Latimer Residence
Designed by Tom Mark Henry as a retreat in support of family life, the renovation of Latimer Residence preserves the bones of a 1990s home while introducing a subdued tonal palette that balances boldness and conscious restraint.
Tucked within the leafy streets of Sydney’s Bellevue Hill, this quietly composed home contains a calming interior layered with tactility and richness. Devised as a peaceful place to unwind at the end of a demanding day, the renovation of Latimer Residence reimagines the original house for a family of three and their beloved cavoodle.
“Design solutions ranged from simply ensuring there was enough seating in the kitchen for everyday use, to more substantial changes like opening up the dining room and reconfiguring the first floor to better suit the family.”
Led by Carla Matias and Gabrielle Block of interior design studio Tom Mark Henry, the project began with the client’s desire to make everyday life more comfortable and intuitive. “We spent time understanding their rituals, how they moved through the home day to day and any points of friction,” Matias recalls. “As we got to know the space and the family better, it became clear that there was plenty of room, but it just wasn’t being used to its full potential.” Working with the existing fabric, the design response creates places of respite for the parents, both of whom work in the medical field, to slow down.
In an area synonymous with extensive rebuilds, the dwelling is a reminder of the beauty found in the existing, retaining a sense of the past while sitting distinct within its present-day streetscape. “Design solutions ranged from simply ensuring there was enough seating in the kitchen for everyday use, to more substantial changes like opening up the dining room and reconfiguring the first floor to better suit the family,” Block explains. Enlarged openings act as interconnected portals, drawing daylight deep into the plan, while moodier rooms invite rest and focus – like the low-lit study that cheekily references the client’s profession as a radiologist.
Stone is used to demarcate zones and instil warmth across the home. Deep travertine reveals signal the move from one space to the next, set against sumptuous mulberry, anthracite and earthen surfaces that echo the hues of the natural world. In the kitchen, an array of distinctive slab varieties – including Willow Green, Portoro and Santos Blue – sits atop a unifying travertine floor. “On paper, these four strongly veined stones might be imagined as bold or mismatched – in reality, this reads as grounded, welcoming and unexpectedly soft,” Block says.
Sterility gives way to monastic calm in a collection of all-encompassing spaces designed to soothe. “The design relies on robust materiality, nuanced colour and thoughtful composition to create moments of pause – both shared and personal,” Block adds. Monolithic, structured forms sit comfortably alongside flowing sheers, layered upholstery and playful motifs, softly illuminated by decorative lighting that creates intimate pockets. Set against an established garden, the home builds upon its surroundings to offer cherished connection away from the bustle of the city.
“At the end of the project, we received a message from the client that said they felt ‘determined to only fill the space with meaningful, beautiful things over time’, and to us that is the biggest compliment and one that truly says it all,” Matias says. Latimer Residence offers an interior shaped by renewal, creating space for the slow rhythms of precious family life.
