Her famous fingerprints are all over the stylish interior scheme for the new Golf House apartment project at Surry Hills.
Golf House, designed in collaboration with architect Peter Israel of PTI Architects, will comprise 46 apartments on seven floors, plus ground-floor retail space, a rooftop terrace and underground car park.
Dinnigan says: “We spent hours meticulously planning the design and layout of each of the residences. It was important for us to create a liveable, contemporary home ensuring each apartment has space to relax and entertain.”
Their vision was to create homes that are “comfortable, calming and homely”, a “cocoon” where residents can retreat, away from the hustle and bustle of the world outside.
LET THERE BE LIGHT
“It’s important that when you walk into a home, you are naturally drawn to an area where you want to sit down and relax,” says Dinnigan. “I am always drawn to the light.”
Each apartment has vast expanses of floor-to-ceiling glass, allowing for natural illumination of the living areas that spill out onto generously-sized winter gardens.
Dinnigan says the kitchens and living rooms are open-plan and have “a lovely aspect” and plenty of natural light. “We made sure the kitchens have an aspect because in Australia, we spend so much time in our kitchens and living areas. You never want the kitchen to be enclosed and away from the family. I am always mindful of kitchens and living rooms being open-plan and in a part of the building that has a lovely aspect.”
A EUROPEAN LOVE AFFAIR
The interiors are testament to Dinnigan’s fondness for European elegance, her eagle eye for detail and insistence on high-quality materials.
The kitchen benchtops and splashbacks are made of Italian Carrara marble that Dinnigan says is a particularly beautiful, natural stone. “I love pale greys and natural stone and will always select natural materials over anything that is reproduced,” she says.
QUALITY CONTROL
“Using quality materials was paramount. We are using Carrara marble in the bathrooms as well as the kitchens – it’s high-quality, it’s natural and it looks really good,” says Dinnigan.
She chose a “slightly off-white, Swedish finish” for the wall paint that goes well with the marble. “It’s very simple and elegant really,” she says.
For the floorboards, Dinnigan has chosen high-quality Australian timber.
“I refuse to use engineered floorboards that seem to be in every apartment these days. Instead, we are using high-quality, recycled timber that is properly laid and has sound-proofing underneath so the apartments below don’t hear any noise from above.”
The kitchens feature high-end Miele appliances.
SIMPLY ELEGANT
Dinnigan’s love of European style is also evident in her bathroom design where Carrara marble is the star of the show. The all-marble vanity and single slab of marble for the feature wall sets the classic and timeless tone of the bathroom and works beautifully with tessellated, black and white marble floor tiles and Brodware bathroom fittings.
“We’ve sourced the materials from around the world; they are elegant and refined but also homely and practical. The bathrooms have ample storage – lots of cupboards and bench space for your cosmetics and shelving for your shampoos. I find sometimes with apartments there’s a sink that you can’t put anything on; but people need to live in them. Having plenty of storage in all rooms is important to me; the practical aesthetic is just as important as the visual look.”
PRIVACY AND PEACE IN THE BEDROOMS
While the living rooms are open-plan, Dinnigan likes the bedrooms to be tucked away for privacy.
“We made sure the bedrooms aren’t square off the living room, but more or less in their own wing.”
RELAX ON THE ROOFTOP
The rooftop terrace is north-facing for “the best sun” and all residents can enjoy the great views.
“We also took into consideration that residents would want somewhere to relax – a space that is calm and has a lot of greenery, an oasis away from the city,” she says.
The boutique building will be on the site that was once Sharpie’s Golf House. Most locals will remember Sharpie’s iconic neon sign with a golfer hitting a hole-in-one. The developer wants to hit another ace with his designer dream team.
To view the display suite, which Dinnigan personally styled, call 1800 959 833.