VA VA VISTA
“THE RESULT IS A SEAMLESS, SOPHISTICATED INTERIOR DESIGNED ALONG APPEALINGLY FLUID LINES …”
GLEAMING FINISHING TOUCHES of golden metals and mustard yellows set against warm white walls highlight the newly spacious and curvaceous interiors wrought by interior designer Greg Natale in this apartment on stunning Sydney Harbour.
The clients, a couple with two sons, sought Greg Natale to renovate their two-storey, three-bedroom penthouse apartment in The home required a completely new design and major structural work to address underutilised and awkward spaces. The downstairs rooms were resized and relocated to align better with the double-height void above the living area, and the staircase was moved from the middle of the apartment to a corner of the living room to embrace and enhance that void. Upstairs, the constraints of dead space were addressed by expanding areas such as the master ensuite. The result is a seamless, sophisticated interior designed along appealingly fluid lines, with curves playing a major role throughout, from the interior architecture to the furniture and even accessories. It’s a beautiful example of how interior design can create its own language of line to shape a home’s character, and the delicate palette emphasises this, making an impact that is subtle yet still powerful. My favourite elements are where the play on curves makes its strongest statements: in the living area, with the curving staircase and surrounding walls, fireplace and built-in bench; in the kitchen, with its hand-carved island base of Carrara marble; and in the master ensuite, designed to feel like a luxury hotel room. Devices to maximise the sense of space included aligning the downstairs rooms around the double-height void in the living area, and moving the staircase so it curves up the void, echoed by the fluid lines of the built-in bench and walls, which all keep the focus on the openness and space above. Upstairs, the use of curves highlights the open design of the master ensuite, where the bathroom space is delineated by the subtly mirrored lines of the ceiling and floor. The bedroom furnishings follow the room’s curves, with storage and an integrated custom desk on one side and a sitting area on another, creating the sense of a luxurious, lavishly furnished room spread across a vast space. The client likes modern European furniture, and the pieces selected contribute their own gentle contours to the apartment’s design, such as the invitingly rounded forms of the grey Tacchini sofas and nude Gubi lounge chair in the living area, the nude and pink Gubi dining chairs, and the pink Gubi sofa upstairs. The pieces also embrace the apartment’s palette and bring a lush softness with textures such as bouclé and velvet. Rugs by Greg Natale continue the palette, with other pops of colour coming courtesy of pieces such as the yellow leather stools in the kitchen. The grey Carrara marble that features here is used throughout the apartment, finding beautiful expression in the bathrooms where it is complemented by mosaic finger tiles in either grey or white. The blond solid oak floors tie the palette together with their warm tones, which are picked up in brass accents throughout. Artworks bring a feminine touch that reflects both the palette and the interior’s fluid lines, while various small side tables and stools repeat the motif of curves. They were delighted and welcome the openness of the design, which makes for relaxed living. The palette is a calming and aesthetically pleasing element, while the flow of spaces highlighted by the curved lines is appreciated by all. The living area in particular is constantly in use, offering a spacious oasis and light, open hub of the home.
