The brief was to design a space that celebrates its harbour vista while creating a refuge and place of calm above the busy city. The tired original fit-out was stripped bare and re-imagined as a fluid, spacious layout with natural materiality and connection to the both the natural and urban landscape. A home up in the clouds. Having worked on previous projects for the clients, it was an absolute pleasure to work closely with them again on the Penthouse Apartment Millers Point, bringing form and vision to their dreams. We worked meticulously through each stage, layering details and finesse, to create a home amongst the clouds, overlooking Sydney Harbour.

The brief was two-fold, to create a space for entertaining with family and friends, celebrating the apartments harbour setting, while in parallel providing a calm and intimate refuge from the bustling city below.

The functional requirements of the brief were to reorganise the floor plan, to use the space efficiently and to create a sense of spaciousness and ease. Beyond the functional requirements, it was essential to not just create a space to reside in the city, but a home to live and make memories. The design was to be uniquely tailored to express and exhibit the personalities of the clients and an aesthetic of refined, understated elegance.

A home was created that is personal and allows for privacy as well as fostering moments of gathering and celebration. There was considerable reflection upon site and context when starting this project, in order to create a space that is a celebration of the expansive Sydney Harbour landscape while remaining a calm escape.

References to both the natural and built landscape create a harmonious sense of place and belonging. The tonal and textural palette of veneer, natural timber and stone reinforce a sense of grounding and stillness, connecting with the elements of nature. White linen curtains are soft like the clouds, while the interspersed polished surfaces of the tiles, furniture and accessories shimmer like the harbour. The curves and softened edges of bulkheads, corners of veneer walls and sculptural couches mimic the fluidity of the coves and hills. The black steel band and fluted tiles of the kitchen island bench reference the built fabric of the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.