Considered Reflections – Little Riley Street by Room on Fire

A pocket of calm in the heart of Sydney’s bustling Surry Hills, Little Riley Street is an eloquent illustration of how reflections of the past and the present can be seamlessly merged in a way that is warm, inviting and intriguing. Imbuing a sense of juxtaposition through materiality and interior styling, Room on Fire created a refined and sophisticated home that is the ultimate inner-city oasis.

On the narrow Surry Hills street where the home resides, one is met with an original sandstone façade that creates an immediate sense of intrigue for what lies beyond. All windows and doors were handcrafted by Wayne Mavin with traditional joinery techniques in an attempt to recreate the most authentic rendition of the original period style of architecture. More contemporary timber framed doors and windows were used throughout the rest of Little Riley Street, foreshadowing the home’s interior design direction.

Upon entering, there is a visceral transition from the exterior of the home – a contemporary and considered interior design approach carries the home beyond the historic façade into the 21st century.

Upon entering, there is a visceral transition from the exterior of the home – a contemporary and considered interior design approach carries the home beyond the historic façade into the 21st century. Internal walls are original brick, which has been rendered and painted in a muted white colour. The flooring is solid Tallowwood and a metal grille in the terrace flooring allows light, air and water to filter through to the ground floor fern garden directly below. Sanded stainless steel, Tasmanian Blackwood and vein-cut travertine joinery features throughout, imbuing interiors with a refined and modern feel.

The home maintains an overall feeling of calm and quietude, which stems from considered choices of furniture and lighting. Lighting specified throughout the home is very warm and dimmable, so the house feels moody and soft. Semi-recessed spotlights were selected for the section of ceiling containing v-joint and rafters, and small downlights and splashback uplighting were used in the kitchen. Furnishings are dominated by timber and sleek, geometric styles – a solid timber vintage shaker and J39 shaker chairs by Danish designer Børge Mogensen complete the dining area, whilst a vintage table and living room sofa sourced from Juliet’s Balcony reference the home’s historical roots. Vintage Japanese ceramics from The DEA store also feature throughout the home.

As the residence is designed to be rented for short stays, Room on Fire has thought deeply about how to imbue the home with a sense of longevity, adaptability and history.

A prominent feature of Little Riley Street’s renovation is the kitchen. Relocated from the ground floor to the much brighter upper level, the kitchen and dining space enjoys filtered light from a skylight over the attic stairwell through the perforated steel stairs. Aesthetically captivating, the original sandstone boundary wall was exposed behind nearly 200 years of plaster and paint, and native Tasmanian Blackwood veneer was selected to provide a richer but complementary tone to the solid Tallowwood flooring. The kitchen is also highly functional as it is compact but holds substantial storage and bench space, with a durable sanded stainless-steel benchtop that is deigned to patina and reflects light.

As the residence is designed to be rented for short stays, Room on Fire has thought deeply about how to imbue the home with a sense of longevity, adaptability and history. The end result is a city oasis that is contemporary yet remains embedded in the colourful past of Surry Hills.