California Bungalow Home Tour: Bone Made's Stylish Home Renovation

Who lives here: A family of six; two adults and four children.  

Location: Concord in Sydney’s Inner West

Decor style:  Sophisticated and contemporary California Bungalow with a touch of elegance.

Favourite room: The master ensuite has a luxurious vibe. All brushed brass fixtures, a double shower, a ‘his and her vanity’ and heated towel rails, all nestled behind beautifully profiled ‘secret’ wardrobe doors from the master. 

Favourite pieces: The Le Corbusier and Hoffman black and natural dining chairs give the space that extra bit of sophistication and elegance. The overall light and neutral colour palette throughout the home contrasts beautifully with these chairs.  

Biggest Splurge: The entire custom joinery which is showcased in the kitchen/dining, the living areas, all bathrooms, the laundry, mudroom, all bedrooms as well as the integrated outdoor BBQ. 

Biggest Save: some of the fixtures and finishes we specified in the mudroom/laundry and main bathroom. As these areas were going to be used by kids and form part of a ‘back of house / thoroughfare’ we opted for more cost-effective finishes and fixtures. 

Tucked away in the leafy surrounds of Sydney’s Inner West, a couple who were enamoured by the California Bungalow that their family were fast outgrowing, knew it was time to give their home a fresh makeover. With beautiful ornate and original features that nod to the home’s heritage, the family brought in Leah and Fliss Pittman of the interior design studio, Bone Made, to transform the Concord house into a luxuriously spacious home that plays to an earthy, yet elegant palette. 

Steps away from a village that thrives on the local community, Leah and Fliss (sisters-in-law) set about creating a fresh and stylish take on family living in suburban Sydney. They took their clients brief and delivered a family home that honoured the ornate features while adding their own touches of glam. The result is a sophisticated bungalow, which goes hand-in-hand with day to day life of four growing kids.  

The Brief

Leah and Fliss explain that while the home was small, it was liveable. However, it certainly required additional space for the growing family. Their brief was to ensure the house felt spacious, light and airy as well as ensuring it cohesively aligned back to the home’s original bones.

“The project was a full home renovation and extension which had to include a large kitchen with a butler’s pantry, a ‘his and her’ wardrobe and master ensuite, a large bathroom for the four kids and two separate living zones to ensure a space for the parents and a space for the kids.

Leah and Fliss continue. “When we’re working on a home renovation or extension projects, we mostly draw inspiration from the existing bones of the property and the style of the home. We like to develop and push from there.”

The Home

The familiar brick façade of the California Bungalow, complete with a gabled roof and welcoming veranda hints at what’s inside—a thoughtfully designed space for modern-day living. Sophisticated and contemporary with old-world elegance, distinct styles that blend harmoniously throughout, from the traditional detailing in the front rooms to the modern features in the newly built spaces. 

“We fell in love with the California Bungalow style and loved creating a fusion of both classic and contemporary design,” says Leah and Fliss. 

Entry

Bone Made’s signature style; earthy and sophisticated with an emphasis on timeless and considered design is felt from the moment you step through the front door. Setting the tone for the house, the entry’s original fireplace and a feature pendant light draws you in, while the oak herringbone flooring guides you down the hall to the main living, dining and kitchen space. Luxe earthy textures embody an area that is filled with natural light streaming in from two French doors dressed in natural linen curtains. 

Open Plan Living

A subtle, yet classic style kitchen features soft grey cabinetry, stone and aged brass detailing, plus, a butler’s pantry style cupboard that allows for seamless, clutter-free bench space. The dining space flows from there; oversized rattan pendants above a dining table with Le Corbusier and Hoffman black and natural dining chairs, and a custom dining credenza with brass detailing with a stone benchtop to complete the look. Then there is one of two living rooms. Custom rattan and oak joinery and an integrated gas fireplace with an exposed flue give the home another layer of warmth and texture. 

Master Bedroom & Ensuite

Original ornate ceilings, windows, architraves and skirtings are defining features of the front rooms, while the two bedrooms that form part of the extension take on a more contemporary feel. Inside the master bedroom, the lush charcoal velvet upholstery in the bay window seat and the classic brass bedside wall lights adds to the room’s elegance. The wardrobe doors with classic bolection profile mouldings have a dual purpose, a secret door to a private ensuite.  

“The master ensuite has a luxurious vibe - all brushed brass fixtures, a double shower, a ‘his and her vanity’ and heated towel rails, all nestled behind beautifully profiled ‘secret’ wardrobe doors from the master,” says Leah and Fliss.

The Neighbourhood

A suburban oasis in Sydney’s Inner West, Concord is defined by a village that thrives on the area’s Italian heritage, its lush parklands and the architectural nuances of the California Bungalow. With its own small slice of waterfront, Concord is teeming with playing fields and beautiful parks with the added bonus of being conveniently located to Sydney Olympic Park, Burwood and Strathfield – a dreamy lifestyle for growing families.

Sitchu's Favourite Hangouts in Concord

For breakfast and coffee: Espresso 96 is all about the coffee and bacon and egg panini.

For lunch: Espresso Organica is a favourite, not only for their coffee but for their café bites.

For dinner: Tucked away in the backstreets, SUD is a must for Southern Italian street food. 

Get the California Bungalow Look

A few of Bone Made’s favourite homeware suppliers are Papaya, Wild Forager in Freshwater and MRD Home. And some of their go-to furniture stores are The Wood Room, Kim Soo in Bali, while they absolutely love the tile store Artedomus and the Lighting Collective.