Inside a Dream Home With Iconic Views of Sydney Harbour (House Tour)

Look inside a dream home on the harbourfront of Sydney’s Rose Bay. Rose Bay House by Fearon Hay blends lightness, solidity, privacy and openness.

The brief was for a family home that is light-filled and built to cater for large gatherings yet retain moments of intimacy. “It was always going to be a family home … so it needed to be a home that could flexibly accommodate different ages and stages as the family grows,” says Jeff Fearon, architect and co-founder of Fearon Hay.

Rose Bay House is built on a steep corner block sunken from the street, with another property between it and the harbour foreshore. From the inner-city coastal street, it looks almost windowless, with a series of onyx slabs laid into a blackened stainless-steel frame that wraps the dwelling and appears to be suspended from the edge of the roof. The existing house was heavily vegetated, which is something Fearon Hay enhanced to help achieve this effect.

Translucent stone panels provide privacy and volume inside the dream home, while also allowing dappled light into the interior. The particular stone was chosen as it has both a sense of permanency and lightness, providing delicacy and movement.

Given the brief, inside a dream home is created by Fearon Hay through a flexible floor plan that could accommodate large-scale entertaining but also be intimate. The building’s floor plan is U-shaped, opening to an eastern courtyard at the rear and a broad terrace to the west that looks out to the postcard view of Sydney Harbour.

Inside a dream home, there is often a robust quality, which is no different for Rose Bay House. This rawness comes from the fact that the building is embedded in the ground. “We have a basement level, where we had to cut sandstone geology to embed the building,” comments Tim Hay, co-founder of Fearon Hay. The solid basement level is one of three levels, each imbued with a distinct feel; the middle level is more open with views and outlooks of the harbour and luscious garden, while the top level, which houses the bedrooms, strikes a delicate balance between both the solidity of the lower level and the openness of the middle level.

A typical feature inside a dream home is the way the team seeks to engage with harbourside views at every opportunity. “A morning sunbeam in the kitchen was something that was absolutely critical to us,” says Fearon. An eastern courtyard, which is the main point of arrival, is what brings the morning sun into the living areas.

A sense of sanctuary and privacy has been achieved through the architecture and landscape design by Paul Bangay harmoniously coming together. The genius of Bangay’s work is that it shields the abode from neighbours while also allowing light from every aspect inside. At the same time, it manages to create the impression that there is nothing between the building and the waterfront view. The result reveals how inside a dream home can comfortably fit 100 people yet be an intimate space for just two.

00:00 - Introduction To The Dream Home With Iconic Views
01:56 - Accomodating The Clients Needs
03:24 - Defining The Spaces Within
05:02 - Finding The Perfect Materials
06:30 - Rising Levels Of The Home
07:50 - Final Reflections

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Photography by Tom Ross.
Architecture by Fearon Hay Architects.
Interior design by Penny Hay.
Landscape design by Paul Bangay.
Natural stone flooring by Eco Outdoor.
Filmed by The Local Production.
Edited by HN Media.
Production by The Local Production.

Location: Rose Bay, New Soth Wales, Australia

The Local Project acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners of the land in Australia. We recognise the importance of Indigenous peoples in the identity of our country and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands.

#DreamHome #Sydney #HouseTour

[sutats]

All is right in the world when you have a view like that.

[charlieb]

I miss when the Local Project did less mega rich houses and featured places that felt a little more accessible. These new features just feel like a more soulless AD article :(

[hintex]

Rose Bay House is truly a masterpiece of modern architecture! The balance of lightness and solidity, combined with its stunning harbourfront location, makes this home a dream. I’m amazed by how Fearon Hay has created a flexible yet intimate space, perfect for both grand gatherings and cozy family moments. The use of translucent stone panels for privacy and light, along with the U-shaped floor plan that opens to beautiful terraces, is both innovative and practical. The integration with the natural surroundings and the clever use of levels really highlight the home’s unique character. Can’t wait to see more of this incredible design!

[mutotowamwema]

This has probably got to be up there in terms of ingenuity. I couldn’t find a fault in this house. Truly one of a kind with incredibly detailed attention.

[JoeNielsen]

Wow!
That mid level is amazing 🤩😍
That garden contrasting with the glass and hard stone, concrete and dark metal is really beautiful ❤️

[strangelab]

The house is perceived as well designed, the use of materials and the size of some spaces show that a lot of money has been spent... I don't love it, but I can't be very critical without seeing plans and seeing only the decoration as if it were an AD article makes me like it but without too much interest. What did catch my attention and I like a lot is the design of the garden, it really is beautiful and gives that balance that architects talk about and makes a nouveau riche "luxury style life" house more attractive because of all that well-selected and cared for greenery.
😊

[douglasyong]

Veined translucent stone, evokes a surreal emotion..when paired with a good drink and abstract tunes

[daniel.shojaei]

The house design is unique. Wish the video would show the flow between the spaces more than focusing on the view.

[debrajane]

What an amazing home! I loved how the stone was transparent enough to allow the light to come through. Really enjoyed this video!

[arcandyss]

The windows structures and doors omg i love them

[Ben.]

I’m generally not into modern style architecture… but I think this house is outstanding absolutely top job to everyone involved ..I was really like this house and what it has to offer …for me I would just remove the statues in garden 🪴 and the rest is spot on ..thankyou !

[davonpointer]

What an incredible place to live. Stunning home.

[majeedtaouk]

The natural environment make this house seem beautiful

[spennyb]

incredible property, even better shots. incredible frames.

[jamesjarvis]

Lovely architecture and interior design

[jtdave]

The way the exterior was design remind me of this Theater in Midtown NY the "Perelman Performing Arts Center" they did the same thing. I love the terrazzo flooring...

[J.e.f.f.r.e.y]

Wow. This is an incredible piece of art with so many original ideas and perfect detail at every level. I love it. The dappled light through the stone is mesmerising. The 9 mins of this episode just flew by. Great production TLP ⭐️

[jamesgalloway]

Reminds me of the rare book library at Yale University (Beinecke Building) - they also used the thin stone for windows to reduce direct sunlight to protect the books. Lovely idea

[TheSushmaHomeSellingTeam]

We can't deny this is a great masterpiece. 🖤🖤

[Zergcerebrates]

Wow, imagine inviting friends over for a NYE fireworks