Set within a beautiful heritage building in Edgecliff in eastern Sydney, this elegant art deco apartment has been thoughtfully reimagined into a calm and deeply personal retreat for its owner.
We take a look inside with interior designer Annie Bowen. Annie shares how she balanced respect for the home’s art deco character with the needs of contemporary living.
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The key to this renovation project was honouring the heritage while embracing change and modernisation.
“This amazing art deco apartment sits within a beautiful heritage building in Edgecliff,” Annie explains. “It was redesigned for a retired client who wanted her home to feel calm, comfortable and entirely her own.
“I was introduced to the client through her daughter, a friend I met at mothers’ group almost 18 years ago. It made the project feel especially personal from the start.
“The apartment already had wonderful bones, with beautiful heritage details such as ornate cornices, decorative ceilings and deep skirtings. Our role was to honour that character while creating a home that felt relaxed, functional and reflective of this new chapter of life.”
At the heart of the design is a confident, layer aesthetic that allows the home’s heritage features to take centre stage.
“The brief on this project was to thoughtfully reimagine the apartment while respecting its art deco character,” Annie says. “Our client wanted the home to feel layered and sophisticated, while still being comfortable and easy to live in.
“A key focus was restoring and highlighting the original architecture while introducing a refined contemporary palette that would bring warmth and depth to the spaces.
“We also made subtle structural changes in the kitchen and main bathroom to improve light and flow, ensuring the home functioned beautifully for everyday living.
“Rather than dramatically reinvent the apartment, our goal was to elevate it by restoring its heritage character while introducing contemporary lighting and furniture pieces that add personality.”
The design vision was clear. Layered elegance that is both heritage and contemporary.
“The vision was to create a layered, elegant home that balances heritage charm with contemporary comfort. The apartment has beautiful proportions and architectural detail, so our approach was to work with those elements rather than compete with them.
We developed a confident colour palette and deliberately used contrast so the heritage features remained the hero.
“The palette was built around layered neutrals, with deep navy blues and charcoals adding contrast and atmosphere.
“Warm greys, inky indigos and crisp whites form the foundation of the scheme, allowing the original architectural details to stand out while creating cohesion throughout the apartment.
Colour is often the thread that ties a home together, and here we used deeper tones to create intimacy while allowing the heritage details to shine.
“Lighting played a key role as well. Several of the decorative lighting pieces were designed in collaboration with local makers, introducing sculptural contemporary elements that contrast beautifully with the traditional architecture.
“The formal living and dining rooms became the heart of the home. These spaces were designed to feel luxurious and create a sense of arrival as you move through the apartment. Ultimately, we wanted the home to feel confident, timeless and deeply personal.”
The home showcases moments of contrast and cohesion.
“One of my favourite spaces in this art deco apartment is the formal living room. The deeper indigo tones paired with the heritage fireplace create a beautiful sense of contrast while still feeling calm and refined,” says Annie.
“I also love how the dining room unfolds from the living space. The sculptural pendant above the dining table becomes a real focal point and introduces a contemporary layer within the heritage setting.
“More broadly though, what I am most proud of is the overall cohesion of the home. Every room feels connected through colour, materiality and proportion.
“The success of this project really lies in the layering. Nothing feels overly dominant, but together the details create a home that feels rich, warm and complete.”
Heritage projects while beautiful, are often more of a challenge.
“You’re not wrong!” laughs Annie. “This project certainly wasn’t without its challenges! Working within a heritage apartment always requires a careful and considered approach.
The building had beautiful original details that we wanted to preserve, so every design decision needed to respect that context. We focused on restoring and highlighting these elements while introducing contemporary layers through colour, furnishings and lighting.
“Where we did make structural changes, particularly in the kitchen and bathrooms, the goal was to improve functionality without disrupting the character of the home.
“The small galley kitchen was opened to the dining room to create a servery and better connect the spaces.
“In the bathrooms we had to work with existing plumbing locations, but by combining a small separate WC with the main bathroom through a new archway we were able to significantly improve both the functionality and the overall aesthetic of the space.”
This renovation brought together lifestyle and longevity and is a masterclass in how to sympathetically restore and renovate a heritage home.
“The living room would have to be my favourite,” says Annie. “It is where the heritage character of the apartment really shines.
“The fireplace, the cornices and the beautiful proportions of the space all contribute to its presence. The deeper wall colour adds a wonderful sense of drama and intimacy while still feeling calm and welcoming.
“Our client appreciates thoughtful design and beautiful details, but she also wanted the apartment to feel warm and welcoming rather than overly formal.
“By layering colour, texture and carefully chosen furnishings, we created spaces that feel refined but still very comfortable. It is somewhere she can truly relax and enjoy everyday life.
“One of the biggest lessons from this project is the impact of colour and contrast. Deeper colours paired with crisp white can add incredible intimacy to a space while enhancing heritage architectural details.
Projects like this are always incredibly rewarding because they demonstrate how thoughtful design can transform a home without losing its original soul. For us, the most successful homes are the ones that feel effortless to live in while being beautifully resolved through colour, materiality and detail.
“It is also important to embrace the character of your home. Rather than trying to erase older architectural features, working with them can create interiors that feel far more timeless and authentic.
“Some of the most beautiful interiors come from layering old and new, which is why we introduced contemporary lighting and furniture pieces alongside the more classic architectural elements.”
Credits
Photography: Simon Whitbread
Interior Design: Annie Bowen Design
Editorial styling: Jamee Deaves
Builder: Tranquil Projects
Oh my goodness, how stunning is this art deco apartment?! We cannot get enough of its beauty and love how much care and consideration went into its transformation.
If you would like to discover more projects from Annie Bowen Design, be sure to visit her website, or take a look through her Instagram. Subscribe to Style Curator to get the latest home tours, styling tips and DIY ideas straight to your inbox.
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