Houzz Tours
My Houzz: French Holiday Inspires Manly Makeover
A new start for a mother-daughter duo sparks a renovation with a French twist
Offering a cultural feast of architecture, cuisine, fashion and art, a holiday in France gave Sophie Mansour and her daughter Zoe the chance for a stylish sojourn. Only the feeling for an uncluttered and stylish lifestyle stayed with Mansour. Indeed, so much so that it dictated her decorating style when she moved into a bright and airy home in Manly a little over a year ago. Mansour is born and bred in Manly so the suburb was a familiar and natural choice. One of the top-rated beaches in Sydney, Manly is not only picturesque, but boasts good schools and a friendly neighbourhood. Here, the duo created a space with a classic influence that would complement their taste in all things Gallic.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Sophie Mansour and her daughter Zoe
Location: Manly, Sydney, NSW
Size: 70 square metres (2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom)
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Sophie Mansour and her daughter Zoe
Location: Manly, Sydney, NSW
Size: 70 square metres (2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom)
Mansour enjoys the light and airy feel of the living room. She says it’s a great place to relax and read a book, especially on the weekends. Zoe is not a big TV fan, so instead, she uses the space to play with her toys.
Elegant chandeliers, which feature throughout the decor, are major French influences in the home. Mansour purchased each of the pendants from Light Up Balgowlah, aside from the one in the lounge that was there when she bought the apartment. “It was a perfect fit for the French renovation,” says Mansour.
The home’s white on white aesthetic is one of its defining characteristics, and Mansour worked hard to get it right.
One of the tasks she set herself was bleaching the timber floorboards twice to get the perfect chic look. “When I came back from France, I was still in much love with the country,” says Mansour. “I was looking for inspiration for the renovation and found a book by Jean-Loup Daraux called By the Light of the Sea. I loved the look and feel of the images in the book and I wanted to replicate some of the whitewashed floors that it featured.”
The whitewashing was complicated because Mansour’s builder had never done it before. “It was an interesting process, but I am very pleased with the results,” says Mansour. “It makes the place feel lighter and gives it a ‘provincial’ feeling.”
Clock: Freedom Furniture
Period features were lovingly restored as Mansour wanted to keep some of the original charm and character of the 1918 apartment.
One of the other rooms of the house Mansour loves is the kitchen. It inspires her to cook with Zoe and together they spend hours experimenting with and trying out new recipes.
It was important to Mansour that the kitchen be very functional. She requested ample benchtop space and shelves to display the plants she aims to eventually replace with fresh herbs.
In here, she hung another chandelier to repeat the French theme and used the same green colour on the walls as she did in the hallway.
In here, she hung another chandelier to repeat the French theme and used the same green colour on the walls as she did in the hallway.
The original bathroom was out of date and Mansour wanted to avoid another flood at all costs. She decided on an ultra-modern style using the same subway tiles from Harvey Norman as she used in the kitchen.
“I love the metro in Paris and the subway tiles remind me of it a bit,” she says. “It’s very modern compared to the rest of the home’s decor, but it was an indulgence.”
“I love the metro in Paris and the subway tiles remind me of it a bit,” she says. “It’s very modern compared to the rest of the home’s decor, but it was an indulgence.”
Tapware: Phoenix Tapware
Mansour’s bedroom was originally a closed-in sunroom, which she decided to transform into her sleeping quarters. She felt an additional bedroom would also add value to the apartment.
Floor-to-ceiling wardrobes were added, along with a few shelves behind the door. For privacy and more French style, white plantation shutters were installed. As a former sunroom, it can get warm during the evenings as it is west-facing, but this doesn’t bother Mansour.
Floor-to-ceiling wardrobes were added, along with a few shelves behind the door. For privacy and more French style, white plantation shutters were installed. As a former sunroom, it can get warm during the evenings as it is west-facing, but this doesn’t bother Mansour.
The mirror in Mansour’s bedroom comes from Bowral Antique markets and was picked up during a family trip, on the way to Canberra.
The small bedside table and the white vase were finds from Manly Markets.
Another period feature is the stained glass on Zoe’s bedroom door. “I thought the roses were very appropriate for a little girl’s bedroom,” says Mansour.
Zoe’s bedroom is connected to Mansour’s bedroom. “The best thing about having Zoe next door is that I feel she is safe near me,” says Mansour.
Mansour’s mum was a major help during the transformation, selecting furniture and taking Zoe shopping for her own unique bedroom decor.
This lovely pink dollhouse was a present from Mansour’s mum to Zoe when they moved into the apartment. “It was so she could have her own house, too. She loves it and spends hours playing with it,” says Mansour.
TELL US
What do you like about this Manly home? Let us know in the Comments section.
My Houzz is an ongoing series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes in Australia and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more inspiring projects.
This lovely pink dollhouse was a present from Mansour’s mum to Zoe when they moved into the apartment. “It was so she could have her own house, too. She loves it and spends hours playing with it,” says Mansour.
TELL US
What do you like about this Manly home? Let us know in the Comments section.
My Houzz is an ongoing series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes in Australia and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more inspiring projects.
A mishap, however, triggered the need for a much larger overhaul for the new home. Mere months after moving in, the bathroom flooded from an open tap in the upstairs apartment, prompting action. Once repairs started on the floorboards in the hallway, she figured she may as well fix up the whole apartment.
One of Mansour ‘s favourite parts of the house is the hallway, which makes a statement as guests walk in, mainly due to its large proportions. Mansour says, “It’s a feature that a lot of modern apartments don’t have these days.”