Mulberry mood: Dream Weaver

Sydney interior designer Yasmine Saleh Ghoniem of YSG Studio describes her design for the Dream Weaver penthouse as a patchwork. She had worked with the clients on two previous projects and understood their appreciation for colour, but she also knows the importance of neutrals. The apartment was stripped bare before the design team began. Walls and floors were kept neutral but, in a space flooded with light, the addition of colour was necessary to combat the glare of an all-white space. “I love that [this project] showcases colours but in a contemporary and slick way,” says Yasmine.

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Dream Weaver apartment was stripped bare by the design team before they started.

Image: Prue Ruscoe

The kitchen features dark joinery and glossy cream tiles that reflect light into the space without being blinding. The island bench is also split into two. To the left is a traditional rectangular-shaped island in mismatched lapis blue granite tiles. To the right, a curved floating bench in white wraps around three round pillars. The larger of the pillars, in a deep plum, supports a second smaller oval-shaped bench above in blue granite that swivels out to form a cheese platter. “It revolves a full 360 degrees,” says Yasmine. “We put it right next to the dining area, so if they have guests it’s something that ignites a conversation about the interior.”

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A steel and glass shelf unit marks the transition from kitchen to living zones. Sculpture: William Versace.

Image: Prue Ruscoe

There are three bathrooms in the penthouse. The powder room is clad in deep purple tiles as one big colour block. The countertop is in Calacatta viola marble, with its distinctive purple streak, while overhead is a single glass pendant with a bumpy surface that Yasmine describes as being like a “see-through brain.” In the ensuite, a custom onyx vanity wraps around to form a ledge in the shower area. This is paired with cute micro tiles in a neutral shade, while the floor is in a red terracotta tile.

Considering Yasmine’s penchant for rich colours and the owners’ preference for purple, this penthouse could have ended up as too visually saturated. Instead, it communicates a love for colour, tempered with a neutral palette so it does not overwhelm. The result is vivid and expressive but also balanced and calm.