There is something to be said about designing from the ground up – or from the floor up – as this project demonstrates.
Designer Donna Callanan says that she used the rich colours and intricate details of rugs from the Catherine Martin and House of Heras ranges at Designer Rugs as the basis for the interior design of this art deco-era home on Sydney’s lower north shore.
The original section of the Riverview house was built in 1921 for a French woman and her husband, who had moved to Australia from Paris. The house includes a lot of art deco features with subtle nods to the Art Nouveau period. Donna’s brief was to update the interiors, but with a view to honouring the house’s history and architectural details.
“It is a lovely house,” says Donna. “It had an addition at some point, and there was a bit of renovation work in the way of bathrooms, which weren't really done that well. So we've pulled it apart and made it a lot better.”
“We actually started this project in a roundabout way,” she says. “We chose the rugs and furniture first, along with the feature lighting and we renovated the bathrooms after that. The client wanted to live in the house first and get a feel for it.”
“It's really been a back-to-front project, but it's fine. It's given the client time to live there and get a feel of what she wants.”
“We haven't done the kitchen yet, so that will be like a stage-three project.”
When it came to the interior design, Donna says she was inspired by Catherine Martin’s designs for Designer Rugs.
“The rugs were the first pivotal thing that I liked,” she says. “I built everything else around the rugs really. There were things such as really beautiful old brass floor grilles, which looked like the Catherine Martin stair runner in her Lace design. That's where that idea came from. And, when I read Catherine Martin's story, that's exactly where she got her idea for that particular design.”
“It just went from there really, and I started selecting different rugs of Catherine's from the Art Deco range.”
“The house sits on a corner directly opposite a national park and it's beautiful, full of trees and birds. So that's where the Cockatoo rug came in, which is actually situated in the office right on that corner.”
While Designer Rugs offers the option of customisation, Donna says she wanted to stay true to the original colours of the designs she selected, but did choose custom sizes to work with the dimensions of the rooms.
“I looked at changing colours, but I realised it wasn’t necessary,” she explains. “The colours flow quite nicely through the house and suited what we were doing anyway.”
She says the client and her family appreciated the authenticity and harmony these choices brought to their home.
Catherine Martin's Westchester design was chosen as a runner at the main entry of the house, while the Cockatoo design was the choice for the home office, which overlooks the Warraroon National Reserve.
The Night Bird design from CM's Deco Collection, was selected for the living room, complementing the house's 1920s origins. In the dining room, located at the heart of the lower floor and quite dark, bold colour was introduced with the House of Heras Golden Peacock design. Part of the Birds and Bees collection, inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, this design – though from a different era – harmonises with the other rug selections.
Catherine Martin’s Lace design was used as a staircase runner, positioned centrally in the house to reflect the intricate patterns of the floor grilles. Upstairs, the master bedroom features CM's Rhapsody rug in a hand-knotted design, perfectly complementing the space with its soft, feminine touch.
“Working with Designer Rugs throughout this process has been an absolute pleasure,” says Donna. “The ability to customise rug sizes within their range provided exceptional flexibility and made the entire experience seamless and enjoyable. Given the opportunity, I would not hesitate to work with them again in the future.”
Donna Callanan Design works closely with her clients to create inspired interiors to suit their individual needs and lifestyle. Donna’s flair, enthusiasm and attention to detail is reflected in her personalised interior designs, which embody great design, creative ideas and practical advice. Donna studied Interior Design at London’s Chelsea Harbour - KLC School Of Design, after working as a visual merchandising manager within London’s Habitat and Australia’s David Jones.
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