Pied-à-Terre by Smac Studio

There is a particular kind of home that feels entirely and unmistakably like its owner. Pied-à-Terre in Woollahra, Sydney, is one of those. Designed by Smac Studio for a well-travelled, retired lawyer with a love of deep greens, aubergine tones, and a lifetime of beautiful collected objects, the result is a home that is serene and considered, yet full of personality and warmth.

The house itself has a meaningful history. Designed in 2000 by the late architect Ercole Palazzetti – a close friend of the owner's – it carries clear Italian influences that feel present throughout. "It feels quite meaningful living in something that connects back to that friendship," says Gina, the owner. "I really wish I could show him what I've done with the space now."

Originally a dark, inward-facing 1990s build, the home presented both challenge and opportunity. Smac Studio principal Shona McElroy made a series of small but considered interventions to the layout that make a big difference to daily living and entertaining. Most significantly, this involved relocating the kitchen from a tucked-away U-shaped corner to a central island position that now faces the garden. The fireplace was repositioned too, better defining the dining and living zones.

"This house feels Parisian in a way I've always been drawn to," says McElroy. "It uses space cleverly and is a perfect reflection of the client. It really belongs to her."

The colour palette, defined by olive green and aubergine, was drawn directly from Gina's love of her garden and her travels. Olive green appears in the kitchen stone, living room cabinetry, ensuite, and the custom media room couch, while aubergine runs through the checkerboard entry floor, the guest bathroom, and powder room. The wall colour, a green-toned shade that Gina initially hesitated over when she saw the word "grey" in its name, turned out to reflect the tones of the stone beautifully.

At the heart of the home, the kitchen is anchored by a deep green leathered granite – a slab Gina spotted the moment she walked into the stone warehouse. "I took one look and said, 'That's it.'" The same stone appears on the splashback and fireplace mantle, giving the ground floor a warm and textural cohesion. A mirrored finish on the splashback bounces the garden's greenery back into the room, keeping Gina connected to the outside even while cooking.

Always strong on creating distinct landing areas that welcome and set the mood, Smac Studio created an entrance that sets the tone from the moment you arrive. Generously sized and layered with character, it features an aubergine and white checkerboard marble floor, a curvy wave rattan console, and a sunburst mirror – a pairing Gina admits she wouldn't have landed on alone. "That's one of the perks of working with an interior designer," she says. "They can see combinations you wouldn't try yourself."

The powder room, small but full of presence, became one of the project's most joyful moments. Just before painting was due to begin, Gina emailed McElroy to suggest wallpaper instead. William Morris was chosen, its aubergine tones tying back to the broader palette, paired with a checkerboard marble floor and a curvy white stone vanity. "It's definitely a luxury moment," says Gina. "Little but full of personality."

As a self-confessed maximalist with collections of bottles, teapots, shells, and photographs gathered from years of travel, Gina needed the design to help her declutter. Smac Studio responded by simplifying the joinery and purposely reducing shelving, ensuring only the most special pieces earn their place on display. "I find it really difficult, it's not in my nature," Gina admits. "But it's made a real difference."

Throughout the home, a number of pieces were sourced at auction, adding individuality to each room. A Christophe Delcourt coffee table and a mid-century bar cart from Melbourne – 1950s, with delicate feet, curved lines, and crystal glasses inherited from Gina's mother and uncle – elevate the living room with a sense of history. Three mirrors were won in a single night of online bidding, including the sunburst at the entrance, after Gina placed bids and went to bed assuming she'd be lucky to win one.

"The house feels like a little haven," says Gina. "It's calm but still full of personality. At first I worried that bringing in a designer might make it feel impersonal – but instead it feels entirely like me."

Credits

Interior Design: Smac Studio

Principal of Smac Studio: Shona McElroy

Styling: Jack Milenkovic

Photography: Dave Wheeler

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A Sydney home Revisited by Carter Williamson Architects

Good architecture leaves room for life to happen. Brise Soleil was designed by Sydney-based Carter Williamson in 2009 and revisited by the same practice more than fifteen years later, not to start over, but to evolve.

The home had been well lived in. Its voids still carried light through the plan. Its robust exterior still held firm against the street. What had shifted was life itself. The owners didn't want to leave. The question became how the house might change with them.

The insertion of a lift within the internal courtyard quietly reshaped the plan. What began as an accessibility intervention prompted a broader reconsideration of how the home was navigated and used. The kitchen moved. Pathways widened. Thresholds softened. The ground floor became more generous, more fluid, more attuned to ease — a reimagining of daily living without the erasure of what came before.

Yet the defining qualities of the original design remain. Light continues to fall through the voids, animating walls and floors throughout the day. What has changed is tone. Where the interiors were once restrained, warm timber joinery and a richer material palette now introduce tactility and depth, making the contrast between robust exterior and intimate interior more pronounced than ever.

The kitchen was redesigned to support accessibility without sacrificing conviviality. Bespoke cabinetry and carefully resolved joinery ensure that the rhythms of daily life continue seamlessly, maintaining its social heart.

Brise Soleil is not a reinvention. It is an evolution. A house that has matured alongside its occupants, and proof that architecture designed with care can absorb change without losing its identity.

Credits 

⁠Architecture and Interior Design: Carter Williamson Architects

Styling: Claire Delmar

Photography: Pablo Veiga⁠

Build: SFN Build

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Veermakers Opens its First Showroom in Paris

Swedish design house Veermakers continues its international expansion with the opening of its first showroom in Paris. Located in the heart of Le Marais, the new space brings together furniture, architecture and art in a carefully curated environment that reflects the brand’s dedication to craftsmanship, materiality and timeless design, rooted in the traditions of Scandinavian cabinet making.

Veermakers was founded in 2017 by Swedish interior designer Louise Liljencrantz — whose work I have admired for a very long time — together with K.F.K. Cabinet Makers and Kristin Rudenstam. Following years of creating bespoke interiors for an international clientele through Liljencrantz Design, a shared passion for craftsmanship, materiality and timeless design led to the creation of the brand.

Through her award-winning studio, Liljencrantz has earned international recognition for a refined aesthetic and commitment to lasting quality — values that sit at the heart of everything Veermakers creates. All pieces are meticulously handcrafted in the brand's own workshops in Stockholm and Fiskars, where skilled artisans and master cabinetmakers transform carefully selected materials into furniture designed to endure for generations. Conceived as a hybrid between a design gallery and a private residence, the showroom presents the Veermakers universe in its entirety for the first time. Open by appointment, it offers visitors an immersive experience where furniture, materials and art interact in a setting designed to evolve through rotating exhibitions and new product launches.

The opening marks an important milestone for Veermakers, creating a permanent destination for architects, interior designers, collectors and private clients seeking contemporary design of the highest quality.

“With the Paris showroom we finally have the opportunity to present Veermakers’ pieces the way they are meant to be experienced - up close, where the craftsmanship, materials and details truly come to life. For me, design is about creating objects with longevity, both in quality and expression. The showroom allows us to present our entire universe and create a dialogue between furniture, art and architecture that reflects our Scandinavian roots.” —Louise Liljencrantz, co-founder, creative director and designer of Veermakers.

The Paris showroom brings together the majority of the Veermakers collection in a single curated setting for the first time. Signature pieces such as the SSU Coffee Table in solid walnut, the MAR Dining Table with its deep high-gloss finish, the hand-carved SKS Side Table in mahogany, and the enduring Strict Bar Stool are shown alongside recent additions including the Reed Library Table and Pin Console Table. The opening also introduces several new pieces — among them the Yoshino Wall Lamp, the Hoovs Side Table, and the Set Dining Chair, Veermakers' first upholstered dining chair.

Created specifically for the space, a number of bespoke interior elements — including a custom kitchen and built-in sofa — demonstrate the brand's ability to create complete interior environments where architecture, furniture and craftsmanship merge seamlessly.

Every Veermakers design is developed by Louise Liljencrantz in close collaboration with master cabinetmakers — a dialogue between design and making that runs through every stage of production. Working across workshops in Sweden and Finland, highly skilled artisans combine traditional techniques with modern precision, using carefully sourced materials to produce pieces that are as enduring as they are distinctive.

"Quality is not something added at the end of the process — it is built into every decision, from material selection to the final finish. It is this close attention throughout production that gives each piece its integrity and longevity." —Kalle Kemppainen, Head of Production and Cabinetmaker at Veermakers.

As part of its vision to create a meeting place for art and design, Veermakers will host a rotating programme of exhibitions curated by Louise Liljencrantz. The inaugural exhibition features works by Swedish artist LG Lundberg (b. 1938) — a selection of oil-on-canvas interpretations of the Swedish archipelago, rich in light, colour and atmosphere, that establish a natural dialogue with the furniture collection while bringing a distinctly Scandinavian presence to the space. All works are available for purchase throughout the autumn.

With its first Paris showroom, Veermakers creates a new destination where Scandinavian craftsmanship, contemporary design and art come together in an intimate and thoughtfully curated environment.

Louise Liljencrantz, co-founder, creative director and designer of Veermakers

Photograpy: © Clément Vayssières

Veermakers

65 rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris
Opening  September, 2026 — by appointment only

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