House of the week: Balmain sets new benchmark for warehouse conversions

Balmain has played host to its fair share of terrace makeovers and warehouse conversions in recent years but this new build in Beattie Street turns up the volume on industrial-inspired design and super-sized spaces.

The brief for architect Shaun Carter of Carterwilliamson was to retain and celebrate as many materials as possible from the former timber mill building, to flood the space with light and to bring a new level of luxury living to the peninsula. Carter has succeeded on all counts.

You would struggle to find more generous accommodation in Balmain. Oversized doors and enormous windows prevail, and on the bedroom level, a wide hallway and three-metre-high ceilings are matched by a four-storey void that throws light right through the building.

Exposed steel beams and weathered steel wall panels sit comfortably alongside original floorboards, ironbark stairs and off-form concrete finishes.

An all-black kitchen designed to seduce the resident cook features a six-metre-long granite island bench and comes with an integrated fridge-freezer, wine fridge and high-end Miele appliances.

Equally stylish but employing a softer palette of whites and greys, the main en suite would not be out of place in a five-star hotel.

Wrapped in marble tiles, quite literally from floor to wall to ceiling, it has a freestanding bath, tap fittings in burnished brass and twin vanities.

The ground level makes an ideal family living space but has its own separate entry should you wish to run a business from home. There is a study and reading nook, a fourth bedroom, a bathroom and a wine cellar on this level.

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The $5 million property, which goes to auction on September 2, comes with two-car stacker parking, a smart-home system, bespoke cabinetry, heated floors, an internal lift and a 48-square-metre roof terrace with city skyline views.

“It’s a contemporary home with a wonderful history behind it right in the heart of Balmain,” says Monique Dower of Belle Property Balmain.

“The whole design of the property is strong and robust and the recycled components give it character and warmth.”

It’s not surprising to discover the home was among the Australia by Design panel’s top 10 “architectural statements of the year” for NSW, revealed last month. It’s Balmain at its best, but not as you know it.

See more photos of 102 Beattie Street here or download the Domain app to search for more properties on the Balmain market