The Design Files: Spanish mission apartment with a personal touch

Who: Charlie Ford and Jordana Johnson

What: A Spanish mission wonderland

Where: Tamarama, Sydney

Filmmakers Jordana Johnson and Charlie Ford are living the dream Sydney life in their beautiful Spanish mission apartment located just steps from the beach.

The couple, co-founders of production company Sweater Weather Films, discovered the apartment in late 2020 when they were looking to move further out of the city and be closer to nature.

Instead, they found everything they were looking for in the heart of Tamarama: a Spanish mission apartment that looks out to a shared leafy backyard on one side, and ocean views on the other.

“When we entered the apartment for the first time, we absolutely loved the little European front balcony overlooking the ocean, but it was when we walked through and saw the main bedroom overlooking the boulder and garden that we were sold,” Ford says.

“You can see other houses in the gully, the hills and the ocean, which sometimes, if you squint, makes it feel like you could be in Mexico, California or Europe somewhere overlooking the Mediterranean.”

The leafy backyard is seemingly carved from sandstone and located directly below the couple’s living room balcony.

Residents in the building utilise this communal space year-round, but especially over Sydney’s 2021 lockdowns when time outdoors was restricted.

“We got to know all of our neighbours and found it’s such a lovely community to be a part of … it’s the first time either of us has known all of our neighbours in years,” Ford says.

“We love that communal aspect of it – so does our dog, Bibi, who spends most of her days going in and out of everyone’s apartments.”

The apartment is smaller than Johnson and Ford’s previous homes, so they’ve carefully furnished and styled it so as not to overwhelm the arched windows and twisted interior columns.

“I guess we’d describe it as warm, considered, inspiring, fun and functional,” Ford says. “We didn’t want it to be too perfect or too ‘one style’, like mid-century or contemporary.”

On every surface are works from the couple’s personal art collection, including paintings and ceramics by friends and Ford’s late grandfather, Sam Shub.

“Once he retired, he painted every day for 30 years in his home studio in Melbourne,” Ford says. “Now that he’s passed away, it’s really special to have these parts of him in my life and a constant reminder of the joy in creating for creating’s sake.”

Ford, who is also a photographer, has taken the opportunity to display his own works in the apartment as part of his recent debut solo show, Moods of Wonderland.

The 21 medium-format film images were “all captured in our neighbourhood during lockdown, so it felt right to exhibit them in the space that they were created in,” he says.

“It was really special to share the works with our friends, strangers and neighbours by welcoming them into our intimate space for two weeks.”

Above all, Johnson and Ford hope their apartment is comfortable, welcoming, and a place where guests feel at home.

“Things can get scratched and dented and it just adds to their character, so there are no white couches or fragile rugs or furnishings that could cause us stress,” Ford says.

“We want it just to feel like a space you want to be inside of for hours, and feel inspired to create within.”

How to personalise a rental

It’s hard to believe Johnson and Ford’s richly layered apartment is rented. Full of character, this home feels full of life and highly personal.

Consider the following to add personal flourishes to any space, permanent or temporary:

• Invest in minor improvements. Don’t be afraid to ask permission to make minor cosmetic improvements to your rental, such as changing dated light fittings or painting a front fence. Depending on the type of work required, the landlord may require the use of a qualified tradesperson.
• Banish bare walls. Enliven white walls with artwork, prints and treasured ephemera. Relaxed rental laws in Victoria now enable picture hooks to be used in most residential rentals (however you do need to seek permission). No such luck in NSW – try 3M sticky hooks instead. They’re surprisingly effective for lightweight paintings.
• Floor coverings. You may not be able to change wall colours or flooring, but a beautiful rug can completely transform a room. Try Armadillo for classic, handcrafted rugs that will stand the test of time.

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