Houzz Tours
Interior Design
Before & After: A Dream Family Home on Sydney's Waterfront
The owners of this grand six-level home wanted to give it a casual, coastal feel to suit its spectacular setting
It was the beautiful outlook, dotted with boats and bushland surrounds, that first drew the owners to this home on Sydney’s North Shore. But the sprawling house, which is set across six levels, had plenty to offer the family of six besides a great view, including six bedrooms, a pool, gym, private boat shed and a basketball court. What it lacked was a sense of charm and welcome. Despite its grand proportions, the client wanted to give the house a relaxed look and feel that would reflect the beautiful natural setting. She called upon the talents of interior designer Jodie Carter, principal at Jodie Carter Design, to work her magic.
The project involved a complete overhaul that took Carter nearly two years to complete, including a new kitchen, butler’s pantry, bathrooms and laundries, plus new custom joinery, furniture, finishes, lighting and window coverings throughout. “We created a family home with a modern Australian coastal feel, introducing a palette of muted greens, rich blues and naturals, with warm timbers and rattans inspired by the Middle Harbour setting and bushland views,” she says.
The project involved a complete overhaul that took Carter nearly two years to complete, including a new kitchen, butler’s pantry, bathrooms and laundries, plus new custom joinery, furniture, finishes, lighting and window coverings throughout. “We created a family home with a modern Australian coastal feel, introducing a palette of muted greens, rich blues and naturals, with warm timbers and rattans inspired by the Middle Harbour setting and bushland views,” she says.
The kitchen (level 1) after works.
How did you use Houzz?
“This client found us through Houzz,” says Carter. “She sent me a message saying she had a six-level home that she wanted assistance with and I called her right away and chatted through our services. She said she would speak to her husband and see if he was interested. I then followed up the next day to book in a first consultation. She later told me it was one of my projects on Houzz that she really the liked the look of.
“We also used Houzz Pro software for all our invoicing,” she says.
Looking to refresh your home? Find an interior designer near you on Houzz
How did you use Houzz?
“This client found us through Houzz,” says Carter. “She sent me a message saying she had a six-level home that she wanted assistance with and I called her right away and chatted through our services. She said she would speak to her husband and see if he was interested. I then followed up the next day to book in a first consultation. She later told me it was one of my projects on Houzz that she really the liked the look of.
“We also used Houzz Pro software for all our invoicing,” she says.
Looking to refresh your home? Find an interior designer near you on Houzz
The floor plan of the family living area (level 1).
What’s on each level:
What’s on each level:
- Level one: Kitchen, dining, family living, alfresco entertaining area, powder room, laundry/mud room and gym.
- Level two: Entertaining level with a bar, bar seating area, formal living area, guest bedroom and bathroom, and terrace.
- Level three: Main bedroom suite with a terrace.
- Level four: Four children’s bedrooms, three ensuites, a second laundry and an outdoor basketball court.
- Level five: Entry level/garage.
- Level six (ground floor): Studio/rumpus room (not photographed).
The kitchen before works.
“With this project, we placed considerable emphasis on quality materials and craftsmanship, with bespoke joinery and built-in seating, striking a balance between longevity, practicality and beautiful design,” says Carter.
One of the biggest makeovers took place in the kitchen. “The original kitchen wasn’t practical or well-built,” says Carter. “The lighting was terrible and the appliances were in a strange configuration.”
“With this project, we placed considerable emphasis on quality materials and craftsmanship, with bespoke joinery and built-in seating, striking a balance between longevity, practicality and beautiful design,” says Carter.
One of the biggest makeovers took place in the kitchen. “The original kitchen wasn’t practical or well-built,” says Carter. “The lighting was terrible and the appliances were in a strange configuration.”
The kitchen before works.
“Our brief was to design a new, coastal kitchen with soul, practicality and room for all the family to eat casually together at the island.
“The client also wanted well-configured pantry storage with some colour and personality,” she says.
“Our brief was to design a new, coastal kitchen with soul, practicality and room for all the family to eat casually together at the island.
“The client also wanted well-configured pantry storage with some colour and personality,” she says.
“We reworked the kitchen layout to create a better flow and work triangle, which meant adding a support beam and drilling a huge hole in the floor to run the plumbing through. We then selected new fixtures, finishes and appliances,” she says.
Polyurethane cabinet in Blue Rhapsody and Snowy Mountains: Dulux; Eveneer Planked Oak veneer sections: Elton Group; Varsity Celadon porcelain splashback tiles: Di Lorenzo; Ronald bar stools in Sand Tweed: GlobeWest.
The family living room (level 1) before works.
The main living room adjacent to the kitchen was transformed into an inviting spot for the family to gather with deep-seated sofas, plenty of texture and a new, open layout.
“The original room was configured to face the wrong way towards a central fireplace, which made it feel small and pokey,” says Carter. “We removed the central fireplace and changed the layout, opening up the sightlines to create more of a connection with the dining space and kitchen and make the whole area feel more spacious,” she says.
The main living room adjacent to the kitchen was transformed into an inviting spot for the family to gather with deep-seated sofas, plenty of texture and a new, open layout.
“The original room was configured to face the wrong way towards a central fireplace, which made it feel small and pokey,” says Carter. “We removed the central fireplace and changed the layout, opening up the sightlines to create more of a connection with the dining space and kitchen and make the whole area feel more spacious,” she says.
The family living room (level 1) before works.
The two central support posts around the original fireplace are load-bearing and therefore couldn’t be moved, so Carter clad them in a routed panel to blend in wth the other items in the room. She then designed new joinery, reconfigured the lighting and electricals, and specified new flooring, furniture and window coverings throughout.
The two central support posts around the original fireplace are load-bearing and therefore couldn’t be moved, so Carter clad them in a routed panel to blend in wth the other items in the room. She then designed new joinery, reconfigured the lighting and electricals, and specified new flooring, furniture and window coverings throughout.
The family living room (level 1) after works. DF960 gas fireplace: Escea; sandstone tile classing: SNB Stone; custom joinery painted in Polyurethane Satin Snowy Mountains Quarter: Dulux; Eveneer Planked Oak veneer shelves: Elton Group; sofas: Molmic; Coast rug in Dune: Bayliss Rugs; Surfrider coffee table: Hooker Furniture.
A beautiful new custom-designed fireplace clad in natural stone is the focal point of the space.
A beautiful new custom-designed fireplace clad in natural stone is the focal point of the space.
Mauritius outdoor dining table and Maui outdoor dining chairs: GlobeWest.
The dining room (level 1) before works.
The busy dining room also needed a few updates to get it up to scratch as a place where the family could dine, spend time together and the kids could do their homework. “The client disliked the colour of their French provincial-style dining table and felt the room had insufficient storage and lighting,” says Carter. “Overall, it just didn’t feel inviting.”
The busy dining room also needed a few updates to get it up to scratch as a place where the family could dine, spend time together and the kids could do their homework. “The client disliked the colour of their French provincial-style dining table and felt the room had insufficient storage and lighting,” says Carter. “Overall, it just didn’t feel inviting.”
To make the provincial-style table work better with the coastal theme, Carter had it repolished and finished in a lighter shade. She then replaced the rather formal dining chairs with more comfortable contemporary designs in a simpler shape, along with new pendants overhead and a custom buffet and bench seat.
The dining room (level 1) after works. Dining chairs: GlobeWest; Mandali pendants: Wisteria Design; Brando rug in Seawater: Bayliss Rugs; custom buffet unit and bench seating in Polyurethane Satin Snowy Mountains Quarter: Dulux; V-groove panelling in Kimberley Tree: Dulux; custom bench seat cushions in Casual Spring fabric: Zepel.
The home office (level 1). White base cabinets in 200: Laminex; wall-hung unit with v-groove panelling finished in Snowy Mountains Quarter: Dulux; benchtop and open shelf in Elegant Oak Chalk Finish: Laminex.
The empty space under the stairs was perfect to fit a new custom office space where the female client can work from home.
The empty space under the stairs was perfect to fit a new custom office space where the female client can work from home.
The laundry/mudroom (level 1).
A big, busy family gets through a lot of washing, making a decent-sized laundry a practical necessity. This 8.75-square-metre laundry doubles as a mudroom where the children can hang towels and bags and put away their shoes.
“It was originally a large bathroom almost the size of a bedroom, which we reconfigured and divided into a separate laundry and powder room,” says Carter.
A big, busy family gets through a lot of washing, making a decent-sized laundry a practical necessity. This 8.75-square-metre laundry doubles as a mudroom where the children can hang towels and bags and put away their shoes.
“It was originally a large bathroom almost the size of a bedroom, which we reconfigured and divided into a separate laundry and powder room,” says Carter.
Cabinetry and bench finished in Polyurethane Satin in Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter and Eveneer Planked Oak veneer: Elton Group; Nieve White on the sink benchtop: Smartstone; Denim Dots splashback tiles: Di Lorenzo.
The powder room (level 1). Copan Blue concrete basin: Nood Co; white subway wall tiles; wall sconces: Tadao Concrete.
A striking blue concrete basin adds a dash of fun and flair to the new powder room. “We selected this compact design because it was wall-mounted and we simply needed something small where people could wash their hands,” says Carter.
Browse more beautiful Australian powder rooms
A striking blue concrete basin adds a dash of fun and flair to the new powder room. “We selected this compact design because it was wall-mounted and we simply needed something small where people could wash their hands,” says Carter.
Browse more beautiful Australian powder rooms
The floor plan of the entertaining area (level 2).
The formal bar seating area before works (level 2).
A large, underused living area on the second level has been transformed into a fabulous entertaining space with the addition of a built-in bar and plump seating. “We wanted to give this area a different feel to the kitchen as it’s very much about entertaining,” says Carter.
A large, underused living area on the second level has been transformed into a fabulous entertaining space with the addition of a built-in bar and plump seating. “We wanted to give this area a different feel to the kitchen as it’s very much about entertaining,” says Carter.
The formal bar (level 2). Cabinetry in Eveneer Prefinished Fango Groove veneer: Elton Group; Oxford bronze-lacquered decorative grilles: The English Tapware Company; Pelle Grigio benchtops: Smartstone; wine storage cabinets in Eveneer Planked Oak: Elton Group; Kintore pull handles: Lo & Co Interiors. Custom dining table by Jodie Carter Design and made by HR Constructions. Malawai Tub Natural bar stools: Uniqwa.
“We designed a custom bar cabinetry wall that flows into a fireplace and features bench seating. It makes for a complete home entertaining area you could use in a formal way or simply for family. We also incorporated comfy seating to curl up in and give the family another spot to relax,” she says.
“We designed a custom bar cabinetry wall that flows into a fireplace and features bench seating. It makes for a complete home entertaining area you could use in a formal way or simply for family. We also incorporated comfy seating to curl up in and give the family another spot to relax,” she says.
Formal bar seating area (level 2) after works. DS1900 gas fireplace: Escea; custom joinery, fireplace and bench seat finished in Dulux Polyurethane Satin Snowy Mounts and Eveneer Planked Oak veneer: Elton Group; occasional chairs and coffee table: Uniqwa; rug: The Rug Collection.
The bench seats in the wall joinery provide extra seating when the family entertains a crowd, while visually breaking up the heights between the fireplace and bar joinery to add interest.
The guest bathroom (level 2) before works.
A dull guest bathroom with a too-small vanity on the second level was updated with a fresh coat of paint and a new mirror and vanity.
A dull guest bathroom with a too-small vanity on the second level was updated with a fresh coat of paint and a new mirror and vanity.
Guest bathroom (level 2) after works. Custom vanity designed by Jodie Carter Design, finished in Dulux Polyurethane Satin Pattipan; Pelle Grigio benchtop: Smartstone.
“We added some V-groove panelling for interest and put in a large timber peg sculpture that the family already owned, which doubles as seating or somewhere for guests to put their bag down if they use this room as a powder room.
“We designed a coastal-style vanity and brought in the same soft sage green we used in the kitchen and the girls’ bathroom, creating a connection back to these other areas,” says Carter.
“We added some V-groove panelling for interest and put in a large timber peg sculpture that the family already owned, which doubles as seating or somewhere for guests to put their bag down if they use this room as a powder room.
“We designed a coastal-style vanity and brought in the same soft sage green we used in the kitchen and the girls’ bathroom, creating a connection back to these other areas,” says Carter.
The floor plan housing the main bedroom and ensuite (level 3).
The main bedroom before works (level 3).
“For such a large main bedroom, this space didn’t feel luxurious,” says Carter. “The curtains were in poor condition and a strange colour, and the fireplace was rather ugly. The owner also didn’t like the plain wall behind the bed and wanted to add some texture with V-groove panelling.”
“For such a large main bedroom, this space didn’t feel luxurious,” says Carter. “The curtains were in poor condition and a strange colour, and the fireplace was rather ugly. The owner also didn’t like the plain wall behind the bed and wanted to add some texture with V-groove panelling.”
The main bedroom after works (level 3).
“To bring in a soft, luxurious feel, we added beautiful new sheers at the window,” she says. “Then, to freshen up the space we added V-groove panelling with a ledge for the headboard. We clad the fireplace in stone and added a mantle. The original, dark rug was swapped for one in white to add that fresh coastal feel. Finally, we updated the bedding, bedside tables and lamps.”
“To bring in a soft, luxurious feel, we added beautiful new sheers at the window,” she says. “Then, to freshen up the space we added V-groove panelling with a ledge for the headboard. We clad the fireplace in stone and added a mantle. The original, dark rug was swapped for one in white to add that fresh coastal feel. Finally, we updated the bedding, bedside tables and lamps.”
V-groove panelling and bedhead ledge finished in Snowy Mountains Quarter: Dulux; custom curtains in Navarra Pure fabric with Navara Linen at the base: Zepel; sheers in Draper Swan: Zepel; Surfrider bedside tables: Hooker Furniture; Ari lamp: Boyd Blue.
The floor plan housing the kids’ bedrooms (level 4).
The two daughters’ shared ensuite before works (level 4).
The cluttered and poorly laid out ensuite shared by the client’s two daughters’ was given a dramatic makeover by Carter and her team – gone are the angled bath, poky shower and serious lack of storage.
The cluttered and poorly laid out ensuite shared by the client’s two daughters’ was given a dramatic makeover by Carter and her team – gone are the angled bath, poky shower and serious lack of storage.
The two daughters’ shared ensuite (level 4) after works. Custom vanity designed by Jodie Carter Design finished in Polyurethane Satin in Spanish Olive: Dulux; Snow benchtop: Caesarstone; Kado Neue Arch mirror shaving cabinets: Reece; Terrazzo Winter Sun floor and wall tiles and Bar Sage mosaic tiles behind mirrors: Di Lorenzo.
“Our brief was to reconfigure the layout to better suit the girls’ needs, incorporating a bath, a larger shower and plenty of vanity storage, in colours that would complement the rest of the house and the existing travertine flooring,” says Carter.
The revitalised space, which features a wall-to-wall vanity in soft blue, contemporary kit-kat mosaics and arched mirrors, works a treat for its young users.
“Our brief was to reconfigure the layout to better suit the girls’ needs, incorporating a bath, a larger shower and plenty of vanity storage, in colours that would complement the rest of the house and the existing travertine flooring,” says Carter.
The revitalised space, which features a wall-to-wall vanity in soft blue, contemporary kit-kat mosaics and arched mirrors, works a treat for its young users.
The second laundry (level 4). Cabinetry finished in Polyurethane Satin in Snowy Mountains Quarter: Dulux; open shelving in Classic Oak: Laminex; Dolce Vita Crema benchtop: Smartstone; Mini Picket Ocean splashback tiles: Di Lorenzo.
A house on six levels means a lot of stairs, so it made practical sense to add a second laundry downstairs. “It’s a long way to go up and down to wash a few tea towels, tablecloths and pool towels,” says Carter. “This is the main one that gets a lot of family use as it’s on the kids’ bedroom level.”
A great example of the small but thoughtful details that can really make a house a home for a family, whatever its scale and setting.
A house on six levels means a lot of stairs, so it made practical sense to add a second laundry downstairs. “It’s a long way to go up and down to wash a few tea towels, tablecloths and pool towels,” says Carter. “This is the main one that gets a lot of family use as it’s on the kids’ bedroom level.”
A great example of the small but thoughtful details that can really make a house a home for a family, whatever its scale and setting.
The floor plan of the garage/entrance (level 5).
Stairs (level 5) leading down from the garage level to the main bedroom. Pot: Water Tiger; walls painted in Mount Aspiring: Dulux.
Your turn
What’s your favourite feature in this beautiful home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images for your own renovation inspiration, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Keen to see another fantastic family home? Don’t miss this Melbourne Houzz: A Family’s Dream Home, 20 Years in the Making
Your turn
What’s your favourite feature in this beautiful home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images for your own renovation inspiration, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Keen to see another fantastic family home? Don’t miss this Melbourne Houzz: A Family’s Dream Home, 20 Years in the Making
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their four children
Location: Cremorne, NSW
Number of bedrooms and bathrooms: Six bedrooms and six bathrooms
Size of the house: 689 square metres set across six levels
Budget: AU$2 million
Year work started: 2020
Year work completed: 2021
Interior designer: Jodie Carter, founder and principal designer at Jodie Carter Design
Builder: HR Constructions
Landscape designer: Space Landscape Designs