Lindfield House

Restraint…

simplicity and timelessness are qualities long associated with both the Georgian and Mid-Century Modern styles. Though separated by more than a century, these two styles are deftly blended in this gut-renovation of the Lindfield House by Daniel Boddam and his talented team.

Located…

in Sydney’s historic Upper North Shore neighborhood, the original house was built circa 1980 in a faux-Georgian style that eschewed exterior ornamentation in favor of clean lines and beautiful proportions. The pared-back façade of the porch entry-way is punctuated with Georgian doors and windows that Boddam has replaced with thin-framed, black Crittall Style fenestrations. In a contemporary twist, the equally thin, low-profile roof has been sheathed in photovoltaic panels to suit today’s renewable sensibilities.

The front…

door opens to a gracious central staircase with a sinuous lacquered wooden handrail that winds its way upstairs, leading the eye up and beyond. The subtle, bleached herringbone floors imbue the residence with a sense of calm, balance and well-being – the essence of Boddam’s work.

Tall…

black-framed, glass doors – each divided into four equal, rectangular panels – lead into a front sitting room with a marble fireplace. The doors harmonize perfectly with the Crittall windows looking out upon the side garden. The room is furnished with an organic composition of low-slung furniture: a Malibu side table, Kelly armchair by Daniel Boddam Furniture, a modern floor lamp, and a Kalos chair by B&B Italia.

The ground…

floor of the house has been rethought to allow a more flowing space. New openings have been created, forming an enfilade between the cloak room, entry, and living room, with a fireplace on axis. This allows for a clear line of vision through the various layers of space from any of several sitting areas through to the entry, kitchen, and living room. The rooms are decorated in a multitude of textures, patterns and subtly varying tones of color. A warm material palette is employed throughout the home, equally represented by hard finishes and furniture selections.

The luxe…

yet welcoming kitchen is clad in dark walnut, offering a moment of contrast to the softer mood of the house thus far. This is balanced by the clean lines and honest use of materials in the mid-century style furniture pieces that pepper the space.

Subtle…

changes in material signal a move into the more private and family-centered spaces of the home. For instance, as the stairs wind up and around a striking brass and quartz chandelier by Christopher Boots, hard wood stair treads give way to a plush grey carpet that extend seamlessly into the bedrooms. This feels like home.

The master…

suite is accented by the dark wood of fixed casework and a small dressing table. A calming, light-grey wallpaper provides a neutral backdrop for a dramatic custom bed clad in tufted, rich, green velvet. This is paralleled in the ensuite master bathroom, where the luster of light-grey rendered walls and soft honed statuarietto marble countertops contrast perfectly with light green, scalloped bathroom tile, dark walnut casework, and dark metal accents and fittings.

While…

hints of mouldings, trims, and baseboards still ground the ambience of the house’s past, almost every other element within the residence has been completely reconfigured, rethought and enriched by Boddam’s contemporary interventions, weaving new chapters into the story of this old home.