This coastal Sydney house by Penman Brown Interior Design is a serene haven layered with tactility, where integrated elements conceal its deep functionality.
Turning the familiar beachside design tropes upside down, The Carlisle, Tamarama by Penman Brown Interior Design is seductive in its textural configurations. The unforgiving shell of a early millennial inner-city four-storey coastal home has been reimagined through spatial planning and a much-needed injection of soul.
The inflexibility of the original floor plan is now orchestrated into an open space that prioritises visual connection and sensory engagement. As Megan Brown, principal of Penman Brown notes “Confronted with structural limitations, the solution relies entirely on superficial alterations, skilfully manipulating vertical and horizontal planes to alter perception and feeling.”
In partnership with Winning Appliances
While subdued in sandy tones, the interior allows the view to be the focal point.
In addition to the spatial adaptations, furniture, art, and objects are scattered with the intent to form a story of style and beachside insouciance. The craftsmanship can be seen in custom furniture with a generosity of pattern and texture, alongside iconic pieces, such as a B&B Italia Camaleonda sofa in a rich olive green tone that sits with ease alongside a Braided Rush Totem chair.
Materials edge towards the natural. The curtaining is gauzy, almost embroidered-like – a complement to the flocked wallpaper – both bringing layers of beachside charm. A Pinch Pium wall light fits suitably well with its linen and banana fibre shade looking like a woven seed pod. Brown explains that the design, “Is the combination of all its elements to tell a unique story. [It’s] achieved through the careful curation and combining of inherently contrasting materials within a contained and predominantly monochromatic palette”.
The kitchen has been designed as an object of art, with appliances such as the Miele induction cooktop and pyrolytic oven, and Fisher & Paykel fridge, being integrated into the overall aesthetic. Custom-designed stools add to the retro-futuristic aesthetic.
"Appliance integration has provided the greatest advancement in kitchen design, this is always the direction we steer our clients in"
– DESIGNER, MEGAN PENMAN BROWN
While everything works cohesively, it is the kitchen that is the centrepiece. In this zone, Brown has interwoven functionality and technology together with a distinct design aesthetic. “The Carlisle’s kitchen melts into the broader velvety cocoon, floating above ocean vistas, it is an idyllic sanctuary with a romantic past yet firmly focused on the future,” she adds.
Brown tackled the kitchen as a problem to be solved through clever design. In this respect, the focus is all about addressing “superior functionality” as an expression of luxury. Not just a high-performance zone, the designer set about aligning the aesthetics to support and enhance the experience of the whole space.
Exaggerated ellipsis forms can be found in several spots, including the cabinetry and handles that have given the kitchen superior and hidden functionality. A Pinch Pium wall light from Winning Appliances adds to the sculptural form.
To meet the brief, Brown specified a mix of appliances, opting for a Miele built-in oven, microwave, and induction cooktop. The selection process was a collaborative affair between Brown and her clients. “An important step in the process at Penman Brown is to provide our clients with a proposed appliance list, in each of the categories and work with them to devise a final selection based on our common design goals and functional requirements. Winnings have the most comprehensive range and advanced appliance showrooms, making the selection and purchase process simple for our clients,” Brown says.
According to Brown, kitchens are a space for elevating everyday life and function, and of course, refined design. Being able to “hide kitchen appliances in full sight, so to speak, has allowed the kitchen, often the hub of the home and arguably the most frequented space, to sit comfortably amid other informal and formal ‘living’ zones, particularly in the ever-popular open plan configuration,” Brown explains. The integration of a Billi water tap and the Miele integrated dishwasher from Winning Appliances are just some of the inclusions that speak to this approach.
“The layering of a diverse yet contained materials palette is consistent across projects at Penman Brown, with The Carlisle the common textural expression of rustic yet refined was paramount,” Megan Brown says. Classic Danish dining chairs, with timber floors and furniture, work well with the Pinch Pium wall light.
The whole kitchen is defined by bespoke design, radiating out to other touchpoints. Exaggerated ellipsis forms repeat in various locations – the custom-designed balustrade, the patinated cupboard handles, and the sculptured cabinetry details. These custom cabinets also hide the Fisher & Paykel fridge, from Winning Appliances adhering to Brown’s formulation of integrated appliances.
Underpinning the whole project is a process of reductionism “The principle of reduction is about hiding complexity – making something complex seem very simple,” says Brown. The real joy, though, comes down to having a home filled with furniture, objects, and hardware that is beautiful to look at but goes deeper in having an additional layer of simplicity, comfort, or efficiency.
At The Carlisle, the careful selection and application of materials was key. Penman Brown has blended tactility with a futuristic energy of sculpted, folded, and forged metals. The transformed home offers flexibility and versatility, and can easily transition from day to night, informal to formal – all with a playful yet sophisticated attitude.
