Creating Liveable Artwork – Botany St by Studio Zdjelar

Embodying their passions for minimalist design, unique collectable furnishings and with a touch of rock n’ roll attitude, Dean and Olga Zdjelar have created a perfectly balanced yet effortlessly progressive take on the quintessential family home.

Located in Sydney’s eastern suburb of Kingsford, the residence is a carefully considered and meticulously designed take on the ideal family home from the artistic of high-end interior designer Dean Zdjelar and stylist Olga Zdjelar. The couple have renovated what was once a run-down semi-detached dwelling, giving it new life as a progressive personification of their passions. Drawing on minimalism and mid-century modernism, with just a splash of rock n’ roll, the pair have created a series of habitable spaces with a theatrical edge. “I love pushing it. I love pushing design,” Dean explains.“Whatever we do, I have to have never seen it done before. It’s art.”

Above the dining table hangs a Louis Poulsen light, sourced directly from the Bennelong restaurant of the Sydney Opera House.

The dramatic colour scheme leading through to the kitchen is the foundation of mystery and drama in the home. The black ceiling has been lowered to enclose the space and create the illusion of a room within the open-plan living area, and the use of oak, marble and black joinery brings an edge. At the heart of this space, above the dining table hangs a Louis Poulsen light sourced directly from the Bennelong restaurant of the Sydney Opera House, one of the many collectable items that inhabit the space.

With an eye for opulence, Olga selected this piece as the centrepiece of a room already filled with deserving feature items after identifying a need for “something strong that could hold its own” as the central statement piece for the space, bringing the theatrical intention to an apex. This feature light is in good company, notably sharing the space with a pair of velvet Togo sofas, an Armadillo rug and a large green Murano vase.

Contrasted to the depth of the kitchen, the rear of the home is filled with light and a sense of spaciousness, with floor-to-ceiling glass doors connecting to a lush generous back yard. Given the rare length of the lot, every effort has been made to utilise the site to its fullest capacity. To conclude the length of the back yard, an adaptable creative studio lined with plywood has been incorporated to be utilised for hobbies, for entertaining or as an office space.

Inspired by the timber panelling featured on the American mid-century sideboard in the dining area, the staircase was designed to act as a functional sculpture within the space. From the two stone steps that lead up in to the floating timber staircase to the 14m long extension of the storage drawers and stone benchtop that carries the eye to the wall mounted fireplace, the piece frames the entire rear of the home. It acts as a bridge between the robust and dramatic style of the lower floor, and the light and natural character of the upper level.

Ascending upstairs is like entering an entirely new world.

Ascending upstairs is like entering an entirely new world. The materials used are more natural, the ceiling has been raised to almost double the standard height and the colours featured are primarily white and green, the latter of which has been utilised to place further emphasis on the ceiling. Each bedroom has been uniquely crafted with a custom headboard and handmade wall lights created by artist Anna Charlesworth, all of which have been designed to reflect and tie in to one another.

Timber panelling has been utilised along feature walls in varying styles to create soft focal points and each room contains hidden gems of design and furnishing that complete the space. The wet areas across the home feature floor to ceiling tiles, and fixtures akin to Japanese minimalism, allowing each piece to speak for itself. In the selection of joinery upstairs, the couple recall a desire to incite a sense wonderment often synonymous with childhood. The flush timber laminate panelling of the upper landing was inspired by Dean’s love of hidden doors and secret passages.

The depth and soul that has been poured into the design of this home are a testament to its creators’ vision and execution. In its entirety, the home seeks to push the boundaries of colour, style and furniture selection whilst effortlessly maintaining aesthetic harmony.