Sherbrooke Project
- Space: Full Home
Our Sherbrooke Street project was a full renovation of a two-bedroom townhouse in Ainslie, Canberra.
While there were no major structural changes, we removed several internal walls and relocated the kitchen to create a more central, open-plan layout. The clients often host guests, so their top priority was designing a space that felt warm, social and inviting. With a modest footprint to work within, careful planning was essential.
After several design iterations, we landed on a wrap-around farmhouse-style kitchen that frames their large solid timber dining table, which now serves as the heart of the home.
The home is filled with thoughtful design details that enhance both functionality and feel. In the kitchen, double skylights flood the space with natural light, which highlights the warmth of the floating timber shelves and the soft finishes of the cabinetry.
Custom joinery in the bedrooms features rattan insets, adding a subtle texture and tying in with the relaxed, organic palette. Throughout the home, warm oak elements and layered lighting work together to create a cohesive and calming atmosphere.
With both clients working in high-pressure professional roles, it was important for their home to offer a sense of calm and comfort at the end of the day.
They had a few key requests, all lighting needed to be warm, their timber dining table had to stay, and they preferred not to use stainless steel sinks or tubs. These choices naturally pointed toward a soft, organic material palette with warm undertones and subtle texture.
Brass hardware and subtle detailing add just the right amount of refinement, while the cohesive use of colour and materials ensures the space flows effortlessly from room to room. The result is a home that feels both relaxed and refined, a true retreat from the clients’ busy day-to-day lives.
The final design brings together elements of Scandinavian simplicity and bohemian warmth. Light finishes and natural textures were used to keep the space feeling open and serene. Timber floating shelves, rattan insets in the custom robes, and warm oak accents layered across the home all contribute to a feeling of laid-back sophistication.
We recently renovated our entire townhouse. NEWR were so patient and professional throughout the entire project. No question too big or small, no request too hard. We’re so impressed at everything – from the design through to communication, workmanship and attention to detail. You put a lot of trust in a company when you literally gut your house and without any doubt, if we had to do it again – we would have NEWR on board with us for the journey.
They say renovating your house is one of the most stressful things you can do – we have to honestly say, it really wasn’t that bad and we put that down to the amazing staff. Thank you NEWR for giving us the house of our dreams.
Challenges & Solutions
One of the design challenges was integrating custom strip lighting into the floating kitchen shelves. The lighting needed to run the full length of the shelves without interrupting the clean lines or timber finish. With careful planning and collaboration between our joiner and electrician, we were able to achieve a clean, seamless result that enhances the mood and functionality of the space.
Another key structural challenge was relocating the front door to the position of an existing window. This required careful removal of bricks and adjustments to the facade to ensure the new entry felt intentional and cohesive with the rest of the design. The result not only improved the flow of the floor plan but also created a more welcoming and practical entrance.
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