Woollahra Apartment

For Porebski and D’Alisa, welcoming the elements was central to the design. “We wanted to make every space feel as open as possible,” says Porebski.

The apartment had remained untouched since the 1970s, calling for a complete transformation. All floor finishes – carpet, lino and tiles – were replaced, with engineered timber from Tongue & Groove introduced in the kitchen and living areas to bring lightness and warmth, while plush new carpeting softened the bedrooms. The bathrooms were refreshed with elegant stone tiles and slabs, paired with brushed-nickel fittings from Brodware for a refined, contemporary finish. Custom joinery was crafted to frame key artworks in the dining room and discreetly conceal air-conditioning units, using Elton Group’s Evenex clear oak in the entry, kitchen and living zones, and simple white polyurethane elsewhere to blend seamlessly with the walls. Timber-lined bulkheads conceal integrated lighting and lend sculptural character to what was once a bare concrete ceiling, while new custom cornices provide a graceful finishing touch.

For Porebski and D’Alisa, welcoming the elements was central to the design. “We wanted to make every space feel as open as possible,” says Porebski, explaining how the kitchen storage was planned to optimise space without dominating the room – its clean, minimalist veneer doors keeping visual noise to a minimum. To further enhance openness, a non-structural wall between the kitchen and dining area was removed, revealing uninterrupted harbour views and allowing daylight to spill deeper into the apartment.

The concrete slab ceilings presented a challenge for cabling, prompting the introduction of timber bulkheads – an inventive solution that became both functional and defining in the home’s aesthetic language. Extending this sense of connection to nature, an enclosed winter garden opens off the living area, separated by bronze aluminium sliding doors, offering a tranquil spot beside lush succulent planters. Here, small tumbled marble tiles subtly delineate the threshold between indoors and out, blurring the line between the two.

Throughout the apartment, every space has been thoughtfully composed around their mother’s treasured pieces. In the entrance, new joinery was designed to frame an antique console, setting the tone for what lies beyond. The living room continues this dialogue between eras, with custom cabinetry tailored to a large Philip Hunter painting and a pair of Indian timber sculptures. Here, a Longreach sofa from Anibou sits alongside an original 1960s Eames lounge chair and ottoman sourced from the United States, an early Barcelona glass coffee table by Mies van der Rohe, and a recently restored 17th-century Belgian tapestry – each piece carrying its own history yet harmonising effortlessly within the renewed setting.