Searching for a rental in Sydney can be a brutal process, especially during the busy summer months. Jill McCormick, a national brand and wholesale sales manager for MOTHER and American Vintage, recently secured a 70-square-metre home in Darling Point that meets nearly every requirement on an ambitious checklist.
A 1950s Icon with a Wonkavator Entrance
The apartment is located inside Easthaven, a mid-century building designed by renowned Sydney architects Ancher Mortlock & Murray sometime around the late 1950s. The complex features expansive steel-framed windows and floor-to-ceiling glass that frame uninterrupted views across Sydney Harbour. It also includes a slipway and boat ramp for direct water access, an entire level dedicated to kayak and boat storage, gardens, and a communal entertaining pavilion with barbecues and a kitchen overlooking Double Bay.
One of the most distinctive features of the property is the entry, raised within a glass-and-steel footbridge. The structure is suspended above a deep ravine filled with established trees. Jill notes that walking through the entrance offers a view of the harbour. She compares the experience to the glass elevator from the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
“Every time I walk through it, I can’t help but think of the Wonkavator from Willy Wonka,” she says. “And judging by the number of kayaks downstairs, I’m one of the few people in the building who doesn’t own one!”
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The interior had been renovated to include a modern kitchen and bathroom. The layout also features plenty of storage and mirrored walls, which reflect light around the space at different times of the day. The fresh interiors have become a backdrop for a collection of personal items rather than a perfectly matched set of furniture.
Styling and Views
Facebook Marketplace finds, such as a vintage console with Greek key carvings, are paired with a seagrass rug and onyx coffee table. A series of hand-painted, sculptural lamps and artworks made by Jill herself also feature throughout the home. She has recently started selling these creations under the moniker Mewdy.
McCormick spends most of her time on the sun-soaked balcony that juts out from the building. The view is the real hero of the home, creating an ever-changing artwork from her morning routine.
“You almost feel like you’re floating above the water,” she says. “I sit out there every morning in my robe and slippers to eat breakfast, watch the sunrise and listen to the boats bobbing in the harbour. No two mornings are ever the same.”