Current work

Queen
Private Residence

Woollahra, NSW

Built in 1981, this home was extensively renovated with sweeping curves, elegant pattern and glamorous colour. A bedroom between the kitchen and living room was removed to create social flow between the spaces. The upstairs layout was reconfigured to house additional bathrooms, bedrooms and walk-in robes.
Cover story: The renovation of this home heroes its original architectural soul, Belle
A poetic retreat designed to connect with nature and others, Elle Decor France
Why this pioneer of small spaces cut 2m off a swimming pool, Australian Financial Review
Queen by Smac Studio, The Local Project
Royal Beauty: Inside a Woollahra Home That Captures the Modern Sydney Aesthetic, Sitchu
Coveted outdoor living trends, Belle
The colour combos interior designers can’t get enough of, Domain
Winner of Emerging Design Star, Belle Awards 2025
Nominated for Best Residential Interior, Belle Awards 2025
Nominated for Interior Designer of the Year, Belle Awards 2025
Nominated for Reader’s Choice, Belle Awards 2025

Pied-à-terre
Private Townhouse

Woollahra, NSW

This townhouse, built in 2000, originally had a poky U-shaped kitchen. Smac Studio redesigned the space, creating a granite island bench orientated towards the garden. The owner specified she loves shades of olive and aubergine; tones we included to create an oasis of calm.
A European-inspired pied-à-terre in the heart of Sydney’s eastern suburbs, Vogue Living
An unexpected aubergine twist transforms a classic townhouse, House & Garden
Pied-à-Terre by Smac Studio, The Local Project
Pied-à-Terre is designed to feel elegant, feminine and unmistakably French, Est Living
A calming haven dotted with statement pieces, Sitchu
Magic Mirror, Habitus
Shortlisted in residential category, Interior Design Excellence Award (IDEA) 2025

Smooth Operator
Private Residence

Dover Heights, NSW

With 21 different types of stone, this bold family home is both luxe and liveable. Personality starts at the front door, where a staircase reenacts a famous art installation in a chromatic cascade.
Featuring 21 different types of stone, this effortlessly cool home balances luxury with fun, Vogue Living
Shona McElroy shows us around this 'effortlessly cool' eastern suburbs home, Vogue Living YouTube
A fearless Sydney home by Smac Studio, layered with personality, Belle
Bathrooms are all about balancing luxury with liveability, Vogue Living
Shortlisted in best use of materials category, House & Garden Top 50 Rooms 2025

Light House
Private Residence

Vaucluse, NSW

This grand Italian residence was built in 1989, originally in terracotta tones with hard edges. Smac Studio’s renovation curved everything off, updated the colour palette and created an open plan kitchen, dining and living area.
This Layered Coastal Home in Sydney Puts a Contemporary Spin on Seaside Living, Architectural Digest
Classic and timeless, Elle Decor
An airy and elevated Sydney home is recast in classic Italian style, Vogue Living
A grand residence in Sydney’s Vaucluse that beautifully blends classicism with modernity, Belle
15 Modern and Chic Living Rooms, Architectural Digest
Tuscan Touch, The Local Project
An inspired transformation of a 1980s family home, Est Living
A classic, timeless and reinvigorating project, CO-Architecture
Light House by Shona McElroy is a beacon of style perched on the Vaucluse cliffs, Domain Living
Winner in Interior Design Residential Category, Architecture Master Prize 2024
Winner in Interior Design Residential Category, Built Design Awards 2024
Winner in residential category, INT Interior Design Awards 2024
Finalist in Best Young Interior Design Firm, Architizer A+ Awards 2024
Shortlisted in Interior Design Category, London International Creative Competition 2024

Mirrorball
Private Penthouse

Edgecliff, NSW

The home of Smac Studio’s principal, Shona McElroy, was transformed from an awkward 1920s layout into a light-filled sanctuary. With clever spatial planning a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom home was upgraded to 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Walls of mirrors bounce natural light, while the kitchen has been relocated from the dark back to the sunny front of the apartment.
Inside the dramatic reinvention of an interior designer’s north-facing Sydney apartment, Vogue Living
Inside interior designer Shona McElroy's contemporary Sydney apartment, Vogue Living YouTube
Before & After: The theatrical transformation of a dark apartment into a luminous cocoon, Elle Decor France
Sophisticated personality and a very clever layout, Elle Decor Spain
A Haussmannian reverie reimagined for a Sydney skyline, Belle
A romantic renovation of a 1920s apartment in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, Home Beautiful
The “fantastically ugly” apartment Shona McElroy turned into a beautiful home, Home Beautiful YouTube
Inside some of Sydney’s most inspiring homes, The Sydney Morning Herald
This harbourside home wasn’t maximising the view. Then a young couple tore it up. The Sydney Morning Herald
Mirrorball by Shona McElroy, The Local Project
Luxury bedroom trends designers are loving, Belle
The best debuts at NYC Design week, Business of Home
Knobs, pulls and other hardware that buck the traditional, The Architect’s Newspaper
Winner in bedroom category, House & Garden Top 50 Rooms 2025
Shortlisted in kitchen category, House & Garden Top 50 Rooms 2025
Shortlisted in residential category, Interior Design Excellence Award (IDEA) 2025

Mirror Image
Private Residence

Dover Heights, NSW

Bold varieties of green natural stone shine in this new build. From the drama of the marble entrance to the textured Venetian plaster powder room, clever design details link every space.
Tour a modernist family home with a dramatic marble powder room, Vogue Living
The most popular houses on Vogue Living from the last 10 years, Vogue Living
The most popular kitchens on Vogue Living from the last decade, Vogue Living
A stylish semi in Dover Heights with old-world European charm, Belle
Elegant and harmonious, Elle Decor
An Otherworldly Powder Room Is Tucked Under This Sydney Home’s Curved Stairs, Domino
Editor’s pick: This Marble-Clad Home in Sydney Shines Like a Gemstone, Dwell
The best bathrooms of 2022, LivingEtc
Cover story of Mansion magazine, The Weekend Australian
Animated retreat, The Local Project
A light and materiality showpiece, Est Living
A show-stopping powder room, Habitus
Smac Studio stuns with Venetian-clad Sydney home, Australian Design Review
A modern semi-detached home, ArchiPro
Fit for an entertainer, ArchitectureAU
Thoughtful, artistic presentation, Living Magazine Taiwan
Skillfully manipulates light, texture and materiality, Hunter and Folk
Shona McElroy is the queen of powder rooms, Domain
Winner in interior design, residential category, Built Design Awards 2024
Winner in residential category, INT Interior Design Awards 2024
Shortlisted in residential category, Australian Interior Design Awards (AIDA) 2023
Longlisted in residential category, Dezeen Awards 2023
Shortlisted in residential category, Createurs Select 2023
Shortlisted in residential category, Interior Design Excellence Award (IDEA) 2023
Shortlisted in residential category, London International Creative Competition 2023
Honourable Mention in residential category, IDA Design Awards 2023
Winner of Gold Award in residential category, Muse Awards 2023

First Blush
Private Residence

Dover Heights, NSW

A blush powder room makes a statement in this serene residence, with soft pink and bronze tones subtly connecting all the spaces. Different varieties of marble work in harmony across the home. A new build with old soul.
A blush bathroom is the star of this glamorous home, Vogue Living
A calming family home in Sydney’s east with blush tones, Belle
Original as it is fascinating, Elle Decor
A harmonious layering of texture and tone, The Local Project
The queen of powder rooms, Australian Design Review
Design and Emotion; How the Two are Interchangeable, Est Living
A plush family home, perfected with a soft pink palette, Hunter & Folk
Project of the Month, ArchiPro
Winner in residential category, INT Interior Design Awards 2022
Shortlisted in residential category, Interior Design Excellence Award (IDEA) 2022
Shortlisted in residential category, London International Creative Competition 2022
Honourable Mention in residential category, IDA Design Awards 2022
Gold Award in residential category, Muse Awards 2022

Smac Studio Office
Commercial

Paddington, NSW

There’s a misconception offices should always be white, but we wanted our workspace to feel warm, more like a boutique or a bar. People can be hesitant to use all-over colour, but our space proves rooms can feel bright, generous and elegant in a multitude of shades.
The space was transformed into a Hollywood Regency dream, Australian Design Review
Sydney interior designer’s stunning Paddington office is a dream, Interiors Addict
Offices can be fun, if you add the right elements, LivingEtc
Shona McElroy shares the design decisions behind her beautifully layered workspace in Sydney’s east, Hunter & Folk
Smac Studio has created a generous feeling of space by recessing mirrors into joinery, Habitus
The interior designer who swears by secondhand fashion, Australian Financial Review
Shortlisted in Best Commercial Interior category, Belle Awards 2024
Shortlisted in Workspace category, Interior Design Excellence Award (IDEA) 2024
Shortlisted in Emerging Design Star category, Belle Awards 2024

Afternoon Delight
Private Penthouse

Milsons Point, NSW

Inspired by blush tones in the owners’ treasured Sidney Nolan artwork, rose quartz accents shine in this entertainer's penthouse on Sydney Harbour. A fan-shaped layout was redesigned to accommodate open plan living, with panelled mirrors masterfully reflecting the view.
Inside a dreamy rose-hued penthouse overlooking Sydney Harbour, Vogue Living
A romantic reimagining of a Milsons Point penthouse, Belle
Restaurants to residences: The hospitality designers influencing our home kitchens, Domain
21 designer-approved console ideas worth copying, Belle
Shortlisted in residential category, Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) 2025