Interiors

A Stylist’s Instantly Calming Northern Sydney Home

Just looking at the images of this Seaforth home feels like a mini escape. 

With its chic interiors and stunning new concrete pool, it’s perhaps no surprise that this belongs to a stylist, interior designer, and former fashion editor, Kristin Rawson. After years working in New York City in magazines, Kristin decided to turn her attention to the interiors world, and hasn’t looked back since! 

Take a closer look at the northern Sydney home, filled with calming textures and the ultimate Australian backyard.

Written
by
Amelia Barnes

The Seaforth, NSW home of stylist, interior designer and former fashion editor, Kristin Rawson. Photo – Maree Homer

Kristin designed a calming, neutral interior palette for her home, with an ‘ode of inspiration from the southern coastal region of Italy.’  Photo – Maree Homer

’ Whitewash coastal render and stone features throughout, styled with soft furnishings incorporating soft linens, jute, seagrass, and wool for texture. Photo – Maree Homer

Photographic print on wall by Kate Bellm. Photo – Maree Homer

Built-in seating in the living room provides ample hidden storage for toys. Photographic print on wall by Kate Bellm. Photo – Maree Homer

Kristen has worked for some of the biggest magazines in the world, but she says the most difficult client of all is herself! Photo – Maree Homer

The interior paint colour is a cool white: Dulux Lexicon Quarter. Photo – Maree Homer

‘I prefer to use a natural and neutral tonal scheme for interior design to create a sense of calm,’ says Kristin. Photo – Maree Homer

Developing the backyard has been the largest element of the project to date. Photo – Maree Homer

A former spa was converted into a covered outdoor dining area. Photo – Maree Homer

The outdoor dining area is perfectly designed for entertaining. Photo – Maree Homer

A custom concrete pool was recently added to the backyard. Concrete render and paint finish by Rockcote. Concrete pool builder by Concept Pools Australia. Photo – Maree Homer

Established trees surround the property. Concrete pool builder by Concept Pools Australia. Photo – Maree Homer

The landscape design was created by Formed Gardens, with installation by Hollandscapes. Concrete render and paint finish by Rockcote. Concrete pool builder by Concept Pools AustraliaPhoto – Maree Homer

The ultimate Australian backyard! Concrete render and paint finish by Rockcote. Concrete pool builder by Concept Pools Australia. Photo – Maree Homer

Writer
Amelia Barnes
8th of July 2021

Interior designer and stylist Kristin Rawson has been slowly updating her family’s Seaforth home in northern Sydney since 2012. 

At the time of purchasing, the home was perfectly functional, but with uninspiring and dated interiors. Fortunately, making things stylish is Kristin’s forte, having spent nearly a decade in New York working as the fashion editor of Harper’s Bazaar and Teen Vogue magazines!

Upon returning to Australia some years ago, Kristin dove headfirst into the interiors world, trading fashion styling for styling interiors shoots, and working with clients to create their homes. She’s worked for some of the biggest titles in the world, but Kristin says the most difficult client of all is herself!

‘Without a doubt working on personal projects proves more difficult, solely for the reason there is just too much choice!,’ she says.

Kristin settled on a calming, neutral interior palette for her own home, taking inspiration from the southern coast of Italy. Whitewashed surfaces and stone features throughout, softened with textural linens, jute, seagrass, and wool.

Given this is a family home, significant attention has also been paid to functional features, such as storage. The built-in seating in the living room, for example, provides ample hidden storage for toys, while custom cushions have been made using stain resistant and durable fabric.

Developing the backyard has been the largest element of the project to date, involving all new exterior surfaces, converting a former spa into an outdoor dining area, and the addition of a custom concrete pool. This landscape design was created by Formed Gardens, with installation by Hollandscapes.

Kristin says the house remains an ongoing project, with a second-storey designed by Alexander &CO currently in the works. The house is also available for location hire

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