Renovating a heritage home is like dancing the Charleston—you’ve got to honour the rhythm of the past while bringing in a little flair of your own. That’s exactly what Nathalie Scipioni Architects has achieved in The Art Deco House, a lovingly modernised 1930s home in Randwick, Sydney on Bidjigal Country.
What started as a modest kitchen, bathroom, and laundry upgrade for a family of four evolved into a thoughtful transformation that celebrates the home's original Art Deco character while injecting a healthy dose of contemporary style and functionality.
Let’s start where every good party ends—the kitchen. Once cramped and awkwardly arranged, the new kitchen is now a showstopper. A generous island bench anchors the space, encouraging conversation, culinary experiments, and casual breakfasts all at once. Dark blue and grey cabinetry feels moody yet elegant, with satin brass handles adding just the right amount of glimmer. Olympia Quartzite stone steals the spotlight, flowing from bench to splashback for a sleek, seamless look.
Light pours in through a large new window above the sink, while pendant lights create a warm, ambient glow at night. And the floor? A silky-smooth grey Pandomo levelling compound that coolly contrasts with the original timber floors elsewhere in the house—an intentional shift that signals you’ve entered a new era of the home.
As often happens with renovations, the brief grew. Bathrooms upstairs got the same luxe treatment as the kitchen, but not at the expense of character. Original stained-glass windows were kept intact, weaving the past into the present with a quiet reverence.
Waterproof wallpapers—yes, wallpaper in the bathroom, and yes, it's fabulous—bring texture and interest to the wet areas. It’s all about surprises here—glimpses of bamboo through a window or reflections bouncing unexpectedly from glossy surfaces.
The original staircase was doing no one any favours: dark, enclosed, and unwelcoming. The new version is the architectural equivalent of a standing ovation. A statement pendant and a generous skylight now flood the entry with natural light. The transparent balustrade, with its geometric motifs, nods respectfully to the home's Art Deco bones while keeping things light and bright.
This new stairwell does more than just connect floors—it connects the home’s history to its future.
What’s most impressive about this renovation is the restraint. Nathalie Scipioni and her team knew what to keep—the stained glass, the original fireplace, the soul of the house—and what to reinvent. It’s a celebration of contrasts: old and new, bold and soft, moody and bright.
The result? A home that feels cohesive, lived-in, and effortlessly elegant. A place where a family can entertain with ease, live comfortably, and still feel connected to the charm of yesteryear.
