Inside Peppertree Villa, the remarkable Bellevue Hill project that melds classic and contemporary

I am forever in awe of projects that manage to masterfully blend contemporary references with existing heritage elements, creating an aesthetic that effortlessly straddles both yet ultimately feels neither one or the other. Projects where designers and architects have shifted embedded visual time references that come with the bones of a heritage home and shaped them into a result all of its own.

Enter Peppertree Villa in Sydney’s Bellevue Hill. The grand old home’s late 1920s art deco aesthetic forms the foundation for the classical, neutral mood that prevails in the entire project.

Apart from being a total knockout, what I love most about this house is its ability to convey a new take on a heritage aesthetic by almost transcending the idea of time and shifting preconceived visual cues we subconsciously might expect to see.

Having completed the renovation of the adjacent house, which shares the vast canopy of the centennial peppertree at the summit of Bellevue Hill, Luigi Rosselli Architects were engaged for significant structural improvements for this project too.

They focused on delivering better flows between multiple living spaces, creating a direct link to a new garden, adding an attic room and a backyard swimming pool, and relocating the garage into the basement.

Another significant addition was the new staircase that connected the two new levels to the rest of the house, providing an elegant climb to the bedrooms on the upper floors.

Taking the form of a suspended ribbon, the sculptural stair is finished in stucco lucido (Italian polished plaster) topped by brass railing crafted on-site.

On the ground floor, the architects replaced small timber windows with large steel-framed openings that offer uncluttered views onto a new Myles Baldwin-designed garden where the peppertree still stands.

The interiors by Alwill Interiors take things to the next level with a rich and complex palette that perfectly harmonises with the bones of the home, at times making it impossible to discern where history stops and modernity begins.

Visual interest is built up in different layers, with an overarching sense of warmth, elegance and calm, that feels majestic and welcoming.

The living spaces maintain a neutral, tonal palette, while the kids’ en suites surprise, with pastel colours driven by the concept of each space appearing as a box of macarons.

And let’s not forget the main en suite. Holy guacamole! The luxurious timber and marble interior features a centrally located free-standing bath, taking pride of place in what was once a sunroom, with views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, no less.

Sure, this remarkable home is the result of a serious ka-ching kind of budget in one of Sydney’s most exclusive suburbs, but this combination doesn’t always guarantee success. Nor does it deliver the sort of house that makes me feel elated and inspired, like this one.

All images courtesy of Luigi Rosselli & Alwell Interiors. Photography by Prue Ruscoe.