Sona Place
Drenched in rich texture and brooding tones, Sona Place is a boutique traveller’s escape where industrial loft living meets the intimacy of a listening room.
Known for its energetic streets and gritty laneways, Sydney’s Surry Hills is a vibrant inner-city neighbourhood, alive with artistic flair and an enduring entrepreneurial spirit. Terraced townhouses sit alongside remnants of the suburb’s industrial past, while cafes and eateries pepper nearly every block. Sona Place is a compact short-stay that captures the charm of its location – intimate and wrapped in an edgy warmth.
Developed by Jform director Jonathan Friend in partnership with Matt Rhodes and Kate and Olivia Parsons, the project was conceived as a destination stay with a distinct identity and emotional connection. “We sought a space that balanced boutique hospitality with residential warmth, where every detail contributed to a feeling of ease,” Friend recalls. Leaning into the diverse history and creative energy of the surrounding neighbourhood, the interior is shaped by material richness, music and craft. The result is an immersive, den-like space offering design-conscious guests a place to unwind.
Housed within a charming clay-brick building just a stone’s throw from Sydney’s Central Station, the project occupies a compact footprint that works hard to pack a sensory punch. “The planning strategy focuses on creating a series of intimate, connected spaces that balance social interaction with retreat,” Friend describes. “Living, listening and entertaining zones are organised around custom joinery and integrated storage, allowing collections and objects to become part of the architectural narrative.” Ideas of containment and release guide intuitive movement through the apartment, as layered vignettes draw one space into the next.
Old-world charm permeates the design through deep mahogany tones and a scarlet-red ceiling reminiscent of an exclusive basement speakeasy. “Materiality plays a central role in establishing the project’s atmosphere,” Friend adds. Parquet flooring and timber panelling form a warm backdrop to this musical sanctuary. Well-loved albums rest on slender floating shelves near a custom open dry bar, which houses the prized record player. In the kitchen, a conical speaker motif continues the apartment’s musical narrative. Cognac leather upholstery, scorched burgundy tiles, aged metals and stone surfaces deepen the interior’s character, while polished stainless steel and bold chequered accents introduce a measured sense of contrast.
Considered lighting casts focused pools of illumination throughout, revealing only what is needed. Sculptural brass fixtures bring each area to life and lend individual personality to the compact spaces. Art Deco and Art Nouveau influences complement the restrained functionality of mid-century pieces, creating an interior that is bold and tactile. “By fostering comfort, creativity and a sense of calm, the project creates a memorable environment that feels both highly curated and effortlessly comfortable.”
