Enriching the Past – Woollahra House by Studio Senior and Bureau SRH

Woollahra House sees a modern layer added to the heritage surrounds, enriching the home and its connection to the past in the process. Studio Senior and Bureau SRH combine to ensure the original crafted details remain in place, while an overall lightness brings the home into its present day, reflecting its current owners.

There are some areas known for their dedication and preservation of heritage, and Woollahra in Sydney is undoubtably one of them, with the surrounds echoing a time gone by. Sitting amongst other respectfully restored and maintained homes, Woollahra House pays homage to both its past and its surrounding context, embedding years of well-crafted and handmade details amongst a more contemporary reinterpretation. With architecture by Bureau SRH and interior design by Studio Senior, the resulting home focuses on the natural light already flooding the interior of the home, with the new works adding a crisp and refreshing touch to the existing, further directing openings outward.

Woollahra House pays homage to both its past and its surrounding context, embedding years of well-crafted and handmade details amongst a more contemporary reinterpretation.

Built by Gabcon Holdings, Woollahra House reflects both the original era of the hope and a nod to the art deco movement in parts, with an emphasis on certain geometries and materiality. The original home features generous and lofted interior spaces, iconic of its Victorian era. While formal separation of this traditional planning can sometimes obstruct a sense of flow and connection aligning contemporary lifestyles, in this case however, that separation was embraced and instead encouraged a framework for the home and for certain elements to be grouped internally.

The newly revisited bathrooms and kitchen combine the beauty and classic reference of natural stone with more modern touches and elevated appliances, fittings and fixtures replacing the existing. The expressive state of each of the selected stones further animates the tucked away spaces, yet the clean lines and concealed joinery ensure there is a crispness at play, allowing the eye to not be distracted by any of the introduced elements and for the home to feel bound together and conceived from the same core ideation. The use of soft and light finishes creates a sense of calm, which together with the incoming natural light, feels softened in place.

With architecture by Bureau SRH and interior design by Studio Senior, the resulting home focuses on the natural light already flooding the interior of the home, with the new works adding a crisp and refreshing touch to the existing.

By bringing the old and new together through tones and a shared materiality, Woollahra House allows a celebration of the past. Studio Senior and Bureau SRH bring a classical refinement to the ageing residence and craft a suitable revision to ensure its coming chapters.