A Contemporary Classic – Woollahra Cliff House by Handelsmann Khaw

Drawing from its rich history, Woollahra Cliff House is reinvigorated through a contemporary lens yet retains a familiar warmth. Whilst embedding a respect for the structure’s heritage, Handelsmann + Khaw overlays an inimitable sense of character and personality through unexpected moments and gestures.

Idyllically positioned with views out over the valley below, Woollahra Cliff House is both replanned and re-oriented toward the surrounding aspect. Originally built in the 1930s, the well-preserved home stands as a reminder of its time, combining a grandeur of scale matching its location and a highly detailed approach to detailing and craft. As an extension of the base principles the home was originally imagined with, Handelsmann + Khaw extends that legacy into a more contemporary setting whilst honouring its past makers and artisans.

As an extension of the base principles the home was originally imagined with, Handelsmann + Khaw extends that legacy into a more contemporary setting whilst honouring its past makers and artisans.

Retaining the structure’s original atmosphere of luxury throughout, the scale of the reworked volume retains and celebrates the origins of the home, whilst a series of new insertions ensure a lasting resolve. Retaining the exterior, the focus was on opening the spaces within to the surrounding, abundant landscape setting. Retaining the internal planning and its associated formality in most places, key living zones were opened to both increase flow and enhance visibility within.

Ensuring each room was connected to the surrounds drove the brief, as did bringing optimised natural light into the home to naturally warm and brighten the spaces. Complementing heritage features, the approach sees a palette of time-wearing and elevated finishes come together to recast the home and ensure it would stand the test of its coming chapters. Most notably changed is the realignment of the principal bedroom and its associated ensuite into a purposeful and matched scale to the home proper. Using natural stone, polished nickel fixtures, oak flooring and micro-cement, the resulting palette creates an inviting and layered home of personality.

Using natural stone, polished nickel fixtures, oak flooring and micro-cement, the resulting palette creates an inviting and layered home of personality.

Mixing moments of the unexpected with a familiar setting, Woollahra Cliff House retains its presence in a fitting modernisation. Handelsmann + Khaw ensures an appropriateness of form and finish, enhancing the existing with a twist of personality.