Set among the treetops and water views of Sydney’s Northern Beaches, this site already had plenty going for it. Mathieson’s interior design follows SJB’s architecture, with the new pavilion designed to act as a sanctuary as well as a connection between the tennis court and main house.
Director Phillip Mathieson explains that their interiors are “respectful of the architectural form, while expressing our own design philosophies… It’s a beautiful, understated space to be in – a tranquil place to appreciate the setting, looking out into the garden, through the trees into the water beyond.”
The tennis court is located by the street, with the main house lower down the driveway. In between now sits the glazed, two-level tennis pavilion. It features a multifunctional ground floor and an upper-level entertaining area.
Mathieson’s interiors take cues from the architecture and its materiality, most notably its stone podium and lightweight copper-clad roof: “The copper gently reflects the surrounding tree canopies, bounces light around the interior and, over time, will patina to develop a character of its own.”
An extensive kitchen stretches along the northern edge of the pavilion, one end of which, explains Mathieson, “is designed as an elevated table to function as a bar or a place to congregate with friends.” The main space then opens on to the east-facing tennis court, while a terrace is located to the west.
The spiral staircase provides another point of focus in the design. It connects the versatile lower level, where the space is designed to function as quiet guest quarters or an overflow entertainment area. Here, Mathieson has also included a bathroom, store and bedroom, while an open workspace is both an ‘artist studio’ and study. Phillip explains that the open arrangement of spaces allows for light and views to be brought into the interior, creating “an elevated and immersive experience of the site and landscape.”
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The sculptural stair features an in-ground luminaire at its centre, designed to highlight create an internal glow, as well as recessed lights on each tread. “The client has already commented on the beauty of the space at night,” adds Mathieson, referring to the layered use of warm lighting.
In terms of materiality, Mathieson introduced sandblasted limestone wall cladding as a way of riffing off the rough-hewn sandstone cladding used by SJB. Meanwhile, honed limestone flooring “has the feeling of a homogenous surface, with an artisanal quality that adds texture and grain, ensuring the space doesn’t feel overly formal,” notes Mathieson. Other materials and textures include dark veneer timber, blackened steel and a pietro grigio marble benchtop.
