This Spanish Mission-Style Home In Sydney Feels Like A True Escape
Architecture
The living room inside Air Supply by Atelier Alwill and Alwill Architecture.
The fireplace was a particularly special element, inspired by the work of Valentin Schlegel.
‘It functions as a sculptural object as much as a heat source,’ the designer says.
Pierre Augustin Rose Duo Multilaque coffee tables. Miniforms Toto side table. Fanuli Furniture Charlie sofa. Etel ON armchair by Oscar Niemeyer from Mama Casa. Artwork by Nicola Moss from Arthouse Gallery.
Wire-brushed American oak timber veneer wraps the island. Grazia & Co Iva bar stools.
The mosaic splashback brings a handcrafted edge to the sophisticated kitchen.
Architectural curves feature throughout the interiors.
De La Espada Twenty-Five dining chairs and dining table.
The dining room.
Arches frame views of the leafy gardens.
The original Spanish Mission-style architecture has been maintained.
The sunny courtyard is perfect for outdoor dining.
A new elevated courtyard is nestled on the upper level.
The sculptural staircase.
The entryway features Rosso Verona natural stone floor tiles.
A second retreat upstairs.
Vellum wall lights. Agape Narciso mirror. Basins by Nood Co from Candana. Casa Handmade tiles.
Playful patterns feature in every space.
The styling combines a Mediterranean aesthetic with Sydney’s relaxed coastal spin.
The freestanding yoga studio.
The house doesn’t give much away from the street.
Sparking ocean views!
This family holiday house in Palm Beach, Sydney takes inspiration from an unlikely destination: a minimalistic pastoral retreat on the other side of the world.
‘The reference that originally set the tone was Casa No Tempo in Portugal — not so much for its aesthetics, but for the concept behind it, a house without time,’ Atelier Alwill founder Romaine Alwill says.
‘We wanted this to feel completely different from how the family lives day-to-day — a genuine escape. Not in a themed way, but in the sense that it could be joyful, a little playful, and less structured than a primary residence with still a high level of functionality.’
The brief asked to bring this sense of escapism to the existing Spanish Mission-style dwelling, which featured ‘beautiful bones’ and solid masonry, with a 1980s renovation thrown in the mix.
‘The Spanish Mission character was absolutely worth preserving, and we leaned into it rather than trying to erase it,’ Romaine adds.
‘The client also has her own strong sensibility — warm, slightly folksy, very much drawn to the handmade and the imperfect — and we loved building that into the project.’
Romaine’s sister, Nadine Alwill of Alwill Architecture drove the architectural updates, with a key focus on introducing Passivhaus principles to improve the house’s energy performance.
While the interiors were completely transformed, most of the works took place within the existing framework, ‘just with more breathing space’, Nadine says.
On the ground floor, the open-plan living room is anchored by a sculptural fireplace with a built-in banquette seat that seemingly curves outward from the walls.
Curved motifs continue throughout the space, from the pebble-shaped kitchen island with its mosaic tiles, to the arched openings framing the lush backyard, complete with views out across the ocean.
‘The base palette was deliberately restrained,’ Romaine says of the interiors. Richly coloured Rosso Marble stone flooring and Australian spotted gum joinery form a Mediterranean-style foundation that can take the wear and tear of coastal life and frequent use.
For Nadine, crafting the elegant staircase was another major undertaking. The floating spiral now leads up to the new bedroom wing at the northern edge of the home.
‘This new wing was in keeping with the rest of the existing home and style and connected seamlessly to the existing first floor with a new extended roof over the main room upstairs — creating a spectacular gabled living space,’ Nadine explains.
A yoga studio is now nestled within the sunny upper gardens. Existing frangipanis stand proudly amongst new soft, layered landscaping by Dangar Barin Smith that emphasises the home’s relaxed energy.
The eclectic styling is where the home’s personality really shines, as vintage finds sit alongside designer furniture, and art that purposefully introduces splashes of colour.
However, the real beauty of the house is not just in its (undeniably) incredible location, but in the sum of all its little details, with something to marvel at in every room.
It’s a place that can handle ‘a full house of people’ or a quiet weekend. And just as intended, it serves as a true escape that whisks you away from the rhythm of ordinary life.