Conigrave House in Hunters Hill, Sydney by Daniel Boddam.

Daniel Boddam has completed a renovation of a Victorian home in Sydney’s Hunters Hill, updating the heritage property to embody timeless elegance. While retaining the original charm of the house, modernised elements complement the home’s period features.

The existing footprint of the house was de-cluttered and reduced to create more functional rooms and take full advantage of harbour views. This, in turn, provided more structure to the living areas and access to natural light. Boddam identified elements that were detracting from the existing house, such as the bathrooms, joinery, skirtings and architraves, study and laundry, focusing the renovation on transforming these areas.

“The improvements to the old house are subtle and feel like they have always been, new doors, skirtings, architraves, joinery and new openings blend into the background enabling the highlights to be the contemporary furniture and life itself,” says Boddam.

The clients, both professors with three adult children, do not watch TV, so the living rooms were designed as restful atmospheres for reading. Their extensive book collection forms part of the decoration, with new walls created to inset bookshelves that form part of the architecture. As the home is primarily for two people, the laundry was consolidated into the main bathroom to save on space. Removing a laundry and study to the east brought in the morning sun to the family room while creating a more spacious dining room with glimpses of Sydney Harbour. This also enabled a new external courtyard, utilised as a BBQ and entertainment area that is sheltered from the wind.

A sophisticated and monochromatic colour palette is applied to the interiors, with clean, modern detailing giving the project a timeless feel. Door heights were raised, making the proportions of rooms feel airier and bathrooms were carefully detailed to be clean and simple, with extended Carrara marble custom basins and timberwork. Décor comprises an eclectic mix of local and international pieces, including The M Low Coffee table and M Side table from Boddam’s own Monument collection, Jardan Sofas, Armadillo & Co rug and library lights from Dunlin.

Boddam’s projects consistently strive for a calm, transcending effect on his clients, no better demonstrated than in the quiet luxury of Conigrave House.

[Images courtesy of Daniel Boddam. Photography by Pablo Veiga. Styling by Claire Delmar.]