Prue Ruscoe
PHOTOGRAPHY
Altus Design Studio
INTERIOR DESIGN
A freestanding 1876 cottage was reimagined into an expansive home with innovative spatial design and impeccable use of colour. The kitchen was cleverly relocated to create a second living zone, while the internal stairs were reconfigured to allow breathing room in the study. With two daughters soon to be teenagers, a bathroom was added upstairs, and their bedrooms were given a level of approachable sophistication with the addition of desks, shelves and joinery in the roof cavities to allow for more space. Custom joinery swathed in bold colour is a star of the renovation, featured in the kitchen, living rooms, wardrobes and new banquette and linen press. With the client being a music aficionado, bespoke 5-metre-high record storage was created, along with in-built turntables and amp enveloped into the living room joinery.
YEAR/ 2024
LOCATION/ BALMAIN
HARMONY HOUSE
Services provided include:
/ spatial planning
/ custom joinery design and documentation
/ hard finishes and fixtures selection
/ colour selections
/ lighting selection
/ design management
/ furniture layout and selection
/ artwork curation of existing client collection
/ window treatments
The cohesive nature of the living and dining spaces have brought us closer together, whilst providing designated zones to actually enjoy separate pastimes, indulging in art and music.
The outdoors feel like they have been brought inside too with subtle paint colours and soft furnishings that feel cosy and sophisticated at the same time. I think an exceptional interior designer is able to find the balance between providing a liveable space for families to enjoy, whilst also making it accessible and beautiful. As I walk into our house now, I am still overwhelmed with how we were able to transform the space into something my husband and I could not have dreamt for ourselves.
Josie's attention to detail and confident design choices made the process of renovating less stressful, providing overarching consulting services that managed tradesmen and other renovation site needs. She is incredibly talented, creative and personable and I would highly recommend her and the Altus Design Studio services to future clients."
- FELICITY + DAVE
Kind words
"Our freestanding 1876 cottage in Balmain has been a family home to my husband and two daughters, 9 and 11, for the past 12 years. It is our sanctuary and our favourite space to catch up with family and friends. For the first decade, the simple, open home suited our family's needs, however, we felt was becoming apparent that we would have to rethink the use of space, as we would soon house teenagers and young adults.
Josie immediately provided us with sensible, functional options to redesign the living zones, adding multiple points of storage and an ensuite to the existing floorplan of our home to ensure we were utilising it in the most functional way possible for our family. Space we had never used was returned to bedrooms through innovative built in joinery and desks, natural light was accentuated and colour, character and charm were delivered in bucketloads!
With Josie's design, our home has become a celebration of love, life and colour. Its innovative design and impeccable use of colour has brought warmth, intimate and inviting spaces for our small family to gather in or to entertain in. Our renovated house is bold, vibrant and makes you smile.
