Tamsin and Patrick Johnson
Homes
16th October, 2013
The Sydney apartment of Tamsin and Patrick Johnson. Fornasetti breakfast table picked up at auction from Shapiro, vintage bentwood chairs, 1950's Italian turquoise pendant with pressed glass shade. Oh, and an AMAZING view to Rushcutters Bay! Photo - Sean Fennessy, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Audoux Minet chairs, 18th century carved timber trunk from Edward Clark Antiques (Tamsin's Dad's business), white linen sofa from The Country Trader, Tuareg leather and straw mat, Leila Jeffreysbird photograph. Photo - Sean Fennessy, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Custom pendant light in loungeroom by Melbourne designer Anna Charlesworth (who we have interviewed here!). 'I worked on Anna's own house whilst at Meacham Nockles McQualter, and fell in love with her hand crafted plaster pendants' says Tamsin. The framed embroideries were a wedding present from Tamsin's old bosses - amazing handbeaded artworks on velvet that Don McQualter brought back from India. Solid timber ebonised coffee table, fiddle leaf fig tree, 'alotta books' and a coconut shell lamp! Photo - Sean Fennessy, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Swooon... a beautiful sunshine-filled and somewhat envy inducing Sydney apartment for you today! This beauty belongs to one particularly creative couple - Patrick Johnson of P Johnson Tailors (trending tailor of the moment, I think it would be safe to say?!), and talented interior designer Tamsin Johnson.
Tamsin and Patrick have been here about a year and a half now. 'When we bought the place it was a mess - a bomb site with mould, cobwebs, white ants, the whole bit' says Tamsin. But with a workable floorplan, and an enviable Northfacing position (not to mention that amazing view over Rushcutters Bay!), it wasn't hard to envisage making this place home. The resulting renovation was a dream project for Tamsin, who previously worked at respected Sydney design firm Meacham Nockles McQualter before recently going out on her own.
'We ripped the kitchen out, only to discover white ants, so had to replace the floor boards, which we then painted a gloss white' explains Tamsin. 'This is the problem with old buildings, as soon as you do a little work, you open a can of worms!'. Tamsin and Patrick have actually just finished their bathroom renovation (sadly not complete at the time of this shoot, but well worth a squiz on instagram!), and Tamsin says this was another challenge, where a two week job turned into five due to the discovery of a major plumbing leak. 'It's always worth it in the end' Tamsin says. 'So many new buildings just don't have the charm that these older buildings do, they often feel tinny and temporary, so I suppose you just have to take the baggage these old buildings come with'.
With an antique dealer in the family, Tamsin has a keen eye for unique and eclectic details, and her home is full of timeless pieces with a story to tell. 'Everything we own has been collected over time so you get a little attached to every piece. However, being an antique dealer's daughter I know every thing is for sale' says says. 'I once got home as a child to see that Dad had sold my lovely 19th Century French bed to a client. From there I got pretty used to an evolving interior!'
The Audoux Minet chairs in the loungeroom are Tamsin's newest purchase, sourced from an antique dealer Los Angeles. 'You can pick up things so cheap over there, but freight always gets you. When I found out these could be flat packed, they were a sure thing' says says.
Tamsin also loves to collect painted portraits ; there are a number scattered throughout the apartment, and also displayed at the P Johnson Paddington showroom, displayed on what Patrick calls the 'wall of legends'! 'It's a constant game between us, I bring the portraits home, and he takes them back to the showroom' says Tamsin of this growing collection.
There's a lot to love about this enviable two bedroom home. That sparkly bay view is so dazzling (for a Melburnian at least!), and the natural light that pours through the place in the afternoon is a huge part of this apartment's appeal. 'It's also a really easy place to live' says Tamsin. 'We wanted to create a very relaxed space, full of character but still low key and easy to live in. It's a reflection of our lives really. Work is intense and non stop, so when we're home, there is no internet, no distractions - its just a nice place to be'.
Huge thanks to Tamsin and Patrick for sharing their home with us today!
Kitchen - such a beautiful cooking and eating space with the dining room right in the centre. Plywood overhead cupboards, mirrored rangehood which reflects the space, Elba bench tops, black painted timber drawers, antique oak table, vintage Thonet bentwood chairs. Photo - Sean Fennessy, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Kitchen details - Elba bench tops, antique oak table, vintage Thonet bentwood chairs, Brendan Huntley painting from Tolarno Galleries. Photo - Sean Fennessy, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Bedroom. Custom bedhead in Etro leopard fabric, Flos lamp, antique portraits, Mahogany table made by Tamsin at wood work classes. 'There are hours of love in each of those table legs' she says - very impressive! Striped floor runner in hallway beyond. Photo - Sean Fennessy, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Bedroom details. Sisal carpet from Natural Floor Coverings, blinds featuring the original 'Martinique' palm leaf pattern, famously seen in the Beverly Hills Hotel , Chicken painting by Lucy Culliton from Ray Hughes Gallery, French commode, Camel from MCM House, Watermelon stool left behind by Tamsin's good friend, jewellery designer Lucy Folkafter a photoshoot here! Photo - Sean Fennessy, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Lounegroom looking back to sunroom and the bay beyond. Custom pendant light by Melbourne designer Anna Charlesworth. Fiddle leaf fig tree, Solid timber ebonised coffee table, sofa from The Country Trader, tuareg leather and straw mat. Photo - Sean Fennessy, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
Amazing deck overlooking Rushcutters Bay! Table from Parterre, powder coated chairs from hard rubbish, and some lower lounge chairs in interesting shapes which caught Tamsin's eye! Photo - Sean Fennessy, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.
