Delwood House

One of the great pleasures of life on Sydney’s Northern Beaches is the sunshine and golden sands, and equally the respite of returning to a comfortable, shaded retreat—offering relief from the heat and radiance of seaside revelry. For those seeking the ideal sanctuary, Delwood House in Manly is the perfect choice. Textural Harmony “The vision was to create a sophisticated coastal home that feels understated yet expressive, where tactile finishes and tonal warmth take centre stage,” says Larissa Orso. Her Woollahra interior design firm Larissa Leigh Interiors curated and styled the interiors for Delwood House, which was designed and built by Brother Nature with joinery by Brace Joinery. It’s a home that shuns the light and vibrant in favour of the peace and harmony of the shade, with earthy tones sitting aside a pale backbone of white and cream. “The palette is grounded by dark timber floorboards, paired with soft white render walls, smoked and aged veneers, subtle textures, and aged brass details that anchor the space with a sense of quiet luxury,” says Orso. White, floor-length curtains drape onto herringbone floors, while the curvature of the shapely walls creates a sense of flow. In the kitchen, timber cabinets give texture and rusticity to a room where a minimalist approach is more often the case. Elevated Living Iver’s Sarlat hardware in Signature Brass was used extensively in this room, in the Cabinet Pulls and Cupboard Knobs. “It was chosen for its refined heritage profile and beautiful solid brass finish,” explains Orso. “It offered a quiet but considered detail that aligned perfectly with the home’s tone.” A growing trend in interiors is to mix and match door hardware styles and finishes across a project, and Delwood House has fully embraced this approach with selections from the Sarlat and Paddington collections in Signature Brass, Brushed Brass and Satin Nickel finishes. Treating each space as its own design story allowed Orso to introduce a variety of hardware finishes and styles, creating distinctive moments throughout the home, while a guiding aesthetic of warm tones and textures anchors the design. Iver’s Paddington Knob on Stepped Backplate, in Brushed Brass, unobtrusively links in with the kitchen’s cabinetry, while the Cabinet Pulls in Signature Brass feature on the bedroom wardrobes. The use of the Sarlat range continues elsewhere, but in different finishes, the Cupboard Knobs and Cabinet Pulls in Satin Nickel embellishing the laundry and bathroom with their heritage sensibility. “The aged brass patina integrated seamlessly into the material story, bringing just the right amount of weight and warmth to doors and joinery throughout,” says Orso. “We appreciated how the Iver range delivered both whole-of-home consistency and the kind of craftsmanship that elevates the everyday.” There is a cadence to Delwood House, not unlike the warbling water that crashes onto the shore outside. “The project transforms a modest family home into a calm and layered retreat,” says Orso, “The interiors were designed to feel effortless and enduring, shaped by rhythm, restraint, and sensory experience.”