Interior Design

The creation of Connie Alessi and Cressida Kennedy

Opulence, elegance, bespoke design and luxury, inspired by the grand manor houses of old with soaring ceilings and layering of finishes and expression of every detail. 

Housed within a unique heritage building full of history, dating back to its original construction in 1903 as a former School Convent, the property was transformed into a modern guest house, seamlessly merging a heritage-listed building with new construction and largely influenced by 1920s and 1970s styles of interiors.

Delightfully intimate, devastatingly gorgeous, genuinely original and refreshingly unpretentious, Crystalbrook Albion features 35 rooms perfectly appointed in use and breathtakingly designed with every last detail considered. Think bespoke Art Deco-inspired solid walnut bedheads, custom-designed armchairs in bold colourways, green onyx desks, leather desk chairs and steel and brass open robes.

Custom artwork has been carefully procured and selected for each room and common area with personalised pieces commissioned for the reception and concrete brutalist wall. Custom designed wallpapers on foiled paper to common areas that bring whimsical flair to the common lobby areas. Signature 70s pink terrazzo to the lift lobby against brass clad lift doors in a steel and glass lift shaft.

Honour Bar that exudes elegance and sophistication with walnut and Emerald Green joinery with a distinct Art Deco influence. Sunken ‘conversation pit’ to reception with a custom-designed leather lounge that wraps around and embraces the space. Spotted Gum timber clad ceiling, wall cladding and sunken lounge wall cladding gives the space warmth against the polished concrete floor. The eggplant coloured leather sofa, Emerald Green joinery and Pink Onyx reception desk custom designed to express the 70s vibe accentuated by the feature pendant, dipping lamp and the ‘All You Need Is Love’ feature artwork wall.

Herringbone Oak timber floors to the lower ground, attic rooms and Big Albion that exude elegance. Big Albion is everything the name suggests, a bold statement in design, a space perfectly designed and executed. A stunning combination of paisleys, geometric patterns and unexpected gold tiles in the bathroom that are reminiscent of a Gustav Klimt painting. The Suites and Rooms to the western extension are designed to express the new against the old with a slight change to the details of skirtings and furniture which accentuate the old and the new. Attic rooms are cleverly planned to work within the existing roof space with the new skylights on the rake and the attention to detail to embrace the existing structure. 

The bathroom design was carefully considered down to stone junctions and solid stone hobs carved from solid marble blocks. Custom brass tapware, bespoke designed vanity frames with Elba stone tops and custom-designed mirrors as a nod to the Art Deco era. A flawless combination of hand-painted Moroccan Popham feature wall tiles and Elba solid marble floors and shower walls. Three of the level one bathrooms have a twist that you wouldn’t expect, cleverly designed and executed they sit under the existing bridge of the building entry with a black copper roof to the infill below street level.

Lighting design prowess with just the right lighting levels and lighting control to the rooms as well as the common areas paired with high-end design specification on all the lighting elements throughout perfectly accentuate and celebrate the spaces.