Bordering Randwick and Coogee, this renovation features a calming rhythm of tactile surfaces, warm timbers, handmade porcelain lighting and gentle curves.
Designed to support three generations with grandparents, parents and children all living together, it was important for the home to be functional, yet serene.
The foundation in achieving this: natural materials.
“The owners wanted a calming space to come home to, even with everyone living under the one roof,” shares interior designer Kate Lawrence. “We played around with using a lot of natural materials. There’s a lot of timber, porcelain and travertine.”
A Dawn Pendant crafted by Studio Enti welcomes at the home’s entrance, a minimalist design with a delicate flare at the opening. Made from porcelain without the addition of glaze, a soft glow illuminates from within, celebrating the material’s translucent quality; the swirls and imperfections from the making process are illuminated, not hidden.
“The lighting played a major part in creating the right atmosphere for this home. It is all handmade and the owners really liked the idea of using objects that are locally made, as well as knowing who had made different objects,” says Kate. “My client actually visited Studio Enti and she loved Naomi’s work, so she really wanted to have some of her pieces in the house. She felt that connection, having been to the studio and then seeing the lighting in her home.”
She felt that connection, having been to the studio and then seeing the lighting in her home.
For Naomi Taplin, founder of Studio Enti, it’s this type of experience that she hopes her new showroom will bring.
“The whole reason I’ve been building this space is to have a really beautiful showroom that we can invite people into,” she says. “The showroom gives people a chance to really understand the pieces.”
Even for those interstate or overseas, this personal approach can be experienced via online consultations with Naomi and her team.
Whether in person or from afar, the intention is the same: to show people the possibilities of porcelain.
Undoubtedly, the use of Studio Enti’s lighting in this Sydney residence is a showcase of what can be achieved.
“It’s a beautiful project where the lighting is subtle. It really shows how the pieces can sit naturally in a home,” says Naomi.
Spanning three storeys, the home is warm and welcoming with areas for both connection and retreat.
The kitchen and dining area overlooks a beautifully green wall of bamboo, with natural elements also grounding the interior. American oak cabinetry pairs with a central stone island; a space to gather beneath the soft glow of Studio Enti’s Orb Pendants. The light cast from the pair of handcrafted spherical pendants is ambient, with the directional lighting emitted from the hand-carved openings perfect in this setting. The trio of cylindrical Dusked Eos ceiling lights above the dining table provide the same stunning glow.
This pared-back palette of natural tones and textures, with only a few materials repeated throughout the whole home, creates a sense of calm: a consistent, knowing rhythm that settles into every corner of every room.
In the bathrooms, a refined blend of micro-cement surfaces, timber cabinetry, fluted glass and muted tiles feels both tactile and understated.
One of these spaces features an Eclipse circular wall sconce cast in pure Australian porcelain. Creating a halo of light, its diffused glow lifts the texture of the microcement, bringing an almost sculptural quality.
Even in these more private zones, this focus on texture, warmth and soft illumination results in a space that feels like home the moment you enter. No harsh surfaces or brightness, just a gentle, lived-in ease that invites you to slow down.
