A Home in the Making

Designed around the way her family lives, Nikki Burwash’s Wembley Downs home balances robust architecture with warmth, personality and a strong connection to the garden.

Interior Design + Joinery + Furniture + Styling Tailorhouse Interior Design
Building Designer Darklight Design
Words Elizabeth Clarke   Imagery Jody D'Arcy

Charlie the dog relaxes in the kitchen where warm timber cabinetry, custom-made by Lifestyle Cabinets and finished in veneer, brings richness to the otherwise pared-back interior. Arabescato Vagli stone forms the benchtops, while a Studio Henry Wilson Conical Wall Light provides a sculptural counterpoint.

For interior designer Nikki Burwash, the renovation of her 1960s home in Wembley Downs was initially intended to be a relatively modest project. But once work began, it became clear the house needed a more considered transformation.

"I wanted to preserve as much of the original home as I could," says Nikki. "However, it became clear after handover that the house needed significant work. The lighting in every room was still operated by the original pull-cord switches – a full revamp was really required!"

To create the open-plan layout the family wanted, along with a master ensuite and walk-in robe, additional space was needed. Rather than extending the rear of the home, Nikki and building designer Adam Butcher of Darklight Design retained its original footprint and roofline, reconfiguring the front and transforming the facade. "The presence of the existing street tree defines the building elevation," says Adam. "Its generous scale and calming presence softens the assertive geometry and material expression of the façade."

Inside, the brief was equally personal. As both homeowner and designer, Nikki wanted the interiors to feel relaxed, welcoming and easy to live in. Existing vintage furniture pieces with sentimental value became an important part of the scheme, with the floor plan designed around incorporating them.

"It was important for the home to feel relaxed and welcoming," she says. "We had existing vintage furniture pieces that hold sentimental value, so it was a priority that they had a place in the home."

The established tuart tree and garden became another starting point. Warm, earthy tones and natural materials – including European oak and spotted gum – create a palette that feels connected to the landscape. Large windows frame views of the established trees, while natural light softens the home's stronger architectural elements.

"We wanted the interiors to feel like a natural extension of what was already outside," says Nikki. "The timber, concrete and stone echo the garden rather than compete with it."

A custom timber entry door by Abbottsolutely Timber is paired with stackbond brickwork. The door pull is by Designer Doorware.

“We wanted the interiors to feel like a natural extension of what was already outside. The timber, concrete and stone echo the garden rather than compete with it.”

— Nikki Burwash

Concrete provides the home with its raw, robust architectural character, while timber introduces warmth and tactility through joinery, flooring and furniture. Chunky timber pieces and soft furnishings further soften the harder surfaces.

At the centre of family life is the kitchen, designed as an open, multifunctional space. The generous island is the hub, accommodating everything from homework to food preparation and entertaining, while four skylights bring natural light deep into the room.

"With the kids doing homework at the island while I’m cooking, or everyone pitching in when we’re entertaining, the kitchen really is where we gather as a family," says Nikki.

With young children, practicality was equally important. An engineered benchtop and concrete floors were chosen for their durability and ease of maintenance, allowing the family to use the home without worrying about every spill or scratch.

"I didn't want to feel precious about being in our own space," says Nikki. "It was important to me that this felt like a family home first, not a display home."

That philosophy continues outdoors, where concrete flooring flows seamlessly from the interior into the alfresco. Large sliding doors connect the kitchen and living spaces to the pool and garden, making the outdoors part of everyday family life.

Ultimately, the renovation has been less about creating a perfect-looking home and more about creating one that works.

"The biggest difference has been designing the home around how we actually live, rather than how a home is ‘supposed’ to look," says Nikki.

Timber, off-form concrete and stackbond brickwork gives the kitchen its tactile character. Skylights reinforce the home’s emphasis on natural light. The vase on the island bench is from Jardan.

Looking through the kitchen to the scullery reveals the home’s disciplined material palette, from timber joinery and stone surfaces to off-form concrete and brickwork.

Custom timber doors sit against feature off-form concrete and timber flooring by Woodpecker Flooring. The considered mix of natural materials continues the home’s warm, understated architectural language.

Artwork by Kate Dolan sets an expressive tone in the living space, with Roxby Lane lounge seating and coffee tables paired with sculptural chairs by Jardan. On the coffee table, is a Jardan vase and bowl. Behind, a console is styled with a vessel from The Foundry and bowl by GlobeWest.

Inside flows seamlessly outdoors, with expansive views and furniture from Eco Outdoor creating a natural connection between the living spaces.

Off-form concrete provides a textural backdrop to the bedroom, softened by Jardan bedhead, cushions, bed linen, throw and lamp. The floor rug is by The Rug Est.

Arabescato Vagli marble from CDK Stone wraps the powder room vanity, complemented by Sussex tapware and a timber-framed mirror.

The restrained courtyard combines white masonry, off-form concrete and lush planting, with Eco Outdoor cobblestones creating a tactile transition between the house and garden.

A custom copper shower by Plumbkat & Co. sits within a garden courtyard.

A mature palm anchors the pool garden, with landscaping layout by Jem Hanbury framing the water and reinforcing the home’s connection to its established surrounds.

The home is organised around a series of courtyards and garden rooms, its low white forms opening towards the pool and established canopy beyond. Timber-framed glazing brings the landscape deep into the living spaces, while the restrained architecture allows the garden to take centre stage.

The existing street tree shapes the front façade, its generous scale and calming presence softening the home’s assertive geometry and material palette.

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