I
t’slittlewondertheownerofthis
houseinSydney’sinnerwestloves
herloggia,anL-shapedindoor-
outdoorspacewitharchedcolonnades
andterracotta-tiledfloors.“Itcreates
a Mediterraneanfeelintheheartof
suburbia,”shesays.Withtwositting
andtwodiningzones,she’sforever
usingitforentertainingfriendsand
family,inallweathersandallseasons.
Theromanticandalluringspaceisa
worldawayfromtheratherplain 1970 s
brickhomethatstoodontheblockwhen
sheandherhusbandboughttheproperty
in 2013. Theyhada visionforthesizeable
1100 m 2 site,sotheybulldozedthat
interloperandaskeddesignerGregNatale
tocreatea glamnewhomefor them and
theirtwoteenagesons.
“Weneededthehousetobepractical
for our growing family while still being
beautiful,”saystheowner.“Weentertain
a lot,soI neededa functionalkitchenand
livingandentertainingareaslargeenough
formanyguests,aswellasgenerous
outdoorspace.I alsowantedanareafor
ourboys’exclusiveuse,somewherethey
couldaccommodatetheirfriends.”
DrawnbytheCaliforniantakeon
Mediterraneanliving,sheaskedGregto
designthehomeintheSpanish-Revival
style,whichwascommoninBeverlyHills
andHollywoodinthe 1920 s and’ 30 s, and
popularisedinmovies.Theirbuildings
typicallyfeaturedwhitecolonnadesand
archeddoorsandwindows,whiletheir
stuccoexteriorsmimickedmud-brick
adobe.Roofsfeaturedterracotta tiles with
scallopedprofiles.
“Eventhoughthehouseisa newbuild,
wewantedit tofeellikeit hasbeenlived
in for years,” says the owner. The brief was
fora lightertakeonSpanish-Missionstyle,
withlashingsofwhiteandanorganic,
naturallookfortheexterior.
Gregandhisteamdesigneda three-level
housefortheowners.A spaciousmarbled
entrywithdoublestaircasesleadspasta
study,serviceareasandtheboys’media
spaceintoa generousopen-planroom
withtwosittingareas,a diningzoneand
thekitchen.Threesetsoffrenchdoors
connecttheopen-planspacetothe
colonnadedloggia,whichoverlooksthe
pool.Upstairs arethehome’sfour
bedrooms,allwithensuitesandthree
withwalk-inwardrobes.Thegarage,
gamesroomandhomecinema occupy the
lower-groundfloor.
Beneaththeterracotta-tiledroof,the
ownerrequestedlightandairyinteriors,
withwhitewallsandjoineryandCarrara
marble floors. For graphic impact, >
