Yolo by Pattern Studio
Yolo is spontaneous by design. Set above the owners’ fashion store in Surry Hills, this upstairs home features a catwalk, dance floor and rooftop bathtub. Pattern Studio delivers big, playful ideas through deeply considered details, creating a compact, cosmopolitan space that is both the life of the party and an urban oasis.
Nicola and Orlando Reindorf’s Crown Street terrace spans three levels; their boutique, The Standard Store, occupies the ground floor, while their residence unfolds across the two levels above. Entry via a sculptural courtyard staircase or a discreet laneway door leads to an elevated garden – a deliberate transition from the rhythm of work to a private retreat for Pattern Studio founders Lily Goodwin and Josh Cain.
Oversized glass sliders dissolve the boundary between garden and living room, flooding the four-metre-wide home with expansive light. At its centre, a stainless-steel island dotted with handmade ceramic handles provides discreet yet generous storage, energised by complementary, blue-stained timber cabinetry. Tucked to either side, theatrical cobalt curtains both conceal and reveal the walk-in robe, creating a dressing experience that balances functionality and luxury for its fashion-forward owners.
Just steps away is the bathroom. Halved in size to expand the living room, it makes up for space with impeccable detailing: a natural stone counter, elegant shower fittings and bespoke integrated lighting that highlights a blend of natural textures and clean modernism. Seizing a moment of luxury, the bath was relocated upstairs to become the heart of the primary suite – a space that, in Goodwin’s words, “on paper shouldn’t work – or even exist”.
Once an unused attic, the main bedroom on the top floor now “feels like the lovechild of a private jet and woodland cabin”. Wrapped in cork and timber, the walls create a cocooning backdrop for a bed that looks out onto a serene, sky-high deck framed by trees. A sculptural black bathtub by architect Patricia Urquiola anchors the view. Movement in and out of the suite happens via the catwalk – a multipurpose, low-slung timber unit that flows seamlessly from the stairs. This elevated platform is more than just for strutting: it conceals ample storage, offers additional seating, houses the record player and sound system, and even doubles as a dance floor. “At first glance, it is playful and light-hearted, but take a closer look, and you’ll find a rigorously pragmatic architectural approach at its core,” says Goodwin.
Designed with intent for the “quintessential Surry Hills locals and champions of the area”, Pattern Studio animated and maximised every corner of the two-storey abode, reimagining the compact footprint into flexible zones for daily rituals and spontaneous moments. The result is a space that feels grounding, restorative and brimming with energy. “This home is an ode to urban living – compact, curated and exquisitely attuned to its context,” says Cain. A house that more than lives up to its name.
Interior design by Pattern Studio. Bath by Agape from Artedomus. Appliances by Fisher & Paykel.
