Barbara Nanshe and Ricky Sheehan live in an award-winning house in Islington.
The couple bought the house in 2017, the same year they married.
They both knew what they wanted in a home, but it was Sheehan who made it fit both their needs, Nanshe says.
"He said it was a great clean slate to put all of my artworks I'd acquired over the years," she says.
"It's the right size for two - having the living and cooking in the same space, which we liked," Sheehan adds.
"When we were looking, we thought about how do we want to move around, how do we want to live together."
Bourne Blue Architecture, Newcastle, won an award in 2015 for the home's innovative design.
It was built as a passive solar house.
"The design gives us a better balance between hot and cold during the year and substantially reduces our energy costs throughout the year - at least by 50 per cent," Sheehan says.
When they first inspected the house, Nanshe loved the original wall colours, and they both loved the dusty orange used in the living-kitchen area.
They also liked the built-in seating, including the custom-made cushion covers.
"That wall colour was here when we got here," Nanshe says pointing to the lounge room walls.
"I love it, I didn't want to change it. I love the link between the lounge room into the kitchen.
"We also love the splash back in the kitchen, which was here when we arrived too. It's 50 favourite artists of the previous owners," Sheehan says
Nanshe, a sculptor and jeweller, runs Barbara Nanshe Studio in The City Arcade, Hunter Street.
Sheehan's an executive for Woolworths.
Normally, Sheehan would travel to Sydney to work in head office, but since the start of COVID-19 he has mostly worked from home.
Nanshe divides her time between The City Arcade and home.
They both ride electric shooters, which are charged and stored in the converted office/studio.
"We built the office environment specifically to our needs. We both have our desks in here, and I have my working space there. Ricky doesn't use any paper - everything is on screen, whereas I use paper, as you can see," Nanshe says.
The couple's complementary and opposing personalities can be seen throughout the house. However, the meditation room is special for both.
"I have a busy, high-pressure work environment, so I want a space that is minimalistic, vacant, but has a relaxing feel about it," Sheehan says.
"I come in here and sit back and meditate or read. I meditate at least 30 minutes, once a day. I use a guided meditation - the idea is if the door is closed, don't interrupt."
Nanshe uses the room for another purpose.
"I roll out my yoga mat in here, in the morning and the night, and do my yoga stretches.
"This room gives me peace and tranquility and we designed it that way (it was a bedroom), to be a place of calm and to get everything out of our heads."
The house is now two-bedroom with a bathroom and ensuite.
"What I love about the our bedroom layout is the cross-breeze between the two windows," Nanshe says.
"I love that in here you can see the greenery of the garden on both sides of the bed, and my favourite Mal Cannon painting hangs above the bed.
"There's also my double things - two boats in that painting, pairs in here and couple of birds in this painting."
The couple's love of art and interior decoration is featured in every part of the home, especially the gallery hallway, which is almost completely covered in artworks.
"I wanted a space for all my little artworks, so I decided the hallway wall was the perfect place, because you walk past and they are just there - you can see them really well," Nanshe says.
