Rose Bay House

The owners have loved this home in various iterations, renovating and decorating to suit the family’s needs and to accommodate the friends and extended family members who often come to stay.

Set on the side of a hill overlooking Rose Bay is an elegant stucco villa gently embraced by the green of trees and thoughtful landscaping. Built in 1915, this grand dame of homes in the eastern suburbs was bought by the owners in 1995. Despite its status, this is essentially a comfortable and joyous family home, filled with art and colour and an earnest black Staffordshire terrier called Betty.

No Chintz was first brought on board more than twelve years ago. Since then, various changes of wall paint, reupholstering of furniture and sofas have been sprinkled through the house. The most recent renovations and re-styling took place during Covid, while the family stayed out of the city at their country property. This time, a more focused re-fresh of various rooms took place, and today the house is an expression of comfort and ease, reflecting the lifestyle of its occupants.

For the owner who is a self-confessed lover of colour, No Chintz is the perfect interior design team to partner. The success of this ongoing project is also based on the smooth inclusion of favourite previous colour ways and furniture which blend seamlessly with the newer choices of re-upholstery, wall paints, side tables, light shades and rugs.
 

In a daughter’s room upstairs for instance, egg yellow walls and white cane furniture are a cheery combination, but you cannot tell if this was a more recent No Chintz re-design or from an earlier plan. Fresh accent pillows on the bed and a bright quilt add texture and depth to this space.
 

‘Why would a boy’s room be traditional navy?’ the client muses. Why indeed. No Chintz are in total agreement with that thinking, and instead, this now grown son’s room often used by travelling guests is a restful pea soup green, with Roman blinds and a throw contributing a theme of colourful stripes.
 

The master bedroom is dominated by an oversized, scalloped bedhead and it draws together the various pops of paisley, flowers, lattice and braid in the bedding and cushions. Warm putty-coloured curtains flow quietly to the floor from a rod close to the ceiling’s edge, giving height to the room. The pretty green of the walls is somehow serene and bright at the same time, making this space a welcome retreat from the bustle of the outside world.
 

Downstairs, the generous long hallway has two matching runners that stop and then start again at a heirloom dresser midway. Black Betty the Staffie lies quietly in hallway, enjoying the softness of the jewel toned runner on her belly.
 

Turn into the living room and the spacious sitting areas divided casually into two groups are a medley of bright pinks and blues in one grouping, and the other, pinks and greens and reds. Patterns in the rugs and cushions pick up the primary colours to unify everything without making it all too matchy-matchy. A splash of coffee in the white walls gives warmth and depth. As the owner says with satisfaction, ‘I know that if and when we move or downsize, all this furniture from the various rooms can happily co-exist’.
 

A fun new upgrade in the hallway is the renovation of a small powder room. Leaving the original sink, new tapware and a fun ikat-inspired wallpaper in bright salmon and white have made this little space delightful and fresh.
 

The dining room with French doors leading outside, have a subtle terracotta coloured theme, setting the scene for convivial dining. Coffered ceiling, polished floorboards, a stylish fireplace, and long billowy drapes all exude harmony and relaxed charm.
 

The success of this project lies in the fact that while the relationship between the client and No Chintz extends over a dozen years or more, step inside and it really is impossible to say where it all began and ended. The links between various projects are all intrinsically woven together, cleverly creating a tapestry of spaces linking the years.
 

If you would like further information on any of the fabrics, colours or finishes used in this project please contact your nearest No Chintz store.

For home makeovers, or to transform your favourite room, look no further than our Interior Decorating Services. From wall colours to curtains and floor coverings, Chrissie and the team of No Chintz decorators are available for onsite consultations to make your home dreams a reality. 

For more inspiration check out our completed projects or hear what our happy clients have to say.

Tina Gomes Brand is a freelance writer who searches out all things creative from food and architecture to travel, fashion and interiors. Brand writes from a broad experience of interacting with various cultures and collaborating with creative people everywhere.