Tucked within Double Bay’s Doria building, this refreshed apartment engages directly with the architectural legacy of the late Ercole Palazzetti. Designed in the 1990s and left largely untouched since, the original interiors carried the hallmarks of Palazzetti’s European-inflected approach: generous proportions, quiet material confidence and a balance between comfort and formality. Rather than rewriting that language, Jacket Curated’s update works with it, refining the palette and enhancing day-to-day performance.
The project was undertaken as an in-house commission, approached with the same rigour as a client brief. The intent was to elevate the existing spatial framework without structural intervention, creating a cohesive, premium interior that respected the building’s pedigree while feeling distinctly contemporary. Demolition was kept to a minimum, with focus placed instead on material quality, furnishing and finish.
Across the 275-square-metre apartment, the restored parquetry floor becomes the tonal anchor. Painstakingly reconditioned, it reintroduces warmth and continuity throughout the home, setting the pace from the entry onward. In wet areas, slimline Green Guatemala marble vanity tops and Bisazza glass mosaics bring depth and refinement without visual excess, paired with crisp fixtures and custom cabinetry designed for longevity. Sheer linen drapery, new stone surfaces and warm timber detailing temper the bright northern light and reinforce a calm, tactile sequence through the main living zones.
Functionally, the original planning and circulation remain intact, sharpened through disciplined joinery, improved storage and a more resolved material language across all touchpoints. Bathrooms and kitchen were upgraded within their existing footprints to improve durability and ease of maintenance, while a layered lighting strategy subtly shifts the apartment’s atmosphere across the day, quiet and restrained in the morning, richer and more enveloping by night.
Related: Designing impermanence at the Australian Open
Furniture, lighting and art were curated to foreground craftsmanship and material presence. Custom wave-backed Amelia sofas by Jacci Samios anchor the living space, joined by works from Astrid Dahl and Amelia Axton, alongside furniture by Andrew Dominic and Dimitri Vargas. Decorative lighting mixes Murano glass wall lights with design classics from Great Dane and a ceramic table lamp by Sarah Nedovic, while Armadillo wool rugs and textiles from South Pacific Fabrics soften acoustics and reinforce comfort.
Throughout, the project resists trend-driven gestures, instead favouring longevity, restraint and respect for context. It’s an interior that reads as resolved rather than reinvented, demonstrating how thoughtful refinement can quietly extend the life of a well-considered architectural framework.
