Bellevue Hill House by Greg Natale

Located on a leafy street in a harbourside suburb of Sydney, Bellevue Hill House exudes a charm reminiscent of the idyllic Greek island of Mykonos. Defined by Cycladic forms, white curves and a sense of fluidity, this home by Greg Natale nods to the owner’s Greek heritage.

Ask Greg Natale to reimagine the same residence repeatedly, and the Sydney-based interior designer will deliver something new each time. “This was the second time I was asked to design the interiors for Bellevue Hill House, 12 years after completing the first iteration for the previous owners,” he recalls. Natale first redesigned the dwelling in 2012, merging two separate apartments into a double-storey dwelling. “The previous interior had a high-glam, Hollywood Regency look, which was trending at the time,” he notes, adding that the priority for the second iteration was to simplify this design.

The current owner, of Greek origin and spending part of the year in Europe, sought a softer, more European style that reflected her heritage. “She was originally drawn to the home’s curved exterior and wanted to echo those soft curves inside. We aimed to create a sense of fluid movement from room to room, reminiscent of Cycladic architecture, where one curve seamlessly flows into the next.”

“It was important to the owner that her home feel beautiful and serene, so our aim was to create luminous, airy spaces that feel almost ethereal,” says Natale.

The designer and owner had a clear vision for the home’s aesthetic. “It was important to the owner that her home feel beautiful and serene, so our aim was to create luminous, airy spaces that feel almost ethereal,” says Natale. He and his team softened the palette, calming the new arches, waved ceilings and curved staircase with a light clay wash. “We knew we were going for a super clean, minimal look with white walls, so adding texture was important to prevent things from feeling flat.”

Natale applied this philosophy to the stone selections as well, opting for Patagonia Verde quartzite for the entryway flooring and Italian Breccia Capraia marble for the kitchen benchtops, featuring soft violet veining. Each bathroom was clad in a different stone to foster a cocooning effect. “Each stone brings a splash of colour to break up the light floors and walls, but in a way that isn’t overbearing or distracting,” he adds.

“We aimed to create a sense of fluid movement from room to room, reminiscent of Cycladic architecture, where one curve seamlessly flows into the next.”

Natale echoed the architecture’s undulations in the living room with a Vladimir Kagan sofa, reupholstered in cream bouclé fabric, and a custom rug that mirrors the colours of the Patagonia Verde fireplace. He maintained a similar aesthetic with the decor and furnishings, suspending cloud-like Masai pendant lights from Icone above the glass dining table and sourcing metallic bedside tables to introduce a touch of shine in the bedroom. “I call it European minimalism,” says Natale of the eclectic decor. As for a potential third iteration for the home, he adds, “I’d love to redo the pool at some point, creating a Mykonos-inspired fantasy that complements the new interior.”

Architecture and interior design by Greg Natale. Build by Clever Built Constructions.