Duffy’s Estate
Designed by Hillside Architecture & Interior, Duffy’s Estate is a large-scale multigenerational home where private and shared spaces are balanced.
Although Duffy’s Estate is situated just 20 minutes from Sydney’s North Shore, residents feel far removed from the bustle of the city. Surrounded by forest and riding trails, the property embraces its position in a rural pocket of an otherwise urban environment. The generous size of the site complemented the design brief, which called for the housing of grandparents, parents, two children and their pets, as well as separate spaces offered for guests. “Designing Duffy’s Estate was a different challenge to designing a conventional family home,” says Steve Mittelman, design principal at Hillside Architecture & Interior. “We had to accommodate multiple generations in one residence while maintaining a sense of cohesion, and the question of the thresholds between private and communal areas became more intricate. Focus was placed on the location of entrances, bedrooms, the capacity of social spaces and the visibility between them. Much of the design was resolved by the careful management of space.”
In Duffy’s Estate, space is maximised for hosting. Unlike a standard family home that is tailored to up to 10 people, the main house alone comfortably holds up to 35. The primary entertaining space seats up to 25 people and balances the capacity of the upstairs rumpus room, which is dedicated to the parents and children. Just off the kitchen sits an informal living room that seats 15 while the nearby dining area allows a smaller number to take in views of the site’s old gum tree. For long-term stays, there are eight bedrooms, including four with ensuites, as well as three bedrooms in the adjacent guesthouse. “My favourite part of the project is the transitional spaces,” Mittelman notes. “They’re all crafted so that you can stop and sit in them. They’re not just places of transition; they’re established parts of the house.” Throughout the home, the interior design is anchored by a restrained colour palette that draws the warm white of the exterior across the internal walls. Sage green and dusty pink accents form subtle references to the natural surroundings while changes in texture add tactile dimension.
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