Rose Bay House

by Fiona Lynch

Designed for a high-profile Sydney chef, Rose Bay House celebrates the luxury of living and the conviviality of entertaining. The kitchen holds the heart of the two-storey 1920’s house; a hub of activity and interest. A central cooktop with a linished metal-clad rangehood is flanked by original sash windows, while a veil of full-height lacquered oak cabinetry in soft eucalypt thoughtfully conceals fridge and pantry functions. Graphic banded marble articulates a robust island bench; a variegated landscape of bottle and olive greens. With an adjoining dining table in contrasting Vagli Argento marble, this gesture forms a sculptural centrepiece and a friendly area to dine with friends. As an extension of the client’s professional life, the kitchen is well-appointed with luxury equipment while its thoughtful use of materiality and form maintains a fine balance of approachability and opulence.

Opening from a generous walk-in robe, the ensuite is conceived as a lavish suite that enhances the experience of bathing. A brass-clad wall supports a floating marble vanity and elegant mirror designed by Gio Ponti in 1933, harking back to the decorative era of the original home. Complemented by brass fittings and a heritage-inspired bathtub, the ensuite gives a timeless elegance, while the nuanced palette throughout the home is enlivened by natural light tempered by sheer drapery lining the expansive original windows.