Castlecrag House is tucked into the hillside above the waters of Sydney Harbour. The project, an extensive renovation, unified the many disparate parts of the house to create a light-filled family home.

The existing building had evolved organically over many decades, with successive renovations enlarging and adding spaces in an aggregative manner. The aim with the renovation was to rationalise these spaces, to create a house which felt cohesive and contemporary. The overall building form was retained, but the spaces within were adapted to create new large spaces for the family to come together.

The planning of the living spaces was reordered around a large dining room featuring a dining table that comfortably seats twelve.  The other living spaces - all organised around the dining room – include a new beautifully appointed kitchen, a lounge area with a double sided fireplace, and an undercover outdoor sitting area. 

 Moving away from the living zone, there are study spaces, guest bedrooms with ensuites, and a casual rumpus room for when family visit.  Upstairs, a ‘bridge’ across the dining room’s double height space leads to the master suite. The master suite enjoys an indulgent view over the rooftop garden and the harbour.

The basement, previously dark with low ceilings, was rearranged to give a media room, cellar, bathroom, laundry and a living area with large windows overlooking the refinished pool area. 

 The owners collection of art was a consideration throughout the project, so to complement the collection we designed sculptural elements into the architecture while allowing generous wall space for artworks to be hung.The sculptural elements include the ‘stiletto’ column as part of the outdoor dining area, a bespoke brass screen for the stair which provides a sense of movement and dynamism, and the folded steel canopy over the main entry.Materials such as stone, brass and timber were used throughout the house for their durability and warmth.Carefully curated with the artworks, light pendants and furniture were added to give vibrant pops of colour, bringing the spaces to life.