feel, and the French brass wall lights add even more glamour.
Main bedroom | The striking bedhead is a custom piece upholstered in Driftwood fabric from Style Revolutionary. Linen, In Bed. Noah bedside table, Jardan. Attalos lamp, Marz Designs. Artwork by Antonia Mrljak, through Becker Minty.
"The ensuite is so elegant," she says. "Just like an upscale hotel."
Alison's other favourite space is the powder room downstairs. "It has these amazing organic-shaped black and white tiles and brass tapware and finishes," she says, "and it's just really fun."
Outdoor area | The family loves entertaining and their Beefeater barbecue and outdoor kitchen (with fridge and concrete bench with sink) get a lot of use. As does the new pool by Cronulla Pools. Trace armchair available from Tait. White side table, MRD Home.
Outdoor area | "The kids were in it all summer," says Alison. It's finished with smooth, anti-slip Beadcrete in a colour called Shell Taumesina and the tiles are mosaics from Bisazza. "We chose a bright, fresh pale-blue colour as it comes directly off the dining room and we look at it every day. We also wanted a large step or 'beach' for young kids to use."
While Alison felt it was important for the house to look beautiful, she took care creating its lived-in family vibe.
The children might have a rumpus room for playing in, but are also free to roam the house. And there's room for the whole family on the comfy Rydell sofa in the living room.
"When you come into the house you get a really lovely feel because it's just so bright and warm," Alison says. "It's a new house and there are some modern elements, but it doesn't feel cold like some new homes. Our place is beautiful but very homely as well. That's what's been most surprising for me."
Parker Studio is at Parker Studio or @studio.parker. Vaughan Architects has more information at Vaughan Architects. Build By Design projects can be viewed at Build By Design.
You can view the full article here.