First Blush

First Blush is home to a busy family with three young daughters and a dog, yet due to clever storage solutions the space remains uncluttered and zen. Design choices are bold and eclectic, creating harmonious layers of colour and texture to make the space feel very personal. Outstanding features include a blush powder room with a curved ceiling and Monet marble vanity, Palladian marble accenting the kitchen and main bathroom, as well as a walk-in wardrobe designed to mimic a high-end fashion boutique.



According to the home owner, “The brief was for all the colours to be neutral, but at one point Shona [McElroy, Principal of Smac Studio] said to me, ‘Nude is not a colour, let’s do blush.’ Now the spaces with blush are my favourites — especially the powder room.” With a slab of marble on the vanity that’s more artwork than stonework, the rose-coloured powder room also features an elegant curved ceiling to mask that it's under the stairs.



Putting her Masters of Architecture degree to use, McElroy reconfigured the main bathroom to bring in more natural light and fit a larger bath. “Originally the windows were high and small – we made them floor-to-ceiling fluted glass covered with sheer curtains,” she says. This preserved privacy while bringing soft sunshine inside.



The brief called for a walk-in wardrobe in the main bedroom — but instead of closing off a walk-in wardrobe with a full wall, McElroy left space between the bedhead and the wardrobe. “The bedhead acts like a mini wall,” she says. “On the back of the bedhead is a useful little bench where you can lay out jewellery and accessories while you’re deciding what to wear. The owner loves fashion boutiques, so we wanted this space to feel like that.”



“Shona is an incredible interior designer, largely because she trained as an architect and can move walls and rooms around,” says the owner. The family is planning to purchase a bigger home and employ Smac Studio to create new interiors on a larger, grander scale.