This striking Vaucluse home – awarded Category Winner for International Influence at Australia’s Best House – is a masterful blend of Spanish Mission architecture and Beverly Hills luxury, designed by interior designer and homeowner Olivia Babarczy of The Studio So. Challenged with renovating her own period villa, Olivia approached the project with deep respect for its 1920s Mediterranean heritage, working across two separate renovations to restore its original character. The floor plan was opened up to maximise beautiful northern light and breathtaking harbour views, with the pool thoughtfully positioned to look out over the treetops towards the water. A palette of subtle tones and carefully chosen pieces plays up the airy Mediterranean mood throughout, while lower ground bedrooms open onto a lush green wall and the upper levels house four bedrooms and three bathrooms.

We were engaged to manage the full joinery scope, working closely with builder To The Mil and Olivia to ensure every detail was right. Our focus was finding specialists whose skills genuinely matched the refined, Mediterranean-influenced vision she had established – so the joinery felt cohesive and true to the home’s character throughout. The result is a residence that honours its heritage while standing as a bold and personal work of interior design.

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