SITCHU MAGAZINE Having led the design of home after home for her clients, Shona McElroy, Principal of interior architecture firm Smac Studio, had her non-negotiables planned out well before she began the hunt for her own blank canvas. The result, aptly named Mirrorball, is a study in how thoughtful design can transform a small footprint into something that feels decidedly grand. “I was looking for something pretty specific in terms of ceiling height, north-facing orientation, and ideally, I really wanted views,” she specifies. Despite a willingness to compromise on at least one of her criteria, Shona eventually stumbled across the one. She shares, “This one, obviously, had all three, along with a really strange layout that people couldn’t wrap their heads around. That was actually a bonus. Fewer competitors were circling because people couldn’t see past the drab presentation and imagine what it could become.” Just as her work had clarified to Shona what she wanted in a home’s bones, so too did it distil her vision for the interiors. “I definitely wanted the space to feel really calm,” she explains. “At work, at the moment, our clients lean heavily towards colour, which we love, but in my own space I wanted it to feel serene. I don’t have kids right now, so I wanted to lean into a big white couch that’s been on my wish list for years. I aimed for a Parisian vibe, highlighting the high ceilings with grand architraves and skirting.” In an alternate take on the sunken living room, Shona got creative with her 100-square-metre apartment. “The current living room was once a balcony, and when I bought the apartment, there was a 150mm stepdown into it, which I levelled off,” she explains. “The opening to this space was also small and hard-edged, so I made it a soft arch, extending and heightening it. This creates a seamless transition, making it feel like a natural fit for a lounge room. The view is so striking here, and I wanted a place where it could be fully enjoyed, which is why I made it the living room, where we spend the most time.” “At work at the moment our clients lean heavily towards colour, which we love, but in my own space I wanted it to feel serene.” — Shona McElroy 03
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI3ODI1