Designer Series | A Gathering Place in the Sky

For Strutt Studios, every project is an opportunity to create spaces that are as purposeful as they are beautiful. Known for their thoughtful, collaborative approach, the Sydney-based interior architecture and design studio thrives on contrast—refined yet robust, timeless yet contemporary. Their work is distinguished by originality, craft, and an ability to bring fresh perspective to each brief.

That philosophy shaped their design for the North Sydney Speculative Suites, a workplace without a defined tenant but with the potential to inspire. Working within the framework of a refurbishment, the studio’s task was to harmonise new elements with the existing architecture while creating an interior that would feel adaptable, enduring, and inviting.

At the centre of the design is the kitchen: a communal hub positioned to take in expansive city views. To ground the space, Strutt Studios conceived an oversized island bench—generous in scale yet finely detailed. Wrapped in walnut timber and topped with Smartstone’s Calacatta Lusso sintered stone, it anchors the interior with warmth and sophistication.

For the studio, materiality was critical. Calacatta Lusso from the Smartstone porcelain Sintered Collection offered the ideal balance of elegance, durability, and practicality. Its soft grey veining with touches of gold and amber delivers a refined marble-like aesthetic, while its resilience makes it perfectly suited to a high-traffic workplace.

“Smartstone makes the process seamless, combining a beautiful, versatile range with the durability our projects demand, all backed by a responsive team we can trust to deliver,” the team explains.

The North Sydney Speculative Suites embody Strutt Studios’ belief that even a project without a client brief deserves a unique response. With Smartstone as part of their palette, they crafted a workplace that is contemporary yet enduring, a gathering place in the sky that reflects both design vision and material innovation.