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Towering Moreton Bay fig trees, flowering frangipani, and drapes of electric bougainvillea line the streets of Clovelly, a relaxed, ocean-hugging suburb of Sydney, Australia. Its local beach isn’t known for sand—instead, swimmers use the cove-like pocket of water as a lap pool and the rocky perches above in lieu of a pool deck. This is where bathing brand Baina co-founder Bailey Meredith likes to swim on her lunch breaks, a quick 12-minute drive from her apartment.
“There’s not a lot of places in the world where you can do that,” she says.
Sofa and rug, Jardan; Lounge chairs and side table, Simon James; Table lamp, Hermon Blue; Pendant, &Tradition; Console, USM; Record player, Pro-ject; Vase, Maison Balzac; Artwork, Dom Platz
Originally from New Zealand, Meredith; her husband, Ali Williams; and Gruff, the dog, settled in Sydney in June 2022, and began looking for a home where they could put roots down. She vividly remembers driving down their future street in nearby Kensington and considering its warm and inviting beauty. Perfectly positioned between city and ocean, and just 10 minutes from Baina’s offices, the spot was calming without screaming suburbia.
Just as important as the landscape was their future house’s character, which the area had in spades. “You have this really interesting mix around here of Federation-era homes and then these elegant brick apartment blocks from the 1930s,” Meredith explains. In June 2023, one of the latter captured their imagination, an intimate, two-story structure of eight units. Its lovingly-preserved exterior gives way to elegant details in the public spaces, like a wrought-iron balustrade and stained glass window. “It’s those little details that set buildings apart,” she says. Never having lived in an apartment before—in New Zealand, you’ll find primarily standalone homes—Meredith wasn’t sure how she’d feel in such close proximity to neighbors. Delightfully surprised, it turns out; she likens their inherited community to winning the lottery. “Several of us have dogs in the building and they all play happily together in our shared backyard,” she says.
Bowl, Astier de Villatte
Meredith credits the layout of their compact two-bedroom for allowing the couple to space the house without feeling like they’re on top of one another. An extended hallway runs the length of the apartment, from which each room stems. The kitchen and dining area come first, followed by a small nook and a vintage linen cupboard Meredith refinished with her mother.
The living room is, as she puts it, just far enough from the kitchen that there is a sense of retreat. “One of us can be sitting in the dining room reading a book and the other can be in the lounge listening to a record, and you don’t really hear or notice each other, which is really nice,” she explains.
Apothecary and Towels, Baina; Skincare, Monastery; Soap dish, Orris
In between those spaces is the bathroom, with its original penny tile and a deep enamel tub (“If we can’t save the bath, we’re not touching it,” she says of a potential renovation), as well as a sneak peak of Baina’s forthcoming apothecary line. As for the towels? “I find myself reaching for ones that add warmth and depth while still evoking a sense of softness and calm,” she notes. “The palette of tabac and noir is perfect for cool evenings and crisp mornings.”
Cabinets and sink fixture, IKEA
As a former rental, cosmetic improvements were sorely needed elsewhere, but they were in no rush to jump into a more involved update after renovating their previous house in New Zealand. “I certainly learned how important it is to really live in a space before you do too much to it, to understand how you utilize each room and the way that you flow through it,” she says. To start, the couple simply swathed the apartment in creamy white, swapped out the lighting fixtures, and hung fresh curtains.
Vase, Simone Bodmer Turner
After a year of living in the unit—getting to know how light moves through each room and which nooks they gravitated towards—it was time to properly refresh the kitchen and dining area. Banquette seating and a stainless-steel countertop were two features that the duo wanted to incorporate, balancing serenity and functionality in both material and feeling. Now, there’s a relaxed atmosphere near the action. “My husband is the primary cook in this house,” Meredith says. “He’ll be in the kitchen, and I love to lounge at the dining table.”
Record Player, Technics
The primary and guest bedrooms are tucked away at the very back of the property, lapping up the most sun thanks to north-facing windows. Throughout the home, simple yet striking ceiling molding and traditional pine flooring bookend the eclectic and minimal furnishings, like a curl-up sofa and modular console bursting with records in the living room or a vintage dresser and modern light fixtures in one bedroom.
Outdoor furniture, Hay
Meredith’s approach to decorating is intrinsically linked with the ethos she brings to Baina, which pushes against the idea of hyper-seasonality and finite timelines. “It’s that idea of layering to create a unique setting,” she says. “I love pieces that hold meaning beyond the physical; it’s a memory or marker in our lives.” Spur-of-the-moment dips in the water don’t hurt, either.
Samantha Weiss-Hills is the managing editor of home and shopping for Domino. She edits and writes home tours, shopping guides, and features, and she’s the friend who everyone texts for glassware, sofa, and sheet recommendations. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Alex, and their beagle-corgi, Elsa.