Greg Natale, Greg Natale Design
“This foyer is a fusion of traditional silhouettes and a contemporary setting,” says interior designer Greg Natale, who reworked the interior of this Sydney house. Art Deco meets Hollywood Regency in this glamorous space, but the restrained palette lends a more casual air. The result is both elegant and inviting – the perfect combination for fuss-free living.

THE BRIEF
Located on the ground floor of a 1950s home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, this elegant foyer is a transit zone at the bottom of a staircase. For this interior makeover, the homeowners – a couple with nine-month-old twins – wanted “Hollywood Regency with a 1940s feel,” says Greg. “It had to be classic. We inherited some things, such as the staircase, but overall it was an easy space to work with.” He darkened the existing brush box flooring and painted the walls a sophisticated warm white, applying detailed moulding for added character. The vintage furniture and designer pieces were personally sourced by Greg in Los Angeles, adding the finishing touch and cementing the authenticity of the space.

WHITE MAGIC
“There are pops of colour throughout the house,” says Greg,“but here, in this transitional zone, we wanted to keep the scheme neutral”. The walls and staircase are painted in restful Dulux Lexicon at quarter-strength.

CIRCLE OF LIFE
Because predominantly white rooms can lack warmth, Greg introduced moulding on all the walls. Circular motifs, reminiscent of the grandeur of ocean liner interiors, soften the geometry of the adjacent rectangular moulding.

FINE FORMS
The grouping of key pieces – the curvaceous chair, vintage 1940s console and ceramic stool – creates an elegant tableaux at the foot of the grand staircase.

DARK BEAUTY
The existing brush box timber floor was too red to suit the new interior. In a stroke of genius, Greg had Precision Flooring paint on a black stain, rub some of it off by hand, then apply a polyurethane finish for a dark hotel-like look.

WORK IT BACK
The artful arrangement on this console shows how carefully selected pieces reinforce the decor theme. “The elephant and the pineapple are so Hollywood Regency,” says Greg. White coral and transparent vases work in harmony with the chocolate and white palette.

CHAIN OF COMMAND
This Monte Carlo rug is from Greg’s New Regency collection for Designer Rugs. “The chain-link pattern is so versatile,” he says. “There’s always a circle or a square in a room, so it’s easy to work with.”

HIGH SOCIETY
Generous-sized furniture, quietly luxurious materials and glimmering chandeliers were all the rage in 1940s Hollywood. The stately proportions of the space, Art Deco mouldings and clever introduction of artefacts and pattern, deliver a classically beautiful result. The unabashed glamour and decorative ornamentation of that era is apparent here, but this room’s quiet elegance comes from the monochromatic colour scheme.

THE GOLDEN AGE
American homewares designer Jonathan Adler describes Hollywood Regency as “neo-classical lines mixed with Hollywood glamour and a top note of mod moxie”. Here are some ways to introduce this style into your home:

When selecting a rug, go for an interlocking pattern or repeating geometric designs.

For easy glamour introduce reflective surfaces, whether that’s a glass or mirrored table or lacquered furniture.

This look is about cohesion not eclecticism. Make sure your ornaments reference the 1930s and ’40s.

CONTACT
Greg Natale Design (02) 8399 2103