Wayfarer House By Sunday Homes
Shaped by a life of travel, Wayfarer House by Sunday Homes brings Mediterranean colour, natural materials and handmade finishes to a family home on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
Words HANDE RENSHAW Photos JACQUI TURK Styling JAMEE DEAVES
‘The clients had travelled extensively throughout Europe and beyond, and they wanted those experiences to subtly influence the design rather than feel overtly themed,’ Amy Thackeray. Artwork by Lucinda Jones
Artwork by Lucinda Jones (left) and Phoebe Stone (right).
The open plan living space opens onto the poolside area.
“Throughout the home, we introduced what we referred to as ‘Easter eggs’ or unexpected moments, materials and details that reveal themselves over time and bring a sense of discovery to the space.”
The kitchen is anchored by a custom pink-toned concrete island, paired with handmade zellige tiles.
‘We continuously balanced aesthetics, availability and construction sequencing to ensure no delays were introduced.’
A custom pink-toned concrete island sits at the centre of the kitchen, framed by timber joinery and handmade zellige tiles.
Fluted glass cabinetry opens to reveal a patterned interior, adding another playful detail to the home’s material palette.
A timber-lined dropped ceiling defines the dining space.
The U-shaped courtyard creates a strong connection to the outdoors.
Pattern and colour extends to the laundry.
The bathroom is one of the most playful references to the family's travels.
In the bathroom, blue tiles inspired by the Mediterranean.
Wayfarer House by Sunday Homes draws on its owners’ years of travel, bringing Mediterranean colour, natural materials and handmade finishes into a Northern Beaches family home.
Close to Fairlight’s harbour reserve, walking tracks and rockpools, Wayfarer House already had a strong connection to its setting. Inside, however, the existing spaces felt dated and lacked the personality the family wanted from the home.
Sunday Homes founder Amy Thackeray reshaped the interiors while keeping much of the existing footprint intact. Rather than making travel an obvious theme, the family’s time spent throughout Europe and beyond informed the way colour, material and smaller details were introduced throughout the house.
‘The clients had travelled extensively throughout Europe and beyond, and they wanted those experiences to subtly influence the design rather than feel overtly themed,’ shares Amy.
‘Throughout the home, we introduced what we referred to as ‘Easter eggs’ or unexpected moments, materials and details that reveal themselves over time and bring a sense of discovery to the space,’ she adds.
In the kitchen, a custom pink-toned concrete island sits alongside handmade zellige tiles, introducing colour against a broader palette of natural stone and timber. Handmade finishes continue throughout, while each room takes on a slightly different character.
The home’s proportions also shaped the redesign. Soaring ceilings and a U-shaped courtyard connect the living spaces to the outdoors, with taller glass doors opening towards the courtyard and pool. In the dining room, a dropped timber ceiling brings the scale down and gives the space a more intimate feel.
The Mediterranean thread continues in the bathroom, where blue tiles are arranged in a checked pattern. Similar coastal tones carry through to the laundry, extending colour beyond the main living areas.
The renovation was completed within an unusually tight four-month programme. Design documentation was finished in July, with construction due to begin in late August and the family hoping to return before Christmas. Sunday Homes worked across the interior design, builder alignment and project coordination, requiring design decisions to move alongside material availability and construction sequencing.
‘We continuously balanced aesthetics, availability and construction sequencing to ensure no delays were introduced,’ adds Amy.
Completed in time for Christmas, Wayfarer House brings together the family’s travel influences in a way that feels loose rather than literal, carried through colour, natural materials and handmade details across the interiors.
Location: Balgowlah, NSW/Cammeraygal Country
Interior Design: Sunday Homes
Build: Timbaworks Building
