decus
Orla Contemporary living room design blending Brazilian influences with a warm brown, black, and camel palette; Bondi Beach visible over the balcony

Orla

Orla Contemporary living room design blending Brazilian influences with a warm brown, black, and camel palette; birdseye view of a black metal coffee table, patterned brown rug and brown sofa
Orla Contemporary living room design open plan living and dining room blending Brazilian influences with a warm brown, black, and camel palette; black timber table with brown timber chairs. Timber batten ceiling detail. Views onto Sydney CBD and harbour
Orla Contemporary living room design open plan living and dining room blending Brazilian influences with a warm brown, black, and camel palette; black timber table with brown timber chairs. Timber batten ceiling detail and lattice timber facade treatment
Orla Contemporary Brazilian influence dark timber joinery with curved/fluted detail and stone top
Orla Contemporary living room design open plan living and dining room blending Brazilian influences with a warm brown, black, and camel palette; black timber table with brown timber chairs. Timber batten ceiling detail and lattice timber facade treatment
Orla Contemporary Brazilian influence dark bronze patinated balustrade joinery with stone top
Orla Contemporary open plan living room and kitchen blending Brazilian influences with a warm brown, black, and camel palette; Large white beige quartzite granite kitchen island with timber stools and bronze rangehood
Orla Contemporary Brazilian influence dark bronze patinated curved balustrade joinery with stone top
Orla Contemporary open plan living room and kitchen blending Brazilian influences with a warm brown, black, and camel palette; Large white beige quartzite granite kitchen island, looking through to small artwork of a man in a white tuxedo
Orla contemporary kitchen blending Brazilian influences with a warm brown, black, and camel palette. Features a white and beige quartzite island with timber stools, a bronze rangehood, warm timber joinery, a large ceramic vase with palms, and timber batten detailing on the concrete ceiling.
Orla contemporary kitchen blending Brazilian influences with a warm brown, black, and camel palette. Features a white and beige quartzite island with timber stools, a bronze rangehood, warm timber joinery, a large ceramic vase with palms, and timber batten detailing on the concrete ceiling.
Orla contemporary staircase with Brazilian-influenced dark timber joinery featuring curved, fluted detailing, travertine flooring and a stone countertop
Orla contemporary open-plan living room and kitchen blending Brazilian influences with a warm brown, black, and camel palette; travertine flooring, brown sofa and white/beige quartzite granite kitchen island and a cavoodle in the foreground.
Orla contemporary kitchen island detail in white/beige quartzite granite - sweeping arch detail in base of island block, timber stool and ceramic vase on counter top
Orla contemporary Brazilian-influenced dark timber joinery shelving in butlers pantry with ceramics and glassware
Orla contemporary butler's pantry with Brazilian-influenced dark timber joinery and shelving, styled with ceramics and glassware, looking through to a timber lattice facade and timber batten ceiling detail.
Orla contemporary butler's pantry with Brazilian-influenced dark timber joinery and shelving, styled with ceramics and glassware
Orla powder room detail of a grey-green micro-cement rendered wall, with a brass wall light reflected in the mirror
Orla powder room with a curved blue, cream, and rust-veined stone vanity, aged brass hardware, and an irregular oval mirror in a brass frame. A bronze and glass cylindrical wall light hangs beside it, and a brown-rust ceramic vase with sculptural florals sits on the vanity. Timber batten wall details are reflected in the mirror.
Orla contemporary open-plan living room blending Brazilian influences, with a forest-green sofa on a forest-green silk rug and a large multicoloured artwork above the stairwell behind. In the foreground, a coffee table with a walnut timber top and cream-glazed ceramic legs sits beside a Brazilian-style occasional chair with beige upholstery and timber arm detailing.
Orla contemporary living room blending Brazilian influences, birds-eye detail of a marble coffee table with suede trays in mustard and dark olive green, a forest-green velvet sofa on a forest-green silk rug
Orla contemporary open-plan living room blending Brazilian influences, with a forest-green sofa on a round forest-green silk rug. In the background, a coffee table with a walnut timber top and cream-glazed ceramic legs sits beside a Brazilian-style occasional chair with beige upholstery and timber arm detailing. Cream-coloured curved modular lounge. Expensive views over Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
Orla contemporary open-plan living room blending Brazilian influences. A walnut coffee table with cream-glazed ceramic legs sits beside a Brazilian-style occasional chair with beige upholstery and timber arm detailing. A cream curved modular lounge sits on a geometric-patterned rug, with expansive views over Sydney's eastern suburbs and CBD, and walnut bar joinery featuring custom curved texture detailing.
Orla contemporary open-plan living room blending Brazilian influences. A walnut coffee table with cream-glazed ceramic legs sits beside a Brazilian-style occasional chair with beige upholstery and timber arm detailing. A cream curved modular lounge sits on a geometric-patterned rug, with expansive views over Sydney's eastern suburbs and CBD, and walnut bar joinery featuring custom curved texture detailing.
Orla contemporary living room blending Brazilian influences. Detail of a cream curved modular lounge sits on a geometric-patterned rug, with a wine coloured high-gloss table behind it
Orla contemporary open-plan living room blending Brazilian influences, with a walnut coffee table on cream-glazed ceramic legs beside a Brazilian-style occasional chair with beige upholstery and timber arm detailing, both sitting on a cream geometric-patterned rug.
Orla
Orla contemporary open-plan living room blending Brazilian influences, with a walnut coffee table on cream-glazed ceramic legs beside a Brazilian-style occasional chair with beige upholstery and timber arm detailing, both sitting on a cream geometric-patterned rug.
Alt text: "Orla wall-mounted walnut timber shelf with a crossed intersection detail, set against a blue-and-beige stone wall and styled with a ceramic bowl.
Orla contemporary living room blending Brazilian influences. Detail of a cream curved modular lounge sits on a geometric-patterned rug, with a wine coloured high-gloss table. behind is a wall-mounted walnut timber shelf with a crossed intersection detail, set against a blue-and-beige stone wall and styled with a ceramic bowl
Orla contemporary bedroom blending Brazilian influences, with a beige upholstered bedhead, brown pillowcases, and a mustard throw at the foot of the bed. A walnut lattice-detail side table holds a paper lamp-style bedside light, set against heavy linen drapes and cream carpet.
Orla ensuite with warm beige-grey stone shower walls and a matching vanity featuring a timber inlay drawer. Travertine floors, cream handmade shower wall tiles, aged bronze hardware, and a rust-coloured towel complete the space.\
Orla outdoor timber terrace and pool view over the rolling hills of Sydney's eastern suburbs. Stone coloured ourdoor sofas and a cream coloured umbrella make a cozy outdoor lounge space - travertine flooring leading up to the timber decking a level below with the pool
Orla outdoor timber terrace and pool view over the rolling hills of Sydney's eastern suburbs. Stone coloured ourdoor sofas and a cream coloured umbrella make a cozy outdoor lounge space - travertine flooring on stair treads leading up to the timber decking a level below with the pool

Perched above Sydney’s Bondi Beach, a six-level clifftop home finds new life through the sensuous language of Brazilian modernism. Brazilian design became a leading inspiration – in particular the work of Studio Arthur Casas, known for its concrete architecture and textural interiors. “There’s a beautiful synergy between Australian and Brazilian climates – both warm, outdoor-oriented, and spatially generous,” observes Alexandra Donohoe Church, Creative Director and Founder of Decus. These parallels informed the studio’s approach to indoor/outdoor connection, wayfinding across levels, and the sensory dialogue between hard and soft.

Throughout, rich walnut timber and honed silver travertine serve as foundational elements, over which Decus wove exuberant flourishes of texture, patina and artisanal craft. “Layering was key in transforming the monolithic house - once defined by concrete, glass and white plaster - into a more nuanced and multi-dimensional experience,” reflects Alexandra. Textured render to walls and ceilings brings softness, custom lattice screens crafted from Western Red Cedar speak directly to the design’s Brazilian influences, and timber-battened ceiling features introduce moments of richness, while effectively dampening noise.

Every layer of the home reflects this collaborative attitude and speaks directly to Decus' broader philosophy: an unwavering commitment to quality, a willingness to take on technically complex and highly individual briefs.

Orla is built on the traditional lands of the Birrabirragal and Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.

Photography Anson Smart
Styling Joseph Gardner
Build Horizon

Collaborators on this project include Atelier Furniture Jonathan West JP Finsbury Tim Noone 7 - 3 Design & Joinery World Stone Granite Marble Works Bisanna Tiles Simple Studio JN Custom Metals Candana The English Tapware Company Viabizzuno Volker Haug Studio Blackman Cruz Tibet Henry Wilson Mama Casa DeDeCe Minotti Maison Jonckers Tucci Parterre South Pacific Fabrics