21 variations of stone—16 of which make up the entry staircase alone—set the scene for this duplex in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, a family home and seventh-time collaboration between homeowner and designer.
Vibrant, bold and full of personality, while never feeling excessive or chaotic. This was the brief to Smac Studio Principal Shona McElroy for a home she now calls ‘Smooth Operator’—a textured residence with a faintly masculine edge that features 21 variations of stone.
As the seventh project Smac Studio was to design for their client, the approach was one built on trust. “The aesthetic was New York meets Paris with an Italian spin,” the client recalls.
The entryway staircase is made up of 13 types of stone offcuts, upcycled to form a colourful cascade that is the first sight upon arrival. Inspired by Martin Creed’s installation in Edinburgh titled Work No.1059, more commonly known as The Scotsman Steps, it includes layers of Honey Onyx, Pesco Cristallo Quartzite, Cippolino, Rosso Levanto and Golden Spider Marble, to name a few. A bold choice yet subtle invitation to feel the craft, history and natural wonder of the material’s worldly origins.
“It should feel hectic, but it doesn’t,” McElroy says. “We were super strategic with how we placed each stone, balancing light and dark tones, making sure the palette felt even—it’s meant to feel playful and luxurious at the same time,” she explains.This sentiment is carried throughout the entire home, with layered richness and a mix of eras and materials whose balance further solidifies the value of a trusting working relationship, and also how far the studio has come in recent years.
A custom kitchen island in honed Fusion quartzite from Avenza Stone anchors the space, paired with Fanus pendant lights by Paolo Castelli from Atmosfera Studio and the BAR Stool in waxed walnut by Inoda+Sveje. The joinery was designed by SMAC Studio and built by Bondi Kitchens, with tapware from Astrawalker and a custom rangehood sourced by D8 Management.
An Alba Round dining table and Gio dining chairs, both by Paolo Castelli from Atmosfera Studio, sit before the home’s frosted glass block wall.
Art Deco motifs are worked into the Smac Studio designed custom kitchen joinery, complemented by Mid-century-inspired chairs and a prominent 3.2-metre island clad in Savannah Quartzite and cantilevered on three sides to allow for a necessary perch-and-chat while the kitchen is in action. “It works because the materials are detailed but not loud—the quartzite understated, the walnut warm and nostalgic, the metal rangehood structural and bright,” McElroy explains.
Anchoring the nearby dining area is a privacy wall of frosted and mottled glass blocks. Joking that the ’70s throwback could “traumatise some Gen X’s,” McElroy embraces the decision as a gesture and material that came of age during the Art Deco movement, when architects prized its ability to flood interiors with daylight while maintaining discretion. “That wall faces a neighbour’s house, so glass blocks were the perfect solution,” McElroy recalls. “But honestly? It just works—it’s a vibe,” she adds.
Just below the ceiling and running the length of the open-plan area is a narrow strip of windows, incorporated by the architectural team at Common Office. The gesture works seamlessly with the glass blocks below to capture 360 degrees of sunlight throughout the entire day.
From the sophisticated materials, resort-style pool and richly patterned bathrooms, there is a feeling that the space could be a kind of chic-hotel. But then again, the depth of nuance which speaks specifically to the way this family likes to live, quickly removes any possibility that here could be a temporary place to reside.
“There was no settling-in period, it immediately felt like home,” the client reflects. “When I look at the colours, the materials, the way everything is arranged, I see us reflected back.”
In the living area, an AMA sofa by Paolo Castelli from Atmosfera Studio sits beneath a vintage Murano wall sconce from Bazaa, alongside an Imperfect coffee table also by Paolo Castelli. The glass block wall was designed by Smac Studio and supplied by Obeco Glass. Anchoring the space is the GONG artwork by Paolo Castelli, also from Atmosfera Studio.
16 varieties of stone offcuts, including Honey Onyx, Cippolino, Pesco Cristallo Quartzite and Golden Spider Marble, form the home’s colourful entry staircase.
In the primary bedroom, a Vao bed by Paolo Castelli from Atmosfera Studio is dressed in All Society Limonta bedding, flanked by Selima bedside tables also by Paolo Castelli and sheer James Dunlop curtains. Above the bed is the Mirror artwork by Atmosfera Studio.
In a quiet corner, a Cassina Fauteuil Dossier Basculant armchair designed by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand sits beside a late Art Deco oak side table from The Vault Sydney, on a rug from Hali.
The ensuite vanity and splashback are clad in Leathered Fusion Quartzite from Avenza Stone, with a hammered stainless steel sink custom made in Morocco and a wall sconce by Rose Uniacke.
Loungers from Serralunga sit poolside, with pool tiles from OnSite. Landscaping is by Fraser Dovell, with works completed by Eg Landscaping.
