A 1920s home can be a challenge to modernise. Small rooms and windows blocking light, limited storage and tiny cabinets are at odds with the open-plan lifestyle most of us now aspire to. But Sydneysiders Nicola and Mark Lacey were fearless in their mission: to retain the original features of their lower north-shore house and its Californian bungalow facade while achieving better flow and functionality inside. Topping their wish list was a fabulous entertaining space and timeless interiors.
Owner Nicola Lacey wanted her beautiful blue kitchen island to be the centrepiece of the home. Designer Helen Carter specified a 2.9m-island bench without a sink so it could be used by the entire family at the same time. The colour is Dulux Pit Stop.
There were a few other issues to be dealt with. A 1960s renovation had delivered terracotta tiles throughout the living areas and there were rooms off rooms in the single-level structure. Plus, the backyard pool was on a diagonal, surrounded by rockeries that prevented the Laceys’ two sons, Tom, now 13, and Edward, 11, from using the outdoor space.
Making the fireplace into the room’s new focal point has lengthened the space considerably. An oak shelf between the Regency ‘Greenfire’ gas log fire and Samsung flat-screen TV breaks the mass and prevents heat from rising directly up. Sofa and occasional chairs, from Orson & Blake.
The nine-month renovation to open up the ground floor and create a parents’ zone upstairs, as well as build a new carport and reposition the pool, was contracted to David Campbell Building (DCB). The firm’s design director, Helen Carter, took care of everything from concept development to custom joinery – and even styled the home for this shoot. As the clients had a clear idea of what they wanted, things went fairly smoothly.
Just off the kitchen, the built-in desk and shelves in the study nook are MDF.
“When I first met Nicola for our design consult, she came armed with books, folders filled with tear sheets and pictures on an iPad, all of which were some shade of blue,” says Helen. “After unloading them onto the table, she looked at me, laughed and said, ‘Can you tell I like the colour blue?’ That was the jumping off point for the whole concept – Nicola’s love of blue and the calming, serene feeling it gave her.”
Helen immediately went for the idea and started to develop the blue theme, so Nicola knew she finally had the right designer. An earlier meeting with a big-name kitchen company had ended with their rep declaring, “Don’t be ridiculous; kitchens have to be white,” which abruptly ended that conversation.
Upholstered in Warwick Fabrics ‘Matrix’ in Steel, the bedhead grounds the scheme. Wall art, from The Artwork Stylist.
Incorporating the inky navy colour Nicola wanted (Dulux Pit Stop) into the massive new kitchen island bench, Helen balanced it with a blue-fronted fireplace on the opposite side of the room. “We wanted the fireplace to be a feature and help define the open-plan kitchen, living and dining space,” she says. “Building the fireplace out, then panelling it and painting it blue, provided a stunning contrast against the cool grey walls and European oak floor – and was the perfect opportunity to recess the TV discretely above.”
A custom walk-in wardrobe leads to the ensuite.
Inside and out, the living areas are now more flexible and have improved connectivity. The stylish, contemporary home can also easily withstand kids and pets. An outdoor TV and ceiling-mounted heat strips have made the deck a sought-after space, with full barbecue facilities on one side and casual seating on the other. “We’re always entertaining,” says Nicola. “Mostly barbecues and parties with extended family and friends.”
The new family bathroom is the perfect-sized space for growing boys. Custom oak vanity with Caroma sinks and bath. Large-format floor tiles, from Better Tiles.
During the renovation, the ultra-social family lived in a short-term rental nearby so they could closely monitor its progress. “Mark would send us pictures of pool toys and sun lounges, attaching subtle motivational notes such as, ‘I’ll be sitting on this in my pool at Christmas’ – they were funny yet effective,” says Helen. “But the job was finished in time and the family did get to enjoy that summer in their pool!”
Tom (left) and Edward on their new and improved deck with rescue dog Topper, a red cattle x boxer. Sofa, chairs and coffee table, from Osmen Outdoor Furniture.
Helen and her family have also spent time around the Laceys’ new pool. “We’re proud to call them friends now,” she says. “We shared very common values about what home means to us… and how we all want to feel proud of where we live.”
