A stylish living room with large windows, sheer curtains, modern furniture, a green sofa, round dining table, red cabinet, and indoor plants.

May 21, 2026

Words: Elana Castle

Photography: Elizabeth Bay

A Sydney New-Build Takes On An Atmospheric Air

In Sydney’s Elizabeth Bay, Arent & Pyke have transformed a stark new-build apartment into something far more atmospheric. Designed for a couple downsizing from a larger home, the project rejects restraint in favour of immersion, with bejewelled colour, texture and comfort working in majestic harmony.

“The apartment’s located within a premium new residential build and the leafy harbour-side positioning is pretty special, despite the neighbourhood’s proximity to the city,” says founder Juliette Arent, “however the effect of the intense sunlight upon the white walls of the interiors were quite confronting.”

How Arent & Pyke Added Warmth To Formerly Stark Interiors

A stylish living room with large windows, sheer curtains, modern furniture, a green sofa, round dining table, red cabinet, and indoor plants.
An emerald green, brushed velvet Edra sofa grounds the living room in the home.

In response, the studio recalibrated the envelope entirely. A custom Marmorino plaster in pale terracotta wraps walls and ceilings, lending the space what Arent describes as “a velvety sheen that absorbs the rays beautifully transitioning to a gentle coral glow at night.”

From this softened shell, the interiors build in saturation rather than contrast. Overscaled furniture like an emerald green, brushed velvet Edra sofa, sculptural banquette seating and curved walls anchor the open-plan living zone, allowing circulation to remain fluid while defining moments of pause. “The Edra sofa acts as an unobtrusive space divider given its generous scale and elongated height,” explains Arent. The plan itself is simple yet deliberate: a central living hub extending to a generous balcony, with private suites branching off either side.

Materiality carries equal weight. Verde Antigua marble, walnut burl and bronzed mirror layer depth without clutter, while gem-toned textiles (including including rich emerald, sapphire, ruby, carnelian and deep amethyst), introduce a sense of tactility that resists the anonymity of new apartment living. The result is an interior that feels both expansive and intimate, proof that downsizing need not mean diminution but rather a refinement of how space is experienced, held and lived in.

Walk Through The Home

  • A modern living room with a green velvet sofa, patterned rug, oval marble coffee table holding books, a yellow tray, a small bowl, and two leafy plants.
  • A cozy living room features a curved white armchair, a round table with books and a plant, green sofa, floor lamp, and a shelving unit with decor by a window with sheer curtains.
  • A modern dining area with a wooden table on blue legs, a red upholstered bench, purple chairs, decorative pillows, a ceramic vase, and abstract wall art.
  • A modern hallway bar with red cabinets, dark wood shelving, glassware, bottles, a vase with flowers, a decanter, and neutral-toned walls and flooring.
  • A minimalist interior features a beige curved wall, a wooden pedestal with a white vase, a dark cabinet, and a large pottery jar; a bare branch is visible in the foreground.
  • A neatly made bed with beige and brown bedding, a patterned headboard, a wooden nightstand with a book and vase, and abstract artwork on the wall above.
  • A modern balcony with a cushioned wooden sofa, two chairs, a round table with potted plants, and city buildings visible in the background.

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