My Houzz: A Sydney Stylist's Family-Friendly Upsize
By surrounding themselves with things they love, this couple show us just how stylish sentimental decor can be
Emily Hutchinson
17 January 2016
Houzz Australia Editorial Staff. I am always on the lookout for homes with that extra wow-factor to feature. I love hearing all about the design process behind these projects.
Houzz Australia Editorial Staff. I am always on the lookout for homes with that extra... More
As little ones join the family, a home that used to have ample space can start to feel cramped. That was the case for clever design duo Claire Delmar and her husband James, who were keen to trade in their worker’s cottage for a freestanding house with a backyard for their two kids. While at first they thought their now six-bedroom California bungalow would stretch the budget too far, they were pleasantly surprised on auction day. “I think the size scared off a lot of potential buyers from viewing it and somehow we managed to get it at a good price,” says Claire. The home has since been renovated to suit their modern family lifestyle, and an enviable new kitchen has become one of Claire’s favourite rooms in the house.
COMMENT TO WIN
To celebrate our favourite Australian and New Zealand homes, we’ve asked Claire to choose a giveaway gift. All you have to do to enter is comment on why you love this house and you could be in the running to win a $50 gift voucher from Cultiver. The winner of Claire’s chosen prize has been announced. Well done Louise Anderson!
COMMENT TO WIN
To celebrate our favourite Australian and New Zealand homes, we’ve asked Claire to choose a giveaway gift. All you have to do to enter is comment on why you love this house and you could be in the running to win a $50 gift voucher from Cultiver. The winner of Claire’s chosen prize has been announced. Well done Louise Anderson!
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Claire and James Delmar, Leo, age 6, and Willow, age 1
Location: Sydney’s eastern suburbs, New South Wales
Size: 2 bathrooms, 6 bedrooms
Before buying their new house, the Delmars lived nearby in a single-level terrace house they quickly outgrew when their children were born – it was time to upsize. When Claire first spotted their next house, it was not love at first sight. “It has a Cape Cod roof that is totally against my love of modern, box-shaped houses,” she says. Once she opened the door and saw its high ceilings and open spaces, however, she knew it would suit her style.
Who lives here: Claire and James Delmar, Leo, age 6, and Willow, age 1
Location: Sydney’s eastern suburbs, New South Wales
Size: 2 bathrooms, 6 bedrooms
Before buying their new house, the Delmars lived nearby in a single-level terrace house they quickly outgrew when their children were born – it was time to upsize. When Claire first spotted their next house, it was not love at first sight. “It has a Cape Cod roof that is totally against my love of modern, box-shaped houses,” she says. Once she opened the door and saw its high ceilings and open spaces, however, she knew it would suit her style.
Claire and James started renovations shortly after buying the house. Prior to moving in, they made sure the downstairs area was completed, excluding the bathrooms. The rest they finished after moving in.
Claire has always had a passion for the modernist era and the Bahaus school of thought. The couple kept to particular materials and colours throughout the house: beech and walnut timber, concrete, marble and aged brass hardware. Claire loves all shades of grey, so this neutral colour palette features throughout the home.
Claire has always had a passion for the modernist era and the Bahaus school of thought. The couple kept to particular materials and colours throughout the house: beech and walnut timber, concrete, marble and aged brass hardware. Claire loves all shades of grey, so this neutral colour palette features throughout the home.
The main living area is where the family tends to gather. Light floods into the space, and the original Victorian-style windows serve as a reminder of the home’s lengthy past.
“I love being in this space,” says Claire. “The large windows look out to our back garden; it’s surrounded by tall trees, which provide wonderful privacy.”
“I love being in this space,” says Claire. “The large windows look out to our back garden; it’s surrounded by tall trees, which provide wonderful privacy.”
Despite having two little ones running around, Claire and James decided not to create separate play areas for the kids. “We just have one large toy box that everything gets thrown into,” Claire says. “I always find that the kids want to be where you are so having separate spaces didn’t seem to make sense.”
New spotted gum timber flooring with a natural finish complements the family’s modernist furniture. “The flooring was the largest expense, but I felt this was money well spent; I strongly believe it is the base for the style of the home. I always like to start with the flooring when designing a space and then build from that,” says Claire.
The home is filled with furniture Claire has fallen in love with in Australia and during travels overseas. “We haven’t stuck to a strong style; I’ve always just surrounded myself with pieces I love,” says Claire. “I believe that if you love it, you’ll make it work in the space.”
Any new furniture purchases are well considered rather than bought on a whim. “I see so many beautiful products daily, but I’ve taught myself to restrain from spontaneous purchasing – I prefer to sit on it for a while,” Claire says. “If I’m still thinking about it a few days later then I’ll make a decision.”
Claire runs her styling business and blog, The Palate Project, from a home office she has set up in the main living area. “That way I can keep my eye on the kids and also cook and do loads of washing,” she says. “Multi- tasking is a necessity when you have your own business and family.”
‘STILL’ Artwork: Claire Delmar x Felix Forest
The kitchen is one of Claire’s favourite rooms. As an avid cook, she spends a lot of time in the kitchen so it was important that it not only looked beautiful, but was also highly functional. The couple removed a wall to enlarge the space, and splashed out on marble benchtops. Claire’s parents gave them a Zip tap as a house warming gift. “It’s one of the most practical features in the kitchen,” Claire says.
The two glass-panelled vintage doors on the cabinets are from their previous home. “It was one of those flash ideas in the middle of the night when you are in the thick of design mode,” says Claire.
The two glass-panelled vintage doors on the cabinets are from their previous home. “It was one of those flash ideas in the middle of the night when you are in the thick of design mode,” says Claire.
Claire economised by using flat- panelled polyurethane cabinetry that she colour-matched with Porter’s ‘Furnace’ and Murobond‘s ‘Stone’s Throw’ paints. The textured concrete splashback adds another layer of interest to the room. “I love how this turned out as I’ve always disliked splashbacks. It was also something I hadn’t used before so it took us a few times before the finish was correct,” says Claire.
A wet bar/laundry adjoining the kitchen features a built-in bar fridge.
Claire’s eye for beauty and detail means every corner of the home has been designed with a stylist’s touch.
The bathrooms are the next renovation projects on the list. The ‘BAR’ window on the door comes from the family’s previous house.
The main bedroom is a serene space that continues the colour palette of the rest of the house. The furniture is from Planet, a store from which Claire often borrows pieces for shoots.
Moller bench: Great Dane Furniture
Moller bench: Great Dane Furniture
These large vintage filing cabinets serve as an extra storage element in the bedroom and reflect Claire’s love of aged metal.
Next door is Willow’s bedroom. It features a large willow tree mural done by artist Claire Nakasawa, who Claire regularly commissions for clients’ homes.
The Japanese paper lamp on the chest of drawers is from Living Edge. Claire bought it years ago, knowing she’d one day find the perfect spot for it.
At the front of the house is Claire’s old office space, now used as a reading room.
Precious collected pieces adorn the shelves, including photos of overseas travels, special occasions and cherished grandparents.
The back garden is a work in progress, but it’s already a special spot on a sunny day. “When you open the doors completely it feels like an extension of the dining room, creating a fabulous entertaining space,” says Claire. “We have an electric awning that provides extra shelter in the rain or the heat.”
The couple added 7-metre-long bi-fold doors to open up the home to the deck and garden beyond. The wide stairs lead down to the lawn. Claire says they use the garden far more than they imagined they would. “It really proved to us what good functioning design will do to the way you use a space,” she says.
The makeover still isn’t over – Claire and James are deciding whether they should re-tile the roof and paint the exterior of the house, which they think will create a more Hamptons-style facade.
COMMENT TO WIN
To celebrate our favourite Australian and New Zealand homeowners and their homes, we’ve asked Claire to choose a giveaway gift. All you have to do to enter is comment on why you love this house for your chance to win a $50 gift voucher from Cultiver. The winner of Claire’s chosen prize has been announced. Well done Louise Anderson!
See full terms and conditions here
COMMENT TO WIN
To celebrate our favourite Australian and New Zealand homeowners and their homes, we’ve asked Claire to choose a giveaway gift. All you have to do to enter is comment on why you love this house for your chance to win a $50 gift voucher from Cultiver. The winner of Claire’s chosen prize has been announced. Well done Louise Anderson!
See full terms and conditions here
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So simple. So beautiful. Love the Vintage Filing Cabinets.
Thanks for all of your comments everyone, I'm so glad you enjoyed taking a look inside Claire's home and getting to know her a little bit better. We've chosen a winner, that's you Louise Anderson, congratulations! We'll be in touch with you soon to organise the delivery of your prize :)