The Design Files: John Winning (Feat. Inner City Warehouse)
The Design Files, Issue: 2 March 2016
2.03.16
This seriously impressive Sydney home belongs to entrepreneur and businessman John Winning. To save you the hassle of googling him (and I know you will), I might as well give you the lowdown, briefly – John is the young CEO of Winning Group and founder of Appliances Online, Australia’s number one online retailer of kitchen appliances. His empire started as an online off-shoot of a 100-year-old family business, but these days John heads up the whole company. I have to say, the #winning hashtag has never seemed more appropriate.
John’s home is a massive 1,100 square metre 1920’s brick warehouse, converted on the first floor into a generally open plan home with large kitchen and dining area, two lounge areas, an outdoor terrace space and one central ‘pod’ bedroom, whilst the ground floor houses various guest bedrooms, an indoor pool, internal garden and extensive entertaining area.
The unique fit-out here is the result of a particularly inspired architectural response. ‘I held an ideas competition with a handful of architects, and one design approach stood out for its originality and use of the space’ explains John. That was Peter Ireland’s scheme, who is joint principal of Allen Jack + Cottier Architects. Peter proposed the ground floor internal garden with void and windows above, which allows natural light to stream through the space. He is also responsible for that mind-bending master bedroom!
