Aussie vibes meet Parisian grandeur? This Sydney apartment pulls off the unlikely combination

This is the latest instalment of The Inside Story, Wallpaper’s series spotlighting intriguing, innovative and industry-leading interior design.

This transformation of a two-level, late-1990s apartment in the heart of Sydney unites two seemingly disparate influences: sun-drenched Aussie vibes and the elevated grandeur of a Parisian flat. Layered throughout are design moments oriented towards one of the home’s most enviable assets: its show-stopping view of the city skyline.

The project is the work of Dylan Farrell Design, led by New York duo Dylan and Nicolette Farrell. The 465 sq m home – comprising four bedrooms and four bathrooms – was conceived for a couple with whom the Farrells have a long-standing relationship, which afforded the creative trust needed to take bold aesthetic risks. A willingness on the part of the clients to ‘expand the budget where exceptional results were possible’ didn’t hurt either.

Dylan Farrell Design’s signature aesthetic blends modernism with ornament, precision and romance. Contemporary Australian buildings, the designers note, often lack the ‘charming patina’ of their European counterparts; thus, the intention was to create what they call a ‘transatlantic transplant’, importing the atmosphere of a classic Parisian apartment. This meant concealing modern systems within walls and ceilings, designing and casting custom architectural mouldings, and developing bespoke finishes that evoke a sense of timeworn beauty.

The colour palette is a study in tension: serene, airy neutrals interrupted by ‘unexpected and almost overwhelming moments’ of saturated colour. Sometimes the contrast plays out between rooms rather than within them: the main suite offers an almost entirely achromatic experience, while the stairwell is enveloped in vivid aqua Venetian plaster. Throughout, quiet neutrality is punctuated by deep greens and brilliant reds.

This exploration of opposites continues in the material palette. Adjacent spaces might feature dramatically different textures, such as sandblasted beside polished marble. Polished nickel fittings are set against blackened steel and hand-forged metals used for doors, shutters and lighting. Even the rustic, variegated floorboards are intentionally contrasted with the glassy smoothness of polished plaster walls.

The finished home is an intriguing fusion of austerity and glamour – a laid-back contemporary sensibility enriched by the opulence of 19th-century Paris. It’s a transformation made possible by opening up what was once a ‘rabbit warren’ of small, constricted rooms in the original building; in its place now stands an expansive, open-plan new core with a character entirely its own.