The kitchen island is finished in Green Explosion granite and features a Gaggenau oven and stovetop. Also pictured: a photographic print by Traianos Pakioufakis, bistro-style French 1950s stools, and a vintage ceramic vase from 506070.
Pied-à-Terre is designed to feel elegant, feminine and unmistakably French, gently encouraging a more minimalist way of living.
Through spatial refinement and a restrained material language, Pied-à-Terre, a Woollahra townhouse by Smac Studio, transforms a once inward-looking 1990s build while injecting “a bit of cool factor”.
Smac Studio principal Shona McElroy received the brief to reinvigorate the 205-square-metre home from a well-travelled, retired lawyer. “The home needed to feel peaceful and soothing, but it also had to showcase the client’s personality through her collections and cherished items,” McElroy says.
Subtle layout interventions allow light to permeate the space, while auction-sourced furnishings introduce authenticity and character. Aubergine tones and olive greens speak to the surrounding garden, softening the interiors and drawing the eye outward.
The living area hosts an untitled 1990 serigraph by Bengt Orup (1916–1996) from Connie and Vi, paired with a Bzippy ceramic side table.
Setting the tone for the entire home, the entrance features a checkerboard floor, a wave rattan console and a sunburst mirror. The composition reflects Smac Studio’s fixation with creating resolved arrival moments.
With the homeowner a “self-confessed maximalist with collections of bottles, teapots and shells from her travels”, the design is intended help her declutter, including reduced shelving so only the most cherished items are given prominence.
Many of the furnishings were sourced at auction, including the Christophe Delcourt coffee table in the living room, alongside a mid-century bar cart. Elsewhere, three mirrors acquired through last-minute auction bids introduce moments of reflection and character throughout the home.
In the media room, Pamplona dining chairs by Augusto Savini from 506070 sit alongside a custom sofa and ottomans by SMAC Studio. Also pictured: a glass vessel from Connie and Vi, Michael Verheyden trays, a bamboo table lamp sourced from The Vault, and artworks, including One Red Plum Warms the Misty Air 2 (2024) by Louise Olson from Olsen Gallery.
The bathrooms are treated as moments of creativity and lightness within the home, such as the powder room, wrapped in William Morris wallpaper. The wallpaper’s aubergine hues tie into the home’s broader palette, while a curvaceous white stone vanity introduces brightness and balance.
“The whole design process reminded me of my favourite kind of travel, the kind where you explore places off the beaten path and stumble upon something wonderful,” the homeowner concludes.
Pictured: Green Flos Snoopy table lamp and a French Brutalist solid elm chair.
The bedroom features ‘Deliverance’ by Morgan Stokes from Curatorial and Co., a glass vessel from Connie and Vi, a burl table lamp from The Vault, Cultiver extra-heavy linen bedding, and a Society Limonta throw from Ondene Double Bay.
The powder room features William Morris wallpaper, a vintage mirror from the owner’s collection and a custom marble vanity by Smac Studio.
Bathroom details include a Bloomingdales light, a vintage French stool from Secondi, a ceramic bowl and a ceramic vase from Planet.
