{"id":195847,"date":"2022-05-05T14:19:07","date_gmt":"2022-05-05T18:19:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interiordesign.net\/?post_type=id_project&p=195847"},"modified":"2024-03-18T09:37:46","modified_gmt":"2024-03-18T13:37:46","slug":"duet-gives-an-old-school-sydney-residence-a-youthful-update","status":"publish","type":"id_project","link":"https:\/\/interiordesign.net\/projects\/duet-gives-an-old-school-sydney-residence-a-youthful-update\/","title":{"rendered":"Duet Gives an Old-School Sydney Residence a Youthful Update"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\"Accompanying
Accompanying an Esedra pouf by Monica F\u00f6rster and a marble coffee table, the family room\u2019s leather-clad custom sectional modules can be reconfigured over time as the clients\u2019 needs change.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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May 5, 2022<\/p>\n\n\n

Words: <\/span>Elana Castle<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photography: <\/span>Anson Smart<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Duet Gives an Old-School Sydney Residence a Youthful Update<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

As far as first projects go, this five-bedroom house set on a half-acre plot complete with pool and tennis court is an undoubtedly impressive one, both for its scale and for the design freedom extended to interior designers Shannon Shlom and Dominique Brammah. Collaborating for the first time as co-founders of the Sydney studio Duet<\/a>, the pair worked symbiotically to transform the jaded Tudor-style dwelling in suburban Strathfield, Australia, into a fresh-faced home suited to modern living. The clients, George and Michleen, had purchased the sizeable two-story residence with the desire to create a family-friendly environment for their growing brood. George, a property developer and frequent traveler, also wanted the interior to reflect the luxury hotel aesthetic he appreciated on the road, and to leverage his company\u2019s team of contractors and consultants. Other than that, he gave Duet carte blanche. \u201cThis was a true trust exercise where we had complete autonomy to run with our ideas based on the initial brief,\u201d Shlom recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the house, built in 1916, had been through a previous renovation and addition, \u201cit was formulaic and lacked heart and soul,\u201d Shlom explains. \u201cThe original spaces were bland while the more recently added contemporary spaces were a pastiche of confused styles.\u201d The duo\u2019s initial site visit and floor plan review sparked an idea they realized would improve the flow of foot traffic while also instating spatial logic: relocating the staircase from the entry hall to a more central spot closer to the layout\u2019s actual midpoint. The new stair, a twisty spiral with Carrara marble treads, neatly divides the plan into two zones: a formal one comprising the living room, the guest powder room, and the study, and a more casual, free-flowing wing housing the family room, kitchen\/dining area, butler\u2019s pantry, and an additional half-bath. \u201cThose adjustments honored the proportions of the original rooms while allowing for the creation of a generous, open, contemporary space,\u201d Brammah notes. Further bridging old and new are architectural details including custom wall paneling, large-scale dentil molding, parquet de Versailles oak flooring, and vintage lighting\u2014\u201celements that acknowledge the history of the house yet allowed for a new language that didn\u2019t feel like a replication,\u201d she continues. \u201cIt\u2019s an approach that encapsulates the essence of the project: a deeply layered scheme that can continue to evolve with the family over its lifetime.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
A vintage Bilia lamp by Gio Ponti sits in front of the living room\u2019s original stained-glass windows; the sofa and cushions are custom. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Other major interventions to the property include a pergola with an outdoor kitchen and bath, a freestanding tennis\/guest house courtside, a rear extension encompassing an enlarged showcase garage (home to George\u2019s vintage car collection) and a game room in which the couple can host late-night card games without disrupting family life in the main house. Indeed, the entire property is both party minded yet practical, down to the kitchen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe family loves entertaining\u2014but not the idea of guests getting elbow-deep in grease during cleanup after a long Sunday lunch,\u201d Shlom says. So, Duet conceived a double kitchen: a showpiece cookery paired with a hardworking tucked-away butler\u2019s pantry that houses a second set of appliances. The latter functions as the day-to-day meal-prep area, which freed Duet to push the design parameters of the public-facing side, oriented around a commandingly contemporary two-tone stone island that stands sculpture-like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For furnishings, Shlom and Brammah sourced far and wide. \u201cLighting was an important part of bringing a worldly, well-traveled feel to the design, with many eras represented so as not to create a prescriptive style,\u201d Shlom says. The showstopper Lindsey Adelman Drop pendant above the dining room table, in a patinated copper finish, \u201cmade our hearts sing,\u201d Brammah says, pointing out how it elegantly twists and turns in the breeze when sliders to the adjacent outdoor living spaces are open. Duet also commissioned myriad custom pieces. In the primary bedroom, for instance, the headboard, bedside tables, pendants, checkerboard broadloom carpet, bed linens, and silk window treatments are all bespoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
The primary bedroom\u2019s headboard, bedside table, linens, and lighting pendant are custom; the walls are papered in grass-cloth. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As for the young members of the household, who range from six months to 11 years old, their sanctums are at once age-appropriate yet designed with longevity in mind, featuring colors and finishes sure to stand the test of time. Take the playroom: The ground-floor space, formerly an uptight formal room, is now an ode to a big-top tent, treated to a vibrant mix of terracotta ceiling stripes and circular elements ranging from the sofa cushions to the area rug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Equally playful, albeit in another vein entirely, is George\u2019s study. Mirror-backed built-in shelving showcases his prized whiskey collection alongside vintage treasures. An added grace note, the designers specified Piero Fornasetti\u2019s classic Teatro wallpaper, featuring an audience of theater-goers, \u201cso George would always be in good company working late into the night,\u201d Brammah says with a laugh. Who needs alone time?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Accompanying
Accompanying an Esedra pouf by Monica F\u00f6rster and a marble coffee table, the family room\u2019s leather-clad custom sectional modules can be reconfigured over time as the clients\u2019 needs change.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\"The
The rear addition housing the game room is visible beyond the Tudor-style main house and accessed via the enlarged six-car garage.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Piero
Piero Fornasetti\u2019s Teatro wallpaper clads the study, where a brass egg sculpture and Joel Escalona\u2019s Miss Jolie ceramic vase alight on an Antella desk by Kazuhide Takahama.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"A
A papier-m\u00e2ch\u00e9 vase by McMullen & Co. tops the kitchen island, which pairs Verde Chambray and Calacatta marble; the dining area\u2019s Lindsey Adelman chandelier sports a copper patina finish. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\"The
The spiral staircase and wall moldings are newly added. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"In
In the playroom, the sofa (with a machine-washable slipcover) and rug are custom; a Greta Grossman B-4 table lamp perches on a custom desk.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Sibella
Sibella Court\u2019s Franklin wallpaper animates a small sitting area, dubbed the cubby, off son Peter\u2019s bedroom, illuminated by a Verner Panton Flowerpot lamp. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\"The
The butler\u2019s pantry backsplash is handmade brick.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Custom
Custom marble parquetry flooring bedecks the foyer, where a Graziela Guardino linen on canvas drapes over a 1970 console by Giacomo Sinopoli; the pendant is an Italian design dating from the midcentury era.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"A
A view across the tennis court\u2014built by former homeowner Daphne Akhurst, a grand slam winner\u2014to the remodeled rear of the house; to the right is the newly constructed tennis house.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\"Moroccan
Moroccan Zellige tiles clad the walls of Peter\u2019s terrazzo-floored bathroom. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"A
A Brescia Capria backsplash brings an artful note to the tennis house kitchen, furnished with Thonet cane-seat stools. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"A
A deft layering of shapes, colors, and patterns creates sophistication in Annabelle\u2019s bedroom, with a custom headboard and carpet.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\"Boldly
Boldly veined Brescia Capria marble animates daughter Annabelle\u2019s bath, with custom mirror.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Acrylic
Acrylic lamps and a tiered chandelier by Julie Neill illuminate the guest bedroom.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
PROJECT TEAM<\/h6><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Duet<\/span><\/a>: Lead Consultants<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
AJH+<\/span><\/a>: architecture<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Studio Rewild<\/span><\/a>: landscape consultant<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Megan Morton<\/span><\/a>: editorial styling<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Sophia Kaplan<\/span><\/a>: editorial florals<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
PRODUCT SOURCES<\/h6><\/div>\n\n\n\n
FROM FRONT<\/h6><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Globewest<\/span><\/a>: coffee tables (family room, living room), table, chairs (kitchen), sofa, side table (cubby), bedside tables (guest bedroom, daughter\u2019s bedroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Poltrona Frau through Cult Design<\/span><\/a>: pouf (family room)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Pulpo through Domo<\/span><\/a>: floor lamp<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Cole & Sons through Iconradford Wallpaper<\/span><\/a>: wallpaper (study)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Cassina through Cult Design<\/span><\/a>: desk<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Fourth Street Home<\/span><\/a>: egg sculpture<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Through Mercer & Lewis<\/span><\/a>: amphora pots<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
joel escalona through adorno design<\/span><\/a>: ceramic vase<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
through james said<\/span><\/a>: vintage wall light (study), vintage chandelier (living room)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
gubi through cult design<\/span><\/a>: chair (study), lamp (playroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
the visuals<\/span><\/a>: plinth (stair), sculptures (stair, living room)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
deemah stone<\/span><\/a>: stone flooring (stair, foyer)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
lighting collective<\/span><\/a>: pendant light (playroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
simple studio<\/span><\/a>: window treatments<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
murobond<\/span><\/a>: accent paint (playroom, guest bedroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
house of orange<\/span><\/a>: bench (playroom), console (living room), lamps (guest bedroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
through smith street bazaar<\/span><\/a>: vintage pendant light (living room)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
through tigmi trading<\/span><\/a>: lounge chair, footstool<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
jetmaster<\/span><\/a>: fireplace<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Lindsey adelman studio<\/span><\/a>: pendant light (kitchen)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
grazia & co.<\/span><\/a>: stools<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
mcmullen & co.<\/span><\/a>: vase<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
porter\u2019s<\/span><\/a>: cabinetry paint (kitchen, butler\u2019s pantry)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
granite & marble works<\/span><\/a>: countertop marble (kitchen, daughter\u2019s bathroom), backsplash (tennis house)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
through 1st dibs<\/span><\/a>: pendant (foyer)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
liwans through nicholas & alistair<\/span><\/a>: vintage console<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
zip water<\/span><\/a>: specialty tap (butler\u2019s pantry)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
onsite supply & design<\/span><\/a>: backsplash<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
WK<\/span><\/a>: countertop stone<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
tim roodenrys<\/span><\/a>: rug<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
&tradition through cult design<\/span><\/a>: lamp (cubby)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
the society inc.<\/span><\/a>: wallpaper<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
ascraft<\/span><\/a>: wallpaper (primary bedroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
fibonacci stone through onsite supply and design<\/span><\/a>: stone tile (tennis house)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
honor\u00e9 through tigmi trading<\/span><\/a>: pendant light<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
thonet<\/span><\/a>: stools<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
julie neill through montauk lighting co.<\/span><\/a>: pendant light (guest bedroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
s a s veer<\/span><\/a>: artwork<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
the stitching project<\/span><\/a>: bedcover<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
THROUGHOUT<\/h6><\/div>\n\n\n\n
dulux<\/span><\/a>: paint<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
we love parquet<\/span><\/a>: flooring<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
perrin & rowe through english tapware company<\/span><\/a>: sink fittings<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Tappeti<\/span><\/a>: custom rugs<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
heritage tile co.<\/span><\/a>: terrazzo (kids\u2019 baths)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
surface gallery<\/span><\/a>: wall tiles (kids\u2019 baths)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
snelling<\/span><\/a>: wall lights (kids\u2019 baths)<\/span><\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n